The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-08-13
OFF FOR OLD VIRGINIA.
The Sixth Regiment Survivors Leave Ches'
ter for Seven Pines.

CHESTER, August 5.-This has been q
stirring day in our town. The 9th regi.
raent survivors were here in force, making
preparations for their departure to Vir.
e;inia. They seemed to be supremely
Happy in anticipation of their visiting in
q body some Of the hard.fought battle.
fields of that grand old State. They left
this afternoon in company With the sur
viyors from Fairfield, all under the COM
,nand of Major T. w. Woodward, the
first major of the 9Th regiment. Many
friends Joined them in their excursion,
tae entire party numbering about three
hundred men.
The survivors of the Sixth Regiment,
S. G. ", have been cordially welcomed
By the people of Richmond, and will
spend to-day in visiting the battlefield of
Seven Pines. 1t is not difficult to imag.
ile the feelings with which they will look
upon the old familiar scenes, and retrace
the lines where they fought in the fierce
Struggle of twenty.three years ago. For
q brief space, again, the solitudes will
resound for them with the cries of loud
command, the shouts of charging hosts,
tie roar of battle and the groans of
stricken and fallen comrades. Many an
eye will kindle again with the light of
btttle and many heart will beat quicker
as the old story is told anew on the spot
where every tree and stone recalls some
almost forgotten incident, and where the
brooks yet trembling murmur of the day
waen their waters ran red with the brav-
est and best in our land.
Appomattox is not far away, and those
WHO fought at Seven Pines and who stand
to day once more upon the ground OF
their former triumph will follow the
course of war with their thoughts to the
laslt sad scene where Lee surrendered his
army and the hopes of the South to the
great leader of the Federal armies, who
was himself but now surrendered to the
coaqueror of all mankind. It is peculi-
arly significant of the wonderful changes
that time can effect in the minds and
hearts of men, and which it has effected
in the minds of the people of this coun-
try, that even while these Confederate
veterans are sadly reyisiting the field of
ON, of the bloodiest battles in the war
between the States, the people of all the
Ststes are united in mourning for the
man who commanded one of the oppos.
inr armies on that field. A few years
ago the death of Gen. Grant would have
octasioned but little sorrow in any South
er1l heart; to-day those who fought 80
bravely at Seven Pino0, OF who laid down
their arms ipLaespaj- before the might of
Overwhelming force at Appomattox,
mourn with those who followed him and
who shared in his final triumph.
Tie visit of the survivors to the battle.
fields around Richmond should be pro.
ductiye Of good results in many ways,
but in one way most of all. Painful
stories have been told from time to time
of the neglected condition of the graves
of the Confederate soldiers who fell in
battle in Virginia, and particularly of
those who fell on the field of Seven Pines.
The survivors will be enabled to see for
themselves whether it be true, as has
been stated, that the bones of their com.
rades have been torn from their shallow
graves and gathered into heaps under the
hedges, or scattered on the 6elAas ID ttde, tn rne
/ r. tfnTntIa & viii now be made fully known, and
Is.,rriuvous u .s wrong done to the memory
of tile dead will be righted, let US hope,
before another year shall have passed.
It is not necessary to make any appeal on
this subject. If the facts prove to be as
they have been stated, they will make
their own appeal, and any words would
be idle where tits made in vain.-Ns'cs
and Courier.