The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-28
Z. tler's Spec at C.. Gr:etown.

! NoEuatcers, Ladies and Gentlemen:
t'he.l cid myself the honor to accept
your inv j. ltion t. ,.elivec the aid ess
al the reunion Of ,ie su .ivors of your
regiment, de- crl.in d - devote N.Y.
self 10 what I think most appropriate
for s"ch occasions, viz: an hisiori 'al
na'ratire of The regiment, its personnel
career and service. Cut / fiud this has
been so thoroughly done by Others, NJ .
tably by yorr last gallant and accom-
plished l:ieutelant-Colone!, G. I.Wal',-
e., in bis most eN. 2lle,i title volume
published in 1857, and By NJ. S. Eman-
uel, in his eloquent addr }, that shall
not attempt TO do mo e in that line
than supplement what has beel so we'll
done by collating .'om other soarces
j ,cidents and facts "a your b story we'll
worth pre- rlinS.
Your superb regiment, superb il the
material of which it vas composed,
superb in its achievements "a war, and
sir more. superb in the conduct of IFS
survivors IN peace. was so Intimately
associated with Manigault S brigade,
that what relates 10 one involves the
othe:. I have consequently made e.
tracts l'om the Official reports on file ia
the war records Office at Washington
by some styltd ihe Rebellion records
and shall make them a part Of this
address.
| must press my thanks to Geleral
Marcos J. Wight, hin" elf c'stin-
guish; d soldier in Tue Confederate army
of the WesG, now connected with
the war records Office in Wasbingtcn, il,
and to CoI. Geoige Z. Davis, an accom-
piish d officer of the United States
army: at this time i'll charge of the
olice, for their cou. ,csy and prompt
hess IN supplying me with copies Of
reco:ds.
After giv ng the narrative thus COM
piled Gen. Butler proceeded:
This, my friends, makes up your o.
fetal record. Of course do not claim
that have presented it full and COM
pletH. 1t is record to which you may
advert with satisfaction and pride, and
transmit TO those comiog after you
without a stain. Testimony is borne
to your Valor and gallantry by your
commanding general, aud by all from
corps to reg; mental commanders. You
wait no better or highe' evidence to
sustain the rank you have taken among
the oest fighting soldiers Of the world,
and you may safely leave your reputa-
ton a. American soldiers where your
t'mmsndiDg oIcc.s have placed you,
and trust with confidence the verdict
of his,c .7upor tn re ord. I esteem
it TO be a high pl lege and honor!o
17rrrT1 senr1ug II 70 you
j, sich fo, n u. you can preserve
il.
L n; back over the qu.rler of a
century since the war ended, it be-
om almost lld:cions to obse: We with
what enc ey some o. ouf fliends, the
enemy, have tried TO tarlish the South
erl side Of it by hari names and OF
pIobi;ous epithets. Ey some it is styled
an ":nsuriection," which is defined t)
r.. "a rising up Of Individuals to PIE
vent the execution of Jaw by fo:ce of
al ms" Ey others "rebe'ion," which
N" ,Ds San extended insur:'ection and
revolt,' and so on.
The soldiers and ohic.,..s of the Con-
f., lerate Govern nent have d 20 de
nounced as ''traitois' nd ""ebels
"nsur. ect;onists," ":lsurgents" and
such other euphonious expressions as
suggest l-edselves il ;le d;atribe Of
:rreprcssible patrio,s.
We can afford to smile, my coultry-
men, with something o. a ieeling O.
pity for such outuurs < of impoteat
parsion, fer they do not dete, mine the
character or object Of the war, or The
character or motives of the acto s.
Another and more impartial ibunal
will pass judgment on tnese ques,ions.
That t;'.bunal will decide that you were
neither ''iusur9ents,' "rebels" or "t.'ai-
tors" but loyal citizens Of your State,
and that when you took up arms you
did - in obedience 10 her COM
mands. When she ira. .:sferrcd her al
leeiance t. the Confederate Govern
ment your allegiance weat with her.
Obe.>:pg the mandates of lawfully
organized, subs sting Government, you
could not have been "irsurgent -"
''traitors" or "leb Is;
Nor was it we: Of .-..c;:ons or in
ma ferds. There VS. no element
ofanarchy, Communism or agrarianism
in it: but IL was war OF Government
against Government, waged, ol our
part, in accordance with well-estab-
lish | rules of civ tx 4 procedure.
Nor was it war against constitutional
COVE; Imeat and republican institu-
TORS. On the contrary, it was begun
ant! conducted 10 the end in behalf of
those pr'ncipl's which we had been
taught were the co rect principles Of
popular Coverunents.
Foreign cii.ics lave, therefore, I
IT, nix, shown a more 60 rect apprecia-
ton of the character Of the conflict
wheA they s ak of it $ che war of
s. son. or 'the wa: between the
Str' ~ Secession fStaf from the
Federal Union W: the peaceful remedy
we decided upon for the e, Is COM
pia n"d of. and wher ;eseiled the
Sta took up arms to sustain it,.
| Whe;h 1t W; sw -e or ''nw:se, Just or