The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-11-08
A WOUNDED CONFEDERATE LAD
An Incident at the Battle of Williams
burg and Beautiful Tribute to DIR.
Gr-in

An Incident at the Battle OF Williams
burg and Beautiful Tribute to DIR.
Grier.
The Associate Reformed Presby-
terian has published many just and
worthy tributes to its late editor, DR..
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
DR.. Joseph FL. Twichell, prominent
Congregational minister OF Hartford,
Conn, who is distinguished both as an
author and rs preacher He has re-
Gently returned from Europe, and
writes as follows:
The news Of DR.. Griers death struck
me with grief as we'll ss 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 desired, or had antici-
pated with 80 much pleasure. During
the civil war, in my youth, was chap
lain of the list Regiment New York
State Volunteers, in the Army of the
Potomac. He was among the wounded
Confederate prisoners who fell under
my care after The battle OF Williams
burg in May, 1862. Though he was
only boy in age, he 30 impressed
me with his intelligence and with
thee manly fortitude with which he
bore his sufferings, that l spoke of
him at considerable length in letter
write n home to my father in Connecti-
three days then, and 1 saw him no
more but / never forgot that bright
brave boy.
1t was, should say, seven or eight
years ago, (but, no, 1 find 1t is ten
years,) when | had been pastor here
nearly or quite twentytbree years,
that gentleman named Courtenay
from Charleston, once Mayor of that
city, came to Hartford on a visit to
friends in my parish. On meeting
him one evening, l asked him II he
knew OF such man In South Carolina
as w. III. Griar, explaining the reason
of my question. All l could tell him,
to identify the person, was that he was
the son of q minister and that he lost
leg at Williamsburg. To my delight,
Mr.. Courtenay at once replied that he
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
of his honorable position as president
of Erskire College; all Of which it
gratifed me extremely to hear. In
fact, l almost wondered that it was SO
much to me to hear 1t. But 1T showed
how deeply that wounded lad had in
terested me and was lodged In my me-
mory. After that he was often in my
thoughts. l got out my old army let
| ters, which my father had preserved
| in 1852; and feeling strongly moved
thereto, one day l transcribed it and,
with note OF explanation, sent IT to
DR.. Grier. l have now before me the
| letter he Immediately wrote me in
reply, beginning, "Yes, | am that
Confederate boy who lost leg at
Williamsburg, and who received such
marked attention and kindness at your
hands, and at the hands of other Fed
eral soldiers" But be had to own
that he could not separate me in his
recollection from my comrades, which,
Of course, was not surprisi &, for
everybody liked him and manifested
| goodwill to him and besides he was
then very weak and full of pain.
From the time we thus after 80 long
an interval resumed relations, 30 to
speak, there has been an occasional In.
terchange of letters between us but
as have said, we have not met. He
hoped l would come South, and hoped
give ue the chance to looK one another
in the face again. But 1t was not tt
be. The last time 1 wrote to him wal
to tell him that my son was adjutant o
the Third Connecticut Folunteer regi
ment, enlisted in the United States
service for the war with Spain, enc
was In camp at Summerville, Soutl
Carolina, and to ask him, should h.
pass that way, to give the young man
, call. He straightway answered tha
In case he had the opportunity he Ger
tainly would do so. In January | RAJ
, down TO pay my son q visit there, an
thought Of going to see Dr.. Grier bu
| han to limit my absence to the day
= between two Sabbaths, and there ws
: not time. Had known-but, ah, "
. never know. God grant that ma
!, meet and greet him In the better conI
n try
6 Thunder can be- heard at q di
a tance of fOurtean miles.