Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-01-26
Col. Herbert's Response


response to the toast, "The Confederate To-
fsnsry," ct TIE celebration Of Gen. Lees
birthday on Tuesday night last:
appreciate the compliment paid me In
being requested to respond to the t)sst "The
Coniederst, Infsntry." at the same time
feeling how inadequate ale my powers for
the task. No one man, however, gifted
could do justice to this theme To mo the
Confederate intsntryman is, par excellencs,
the hero of heroes. Rome had her legons
who bora down before them ell Europe. but
their motive was conquest and their reward
{ le plumber Of the nations which were over.
run By their disciplined cohorts. Napoleon
By the power of mighty ambition and q
military genius never excslled. 30 swayed
the hearts and minds Of France that the in.
fantry OF the Old and Imperial guard of hie
army became well nigh invipcible under tie
magic of the Cry OF Vlye u Empsreur In
sroug contrast we had an Infantry fresh
from the ordinary svooations OF life, uatried
pudisciplined, badly equipped no love OF
corquest or pluDder, nor glamour OF human
ambition or glory we're theirs. Bat the In
born love OF the freeman for liberty OF
thought and action and for his country and
fireside made individual heroes tf those
ranks 10 gray who fought with or wi hout
organization, often wrestling viltlry from
seeming defest.
Unlike in this were our gallant opponsnts
who fought without ont Individuality and
often bscame powerless under t1e dirints-
grafton OF their lines of bal Q. Let us re-
call some feats Of arms Of cur glorious In.
fautry. Such as the rush Of Longstreet's
corps at the Wilderness when frat checking
ls eer.lsd lines OF Hancock; with victory
almost within their grasp they were forced
back by our infantry with fury irresistible.
Or when sgain at theIVilderness they fought
10 that dark and impenetrable jungle
Grants splendid!y equipped army, oisput-
Ing ever foot OF ground and streWipg 1t with
their own and the dead of the enemy. Or
again at Spottsylvanis 10 that tempett
oil fire which swept the bloody angle and
where the very trees swsyed and fell before
!ne bail OF ehot and shell. With men un-
dsun.ed these ssmem mark you Ey com
es, moved between the constantly rein
forced army OF Grant aud the capital OF the
OopfederSc2, until lnAt last fearful struggle
at Second Cold Harbor, where the flower
of Zoe army Of the Potomac dashed iteeli in
vain upon our lines useless sacrifice, uu:il
declning further slaughter they refused
in tew short weeks Lee aud his
army of $1,000 men had successfully
met end f3iled Grant and his asmy
OF 14O 900, driving them to q ohaDgs CT
base across the James, with loss In mum.
bsrs nearly equal to the aggegate strength
OF the whole Army of Northern Virginia.
What a story of heroism In both armies
uufods iteelf in this brief picture and no
kdo- ht.tf lof foff fho pnIo
have stood sucn butchery. Time will not
allow me to cite more instances of heroism
shown by Confederate Infantry. The battles
OF the wilderness and Spotsyivanis, troE,
the nature of t1e ground, were peculiarly
infart fights in open field and behind
works and as such were terrible In biocd
and carnage. Whether We consider our H.
fantry as upite, or In mass, the contempla.
| ton of their unfailing courage, their will.
ingness to merge personal thought, eotion
every hope In life, their self abnegation and
high sense of duty cannot fall to impress
the studel of history of their terrible earn.
estness. AS centres watching with ceaee-
| less vigil over their sleeping comrades, ae
skirroishers unmaskipg the force and move
merts of the enemy, as In line OF bat lie
| with the old yell they with impetuous cnset
swept over every obst ,ole, or broke 10 shat.
tered fragments as ct Gettysburg before oh.
STAGES too grest for mortal strength and
| courage. Tney stand out alone In grand
| eur OF achievement. In that high sense o.
personal responsibility, 10 military sagacity
and urques,ioping obedience before an ad
miliog world. We must never forget them
es haif.cothed ard fed, enduring summers
hes t and winters cold, ever responding t
dutY's call, with courage never exceiled
/ au enthusiasm tlat never fsltered and tha
ended only wi their disintegratioa ant
ennibilation. II cavalry and artillery rep
resent the poe.io side Of war then does ou
n;an.ry the Incarnation Of t:egedy.