The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-09
"A WOUNDED CONFEDERATE LAD
An Incident at the Battle Of Williams
burg and q Beautiful Tribute to DIR.


burg and u Beautiful Tribute to DIR.
J.. Grier.
: The Associate Reformed Presby-
terian has published many just and
worthy tributes to it's late editor, DIR.
w. Nj. Grier, but the following will be
read with great interest by all Of his
friends, especially his, comrades who
wore the gray. 1t has been written by
. Congregational minister OF Hartford,
Conn, who is distinguished both as an
author and .as preacher He has re-
Gently returned from Europe, and
writes as follows
The news OF DR.. Grier's death struck
me with grief as we'll Go surprise, for l
held him in very warm esteem, and
had ardently hoped to meet him in
this life. In fact there were few things
that | 80 much sired, or had antici-
pated with so much pleasure. During
the civil war, In my youth, | was chap
lain of the list r. 'giment New York
Potomac. He was among the wounded
Confederate prisoners who fell under
my care after me battle OF Williams
burg in May, 1862. Though he was
only boy Ia age, he 81 impressed
me with his intelligence and with
thee manly fortitude with which he
bore his sutfertnSs, shat I spoke of
him at considerable length in a letter
written home to my father in Connecti-
cut. l was with him only two or
three days then, and I saw him no
more but l never forgot that bright
brave boy.
It was, should say, seven or eight
years ago, (but, no, l find 1t is ten
years,) when l had been pastor here
nearly or quite twenty three years,
that gentleman named Courtenay
from Charleston, once Mayor of that
city, can,sA to Hartford on IL visit to
friends in my parish. On meeting
him one evening, l asked him If he
knew Of ouch a man in South Carolina
as w. NJ. Grisr, explaining the reason
of my question. All | could tell him,
to identify the person, was that be was
the son ola minister and that he lost
aleg Williamsburg. To my delight,
knew all about him. .Accordingly:he
proceeded to give me an account OF
him ; Of his high standing in.:point OF
scholarship and Of character; of his
eminence as preacher, &C., &C., and
of his honorable position as: president
of Erskire College; all OF which II
gratified me extremely to hear. In
fact, almost wondered that il was &C
much to me to hear 1t. But 1t showed
how deeply that wounded lad had in
terested me and was lodged in my mo
mory. After that he was often in my
thoughts. l got out my old army let
ters, which my father had preserved
and read again what had said of him
in 1862; and feeling strongly movee
thereto, one day transcribed 1t and
with p0te nf oynl otinO aant H. ff
DR.. Grier. 1 have now before me the
letter he Immediately wrote me ir
reply; beginning, "Yes, 1 ain tina
Confederate boy who lost @ leg a
Williamsburg, and who received such
marked attention and kindness at you,
hands, and at the hands of other Fed
eral soldiers" But he had to owl
that he could not separate me in hi
recollection from my comrades, which
of course, was not surprisi g, To-
everybody liked him and manifested
goodwill to him and besides he wa
then very weak and full of pain.
From the time we thus after 80 long
an interval resumed relations, 80 t.
speak, there has been an occasional in
terchange of letters between US but
as Thave said, we have not met. H.
hoped would come South, and hope'
he would come North sometime, t.
give US the chance to look one apOthe
in the face again. But it was not t.
be. The last time l wrote to him wa
to tell him that my son was adjutant Q
the Third Connecticut Volunteer reg1
mont, enlisted in the United State
service for the war with Spain, Oh
was in camp at Summerville, Sout
Carolina, and to ask him, should
pass that way, to give the young man
call. lie straightway answered tha
In case he had the opportunity he Gel
tainly would do so. In January I ra
down to pay my son o visit there, an
thought of going to see Dr.. Grier br
l han to limit my absence to the day
between two Sabbaths, and there Wa
not time. Had l known--but, ah, "
never know. God grant that y
meet and greet him in the betterfr