The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1883-05-30
A Confederate Hero

Cprom Col. Armfeld's Memorial adlrcss.l
It is mistake to suppose that lOf'.
ty courage, self.sacritlce and heroism.
belong exclusively to the ancient
times. They were as frequently and
brilliantly exhibited in the lac war
between the States"-let no southern
lips ever call it rebelllon-as in any
age Of the world. Who that followed
the fortunes of the Soushern cross has
not often been surprised, in time of
battle, to find himself standing be-
side hero, brave as Cesar, unselfish
Is Bayard, in the person of some
schoolfellow or playmate, perhaps
but private in the ranks, in whom
he had never imagined such qualities
to dwell an unlettered plowman, or
clerk from the village store, but
worthy to stand upon the; bridge
with Horatious, or charge with Nc.
Donald at Wagram, a -.
Risden Oliver Hare, of Yadkin
county, N. c., was born and bred in
the humber walks of life, carpen.
ter, with barely enough education to
read, write and make the simple cal.
culations necessary in his trade; but
he was born a gentleman, with high
sense of honor and of personal digni,
ty; with an address and manner Of
which Lord Chesterfield wouldn't have
been ashamed. He volunteered at
the outbreak Of the war, and, leaving
wife and child at home, went with
the 3Sth regiment Of North Carolina
troops to the army Of Northern yir,
ginia. During the first winter be was
Frustrated by an attack OF iDHama-
tory rheumatism and lay for months
suffering excruciating pain, with little
! apparent hope ofpermanent recovery.
He was urged by his officers and com.
panions to accept discharge and re-
turn to his home, but he pefsistently
refused, declaring that he had yolun.
teered for the war, and would 60
through it or perish in the attempt.
With the return Of spring he recover.
ed and was soon promoted to o lieu
tenancy for gallantry in BATTLE and
from that time on, whether in the
long weary march of summer. or SHY
ering, half-c.ad and nnfed, around the
bivouac fires of winter. or charging
upon lines of fire and steel. LieGten.
ant Hare was always at the post of
duty and danger. performing every
duty of Il soldier with courage and
intelligence, and bearing every priva,
ton with a cheerfulness and alacrity
that made him the ideal of officers
and men. But Oh the night of the
first day at the battle Of Chancellors,
vile, when the 3Sth regiment was
waiting in the dark. near Hamilton's
crossing, and the shells were tracing
paths of fire through the black heay.
ems, and shot were screaming like
demons in the air, a cannon ball pass.
ed through the regiment, and that
dull, fearful tbud was heard, by
which the soldier knows 50 well that
some comrade is slain. Lieutenant
Blackburn CROPPED along the line to
learn who was tina victim. He found
the lifeless body Of Lieutenant Hare,
his head shattered by . cannon saot.
His body lies where il fell, in n un-
known and unmarked grave. aud
there sleeps not, even upon the heights
of Fredericksburg, so often baptized
in the best blood of the continent,
among the thousands that rest there,
a drawer soldier, a loftier gentleman.
or a truer patriot than Lieutenant
Hare. i'll had to write his epitaph
| would take with slight alteration,
the lines from Goethe's Faust. which
the dying soldier brother Of Margu-
rite applied to himself:
'lIe has gone through deaths dreamy sleep
10 God,
4 soldier and brave one