Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-04-15
Abstract of an Address

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Delivered by Rev. John Tamkin to the
Myers.Riddeberger Camp Confederate
Veterans. Saturday March a6th, 1898,
and Published by Request
COMRADES-In addressing YOU,
| would ask first of all what is the
object of our organization aud
what does it seek to perpetuattF
Answering negatively | wonld
say. 1t does not seek r. perpetua'e
stIifr or auimo>ity. TIE daNs of
autagouiSm are over, the battle
ION -, the conflict ended. l'eace
noN sheds IT,. beuien influence over
Az u'l cd land and its glorious and
ine>tImahie blessings are shared
ID all
+ rlhtrmore il does not seek to
advlnce ihe cause Of poll les OI
p iuciplc~ T. O her handS We con
90 This ia>k, hrlng fhly per
sded batlt viii b. we'll ate ded
o., olthout an, advice ar all from
Us. And AZ lin | 50, II does not
seek C., met NV issue. The issue
has beet met aud we accept 1t as
he iSive. We are no here and W.
do not gather To raise the standard
of rrl OH against either on, STATE or
national governments. WHAT then
Is the design of this OrganizatiOnY
Emp atlca ly | would say, II seeks
to promot- aud prrpetuate friend
SHIN. Aud " hat is friendship aud
wbatiSd trleudy True friendship Is a
cardinal virtue, 1t is the eXcmDiii.
cation OF Ill that is good and greai
III bumau nature. IL seeks t.
alleviate sli1erlngS to sOOthe the
sOrroWing heart, aud to minister
10 the necessities Of all with whom
we come IN contact and what
friendship should be more salotarS
more potent and more lastidg
than that engendered by the en'
durance Of danger suffered in a
common causeg What other feel
iug should those have tor each
other whc have stood the Or0nt OF
battle. Who have rallied around
the selfsame fl igS, who have stood
shoulder t. shoulder amid the diu
and bloodshed OF war. There 6e
those who say we should fnrget all
this. But there are things NY COM
rades we never eau forget. Who
can forget those weary marches
those chilly cheerless biS ouaces
aud hose scanty ratiOns all borne
uncOmplainiuglSH My comrades
tue atie tiOn ana kindness which
@e bestowed upon one another
when wounded or suffering tends
~ augment and strengthen the
bond OF friendship. In looking
back upon those tour years We are
cbeered 10y the "reminiscences
, thereof and who is there that does
!. not horror the valiant Confederate
Suldleig We have earned the re
40, CT even of our enemies. There
is reciprocity Of feeling beiveel
be Blue aud lh' Gray, and cut
.ho commanded the armv of Ih,
J. Potomac remarked since the end
ing of the strllc. "The world ha
never seen SuCn men, their ln-
dpmitabi'iiy, their tAithtulnes-
their endurance Ot PRIV alton ALT
suffering has never been cqnalled.
Courage aud irmnesS are h5ld il
y high esteem wherever met With
II NV own experience has taught III
's this. In my visits to England anC
p. to Pennsy lN annia | nave found
=. deep and abiding reverence TO
! those who wore the Gray. Blu
my comrades no one hOnOrs
y coward, no one reverences
N traitor aud there has been u
stain on the Confederate banner
Their flag has sunk, IL has bee
furled forever | consider it a
honor to have been a Confederat
soldier to transmit to my pOsterlt,
the character of a valiant, falthil
veteran. The noble Lee, the II
domltable jackson, the peerle'
Ashby and the dashiDg Stuart al
no more, bat let us tDeIr follower
conduct ourselves like men. Let
dispense hospitality and exerci
kindness to every OOutedera
soldier especially to those In dl
tress. But another purpose
tins organization is to seek
oo.ootnofa fruth LET hlatO