The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-05-21
This State sent forth 70 the common


cause body of men as true and noble
as ever shook the earth with chs tramp.
Of war; and this county, furnished her
full quo4 both in number and quality:
Yes, my comrades, the virtues / have
mentioned shone forth consp;cuously in
you. When 'sThe Bars and the Stars"
sacred emblem of our cause, was to be
pressed forward 10 victory and planted
within the lines of the enemy, you
we're ever in the forefront of battle.
You were never in tho rear until the
rear became the post of duty and OF
honor; and then you guarded and pro-
tected the honor Of that sacred though
failing flag until is was furlcd in blood.
Your names are now and ever shall be
household words in this land.
You observe that fortitude appears
last in my list of Confederate virtues.
but 1t is not the least. The excitement
of battle tends 10 Danish all remembrance
Of hardships, and to depress all thoughts
of suffering and apprehensions Of dan.
ger and death that may have existed
before. Under such circumstances the
mind becomes exalted in the contem-
plation Of duty performed, Of glorious
victory achieved, and the hope Of well
earned renown. Then again the hard
ships Of the camp, whether in tent
or bivouac, are always alleviated by the
sans souci, tberollicking gaiety of n
gallant soldiery. But fortitude is re-
quired most where fewest allevi,tions are
found. The excitement Of battle over
mo comrade near-.no voice to chcer.-no
friendly hand to give the last cool
draught, it may be, to the wounded and
dying these test to the fullest the he
roism of the sufferer. Under all these tri-
ais we know that the Confederate soldier
stood the test. If he had to die, he
died cheerfully, thinking sweetly of his
home, and for the independence of his
native land. Again come with me to
some Of our innumerable hospitals
where -
w anguish
Tended The sick busiest from couch to
couch: . u
And over them triumphant Death his dart
Shook, but delayed 10 strike, tho of
invoked
With vows rs their chief good and final
hope" d = sis Eass ra
Yet here, all the other virtues having
been elsewhere displayed, patience,
chccrfulness, faith-all born of divine
forlitudc-were characteristics Of our
men. t.-k
And here again the Confederate Wo-
men como to the front. With uuAag-
ging zeal, by day and night, our women
devoted themselves to the comfort and
welfare of our suffering comrades. Their
angel faces, refulgent with the light Of
heavenly charity, illumined the gloom,
and they purified the atmosphere ofthose
otherwise Lazar houses Of woe. With
delicate touch they smoothed and cooled
the burning pillow with soft hands
they bathed and dressed the aching
wounds; with gentle voice they soothed
the irritation and wiped the death
damn from the brow Of dying heroes,
and, bending over couches. caught and
reported the last breath Of departing
spirits as they whispered messages Of
love to those they left behind and far
away. Sacred deputies of q mercifgl
God What more can I say for them ?
The blessiugssof that some Good Being
attend them and theirs forever is the
prayer of every surviving Confederate.
Look now on those nameless graves.
Behold sad spectacle-hnt not with
out its moral. Though we know not
the names of their tenants. they were
none the less our brothers, aud will this
day be honored at your hands, for they,
too, gave their all to the common cause.
40 be nameless in worthy deeds ex>
ceeds an Infamous history" Tho good
Samaritan lives more honored without a
name than Judas Iscariot with one. Who
knows whether the best Of men be
known ? Or whether there bs not
more remarkable persons forgot than
any that stand in the known account of
time?
"The greater part must be cuntent TO
be as though they had not been-to be
found in the Register of God, not in
the record of man. There is no anti
dote against the opium of time. Our
fathers find their graves in our memo.
ries, anl sadly tell US how we may be
buried in our survivors. Grave
stones tell the truth if at all scarce
forty years generations pass while
some trees stand-and opld families
last not three oaks" "still man is a
noble animal, splendid in ashes and
pompous in the grave--solemnizing ma
tivities aud deaths with equal lustre--not
omitting ceremonies of bravery ic the
intImy Of his nature"
If the spirits cfour departed brothers
take cognixauce OF earthly things, they
must be filed with joy when they
see that the meekest, purest, rarest, yet
most sublime of christian virtues
charity-with her sisters, mercy and
gratitude, yet survives with active min
istrations on earth through you.
Friends-all-let US turn now to apo
ther theas. When wo returned from
the war through forests Of houseless
chimneys, and sat amid tho charred ruins