The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-08-28
A CONFEDERATE HERO.
Capt. Q. ID. BarksdaIe, OF the Carolina
Light Infantry-A Beautiful Poem
in His Memory.


Editors OF the Augusta Chronicle:
Here and there throughout the ter
reached by your excellent paper
may be found u survivor of the famous
First Regiment OF South Carolina
Volunteers, familiarity known in the
early days OF the war as "Maxey
Gregg's Regiment" In this city there
are several, and / know there is not
one of them who on perusing the fol-
beautiful lines will not with the
writer say:
"But O, for the touch of a vanished
hand,
And the sound of a voice that Is STILL"
The matchless valor of the "Boy Com
pany" of that noble regiment has, per-
haps, been the subject of more com
ment among those who personally
know OF its deeds than any other com
mand that ever went forth in defence
OF it's country. Could Captain Banks
which were OF the first order, achieved
for him the most exalted preferments
Of his native Carolina, | am sure that
not one Of them would have supplanted
the proud honor Of having been the
commander of the Carolina Light In
fantry Of Charleston. In the desperate
encounter in which our brave and be-
loved Captain lost his life-the second
battle of Manassas, August Goth, 1862
the company, at sunrise on that
memorable day, numbered twenty
eight, and at sunset the record showed
nine killed or afterwards died of their
wounds, eight wounded and ono taken
prisoner. The smallness of the num-
Der, twonty-cight, with which we en-
tered the battle, is best explained by
II remark that the gallant Captain, ID.
p. Goggans, Of the Newberry Company,
ouce made about us. He said: "COm-
pany l.. always has more men on the
battle field than on dress parade" Tho
seven days battle around Richmond
had reduced us to that.
In the old family burying ground
some two miles from the city of Laur-
ems, S. c., and within q stones throw
of his " His Fathers Hall" the soldier
sleeps. Last Friday through the kind
ness Of DR.. j. A. Barksdale and his two
Barksdale, | was most Hospitality taken
charge of and the opportunity afforded
me of visiting our Captains grave.
AS my memory took me back thirty
two years, u tear welled up at the
changed sccnc and | turned away.
am told that Immediately upon re-
ceipt OF the intelligence of the Cap
tain's death the writer Of the following
lines, who is a very near kinswoman
and who was at his fathers house at
the time, with wonderful self-compos-
ure sat down and penned them, not
rising from her seal until they were
finished.
TO the great majority OF your read
ers they cannOt have even the interest
Of u passing glance. but to those Of us
land there are very few now who were
with him in the fray, and who witness
cd his splendid courage and devotion,
they are peculiarly touching and sad.
When they were first published in
the paper at Laurens in 1862 and copies
circulated at company bivOuac On the
RappahannOck | became quite famil-
lar with the lines, but as time rolled
on they passed from my memory. A
verse carved on the monument over
the Captains grave called thcm back
to me and upon repeating the first two
lines, which was all | remembered of
the piece, Dir. Barksdalc at once took
from his pockctbook q printed copy
which he had been carrying on his per-
son for over thirty years. The doctor
very kindly made Inc a present of the
poem, and tc say that | appreciate the
gift is but to give poor expression to
my feelings.
I"HIS FATHERS HALLS ARE LONE
TONlGHT."
Lines on the death of Captain Collyar
Douglas Harksdale, First Regiment South
Carolina Volunteers, by Mrs. Phoebe ID.
Farley, Laurens, 5. g., 1867.
His fathers halls are lone tonight,
And lonely is the hearth,
Where in his chilhood's joyous hour,
His voice guShcd out in mirth,
AS with von graceful greyhound,
He bounded thro' this hall:
Their pictures now hang side by side,
Upon the silent wall.
We see them in the iitful light,
OF the fires dazzling blaze.
They seem almost replete with life,
AS thro' tears we on them gaze,
His aged parents, weeping here,
HIS name blend with their tears
They call him not as once they called
In youths bright, happy years.
And saw him dash in gladL ess out
Their loved, their latest born,
When to his couch, they came and cricd--
Wake, hunter! wake, it's morn"
War against earth's oppressors vile,
Fen then flashed from his eye,
a soul of noble daring,
OF impulse bold and high.
He grew a monarch of the soil,
n man of feeling deep,
And he hath died, these hearths and halls,
%lEviOlate to keep,
And fell as he SO wished to fall,
Amid brave comrades lying,
Borne with them from that bartle field,
Where stars and bars were flying.
Gallant y~ounghcarts were round him then,
Who loved their leader well. .
Whose blood wit his have bathed the soil,
"Where the pride of manhood fell"
No mother now with streaming tears,
Calls on him for her son,
He liao hncifln tln,, ~, tl,at EnlI
Where victory was Won
He bore a name8 that long hath been
Renowned in song or story,
Mingled with shouts of victory,
Another name for glory,
Well. well, old Scotland knows it
Her proudest battle cry,
When her martial hosts we're gathered,
On her hills, to do or die"
=" Bleeding heart and rampant lion,"
Onward in triumph swept,
n broad claymorc III Douglas hands,
The good field always kept,
From that hero race descended,
High, high, his spirit scared,
And for his country's holy cause,
His hearts best blood he freely poured.
Il. f.. Brown,
sergt. Co. l.. LIST. Regt, S. C. Vols, 1SGI.65.
Augusta, Ga, June 25. 1894.
*He was regularly descended from Lady
June Douglas, of Scotland.