The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-10-02
SprOtt Guards Reunion.


By request we publish the follow
ing papers read at the reunion Of the
Sprott Guards, Aug. 23rd, 1889. We
would have published them at the
time, but they were not given us.
The following letter from DR.. }. l.:
Girardeau, OF Columbia, chaplain OF
the 23rd S. G. Volunteers, was read:
NEAR COLUMBIA, July 9, 1889.
Col. II. L. Benbow,-
My Dear Colonel: Your esteemed favor
has been received, extending to me, on be-
half of the Sprott Guards, an invitation to
address them on the occasion of their ami
versary on the 23t of August. regret to say
in reply, that circumstances are such as will
render it impracticable for me to comply
with this invitati on. It is with reluctance
that return this answer to a request that
greatly honors me, and deeply touches my
heart. would rejoice once more to add to
the poor, imperfect services which was able
to render my old friends Of Company l. and
the regiment with which we were connected,
a few words of sympathy and counsel. 1t
would be sincere Joy to me once more to
look them in the face, to shake them by the
hands, and to renew the "reminiscences of
those dark days through which they passed,
while our ill-starred struggle for independ-
ence was in progress. But am obliged to
forego that pleasure.
The intelligence you communicate that
Butler and Har7in have crossed the last
river was deeply affecting One By one we
are passing away. God grant, in his infinite
mercy, that We all meet at last on that peace
full shore where the groans Of conflict will
give way to the shouts of triumph ; the pains
Of death to the bliss of everlasting life. l
can never forget those to whom it was my
privilege to preach, and for whom it is still
my duty to pray. How often do I invoke
Gods blessing upon 'the remnant Of my
old regiment regiment which am pain
fully conscious that I served inadequately,
but which sincerely loved, and to which,
Notwithstanding all inducements to the con-
trary, faithfully adhered from the day I
joined it on James Island, until on the 6th
of April, 1866. at Sailors Creek, Twas forced
to leave its few survivors for q sojourn in the
old Capitol Prison and on Johnsons Island.
Once again, my dear Colonel, thank you
for all the courtesy and kindness expert
enced at your hands during all the painful
days Of the war, and I need not assure you
that you continue to be to me an object Of
affectionate regard and earnest prayer.
Do me, beg you, the favor to present to
my old friends of the Sprott Guards my
cordial salutations, and to express to them
myisorrow at not being able to meet them,
and the assurance that they will be borne
upon my affections and suppications until
my heart shall cease to beat and my lips to
move in prayer. am, my dear Colonel,
Very truly and aHectionately yours,
JOHN L. GRARDEAU.
Capt. D. J. Bradham offered the
following paper which was unani-
mously adopted:
Softly, silently, and certainly as the sun
of heaven sinks to his evening rest, so sure
ly are we all marching to that bourne whence
no traveller ever returns. Season has given
succession to season, month to month, week
to week, day to day, another year has rolled
around, and we have met to revive the
thrilling "reminiscences of the past, enjoy
each others society, and to plan for the un-
tried future. But alas! alas! the joy that
spontaneously springs up is mingled with
sorrow and grief, for in looking around we
miss the form of one whose whole life is
living epistle, read and known by all men.
Robert Bradford Harvin is dead! No more
will his hilarious laugh be heard at our re-
unions; his eyes, always beaming with lus-
tre, are forever closed in death; his voice,
soft, kind and gentle, is now silent ID the
grave; his heart, large enough to embrace all
mankind, throbs no more, responsive to the
cry of distressed comrade; his hands, ever
ready to dispense his best gifts to his fel-
lows, are stiff and cold. We shall no more
sa i.,sS;;ar ,sS;;arsaour rernions, but can cherish his
and - snS place
on record