Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-23
an army OF i2s.ooo men! In all the annals
OF the earth Is there nobler record OF
heroic endeavor?
THE sEvEN-DAYg STRUGGLE.

""Asc uaye Oh NO.. cncirCiink NtSniuouu
with their dark gray iines-near one third
Of those who had gathered for It's defence
standing with their faces to the North;
waiting for the struggle OF the Seven
Days 10 begin; waiting for jackson,
the eagle OF tho army, to swoop down
from tho mountains: waiting for Lee
to speak. whose voice In battle was TO
them from that day forward as the
voice OF god; and when he told them
10 20 forward. see how they and their
comrades twist McClellans army with
their stern grapple. pushing him back and
forth across the Chickahominy. striking
him blows OF Iron. day in and day out
until sore and weary, as the day closed
upon the field OF Gaines's Mil. he sat
down and wrote to his government that
he was beaten. and that his only hope
was 70 escape from his fierce pursuers
And five days thereafter Lee rode back
from Malvern Hill. praising his SOL
dicrs, and rcgretting that he had not
captured the Union army
Sec how they go. on the morning OF the
nth OF September 1862. double-quicking
the right 10 the bloody left at Sharps-
burg, sweeping proudly into line, and
staying Ike a wall OF granite the torrent
OF the battle as II comes rushing In over
the dead bodies OF Hoods brave Texans;
see how the foe recoils from the deadly
him back with yeIis of defiance. restoring
our lines and standing In their ranks,
through the dag and through another
day as firmly as the solid earth between
them.
Read the record OF their daring at Chan
cellorsvllle the death-bed Of Jackson, In
the early May days OF 1868; l31 Confede-
rate regiments under fire. twenty-five OF
them from North Carolina: l0.2a Con-
fedcrates Killed and wounded 2,9is Of
them from North Carolina.
See how they wave their torn battle
flags above the crest OF the struggle at
Gettysburg as II moves along its track OF
death. up the slopes Of Cemetery Hill,
surglng forward with the throbbing of
their hearts. and when the fatefu storm
is over. where the crest OF the battle rose
highest there lies our comrade, by the
side of him Of the North. whom the peace
Of death has made again his brother. AS
we look into their faces side by side,
the one clad in gray and the other in blue.
each aglow with the spirit that has
brought them thus together to the open
portals of Immortality, can we say OF
either that he has sinned?
Shall we follow our brothers as they
hold in check the unbending will and
mighty forces OF Grant through the fire
and smoke OF the Wilderness, In the
trenches at Petersburg, along the s';i.en
retreat, until the end came, and Lee bade
them adicu with his blessing. that has
followed them and made them, Ike him,
patient and heroic in peace as they were
great in war?
A GRAND RECORD.
Shall we measure the glory of our com
rade by the treasure of his blood? Then
read this record: $3.50 Confederates
killed in battle. li,522 Of them from North
Carolina: 2l,510 Confederatcs died OF
wounds, $50 OF them from North caro-
lima: 5s2g7 Confederates died OF disease,
o. GJ2 of them from North Carolina; 422I5
sons of North Carolina gave their lives
10 the Confcderacy-mor than one third
of her military population; 1858 of her
sons were killed in battle or lied of
wounds-more than Il per cent. of her
military population. while the average
loss OF the Confederate armies was ~ per
cent, and OF tie Union armies per cent
Read the record Of the Twenty-sixth
North Carolina Regiment, OF Pettigrew' :
Brigade. at Gettysburg. the conflict or the
century: 1t carried into action over $40
men. Eighty Of them were left' ana MS
tory declares "this loss of the Twenty
sixth North Carolina at Gettysburg was
the severest rcgimental loss during tho
war" in which 76i Confederate regiments
and 2Oi7 Union regiments were engaged,
Read the thrilling story of Captain Tut
ties company, on this same heid oil
death. that lost all its officers and So on,
of 81 OF its men killed and wOunded and
of Captain Birds company, of the Elev-
enth North Carolina, OF this same noble
brigade that lost of its officers and -
an nf Is 0f It's men kIllrG and wounded
in tho engagements of the first two days,
and these four who remained took their
places I'm the historic charge OF the 81 oil
July. and when his flag bearer was shot
down the Captain brought out he nag
himself
GAVE HONOR TO THE SOIL.
Near the town of Winchester. in. Vir-
cinia, they set apart a soldiers resting
place after peace had come; and when
those Of our sister State who loved the
memory of the brave, had brought thither
the soldiers of the Confederacy who had
fallen near their homes. lo' the dead or
North Carolina held so large a space
among the comrades Of other States that
this silent witness moved their hearts to
reverence. and they cent here for our
beloved conrade. Vance, 10 come ana
susak to them of these men whose noble
dust gave honor 10 the soil of Virginia.
Shall we say of the Confederate soldier
that he died in vain? Shall we say OF his
mighty struggle that 1t has no hieher
meaning than defeat? Shall we stanu
above his grave and declare that all was
lost but horror? From the smoking altar
OF his sacrifice is there no Incense TO vir-
tue? Does the world bless him only who
wears a crown of laurel? Is there no
beauty on the brow that wears crown
OF thornsP Were the oracles Of God lost
10 men when his chosen people passed
under the yoke of Rome? Were the laws
and Language of Rome lost 10 the world
when the Goth struck down her eagles
Was Cromwell lost TO Britain when the
Stuarts came back 10 her throneY
DID NOT DIE IN VAIN.
The Confederate soldier has not died In
vain History will tell the story of his
death and passion, that n may be hfted
up by me example of his devotion TO the
memory OF his fathers. If they did not
die In vain who fell Mt Moores Greek
Bridge. at Kings Mountain. at Guiiford
at Germantown, at Brandywine, al
Princeton. then their sons did not die in
vain who fell at Bethel. at Manassas, al
Richmond, at SiPrpsburg. at F'redericks-
burg. at Chancclorsvllle, at Gettysburg
and on every field where they sealed with
| their blood the covenant made with theii
fathers that this should be a union OF
sovereign States. WITH government ol
EXPRESS powers limited by the letter oi
| the written compact. For this covenant
| they died. That no sinful hand might b'
| laid upon It they took up arms. That nc
lot or title OF 1t might fail they drew
| the sword. The cause for which they dice
| is not the lost cause of "A dead Confederacy
| but IL is the vital cause Of a living Union
| its soul and strength; it's only hope of fu
| tnre life; and without which II viii dis
| solve and pass away like the smile of g
| dream uDon the wrinkied face OF time
The Confederate soldier has not dice
! IN vain. The lesson he has left us II
| the only counsel that can save the HE
of our Union When history shall cal
the names of those who have been trues
| to their trust in the ranks OF war th'
inen OF the gray uniform VIII answer t'
/ their names and take their places II
the worlds legion OF honor.
| WILL NOT FADE.
| NV brothers, the memory OF your com
rade Will not fade. In the twilight o.
| the years TO come II will be as the III
missous star which led the Eastern wor
| sh,spers where new life had come t'
| abide among men. long enough TO teaci
1 -. lt,,a nh. baropS and die llkt