The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-08-17
BROOKHAyEN IN THE WAR.

~N-----NN'a'NN'NNap
This little city, nesting quietly in
her peaceful haven among the tall
pines of South Mississippi where the
gentle southern breezes sing sweetly
OF rest and peace, has responded nobly
and we'll to the bugle blast of war,
sending forth to fight for her country's
honor and flag the flower and the pick
OF her young manhood. Amid our
peaceful surroundings it was but nat
ural for us to lapse into a spirit of
lethargy and repose concerning martial
glory and fame, but the promptness
and alacrity with which our boys have
answered the call to face grim visaged
war" with all of it's frightful horrors
and casualties, demonstrates that the
Cavalier stock of the South is not yet
extinct. Quite number have gone
from Brookhaven and the surrounding
country to strike blow for humanity
against that cruelty which has caused
countless thousands to mourn ", and
several of our boys occupy high posi-
tions of Importance and trust.
1t is refreshing to know that in this
age of so called commercial activity,
when men are striving necessarily to
accumulate wealth, being stimulated
in many instances by no higher senti-
ments than avarice, covetousness, greed
and mercenary motives, the spirit of
true patriotism still lives. Our boys,
none of them, knew when they we're
enlisted whether they would be officers
or privates; they knew not and they
asked not; it was a question of duty
with them, and they were resolved to
do, and to die if necessary for the hon
or of their country. In obedience to
this spirit of patriotism they left their
various pursuits and occupations, a
very trying ordeal of itself, all of them
being young men with life full of hope
before them, many of them ambitious
and on whom fortune seemed to lavish
its blessing in abundance. This step
was perhaps the destruction and tear
ing down of fond hopes and long cher
ished dreams of future success and
prosperity in their respective callings
and in addition to all this sacrifice,
friends, home and loved ones had to be
left behind and perhaps never be seen
again. This they did to take up arms,
under the scorching rays of tropical
sun where the poisonous germs OF
deadly disease we're lurking to do their
deadly work, in behalf of starving,
struggling, suffering people contending
against the wicked, relentless, cruel
and oppressive Spaniard for Gods
birth right of liberty and independ-
ence. All this they did for no other
reason than that their country had in
dicated mere desire that this step be
taken, and for no other reward except
the plaudits of nation" Well done,
good and faithful servants"
For this act of heroic devotion to
country our boys are deserving of spe-
cial praise, but Hiram Cassidy, Jr., a
Brookhavenite to the manor born,
reared on her soil, used to the easy
comforts of life, and surrounded with
plenty, and who volunteered as pri-
vate in the ranks to undergo the hard
ships and privations of war, without
the hope or expectation of advance
ment or preferment, is eminently de-
serving of special mention. 1t was
largely through his efforts that the
Company was formed; it was largely
through his efforts that the Stonewall
Guards were kept from declining in
body to enlist for this war, and were
thus saved the humiliation of being
ordered to send in their military equip
ments by first train; it was he who
inspired them with military zeal and
instilled into their minds correct ideas
of duty and patriotism. After his en-
listment as a private in Company ID,
First Mississippi Regiment, he was, IN
recognition of his sterling worth and
meritorious service, transferred to the
position of Quarter-master with the
rank of Lieutenant in the Second Mis-
sissippi Regiment. Promotion invari-
ably comes to those who are deserving.
The very soul of honesty and honor
true as steel to duty, the soldier boys
of the Second Mississippi Regiment
will never want nor suffer while it is
in the power of Hiram Cassidy to pro-
vide for them, and in him the manhood
and chivalry of Brookhaven has rep
resentative of whom it may justly feel
proud.
There are others equally deserving.
In the camp at Jacksonville, Fla, a
certain Major of battalion, who was
given the rawest recruits in the Second
Mississippi Regiment, by his untiring
energy and close attention to every de-
tail now has the best disciplined men