The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-01


fame Brother survivors, your pres
ence has awakened harmo MES which
have been slumbring among the CHORDS
of memory for many years, whose mys-
tic, mournful vibrations sound IN the
ear as if they we're the voices OF the
laurel-wreathed, cyprus.cro Wned COM
rades from whom death divided US.
but whose pale, pure faces and shadoWy
forms we seem to see through the m1sG
of tears.
Look at yonder figure that so grand
ly typifies one of the soldiers Of Lees
laureled legions, reverently, regretful,,
| ly, standing by the grave of his dead
comrades, who have passed through
the gloom of the world to the glory of
the home on high, where they rest from
life's labors alongside Of the crystal
fountains that flow through the gar
den of Paradise. Although that ia:
miliar figure is as mute ,ano
motlonless as are the dear
dead lips of the slain comrades
who had stood by US in bivouac and
battle, and is silent to the senses, 1t
speaks to the soul. 1t tells US to guard
the memories of our fellow comrades
ever to have faith in the righteousness
of our cause, that inspiring, imperish'
able faith which was breathed into ev-
cry infant breath along with mother's 6
love and a mothers blessing. That
cause, which like the broken shield of
the Coafederacy resting above the
pulseless breast Of our President Davis
| is as stainless as star.
o. the treasured memories that this
silent soldier conjures up! The blank
TT which he shared with aconrade 10
the bleak bivouac, the old haVersack
out of which be took his last morsel
of bread to divide with hungry mess
mare, the caubeen that furnished re-
freshing draught to the thirsty soldier
aud which we have seen placed to the
paid lips of those who were lying ia
tally wounded
In the touching tributes which have
been paid to the reyered memory OF
me OF our illustrious leaders, who had
held positions in the United States
army at the time the South seceded,
great stress was placed On the sacrifice
they made in severing their connection
with the service in which 50 many years
of their lives were passed, and around
which clustered 80 many endearing as
sociations, 10 relinquishing rank all
claims to fu .ure preiermelt.
Of these gallant ana grand men who
so nobly illustrated the courage, the
patriotism, the skill of Confederate
q. nerals, too much cannot be said.
They merit the highest enlogy that can
be besto wed; their fame Is as dear to me
as is the red life current which warns
the heart, and when I cease to honor
their memory, when they no longer live
in my love, my lips shall be sealed and
silent, and my heart pulseless 10 death.
But, my friends, great as was the sacri-
flee made Dy our leaders, 1t does not
euual that of hundreds of their follow
ers, many Of whom lie in unmarked
graves; others are manned survivors,
some of them l am now addressing.
The men to whom I allude as having
sacrificed most when they became Con.
federate soldiers were those that had
dependent upon their daily eXertions q
wife and children, sisters, an aged
father, or widowed mother. DO you
not recall comrade to whom fortune
had denied means other than what were
necessary for the support or hlmselr
and family, who marched with you,
shared your trials of the winter bivouac,
stood at your side heroically fighting In
many desperately contested battlep
Let US turn our thoughts to the time
when he enrolled himselfl j soldier, to
the day when he tore himself from the
loving clasp of his bosom companion,
although in doing 80 the fountain OF
our sorroG is stirred and We intrude
upon scene as sacred as 1t was sad.
Picture to yourelf the conflicting emo
tions that filled his breast-on the one
side devotion to home; on the other
duty to country. That home may have
been humble. but, beneath its roof the
genius of love, Of purity, of happiness
cheered and charmed him. His fond
ness for that sweet young wife, his af-
fcetion for tie precious pledges of their
welded love was deeper than plummet
ever sounded. The struggle was severe,
but neither the endearment of home nor
the fainting form of his beloved wife
kept him from responding to the call
of the South. He had no thoughts OF
military glory, no desire for distinction;
He was as costly a sacrifice as mortal
ever made.
This monument is intended to per-
petuate the virtue and Valor OF the
''men in grey" 1t Is commemorative
of the cause which Carolina was the
first to espouse, to which she gave the
noblest and bravest of sons, more than
twelve thousand of whom died In de-
fence of principles ingrained IN their
nature, cause which, though lost, lives
in the love OF a chivalrous people.
When the last of those who fought
beneath the Southern cross Of the Con-
federacy have followed that cross above
the stars this monument will convey
the lesson, and impress it deeply upon
the heart, that the Confederate soldiers
who fell in battle or died from sickness
were not forgotten by those who sur
vived the struggle; their names are
among the proudesJ memories OF the
Southern people; that the prin ;lpleS for
which they valiantly but vatnly fought
are inscribed in letters Of living light
in the eternal temple Of truth.
Comrades, for this monument we are
indebted to our noble women. 1t is
another proof of their unseltish work,
their inestimabe worth. Oh! that L
could mould my thoughts into melody
and measure fttingly to tell OF the
goodness, tbs gentleness and the deVo-
ton of our Southern women. In every
vision of memory; every reverle of the
recollec ion, there rises the fair, sweet
tacs, the fond familiar form or the
angel of the noussnold. OF the women
of che War how snail speakp Their
moral nerulsn. unswe:vlng love, une1-