Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-08-07

ldllll.
l have tho greatest desire to be
with You for many reasons.
I doubt if there is any one liv-
ing now who had longer or more
familiar acquaintance with the
great soldier in the adoption OF
whose name for your Camp, you
have honored yourselves even more
than him.
We were school boys together al
"Big Hungry" from 1S4l to lS4c
and in the same classes. After
the fashion of country boys we
played, fished, hunted, frolicked,
and fought together the mimic
battles of life.
In after years our paths, though
in The main divergent sometimes
crossed, until the great struggle
ensued in 1861. The fortunes of
war placed us in the same brigade
in the grand army of northern
Virginia, whose magnificence be
helped to make up.
Impatient of the inefficiency OF
many of the regimental superior
officers, he chafed and fretted for
a time, but when promotion came
as it did, every quality of great
commander shone forth conspicu-
ously IN him.
| was not at Gettysburg where he
won his spurs, having been wound.
ed at Charlottesville, butt was
we'll known fact In the army af-
terwards that if Col Perrin, COM
manding the advance, had been
allowed to push forward his brig.
ade to Cemetery heights after talk,
ing the town of Gettysburg, as be
begged TO be allowed to do, then
"Another sight had seen that moon,
From Fate's dark book leaf beer
torn,
And Flodden had been Bannockburn.'
During the winter of 1854
owing to the enforceI absence
from wounds of the gallant Nc,
Gowan, Gen'l. Perrin was assigned
temporarily to the command of oul
brigade and encsmped with us
near Orange county court house
nntiiL tLe-fe+tels41-- --+e--cruty TN
brigade commander, when Genl
Perrin was assigned to the com
mand of Wilcox's Alabama brig
lade and took it into action at the
Wilderness on the second day o.
the battle, May 3rd, '64.
Heth's division supported by
Wilcox's began the fight on thu
plank road about 8 o'clock p. m.
and after a desperate struggle anc
with varying fortune, held thei1
ground until night put an end tc
the bloody conflict. The odds
were against us, and the federal
troops flushed with their advan'
tage renewed the battle early the
next morning on the same ground
Just at sunrise, after a forced
march from Gordonsville all ot
the night before, the head of Long
streets column appeared on the
field and took up the unfinished
fight. Their dash, their elan, !heil
martial mien, the glinting of the
early rays of the sun upon theil
glittering arms made up sight
never to be forgotten by those who
beheld it.
at were worth ten years of peaceful
life
To have seen that stern array"
Among the foremost brigades of
the corps was that commanded by
Perrin who rode at it's head. The
light of battle Illuminating his
face, he looked the very embodi-
ment of war. Calling me to his
side he said, "I intend to come OH
Of tbs .fgAt Major General or q
dead B'fgadier." These were the
last words I ever heard from his
lips. The battle opened with un-
common fury, Longssreet was shot
down at a critical moment, the
gallant Jenkins was killed, and
amid the irreparable losses the
Army of Northern Virginia had
cause to lament none greater
than Perrin, the bravest of the
brave-its "dead Brigadler."
l had intended to make the bat
tie Of the Wilderness and its illus
trious "dead Brigadier," the sub
ject Of my theme in addressing
you at your meeting, but again I
have to regret that it is not to be-
my privilege to be with you.
There are other reasons of a per-
sonal and a special nature which
add much to my desire to attend
your camp fire. The early years
of my life were spent in Edge6eld
District and but for what was al
most an accident, my eyes would
first have seen the light within
her borders. / know her people
well, their virtues and their faults,
and whilst like all mortals, they
are not exempt from the latter,
I can say of a truth, that even
these all lean 10 virtues side.
1t may be that at some meeting
of your Camp in some ensuing
year, l may be permitted to re-
deem my promise to meet with
Won Nv fprlinps for Won will