The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-07-11

Legislators and county officials Contempt
for the administration of law took the
place of respect and obedience and then
appeared the ku klux, and midnight ma
raudings and mysterious murders and
finally the Governor of the State issues his
proclamation declaring certain counties in
in>urrectiOn, suspelids the writ Of ha6eas
corpus, arrests our citizens without due
process and orders their trial by drum
highest Judicial officer of the State. who
issues his writ, which is disobeyed; and
finding himself pOwer1ess to enforce his
DEGREES, declares 1.-THE Judiciary of the
State is exhausted" Such was the con-
ditiOn of the State of North Carolina for
years subsequent to the war, until at length
the white people rising in their might
under the leadership of that beloved and
trusted son OF North Carolina, Zebulon B.
Vance, redeemed the State from anarchy,
misrule and negro supremacy. and once
again intelligence, honesty and the white
man rules in North Carolina never under
Gods Providence to he overcome.
l speak of these things not to revive the
animoSities of those days those times are
deprecated and denounced alike by Repub-
licans and Democrats now, but as an answer
to our inquiry why has the State postponed
SO long providing a home for her old and
broken down veterans OF the late war?
our posterity, delay this matter? Their
glorious deeds are our heritage-we share
in the worlds admiration for their match
less bravery and unsurpassed ierOism. We
have the proud CONSCIOUSNESS that we stood
side by side with them in the deadly charge
suffered with them through the long weary
marches by day and perilOus vigils by
night joined with them In their rejOicings
for victory and shared with them in the
humiliatiOns of defeat.
Few Of them now survive, and many of
these are in want. Their comrades have
long since crossed over the river and rest
under the shade of the trees.
"On Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread;
And Glory guards with solemn round
The BivOuac OF the dead.
In this connection ask leave to mention bv
name two regiments. They enjoy the envi-
able distinction of having lost in killed and
the other 1000 Regiments in the Federal
army and the 700 Regiments in the Confeder-
ate. The 4th n. &. Regiment-wh0se first
Col. was George Burgwyn AndersOn--SubSe.
quently promoted to be General and killed
at Sharpsburg, lost 462 killed and wounded
at Seven Pines. This was the greatest loss
sustained by any Regiment in any one battle
up to this tirse. The other Regiment was the
Goth. Its first Colonel was the young con-
gresham, subsequently three times Cover
nor of this State and now the hOnored and
beloved Senator of the United States from
North CarOlina-Zebulon b. Vance When
in the summer of 1862 Col. Vance was cleo
ted Governor, this caused a vacancy in
the command of his Regiment. 1t was the
largest Regiment in the Brigade, over 500
men, and its Lieut.. Colonel was young
man not 81 years of age. His Brigade COM
mander thought him too young to be Colonel
OF so large a Regiment and recommended
| ly the General of the Department had seen
and heard Of the conduct of this young Of
ficer on more than one occasion that tried
mems souls. At New Berne in 1861 Nal
vern Hill in 1862 and during General Eos
ter's advance on GOldsbOrO of December
the same year, he had shown the highest
qualities of a soldier; disappearing the
Brigade commanders Recommendation,
General D. ii. Hill endorsed Lieut.. Colonel
Harry King Burgwyns promotion, which
followed in few days and subsequently,
the Regiment was transferred to the after
wards historic Pettigrew's Brigade. AT
Gettysburg this Regiment under the COM
mand OF this officer, the youngest colonel
OF either army, says a writer: "went into
battle with $50 men and came out with 80.
In one single charge it lost $50 men. In
that awful charge of death, its gallant
commandment, the lamented Harry King
Burgwyn, of glorious memory, was the
ment. Then, as before, there was a strug-
gle as to who should have the honor of
being the eleventh-he fcll-the twelfth
siezed 1.-THE fell, and the thirteenth grasp
ed 1.-THE fell, and the fourteenth caught
it up and swung it aloft-he fell, and the
fifteenth, Private Dan Thomas OF Compa.
ny E. from Chatham county, sprung to it,
and grasping the shattered staff, hoisted its
riddled folds in the binding smoke, and
with his faithful cOmrade, color or Ser.
geant Brooks, of the same county, strobe
| through the iron hail and planted it on the
works at the angle where they and theil
glorious old flag were captured" AS a
North Carolina had killed in the late wal
IA, 522, South Carolina, 9,1S7, Mississippi
5.8O7: Georgia, $3.50, and Virginia, 1929
| When the final account is to be given ii
| and that last roll call is heard. it seems tC
me this innumerable host who fell in battle
| in the last war on the Southern side, will
need but one response.
| AS the last trumpet call sounds fOrtl
| reaching to the uttermost parts of eartl
and sea and heaven, and we hear the names
Major General William Dowd Fender, hi
| will rise and answer-"Died on the field Of
Bait PATHS in defense Of my country Briga
"Died OH the field of Battle in the defense
of my country" And Whiting and Ram
seur and Branch and Goodwin and Gordon
and Daniel and Pettigrew, and all dow
| the list Of Colonies, Majors, Captains
Lieutenants, Sergeants, Corporals and Pri
Yates, and as each answer is made the re
field of Battle in defence Of his country.
And He who 1900 years ago, offered Him
self as a martyr for His fellow men, ant
| secured His everlasting reward will not lie
these humble followers of His example g
without theirs.
| The noblest place for man to die
| Is where he dies for man.
now their names are clOuded in the mist 0
receding years. When those of us WIN
knew these men and acted with them il
| those times shall have passed away. TIL
next generation may think lightly of thes
noble spirits who fell before their country
invaders. But there is a record that fadetl
not away. On that everlasting Book KEEP
by the recording angel in Gods own pres
ence, their names are registered and thei
sacrifices noted. And do we not believ
that in those blessed abOdeS of the departe'
good, those OF us who are worthy, will b
united once more and forever with thOs
loved ones who have gone before, and tina
fell by our side in the Wilderness, at Nal
vern Hill and elsewhere, are waiting fO
us to join them in those Heavenly Mansion
where the wicked cease from troubling an
the weary are at rest.
'.Oh if there be on this earthly sphere
A boon. an offering Heaven holds most dea'
1t is the last libation Liberty draws
From the heart that breaks and dies in he
cause
Ladies'! Noble women of North Carol
ma! 1t is to you that the appeal has gon
forth for your assistance in securing til
object of our association. You, who's
encouragement nerved the despairing so
der to do his duty whose loving welcom
home repaid him for the suffering and dan
gers undergone and for whose protectio