Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-09-21
Ey.CONFEDERATE RE-UNhVN
AR MORGAN'S SPRING.

.no too dear to deter the assem-
hl;no of these war worn veterans anu
their friends, in the epjoymen! OF aay
renlete with interesting "reminiscences
Of the late war, and which VIII hereafter
VI . ahse s annually by the people of
~ Sao,;on of the country, in honor of
.hn leeds of our heroic dead, and in
. anu to the survivors we still
lave with us. The assemblage steadily
increased as the day wore on, until.a
yery large and respectable concourse
had convened around the large dancing
platform. After dinner, meeting was
called to order by Col. w. A. Morgan,
who nominated Capt. Lee III. Moler as
Chairman, and J. Will Taylor was APP
pointed Secretary. Col. Morgan stated
the object of the meeting, and referred
to this spring as the sacred spot when,
little over one hundred years ago, an
infantry company, commanded by Capt.
Hugh Stephenson, was entertained by
Col. William Morgan with barbecue,
upon the day of their departure to JOIN
the Continental Army, commanded oy
Gen. George Washington, then IN
fortified encampment around the town
of Boston, and closely besieged by the
British army-he briefly referred to the
parting scenes between the soldiers ana
their wives and little ones, and the COM
mencement of the march famous as the
"Bee Line for Boston meeting
and reception of them by Gen. WASH
inrton with tears in his eyes, when, III
the distance, as they approached camp,
he deserted the grey hunting SHIRT OF
the Vlrcinians from the South bank OF
the Potomac. But before leaving, the
company formed in circle, and after
prayer offered for divine guidance and
protection and a safe return to all they
held dear to them, a resolution was
passed to the effect that on that day
fifty years hence all of that company
who were alive and physically able to
get here, would assemble at this Spring
After giving the history of the reunion
in 1925, and of the meeting OF two old
men, all who were able - come-the
Bedinger bro,hers-who had walked all
the way from the Blue Licks of Ken
lucky to redeem their resolution passed
fifty wears previous. He spoke OF the
sacred and friendly ties that bound this
noble band of patriots, and the good
faith in which they had kept their prolu-
Use, and of the last one OF this little
band having long since passed away
and answered the last roll call on earth,
and then referred TO the meeting OF the
surviving -Confederates TO day, hav-
ing formed for each other in the late
struggle for Southern independence that
friendly bond that naught but death
eau sever, and that it is proper and
right to perpetuate this friendly feeling,
and reunion aud revive the memory OF
our fallen comrades by an annual re-
union, and offered the following resolu-
ton, which was passed unanimously =
WHEREAS, In representing portion
of the survivors of the Confederate mil
itary organizations of the grand old
army of Northern Virginia, in commem-
Grafton of the principles We fought for,
and TO revive the memory OF our com
r.des in arms, who were shot down by
our side, falling with their faces TO the
foe, with the firm CLEAN of determine
ton illumining their eyrs,and the hoarse
shout of victory dying away in the
death rattle as their lite blood flowed
out, thus sacrificing their lives in &C
cordance with the stern dictates OF pa
triotic duty-have met here THE day III
friendly aud social re union--l3 years
after the close of bloody struggle, un-
paraleled in the annals of ancient or
modern warfare, for tierceness, courage
and determined endurance, in which the
armies Of the Southern Contcdcracy
were forced TO succumb 10 the superior
numbers and appointments OF the Fed
eral armies, thereby presenting to an
enlightened world the utter fallacy OF
settling a question of craftsmanship by
mere brute force, and suhjecting hap
by, noble and prosperous people to So
cial indignities and commercial ruin, dc
priving them of political rights guaran-
teed by constitutional enactmcnts and
reducing them below the standard Of
slaves
Therefore. We, as the surviving rep
resentatives of the aforesaid army OF
Northern Virginia, believing that 10y
defending our constitutional liberties,
our homes and institutions, we dischar-
ged a duty incumbent upon us as Amer
lean citizens, living under a republican
form of government and entitled to the
protection and respect of that govern
ment, and although we failed to estab-
lish our national independence and in
accomplishing the object for which i'm
perative duty called US into the field,
still, the consciousness Of knowing that
we were discharging that duty, and the
appreciation of our fellow countrymen
sustained us in the dark and gloomy
hour of hardship and suffering upon the
return to desolated homes of the few
survivors of once grand and powerful
army, although no victorious wreaths
crowned our arms, nor fragrant chaplets
woven by the fair HANDS of heroic wo-
men, decked our brows-yet still a
hearty welcome and sweet smiles, tho
sad, beamed out from the sympathizing
hearts of Southern women, the warm,
and honest grasp of the hand by the
few old men who were physically un-
abled TO bear arms in the field of strife,
told US in unmistakable tones of the cor
Al ,,,oIoom. homo and while we have