The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-07
dent of tbe7United States, the whole

soon evident that the slave holding
States would hotsubmit tamely while
the purpose to destroy their proper
ty was being crystalized. It is true
many denied that any purpose of in
terference with the existence of the
institution of slavery was formed,
yet it must be confessed that there
were many-very many indications
that the force of public opinion at
the North, East and West was grad
ually but surely becoming dominant
in this direction. Without stopping
to discuss these theories, it may be
stated that the people of South Car
olina were determined not to submit
to such a condition. Accordingly
the Legislature soon after assem-
bling, issued call for q convention
'of the people of the State and that
this convention passed the Ordinance
of Secession whereby the State of
South Carolina declared herself no
longer q nart of the Federal Union.
There were some people in the State,
however, who felt that this step was
as hasty us it was unwise, but their
number was inconsiderable. Amongst
them, however, two of Newberry's
most distinguished and devoted sons
were numbered. The writer of this
sketch recalls the words Of Chief
Justice O'Neall, when he saw him
wearing the blue cockade on his cap:
"Ah! it is dreadful to think of this
coming war; n The first
gun that shall be fired will sound
the death knell to African slavery
on this continent. The lives that
will be sacrificed and the ruin of
property that will follow are appal-
ling to think Of" That was the
voice of age and experience. Judge
ONeall had seen service in the war
of 1872 IA; he had seen some of the
young mon from Newberry, who had
gone into the Seminole Indian war
Of 1896, never to return to their
homes; and he had seen many of tho
sons of Newberry, who rs volunteers
had taken part in the war of Mexico
with 1861, lost to their families and
tho State. The body Of our people
were for war. Our young men were,
almost as unit, for war. Some
companies were being enrolled.
Young Mr.. Wright joined the Quit
man Rillemen under Capt. James D.
Nance, and was made sergeant.
What bevy of fine fellows compos-
cd that company! Farmers, law
yers, doctors, merchants, clerks,
printers, mechanics, students-near-
ly all young men with very few mar
ried men amongst them. These were
to be young Wrights companions
throughout the war. Every spare mo-
mont was glvon to drilling ar d iii all
these efforts, he was active and con-
stant War was soon declared and
| at the tap of the drum, on q quiet
beautiful Sabbath morning in April
l861-while we thought the attack
on Fort Sumter. WAS still progress
ing-the company was marched to
the railroad station on it's way to the
front! All! the heart broken sobs of
the mothers, rs they held their boys
in thoir arms for the last time, linger
in my memory until today, and this
grief seomed to be prophetic of the
fate of many of them: they never saw
home again. Amongst them were
Thomas Fl. Lake, Robert P. Fair,
John Harris, Drayton Ramage, John
Mayer, John Wright, Pickens Lang
ford, Richard H. Haltiwanger, Rich
ard Ieavell, Jasper Kelly, Jasper
Abrams, John johnson, Robert Wier,
Bluford Buzhardt, Thomas j. Har-
riss, Henry Bernhard, Ben Schum,
port, Thomas W. Sigh, Samuel Nc
Coy, and others whose names are not
now recalled. Sergeant Wright went
forward, through all these scenes,
with a manly composure, though you
may be sure he felt deeply. His
company became part of the ia
nous Third South Carolina Regi-
ment Of Infantry whose thorough
training and discipline--acting on q
body Of mon which acknowledged no
I,rorior----yuoa 70 win n r,p,fot;op