The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-05-07

show that Lee thought that the cavalry
was of some good in the army, and ne
saved your lives once, you will remembers q
by the number of cattle ne brought to
you from one of our raids.
But 1 will not detain you by reading
any more Of this, only referring you to
one fact that is worth recording. In
looking over my records land they arc
embodied here in the reports of the pro-
vost marshal for the cavalry corps of the
army of Northern virginia,) I find that
in the last six months of the war we had
turned in between $4,000 and 10000
prisoners. Well, I think that this WAS
doing very well for an army of 5000 or
5000. Wheeler said that we whipped
them, but it has been said that the in.
fantry whipped them and We captured
them while they were running. l do not
mean to depreciate the infantry at all,
but remember an incident of an infan.
tryman who I thought was from Missis.
aippi. And I was passing along on
horseback he said: "I'll be damned ifI
ever 60 into the war again. Twill go on
the hurricane deck Of a horse" and 7
inferred from that that be had been used
to Mississippi river steamer.
But, as you know, 1 would rather fight
than speak, but I do want to tell you of
the last communication received from
Lee, as it was particularly complimentary
to the army of northern Virginia. I
would say that if I had to 60 through my
privation, my suferings, and could have
foreseen the result of the war, I, even
then, would have been willing to encoun-
ter its results. After the war General
Lee wrote to me and said: "You cannot
regret as much as I do that You were not
present at the final struggle, for had you
been present with all your cavalry, the
disaster would not have happened"
(Applause and cheering.) BE did not
say ri think it would not have haaasaz
ed," or II believe it would not hae Is
pened," but he said the "disaster would
not have happened" And every mem
Der of that corps should now feel that he
has declaration worth more to him
than the decoration of the legion of honor
or the iron crown of Germany.
Well, then, my comrades, I did not
expect when left you in North Carolina
ever to see you again, or that in the
course of natural events I could again
have had this pleasure. It is beautiful
but very apt thoughtin the creed Of
Swedenborg that every soldier fighting
for his country and killed in battle is
Immediately translated to the realms of
everlasting bliss. Whether this is SO
or not would fain believe it, and trust
if we are not to meet on earth again,
when we pass across the river and are at
rest, and even though we did not fall on
the battle field, We may meet our old
comrades who, shoulder to shoulder, gave
up their lives for this dear Southern land
of ours. I may never see you again but
I never will forget you, and those who
nursed me in my desperate illness tell
me that in my delirium T talked about
the men Of my old brigsde, that I
talked of casalry, that planned fights,
that I gave orders to Major Rosser to
charge, and that I said "now boys it is
time for old Hampton to go in" say I
may not see you again my old men, but
believe me II will not forget you. My
prayers will go to heaven always for you.
God bless you my old comrades. Zap
IL \