The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-10-20
Presentation or q Sword.

On Friday night last, Col. VIM. Z. Bum
gardner Of the I'd Virginia Regiment, was in
yrted to attend drill Of the West Augusta
Guards, and was pleasantly surprised by the
presentation Of an elegant sword Lieutenant
Crowder made the presentation in the follow
ing handsome little speech:
| Col. W. L. BUMGARDNER:
| 1t is my privilege, by the kind concession of
my comrades, to present to you this sword as,
in some degree, an appropriate token of the es-
TEEN and regard they bear for you as soldier
and citizen. As our Company commander you
have endeared yourself to every member of it,
by the vlgiant care manifested for their well
fare. In your official conduct the authority Of
the officer has always been so tempered with
moderation and courteous kindness to each
and all, that ties of closest friendship have
been cemented, and while IN the sundering of
our late close relationship we feel regret, still
generous pride and interest in your future,
! leads us to exult in that promotion that calls
you to wider sphere of duty and to more i'm
portant trusts. To embody in some enduring
memorial the feelings of affection and conf
dence we all cherish for you, has been our con-
slant desire, and so, to might as the humble
deputy of my fellow soldiers, l am called upon
to deliver into your keeping this pledge of
their renewed confidence and devotion. That
| it will be worn worthily and well, no man in
the ranks of the Guard for one moment doubts,
and should the supreme hour ever arrive when
the dictates of duty should require you to
unsheathe it in the stern wager of actual strife,
we feel that the arm to which it is committed
is quick and ready, and the spirit willing.
May the brightness of its virgin blade be q
shining emblem of the career that awaits you
and may the strength of its tempered steel fifty
symbolic the strong feeling of attachment
that binds the heart of every member of the
old West Augusta Guard to his regiMental
commander. Accept it, sir, and when in the
future your eyes should rest upon it. deem it
not merely the empty and glittering device of
enduring pledge of the loyalty of your old
comrades in arms.
In accepting the sword. Col. Bumgardner
responded as follows:
OFFICERS, SOLDIERS, AND OLD FRIENDS:
If were Daniel Webster, Jno B. Baldwin,
or .Jno. w. Daniel, could thank you in fitting
and eloquent words, but even then, could not
express the deep and sincere feelings of my
heart, in accepting this chaste ana elegant me-
ment0 of your esteem and friendship. Were |
to say that it was not beautiful, and that this
was not one OF the happiest hours of my life,
would be telling you a falsehood; for from no
other people could there come souvenir that
would excite more genuine appreciation than
from the worthy hands and true hearts of the
donors Of this. Should the peace of our now
prosperous and happy country ever oe dis
turbed (God forbid that it ever should be) and
demand my services as soldier when draw
this beautiful blade from its scabbard, prom
Use you that it shall not be sheathed in Gis7aon-
or; or should 1t happen. after my three score
and ten, l trust to leave representative who
win wear it with honor, as it will ever be
handed down as proud and honored heritage
Allow me, fellow-soldiers, again to thank
you; my best wishes and prayers will follow
you through life, and may that sublime word
Duty be your guiding STAR.