The Opelousas courier., 1896-05-09

session but its greatest glory It's most
priceless gems. Its choicest treasures,
are the men who, in the face of fire and
smoke, starvation and desolation,
wounds and death, stood for their con-
victlOnS.
| know you will pardon me when |
say the best men we had III each OF
these two eegiments are not visibly
present with us tonight the best and
truest OF our number lie buried on the
battletields OF tho South, some clad in
umcnt marks their resting place, nor
lasting monolith stands sentinel.
But beneath IL cedar or Il pine, i'll solitude aus
terc
Unknown, nnarmed, but not forgotten, rests u
faithful volunteer.
Buried where they fell, baptizing the
soil with their blood, forever consecra-
ting the ground and making it holy,
while their life and death tell the world
the story OF how an American will
fight and die for what he believes to be
right. Whiles have talked Eve Thought
that these unseen but not unWel-
coined guests are here in our midst to-
nightivisionary it may be on my part, but
| know you will forgive me as think
of these heroes of the Third Georgia
dllu 4NlHtt NO" iolb, "lb udS6 long
since mingled together in fraternity
and love as we mingle here this hour.
They pass before us like II procession
coming from their camping grounds
amid the cemeteries, the battletieIds,
the ~sraveyards of the South. To us
they are 10 longer dead-they live. We
can almost hear their ~well-knOwn
voices as with flashing eye, active limb,
courageous lion hearts they are with us
once more, side 10y side, the blue, the
gray, the private, the officer; on they
pass, those who died at Roanoke, at
Camden, at South Mountain, at An
tietam, at Fredericksburg, and the bat
tletieIds of the South ; Hayes a,d Nc
COmas, kimbal, Sturges, Cadslen,
Hamilton, Barnett. Wright, Reno,
Jackson and Burnside, Grant and Lee.
ye comrades of 7G1. friend or foe of
those days, we gladly welcome you all,
as friends, to this traternal board! AS
memory recalls your heroic achieves
ments while with us, unseen, you gath
Ell here Il reunited band of IL reunited
country beneath the folds of our own
starry flag!
You went forth with Il mothers bene-
diction; you who faced the enemy so
boldly in the charge; you died amid
the OF battle a~inne-alone,
while the very stars of God seemed to
look in pity upon you. o yes, yon my
c~ountrymen, whether from Georgia or
New York, tonight these-the remnent
of more than two thousand men-these
your comrades gathered here, salute you
as we bring to nina your faithfulness
rs soldiers, and rejoice with You that
our country has passed from the hur-
rIpaJip fn the calm, in nam ont rF all thar
crash, of which We were part, to liber-
ty, union, b%rotherly love, and peace!
But our mind recalls others not pres
ent, who. sitting in their quiet homes
here in New York or Georgia, think Of
this reunion with mingled feelings
of Joy aud SORROW. seem to loO into
the mind OF dean old gray-haired moth
er, sitting in yonder home, thinking of
the boy on whose head she showered her
blessing, around whose neck her arms
were clasped, and on whose lips she
printed her farewell kiss, as in 1861 she
babe her last goodbye. God bless her
tonight, is the prayer OF every one
around this board. whether she be of
Georgia or New York.
Could We speak to each Of these
homes tonight, we would tell them of
the fidelity and courage OF their loved
one IN the days OF the past, anu assure
them OF orr undying regard for their
memory. We would tell them as we tell
you've shall meet again. Our COM
rades are not gone forever, for
When the dreams of life are fed,
When its wasted lamps are dead,
When in cold Oblivi0n's shade
Beauty, power aud fame are laid
Where Immortal spirits reign, ar
There shall We meet again.
And now, my friends of the Third
Georgia, ISrom the left of the line, a
privatessdilier of the Ninth New York,
Havc9ffied to speak fitting words on this
historic occasion, and before | again step
back and take my place in the ranks do
here salute you, and in the name and in
behalf Of the Ninth Regiment, New
York Volunteers, Hawkins ZOuaves,"
extend to you individually and collect
lively, IL cordial greeting and and a most
hearty, royal welcome. Welcome to
the old Empire State! Welcome to the
ranks of the Ninth New York Wei
come, to this our thirtieth anniversary !
Welcome, thrice welcome, Third GeOr-
gia Regimental Association, to our city,
to our homes, and to our hearts!