The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-09-04

mode.1 sportsman feels when handling
his splendid breech-loader; here tn
mountain maid in her picturesque
dress, accompanied by her ruddy
checked swain, and the belle of TIN
valleys and plains, decked in more
fashionable array, mingled together
and here also were a good sprinkline
OF stylishly habited ladies whose ad
vantages for culture and refnemen
had been of superior character; here
were the well off and well dressed
farmers and men who titled the soil
either by their employees or will
their own hands, the day-laborers
clergymen, doctors, mill men, miners
professional politicians, and, lastly, {
few dudes; but the vast majority o
this assemblage were good respectable
:: and respected citizens of Western
North Carolina. By way of digres
sion, just here, let me say: in my
opinion, a North Carolina dude, i:
more insuferable than one of the So
Ca. genus, and in contest, would
stake the cake" for dudeishness.
On the occasion of this reunion, the
undemonstrative character of these
mountain people showed itself; though
several popular and favorite speakers
delivered addresses which, in oul
State, under similar circumstances
would have evoked storms of applause.
here, the enthusiasm was of a mild
character, and the applause so faint as
to make it seem proper to have given
none.
The mountaineers however, with
exceptions, are, by nature, stoical
race, reserved and slow to express an
opinion; nevertheless they can be de-
pended upon to act with promptness
when occasion requires, and they
evipced, under all circumstances, a
degree of shrewdness, good judgment
and intelligence, incomprehensible to
the outsider.
The old veterans which assembled
here, are evidently the survivors of q
heroic band of soldiers, and the
younger men, guests of the survivors,
are no less devoted to the honor and
welfare of the State.
Among the noticeable characters
present, was the chief of the Chero-
kee tribe of Indians in this State; he
is not only physically fine looking, but
is really a well educated, refined and
high toned man, is looked up to by
the tribe as their father and adviser,
and promulgates the rules and regu-
lations for their government. This
chief, whose name is Smith, married
white woman, and I am informed,
on good authority, that he and his
family are much respected by the
good white people who know them.
The meeting of these veterans, was
an occasion in their lives, never to be
forgotten; I witnessed the meeting to-
gether of many of them who had not
met for twenty five years; this morn
ing there was a general breaking up,
and the larger part of them separated
to return to their homes. A large
number of the old soldiers went their
several ways by private conveyance,
though very large contingent came
here on the cars.
Just before the west bound train,
which was to carry off large body
of the veterans this morning, left the
depot, the old flag of which I have
spoken, was unfurled by its gallant
bearer, and as the folds of the old
emblem of the lost cause foated in
the breeze, the heads of all the men,
both outsiders and veterans, We're
uncovered in honor of the flag, and
while the band played Dixie, amid the
cheers and waving of handkerchiefs
of the outsiders, and the tears and
audible sobs of the brave men who
once followed that flag, many of
whom had just said goodbye to old
comrades for the last time, the train
moved away. As an actor in the great
drama freshly revived by these scenes,
my heart went out to the brave rep
resentatives OF tue departed glory OF
our Confederaey.
had the honor of being one of the
invited guests at the reunion, and my
name was enrolled as such.
There were many incidents con-
nected with the event which I have
hastily described, that I would like to
mention, as they would be of interest
to every survivor of the late wal, no
matter what State he may belong to,
but the great length to which this let
ter has grown, admonishes me that I
have trespassed already too long on
the patience of your readers, [ will
however add an item which may inter-
est other survivors and that is this:
the men of one of the companies,
Co. "F." Goth No. Ca, claim that it
was the last company in Confederate
service, east of the Mississippi, which
laid down its arms: that its surrender