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

| the Iron Squares III France hear Ma
poleon transported with admiration as
| he witnesses their superb discipline and
! remembers their impetuous chivalry, ex-
claiming, "Oh how grand they are: how |
| l moan to see them cut to pieces and an
| initiated by my massive and invincible
| columns. | see ten thousand Mamelukes.
| those born soldier-heroes of the desert
rushing like d whirl-wind with flashing
scimeters upon the glittering bayonets of
| the prOuJest infantry of France at the
Battle of the Pyramids: and again hear
| BOnaparte declaring as he sees that vast
| host commence that desperate charge.
What a glorious sight. With that body
OF cavalry united with my infantry, /
| could conquer the world
| look yet again. see at the battle
OF Eckmulk the squadrons of Austria in
glittering arnor and breastplates of sill
yer, with nodding plumes. fluttering BAN
ners and flashing blades, moving down
upon the famed Cuirrassiers of France.
Slowly they move at first. and then with
a rush like that OF a cyclone imprisoned
they are both mingled in one confused.
struggling, dying mass.
The sun goes down, and still they
| hight on. The moon comes out for her
! nightly promenade across the skies, and
sheds her silvery radiance upon the
dreadful scene, and still they fight on.
Presently the night Queen is obscured by
IA cloud and still those warriors whose
fame had rung over all Europe fight on
by the light OF their own flashing blades
as they cross and recrOss like electric
snakes amid the fearful conflict.
And yet. tell you, My. Countrymen,
neither the Scotch Grays, nor the Name
I,,l-., he IA
of Austria, nor vet the invincible Cuirras-
siers of France, fashioned by Murat = own
hand, possessed one single characteristic
of the perfect soldier, that did not
glitter upon the brow of every member of
the First North Carolina Cavalry, like a
crown OF gold.
! salute the gallant Colonel of that
splendid body of hOrsemen. who is our
honored chairman to-day.
Often have read the reports of Gov
ernOr (nOw SenatOr) Wade Hampton to
General Lee, telling of Colonel Cheeks
superb soldierly qualities, his capacity us
Il disciplnarian, his skill as IL tactician,
and his indomitable courage as Il leader
in the press of battle. He did not follow
but led his men where the missiles of
war hymned fastest the song of death
and glory.
Colonel Cheeks commission IT'S
Brigadier General was made out and
signed and was ready to be forwarded to
him when the curtain went down at APP
pomattox, on the saddest tragedy in the
Book of Time He should not be robbed,
by mere circumstance of the splendid
honor he had won, and though twenty
four years have passed away, l here now
in the presence of his battle-scarred COM
rades, and friends, nominate and salute
him as Brigadier- General William II.
Cheek, and | call upon you all, i'm Justice
to do the same.
Mr.. Henry said the troops OF North
Carolina were the "Old Guard of the
Southern Confederacy; that they proved
this on many fields. That often when
the veterans from other States had failed
in the bloody charge, did General Lee
call upon the troops OF the sold North
State" and so long as he could see their
bayonets like a foam crested billOw of the
sea rushing on the enemy, he never lost
hope.
The fiercest and bloodiest charge made
during the war, save that at Gettysburg
perhaps, was made by the 9th North Car
DINA (under the intrepid Duncan X.
McRae) and the oath Virginia Regiments
at the battle of Williamsburg. SO great
was the daring of those troops that the
enemy standing upon his frowning par
apet sent up shout of admiration that
sounded high above the roar of battle, as
it went rolling over the crimson field.
; The 9Th North Carolina Regiment went
in with 900 men, and lost $50 of the 900.
Mr.. Henry seemed to be full of his
theme and he spoke with great feeling,
force and effect. In his appeals for
justice to be done the manned and dis
abled Confederate Veterans by the es-
Enlistment of Il Home where they
may spend the remainder of their days
: in comfort and ease, his ringing words
and burning eloquence moved the
5 hearts of his hearers and tears came
into the eyes of strong men who were
pOwerless to conceal their emotions.
MEMORIAL EXERCISES.
{ Speaking of our Memorial exercises
he drew graphic picture showing the
| Inconsistency of allowing the liring to
90 in want and suffering, while so much
,, is done Gin acords) for their dead COM
, rades in arms. He did not mean to
say it is not right to pay tribute to
and perpetuate the memory of our dead
| heroes, but he deplored the lack of pa
t triotism and gratitude that has not pro-
vided for the living heroes who were
disabled in battle while fighting in re-
Spouse to the call of their State, and in
simple justice to these men he asked
! that the Confederate Veterans Home.
in the interest of which similar meet
5 ings were being held on this day al
l over North Carolina. be built. as il
+ ought to have been done years ago
!, Mr. Henry said in this connection:
l see one of our 10th of May funera
: professions passing along, with music
and flowers, and lovely women, tender
and gentle and pure as the flowers they
!; bear. see the orator in his carriage
i ready to tell of the deeds of our soldiers
and Lo! | see Il wounded, ragged COnfed
!, crate Veteran sitting by the wayside
4 The grand procession passes him by un
: noticed. The speaker i'll words of burn
: ing oratory depicts the herOism of thu
u soldiers of North Carolina. The ladiea
3 have gathered all the pride of spring ant
Z now deck the honored graves, ''and tn
d flowers they strew seem to clasp abOv
the dead as if to show their friendship.
, 4 low. solemn dirge floats over the sacret
scene and ere long the people having per
; formed their duty, and their whoie dut,
u as they think, wnnd their way will
u happy hearts to happy homes. Tn
y and some gay, glad piece thrills through
the soft spring air. The ceremony j
J. ended And the MANNED. shattered, hnil