Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-05
THE CENTENNIAL OR ALTON.
Hon. John f. Ward Reviews the
Chathams' History.


unteer Guards armory by Hon. John E..
Ward, OF New York. The hall was fairly
well filed when Capt. John Wheaton in
troduced the orator. Mr.. Ward said:
''Fifty years have elapsed since the vet
eran Lloyd with the only arm LETT him by
the enemies OF his country organized
with his associates the Chatham Artll-
lery.p Such were the words uttered half
a century since by him who then in the
morning of life was permitted to address
you, and who now as the frightening
shadows Of the declining sun warn him
that the day is far spent, and the night at
hand, and when the Chatham Artillery
has rounded It's full century, again at
your command, stands before you for an
hour to scan with you the teeming past or
seek with onward vision 10 penetrate the
obscuritythat hangs on the distant future.
How changed with the speaker are all
things, save in his love for the city Of Saw
annah, which time can never lessen, and
his deep devotion to her people, which
distance cannot change. The strongest
feeling which can animate man in later
life, Is that which links him to the scenes
OF his earlier years, to the home OF his
youth, to the play-place OF his childhood.
How changed too is the audience whom
he is nov to address. How few Of those
who heard him IN 1886, are sstening to
him in 1886. How many have passed
away, how few remain.
GULF OF FIFTY YEARS.
The gulf of fifty years-the distance
seems but short between us and our youth.
| "SOme have gone the unknown way, and
some await the call to rest. Who know
eth whether it is best for those who went,
or us who stay.' How changed too. is
the old city of Oglethorpe. What in 1886
~. 20
| not the centre of your city. But all is
not changed. The great natural features
OF the scene about us are unaltered. The
! voices OF tn advocates who SO elnquently
| counSeled persuaded, commanded, are
| hushed. But the old court house still re-
mains. The merchants who gave such
character to your city for commercial
honor and integrity are no longer met in
| your streets, but there still stands the old
Exchange, where they were wont to con-
gregaie. TIL holy men of GCd, who min
istered at His affairs, have gone to their
reward. But the spires of your temples
| yet glitter in the sun. The venerable
| trees that adorned your beautiful squar es,
| though shaken by the storms of fifty win
tiers, still stand, and as they wave their
| branches rich with the luxurious foliage
OF spring, giving welcome to YOUR com
! ing guests, to me they seem to say, Thou
| vivest. but no springtime brings back TO
! you the green leaves That one by one have
| fallen from your heart"
THE ARTILLERY's FOUNDER.
Capt. Edwin Lloyd, who with mis- asso-
| crates had participated in the struggles
and endured the hardships of our RevO-
! lutionary war, fully apprecating the val
| ue of the liberty which mad been so dear
| ly BOUGHT, and standing really even in
their declining years vigorously to defend
what they had so hardly won, on May l,
/ 1855, formed this military organization
for home protection, and for the security
Of our infant cOmmonwea lth, and he was
elected the first Captain of the Chatham
Artillery.
The first public service rendered by the
battery was performed in association with
| other companies of the regiment of the
| Chatham county militia and certain
troops from Beaufort district, in the State
| of South Carolina, in attacking and dis
persing on May 6, 1856, a camp of run
| away negroes who styling themselves the
| King of England's soldiers ld fixed their
lawless bones on Bear creek, IN Efing.
ham county, where they had long dehed
the civil authorities and plundered the
peaceful inhabitants. Some were killed
| others captured, many wounded, and heir
houses, 81 in number, were burned. Nc
casualties were sustained by the Chat
ham Artillery. The first funeral honOrs
paid by the corps were rendered upon the
occasion of the burial OF Maj. Gen. Ma
thaniel Greene in Savannah, ON June 20
1886, and tue first Fourth of July was
celebrated with becoming ceremonies in
that year. Each of the thirteen regular
tOasts then drunk we're accompanied by a
discharge of cannon from Capt. Lloyd's
artillery.
wAsHINGToN's ESCORT.
During the visit of Gen. w ashington tC
Savannah, in May, 1871, he was con-
stantly attended by the Chatham Artil
lery, then under the command of Capt
Eli, our second Captain. The conduct OF
the company. and the precision of the sa-
lutes fired by il, commanded from Wash
ington special commentator, and elic-
tied from Brig. Gen. jackson q congratu.
latory order. Gen. Washington, after
that visit, presented to the Chatham Ar
tillerv, the guns taken at Yorktown,
which are still in their possess on, and
which they cherish with so much pride.
Our third commander was Josiah TAFT
nall, the father of Commodore Tattnall.
he was Captain OF the Chatham Artillery,
Colonel OF the First Georgia regiment,
Brigadier General OF the frat Brigade OF
Georgia militia, member of the Legisla-
ture on various occasions, a. member OF
| Congress, ana 1naliy Governor OF the
State. Georgia delighted to bestOw upon
him every honor, civil or military. Al
the early age of 20, he died in the West
India islands, in 1904, leaving as a last
request, that his body should be carried tc
Georgia, that it might rest in the bosom Of
the land he loved so well.
TRIBUTE TO AN EARLY COMMANDER.
That wish was observed, and beneath
the s0le mn shadows OF the venerable
live oaks at BonaVenture, he sleeps with
mis- two illustri0us sons, who were des
tined to make the name Of rattnall still
more renowned, and to cause IL TO be ut
tered In lands where before it had never
been heard. Forgive me II pause in my
narrative at the name of rattnall, to pay
a tribute of affectonate respect to his sou
and to one whose name is closely assO
ciated with his own naval annals, and moi
less closely in the memory of those who
knew them and loved them as did. Both
have passed where neither human antag.
0nism nor human affection can touch them
more.
In 1878, during the war with England,
which was undertaken Ia the defense oil
the rights Of seameu. the State Of Georgia
gave TO our navy two young men. They
we're James Mckay Mcintosh and josiah
rattnall. Comrades in their profession,
brothers in soul; OF both in their prOfes.
sonal life It may be said that they were
fearless and stainless. Search our naval