The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-10-12


dey's march. Ou this march I az
structed our surgeon, stationed at the
rear of the regiment, to give permis-
sion to fall out not only to the sick,
but to those without shoes, and whose
feet were in bad condition. Each day
one-third of our regiment was so ex-
cused. Yet no murmur from the
grand heroes.
With bad clothing, scanty food,
without pay, the Confederate soldier
trudged along, always ready for
fight or for any duty, and anxious for
it. He showed the highest courage
and devotion. True he was to the
Confederacy, and was ouly willing to
surrender when Bob Lee and Joe
Johnston said it was useless to fight
any longer. Even then he did not
want to give up.
Will it not do mankind good to have
the memories Of such high heroism
kept alive? Will not future genera
tions be better men in the example
given them in and by the Confederate
struggle? Should our children be,
are they not now, proud that their
fathers were Confederate soldiers? It
would belittle us in their opinion, in
the opinion Of the world if we sought
to hide our actions, to own by deed
that we were not proud of our record.
So far as I am concerned / say it,
and say it believing that it does no
discredit to my loyalty, to my coun-
try, nor that il argues that I am not
just as progressive as the sharpest
Yankee; that glory in having been
a Confederate soldier. then believed
and still believe that we were right.
With the same lights before me I
would do it again, aud having had
some experience, if called upon, do it,
hope, q great deal better.
Feeling this, and having the highest
admiration for our Southern people,
you will not be surprised when / say
that, even with all the glory they won
as Confederates, believe the people
Of the South have won greater glory
since the war closed.
Returning from the battlefield to
our ruined homes, we, Of South Caro-
lima, hardly found roof which had
escaped Sherman's torch. The labor
system was broken up; we were with
ont any property or any money. The
future surely looked dark and dreary.
Ruin was over the country, and abso-
lutte starvation stared thousands in
the face. To our people was left only
their unquenohable pluck. We ac-
oepted our defeat.
Here let me say that I have always
thought it fortunate that the struggle
was carried to its bitter end, so that
when it was finished it was irrevoca-
bly, done. When we furled our BAN
ners we never hoped to again throw
them TO the breeze.
We accepted our paroles in good
faith, and as honest men we proposed
to abide by the terms. The past was
dead and gone. We could only look
forward, and did so at first with doubt,
but soon with hope, and then with
confidence, 60 restore our rui1ed for
tunes. We worked as we'll as we had
fought. The magnificent manner in
which the South has succeeded is
shown by the results which have
caused our "Sunny South to blossom
and bloom as it never had before the
war.
i am indebted to Mr.. Richard H.
Edmonds, editor of the Manufactur-
ers' Record, Of Baltimore, one who
has done great service to the South
by showing upour magnificent achieve
ments, and giving US thereby conf
dence and hone for further etfc.::, eo7
most of the facts now give. Thsse
facts nave collated from his pamph-
let, :'Facts about the South" and
arranged them to show concisely the
splendid work accomplished by the
Southern people since the war.
Look first at our cotton production
and manufacturers. The largest crop
} Of cotton ever made before the war
was in the year ending September l,
1860, and reached then the large pro-
portion Of 4, 1851 900 bales. How much
we were affected by the material oasu-
alties Of the war is shown by the fact
that the crop of the year ending Sep
tember the 1st, 1866, the first year Of
our; renewed efforts, reached only g.
278.OOO bales. Our splendid work
since is shown by the immense crop
Of the year just closed September /,
} 1893, when che total production of the