The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-05-31


in this supreme test of virtue? Let u
follow his shining lance, and see tn
grim face of war radiant with tn
sublime, courage of the soldier
History startles US with its re cord. I
military population of one hundred
and fifteen thousand men an army O
one hundred and twenty-five thousant
men! In all the annals of the eartl
is there a nobler record of heroi
endeavor
Let us follow our brothers, as the,
pour over the James, thirty thousant
Of them, in the June days of 1856:
encircling Richmond with their darl
gray lines, near one third of those who
had gathered for its defense standing
with their faces to the North waiting
for the struggle of the Seven Days to
begin; waiting for Jackson, the Eagle
of the army to swoop down from the
mountains waiting for Lee to speak,
whose voice in battle was, to them
from that day forward, as the voice ol
God and when he told them to 20
forward, see how they and their
comrades twist Mcclellan S army, with
their strong grapple, back and forth
across the Chlckahominy, striking him
blows of iron, day in and day out,
until sore and weary, as the day closed
upon the field of Gaines Mill, he sat
down and wrote to his Government
that he was beaten, and that his only
hope was to escape from his fierce
pursuers and five days thereafter, Lee
rode back from Malvern Hill, praising
his soldiers and regretting that he had
not captured the Union Army. See
how they go, on the morning on the
I 18th of September, 1862, double
quicking from the right to the bloody
'left, at Sharpsburg ; sweeping proudly
into line, and staying, like wall of
granite, the torrent of the battle as it
comes rushing in over the dead bodies
of Hoods brave Texans. See how the
foe recoils from the deadly blast of
their rifles; see how they drive him
back with yells of defiance, restoring
our lines, and standing in their ranks,
through the day and through another
day, as firmly as the solid earth
beneath them. Read the record of
their daring at Charlottesville, the
death-bed of Jackson, in the early
days OF 1863: One hundred and
thirty -one Confederate regiments under
fire; twenty-five of them from North
Carolina !; ten thousand two hundred
ana elgnty-one Confederases killed
and wounded two thousand nine
hundred and forty-eight of them from
North Carolina. See how they move
their torn battle flags above the crest
of the struggle, at Gettysburg, as it
moves along its track to death, up the
slopes of Cemetery Hill, urging
forward with the throbbing of their
hearts and when the fatetul storm is
over, when 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, 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 sullen retreat,
until the end came, and Lee bade
them adieu, with his blessing that has
followed them, and made them, patient
and heroic in peace as they were great
in war?
Shall we measure the glory of our
comrade by the treasure of his blood ?
Then read this record: Fifty-two
thousand nine hundred and ifty-four
Confede,ates killed in battle fourteen
thousand five hundred and twenty-five
of them from North Carolina /; twenty
one thousand five hundred and seventy
Confederates died of wounds; five
thousand one hundred and fifty-one ol
them from North Carolina fifty-nine
thousand two hundred and ninety
seven Ccntsdezates died Of disease
twenty thousand six hundred and two
of them from North Carolina. Forty
thousand two hundred and seventy five
sons of North Carolina gave lives to
the Confederacy, more than third
of her military population nineteen
thousand six hundred and seventy
three of the sons were killed in battle
or died of wounds, more than seven
teen per cent of the military popuia
ton, while the average loss Of The
Confederate armies was ten per cent.
and Of the Union armies five per cent
T Read this record Of the 10th Nortf
. Carolina regiment Of Pettigrew'
Brigade, at Gettysburg, the conflict 0
the century. 1t carried into actor
over eight hundred men, eighty 0
them were left, and history ha
: declared "This loss Of the 26tt
: North Carolina, at Gettysburg, wa
the severest regimental loss during th
; war; in which seven hundred anc
sixty four Confederate regiments ane
! two thousand and forty-seven Uniol
!! regiments were engaged. Read th'
thrilling story of Capt. Tattlis com
pany, on this same field of death, tha
J the last Of all its officers and eighty
three out OF eighty-four Of its mel
!, killed and wounded and Of Capt
J Birds Company c. of the Eleventh
, North Carolina, of this same nobl
Brigade, that lost two of its officer
and thirty-four out of thirty eight 0
. It's men killed and wounded, in tn
engagements of the first two days
t and these four who remained too
7 their places in the historic charge Q
, the 18th rs T,lv and when his IA O