The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-02-25

on the Army Of Northern VIRGINS, itf
commanders and Battles" delighted q
large audience at the Opera House last
Wednesday zaaht with his vivid pictures
OF the war made true to life In most elo.
quent and inspiring language. The
brass band furnished the music for the
occasion, and as Gen. Rosser came into
the hall on the arm Of Col. Ball, the
band struck mp the old martial strain OF
Dixie amidssthe ~deafening yells from
the old "vets' and others present. Time
and sgain was "Dixie'' played to the
accoEdpsniment of a~pplauding shouts
from the appreciativc audience. When
quiet was at last restored, Col. Ball came
forward, and in his u~sually eloquent
manner introduced the distinguished
lecturer as follows
Ladies and Gentlemen and Comrades.
1t must be assumed that one of my
years has met bright, valued passages
In his career; but l assure you the of
ice l now discharge will be chronicied
ana cherished In my heart as the high
est and most beautiful.
am to introduce to you first OF all
"a V1rginian,-a State whose every inch
OF ground was consecrated by the tread
OF heroes-where In q fiery ordeal of
O years Of terrible war no woman
was ever heard to complain. I am to
introduce to you o great soldier,-great
IN courage and In skill-who won by
his sword high rank among the BRAY
est OF the brave; one who Is devoting
10Y the precious years left to him to
empalm1ng the memory and the glory
OF the men who championed the Lost
Cause n wore the gray. I am to in
troduce to you a comrade of Butler,
Kershaw, Jenkins, Gary, Capers. Cor.
don, Hampton, Pat Cleborne, the Hills,
Jackson, Ewell, Early, Longstreet,
F1tz Lee, Jeb Stewart. @ trusted friend
and comrade OF one greater than these,
thai all-Robert e. Lee. I present
Gen. Thomas l.. Rosser, Of the 1mmor-
tai Army of Northern Virginia.
. The lecturer began with the question
OF states' rights and the consequent Sec
tional causes which finally led TO hostil-
tiles and drew a happy comparison be-
tween our civil war and the English war
OF the roses, showing how, even after
years OF fratricidol strife it was possible
for the sections to become welded to-
gether closer than ever by reason of a
bloody carnage. From the time the
speaker touched upon and beganato mar
rate the events which preceded the fir
ing OF the first gun on Fort Sumter until
the curtain was rung down uponthe last
scene in that great and bloody drama,
the audience was completely c%aptivated.
1t would take an ADLER pen than ours
and more space than We can now devote
to this lecture to do justice to Gen. Ros-
ser's splendid lecture. During its deliv-
cry, however, there was not a single
word spoken disloyal to a reunited
country, vet the youth of the Southland
were implored to cherish, honor and
defend the South and to revere the deeds
of heroism displayed by their fathers on
the ensanguined battle field in defence
of what they believed to be not only
right and just but sacred as an heritage
brought and left them by the blood OF
their fore.fa.hets.
The lecture vas beautifully illustrated
with s~tereopticon views Of the battles
OF the war, together with life-size por-
traits OF Lincoln, Beauregsrd, Lee, Stew
art, Jackson, and other Confederate and
Federal Generals.
The old soldiers who hobbled to the
city to see and Hear Gen. Rosser's lee
ture did themselves honor, while they
were splendidly entertained. The pre-
sentation of events from the hanging
Of old John Brown at Harper's Ferry
until the catastrophe at Appromatox,
is, while very simple, very picturesque
and graphic. General Rosser does
not waste words in evolutionary
periods and fine speaking; but all
through the lecture are interjected
most pathetic and beautiful passages
of the great struggle of the sixties. We
can only regret that Indictment wealth
err prevented that large attendance of
ladies and others in the city who other
wise would have heard the address,
There was however no ~faltering among
the old heroes to meet a heroic old
comrade. Gen. Rosser, is about 90
years old and is nobly preserved. May
the God of battles and the God Of peace
inspire his patriotic u%tterances and
sustain him in his noble efforts to do
justice to- the South and his comrades
who wore the gray.
After the conclusion of Gen. Rosser's
lecture, Col. Ball read the following res
olutions which had been prepared by the
members Of Camp Conway darlington
and adopted, which were received amid
applause. A reception was then given in
order to permit the old, war veterans to
shake the hand of Gen. Rosser and to
once more look their old commander in
the face. The following are the resolu-
| tions:
The survivors of the Lost Cause cling
| with unshaken faith to the convictions
| which Inspired them and their dead
comrades, in the sixties, to pledge
their lives and their fortunes in It's de-
fense. They reverence with devotion
the sacrifice OF. their companions In
arms, dead on the field Of honor, and
rejoice In every purpose and effort to
transmit to posterity their fame for
soldierly qualities and true patriotism.
Therefore, Resolved by Camp Con-
way Darlington, U. O. ", In special
meeting:
LIST. That the thanks Of this Camp