The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-31
ANNUAL REUNION.
Company C, 18th Regiment South Carolina
yolunteers+The Day and the Speeches.

PROSPERITY, s. c., August q, 1892.
Yesterday was the day for the annual
meeting of the survivors of Company
G, Thirteenth Regiment, South Care
lima Volunteers. This company never
fails to celebrate the date of its depart
ure for tho war-August 26, 1861. The
meeting of Friday, like its precedents,
was replete with interest, especially to
the old soldiers, bound by chain the
links of which were wrought in blood
and to rend which asunder no force is
sufficient. The Thirteenth took part in
the great battles around Richmond, at
Manassas, Harper's Ferry, Chancellors-
vile, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Will
derness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor,
Petersburg, and in many lesser actions,
under Johnston, Lee. Stonewall Jack
son, Longstreet, D. II. Hill, A. ?. Hill,
Stuart, Hampton and other Confeder-
ate chiefs, respectively. They fight
these battles over again annually, 80 to
speak, charging the enemy's breast
works and batteries, seizing his guns,
and taking him prisoner. The war
supplies these veteran anniversaries
with no end of topics.
Yesterday there were twenty-one
of the old company in line, with color
bearer Mates in front, bearing the orig
inal company colors, still in excellent
preservation. Arriving at the speakers
stand, the company crested at ease, !"
and President J. B. Fellers, Secretary
). F. Banks, Rev. J. B. Traywick, with
the speakers, J. F. J. Caldwell, Esq +,
and Rev. J. G. Counts, took seats Oh
the stand. Prayer by Rev. Mr.. Tray
wick opened the exercises, after which
President Fellers introduced Mr.. Cald-
we'll, who for an hour held his fine au-
dience, among whom were many Ia.
dies, in closest interest. Mr.. Caldwell
was an officer in Gregg's old brigade,
and having written, by request Of Gen.
Gregg, history Of that brigade, his
task on this occasion was both pleasant
and easy. The only difficulty ne must
have experienced was to fully supply
the thirst for as much of his patriotic
address as his listeners would have
willingly fingered many hours longer
to hear. Old soldiers never tire of hav-
ing the tales of battle told.
Messrs. Caldwell, Counts and the sur
yivors will accept what is but synop-
sis of the speeches, before entering on
which I note that since the last annual
meeting of the survivors Jacob Hawkins
and H. NJ. SIngley have crossed over
the river to answer roll call on the
other side.
Mr.. Caldwell began by saying that
the Confederate soldier, with pride,
could always point back TO four years
of privations, hardships, suferings, pa
triotism, which make life Of virtue.
The true history Of the civil war had
never been written. That written by
our enemies is entirely unfair. In their
histories the Northern people ere eX-
allied, honored and exonerated from
any blame whatever in bringing about
the war, and the Southern soldiers are
slandered, bemeaned and charged with
the entire responsibility OF. bringing on
the war. The Confederate soldiers in
some of these histories are made to ap-
pear as the scum, the rif-raf, of the
country, when we all know that just
the reverse was true. Our own histories
laud and praise the heroisrl, courage
and endurance of many of our officers,
but justice to the Confederate soldier,
fear, will never be written. The Con-
federacy sent her best sen to the front.
We had no scum and rif-raf TO send.
The world has never seen such another
army of true, patriotic soldiers as that
grand army of the once proud Confed-
eracy. The question was often asked
these Northern men by Europeans,
why they were SO frequently and un-
mercifully whipped if the rebel army
was made up of such stuff as they rep
resented it to be. Their answer was,
that it was owing to the strict discIp-
line practiced in the Confederate army.
The opposite was true. Some of the
outer history Of the Confederate army
will be correctly preserved. For in
stance, that mastery retreat Of General
Joseph E. Johnston through Georgia is
being studied and taught at West Point.
No other General that the world has