Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-07
THE CAROLINA VETERANS.
REUNION At SEVEN PINES.


Arrival or the Survivors OF the sixth south
carolina RegimeEt-The DAY Spent on the
stveu.Pines Battlefield.
The South Carolina veterans and the
Gordon Light Infantry, Of Winns-
boro', in that State, arrived in the city
yesterday morning at about ! O'Clock,
and twenty-five guns fired at the Dan
Vile depot by two sections of the How
tiers, under command of Captain
Bosher, announced their presence, and
gave forth welcome. The train which
bore them started from Columbia, S.
c.. day before yesterday at ! p. NJ,
and at Chester. and at WinnsbOro', and
at various other points on the line
Of the road. took up members of the
partv-chiehy veterans Of the Sixth
regiment, with a sprihkling Of men who
had belonged to the Twelfth and the
Fifth and other regiments. These vet
erans, their friends, and the Gordon
Light Infantry ian active military COM
mand, composed Of excellent materiaD
numbered altogether 379. a consider
able part Of these are towns-peOple. pro-
fessional men. merchants, &C., but the
majority are engaged in agricultural
pursuits. They are a stalwart, soldierly-
looking body. Among them are an
unusual proportion Of six-foOters. The
object Of the party was to visit the bat
tle-field Of Seven Pines, and after that
have a look at Richmond. Those who
had been here during the war wished
to see how things appear after two
decades; the others had a natural de-
sire to see the historic localities Of this
neighborhood. They travelled from
early in the afternoon through all the
night and got but little rest, and cOnse-
quently upon reaching here looked a
little jaded.
BREAKFAST AND SEVEN PINES.
The Fowitzers, having fired their sa-
Lutte, escorted the main body Of the
excursioniSts to the Exchange Hotel
for breakfast, and the Gordon Light
Infantry to the st. Claire for the same
purpose. This meal over, the Caro-
linians were then escorted back to their
train, and under charge Of a detail
from Lee Camp proceeded to Seven
Pines.
This field, one Of the first really
bloody battle-grounds Of the war in
this section, and whore the yalor Of the
Sixth South Carolina was conSpicu-
ously displayed, was tramped over to
a large extent. The survivors were
not all very sure that they could fix
the spot where they were engaged.
Some said they recognized IL; others
said they could not. In the twenty
four years gone many changes have
taken place in that vicinity, and to
clearly identify tbe ground was no easy
task.
The reunion was held near the Ma
tional cemetery, and the address Of the
occasion was delivered by General Brat
ton. 1t was a review Of the battle
referred particularly to the part Of the
Sixth. and was by those who heard it
regarded as a valuable contribution to
war history.
The old officers Of the Association
were reelected.
The train rv:uired 70 the city about
p. NJ. Many Of the men came back
with canes cut from the field and with
other mementoes Of their visit.
TO THE ARMORY.
At the depot three military compa-
nieS were waiting TO escort the veterans
to the armory-the Blues and Compa-
nies c and d Of the First regiment the
battalion under command Of Captain j.
V. BidgOod. These three companies
and the Gordon Light Infantry headed
the line. The veterans followed, throw
ing to the breeze two bullet-riddled
Confederate battle-fagS. From the de-
pot the party proceeded to the ArmOry.
The Richmond companies stood at
present on the west side Of Seventh
street as the Carolinians passed into
the Armory, then filed in behind them.
In the Armory a collation. was
spread.
There was abundance to eat and to
drink, and the men, being very tired
and hungry, welcomed the sight and
did Justice to the OCCASION
SPEECHES.
After the eating came speaking. The
assemblage was called to order by X.
L. BlankenShin. ESQ. nreSident Of the