The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-08-26
Confederate soldier is a title we shall always

| Confederate soldier is title we shall always
be proud to own. Our reunions affords us
| the opportunity TO relate to one another our
hrd$h!pS, our suflerings, and the noble
sacrifices made during the days that tested
mems valor, in defence Of the rights of our
country, as God gave rs to understand those
rights Comrades We were then, end are
still, patriots. We were not traitors, rcb-
rls, and conspirat,rS, as our enemies would
| have it appear. The man who dare brand
! the Confederate soldiers as traitors, rebels,
aud conspiratorS is nothing more nor less
| than Il narrow minded, stupid fool. and
doesn't know what lie talks about, He has
never learned the definition of the words.
With all their Interpretations, there
will he one indisputable fact they will never
be able to gainsay: the Yankees confronted
''the noblcst army that was ever marshalled
on this planet" and, comrades, it will be q
pride to US to know the Sprott Guards
! formed part of that grand-the grandest
of all armies We contended and fouSh
for principle, a constitutional prlnclple
the right of self-government, and we never
ceased TO battle for that principle every free
man holds so dear, the right Of self-Govern-
mcnt, till further resistance would have
simply been madness, and would only have
added greater devastation and ruin to our
noble and loved Southland.
Comrades, we all remember that for more
than half Che time of that great struggle,
the arms of the Confederate States was
crowned with Success, and many brilliant
victories perched upon our banners, but
when the StrugGie was prolonged, and
cached the Geginuing Of the fourth year, 1t
conl,i very plainly be seen that from thence
forth il was to be Il question simply OF en-
durance on the part of the gallant South,
AMI on the 9th of April, 1865, the limit OF
endurance was reached, and our gallant ar
mics had - yield the unequal struggle they
had so nobly sustained against overwhelm-
ing numbers and unlimited resor .ceS, and
to submit to all the humiliations incident to
a capitulation. On that day, comrades,
the starry Southern cross, the flag of our
country, the flag we had so much learned to
love, the flag We had followed and defended
SO long and so nobly, the flag so many no
BILE and patriotic hearts throbbed their last
throb amid the storm of battle in defence
Of was furled forever and it was whispered,
"The war is over.
And now in conclusion, comrades take
the liberty of returning yhe thanks of the SUI
vivors of the Sprott Guards to the fair ladies
who have spared no pains to make this re-
union happy and pleasant one to us. We
assure them they Rave succeeded, and our
prayer will ever be, God bless The noble
women of our Southland, and may He ever
have them in His care and keeping.
We also return thanks to the venerable, |
patriotic citizen and Christian gentleman,
Capt. Joseph Sprott, Sr., who delights so
much to honor the survivors of the Sprott
Guards, and who contributes so much to
make the occasion of their reunions pleas
ant and happy. and We sincerely trust his
life may be spared for many years to come,
and that his latter years may be the most
happy and pleasant of his life. We trust
that when the survivors of the Sprott
Guards have had their last reunion on
Garth, and when tie last survivor has an
swered the last roll-call, may we each and
all have n nevcr-ending reunion in that
bright land above the skies, and drink
from the waters of that river that eternally
flows by the throne of God"