Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-31

Penned by poets and by sages,
Shall 60 sounding down the ages

In intelligence and thought they were
from training and associations, far ABOVE
the average soldiery of the world. Not
withstandinG all that has been said about
the llitcracy Of the South. | believe that
no country ever had a larger percentage
OF intelligent and thinking men In the
ranks Of its army. Thousands of them
were highly educated cultured, refined,
and in every way qualified to command.
Sitting on the brow OF the mountain
overlooking the winding Shenandoah, and
the little town OF Strasburg, and the
beautiful valley stretching away towards
winchester, and. at that time. dark with
the blue columns OF Federal soldiers, a
Louisiana private, idly talking Of what
he would do were he in command, gave
me almost every detail Of the plan which,
afterwards perceived and executed by the
commanding officer, carried confusion and
defeat to the Federals. Had the need
arisen, as In the case OF the Theban army
In Thessaly more than one EpaminondaS
might have been found serving as a
private in the Confederate ranks. GAP
plause)
And | believe that no army was ever
composed of men more thoroughly I'M
bued with moral principle As rule,
they were men who recognized the oo'lga-
ton 10 be Just and honest and merciful,
and to respect the rights Of others, even
In time OF war. Never tiinching from con-
Aict with armed foemen, their moral
training and disposition forbade them 10
make war upon the weak and defence
less. To their everlasting honor stands
the fact that in their march through the
enemy's country they left behind them no
fields wantonly laid waste, no families
cruelty robbed OF subsistence, no homes
ruthlessly violated. (ApplaUse) I'm no
case" says an English writer, had the
Peunsylyanians 10 complain OF personal
injury. or even disCOurtesy at the hanl5
OF those whose homes they had burned
whose families they had insulted, roboed'
and tormented. Even the tardy destruc-
ton of Chambersburg was an act OF
regular, limited, and righteous reprlsal
The Pennsylvania farmer whose "or"S
we're reported by a northern corTespoh-
dent paid TO the southern troops no Il'oIe
than a merited tribute when he saId oI
them: II must say they acted Ike gen
tlemcn, and, their cause ASIDE, Wouiu
rather have 1900 rebels quartered on
my premises than 1909 Union troops
THE SPIRIT or GENTLEMEN.
And they acted like gentlemen, not
merely because the order Of their com
maudnc general required them so 10
act. but because the spirit within them
selves was In harmony with ana re-
sponded to that order. In the ranks OF
the southern army, uucOmplainingly and
cheerfully performing the duties OF the
humble soldier, with little hope Of pro-
motion, where intelligence. ability, anc
daring were so common, were men
.f -
Sir Launcelot and his peers
And these humble privutes. no less thar
their leaders, deserve to be- honored. II
was Jackson's line OF Nirginans, rather
than Jackson himself that resembled q
stone wall standing on the plains Of Ma
uassas while the storm OF battle Kissed
and hurled and Numbered around them
and, II | mention the name OF Jackson
rather than that OF the ruddy-faced boy
who fell. pierced through the brain, and
was buried, on one OF Virginia's hills, in
a lonely grave, over which to-day the
tangled, wild weeds are growing, II Il
not because the one was more heroic
than the other, but because Jackson, BY
his great prominence, more fully embodie!
before the eyes Of the world the patriot.
1 ism and courage and herOism that gloweC
no less brightly and steadily In the hear
OF the beardless boy. Great applause
1 These noble qualities, possessed by botl
I and displayed by each as his ability anC
/ position permitted. bind them togethe
/ i'm my thought, not as officer and private
! but as fellow-soldiers and brother pa
/ triots. Exalted virtue. like deepest shame
ever obliterates rank and brings mel
/ into a common brotherhood.
PEERLESS AND STAINLESS.
As my mind recalls the persons an,
events OF those years In which the Con
| federacy struggled for lie there rise
/ before me the majestic figure OF IN
/ great southern chief-the peerless sol
der and the stainless gentleman; tn
soldier who was cool. calm, and self
possessed In the presence of every danger
and who with marvellous foresight an,
skill, planned mastery campaigns, d
rected the march OF war, ruled the storm
of battle, and guided his men TO victory o
many d well-6ought field; the gentleman