The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-11


Of scorn and for our mean cOwardice
would have been regarded as reproaCh
TO humanity. BY our manly resistance
we have not only retained our self re-
spect. but acquired the confidence and
esteem of all the enlightened nations
OF the earth. / would thousand times
rather be- pointed to as the individual
who had lost most in the great struggle,
IMAM to have come out of it unscathed
ana prosperous.
AS | stand here. an eX-COnfederate sol
der, looking back thirty-three years to
mat time | rejoice to know that the
commissioners at Hampton Roads con
ference had no authority to treat for
terms other than those for which we had
been fighting for four years. The doe
trine that Il citizens allegiance is due
first to his State was claimed at Neck
lenhurg end had It's birth 1T the Halifax
convention. 1t inspired the patriots who
fought AT Alamance and Guilf0rd Court
House and those who conquered at
Kings Mountain and Yorktown. 1t was
nurtured on the seas under Paul Jones
and Decatur Perry and McDonOugh;
and amid the torrid flames of Mexico.
1t Won the victory Of Buena Vista If
with the flashing of the artillery. in front
of the musketIy. amid the grOans Of the
wounded and the dying.
1t could no more be bought off by
money than can the death of the 2G2
sailors of the Maine be indQmnifed by
Spanish gold.
The determination of President Lin
coin 10 reinforce and provision Fort
tod I44rF
fOrcibly if necessary. was viewed by the
seeding States as declaration of war;
and while the Succoring fleet was in the
oiting. fire was opened on the fort by
General Beauregard and after bonn
bardment of 81 hours. the fort surren-
dcred, providentially, without the loss
Of Il single life.
This was the beginning of a war. the
greatest of all modern wars possibly the
greatest in The history Of the human
race. in which one hundred thousand men
lost their lives and eight billions of prop
crty was sacrificed.
With the secession of North Carolina
May 20. 1861. Senator Clingman' :
political career came TO n close. When
the strife was over and the Southern
States resumed their political relations
with the other States of the Union, the
old civilization was to give place to the
new and younger men were to be the ac-
tors on the stage. 1t was Il civilization
which produced patriots and statesmen,
great soldiers and most eloquent orators.
The beauty, virtue and loyalty of its
women is prOyerbial The domestic vir-
tues 1ourished in surprising perfection.
The relations between master and ser
wants were humane on the one side, sub
mis- i've on he other Its laws were
mild and impartially enforced: liberty
without license reigned everywhere.
Then none was for Il party,
Then all were for the State,
Then the great men helped the poor
And the poor man loved the great.
Then lands were fairly portioned
Then spoils were fairly sold,
Then Southrons were like brothers
In the brave days of old.
CLINGMAN IN THE WAR.
A man 40 years of age. in politics all
his life. who had never seen regiment
maneuyre. or witnessed battle. essays
the roll of a military commander.
/ His first experience in war is as volun-
tary aid-de-camp to General Joseph r.
Johnston ut the first Manassas. He is
elected Colonel of the 18th North Caro-
lima regiment and in the spring of 1862,
May Il. 1862, is made Brigadier Gen
eral He never attained higher rank.
/ am fortunate in having the testi-
mony Of two men now living especially
we'll qualified to give an opinion as to
General Clingmans military qualiica-
tions and record AS the first in the or
der of time, will quote that gallant
Confederate soldier, member of the Con-
federate Congress. eloquent advocate and
now distinguished United States Judge,
the Hon. Thomas w. Fuller. Says Judge
Fuller: when Foster in December,
1862, attempted to capture Goldsboro, /
commanded Il section of Stairs Battery,
and acted with Clingman's Brigade.
There could not be Il man Drawer in the
hour of fiercest battle than was Clingman
on that OCCASION He rode up and down
the line on horse back, absolutely with
out fear, giving his commands, Fire
slowly, men. Keep it up" The brigade
repulsed every assault and unsupported.
charged Fosters attacking columns and
the latters army retreated to NeWbern.
The other testimony comes from the
immediate commander with whom Gen
eral Clingman was associated in the clos
ing campaigns of the war. 1t is with
pride as q Confederate soldier under
him. that | refer by name to this merito-
rious officer. that whom there was no
ADLER general Of his rank, or one more
highly esteemed in the army Of Northern
Virginia. | mean. of course, your fell
low citizen, General Robert +. Hoke.
There was no more Obedient officer,
saws Gen. HOke, and no one more ready
TO do his duty than General Clingman.
His brigade held one Of the most impor-
tant parts of the line in front of Peters
burg. and for ninety days General Cling
man slept in the trenches and never made
a complaint. Put General Clingman at
a place and tell him to stay there, and
he would hold it until the last man was
killed. He was as brave a man as we
had in the army"
After the war, General Grant ac-
knowledged to General Hoke that his
greatest defeat was at Cold Harbor,
where he lost 1900 killed and wound
ed. So great was the slaughter after
their several defeats. that the men re-
fused to renew the charge. General
Grant admitted that his campaign ON
the north side of the james was fail