The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-07


sian, an one of the leading men Of the city
and state; his mother a lineal descendant
of Jonathan Bryan, one of the most prom
inent of the early settlers of the colony
OF Georgia. lnheritlHg the intellectual and
moral qualities which have adorned gen.
Grafton after generation of his family, and
which have made it conspicuous in public
and private life, Col. Screven from youth
to old age added luster to the goodly name
he bore Studious and dutiful as a boy
he grew in knowledge; was educated with
the best advantages and endowed with the
nobility of soul, which readily assimilat-
ed the refinement and virtues of a cult
waited home, wherein dWelt all gentle
Christian virtues. he commenced life thor
oughly equipped for the career of honor
and usefulness which lay before him. APP
preciating from the start the duty which
he owed to his God and to his fellow man,
he lived faithful servant of both, and
died as he had lived, in favor with God
and man.
Col. Screvens was an active. useful life,
surprising In measure that of most men.
Faithful and conscientious in the per
Torrance of the duties of his several cali
ings, he was always ready to serve fam
lily, friend, city, country; and many and
various were the places of honor and trust
to which he was called. But the record
of these is beyond the scope of this me-
mortal. To the biographer must be left
the details of a life, replete with incident,
and forming so important a part in the
history of Savannah, that she must ever
number him among the foremost and most
illustrious of her sons. Ours the privi-
lege, as Confederate veterans, to make
mention of his services In the sacred cause
for which We fought, the object of which
was ito sustain a principle, the broad
principle of constitutional liberty, the
right of government" Ours the part
to recall his virtues, to turn to them for
consolation and example and to hold them
up for the emulation of our youth
THE simple account of Col. Screven's
record as a soldier, sanctioned by himself,
runs thus: In 1858 he was elected captain
of the Savannah Volunteer Guards, and
his was one of the three companies desig-
mated to occupy Fort Pulaski, when it was
seized, by order of Gov Brown, in the
name of the state of Georgia, Jan. 20,
1861. Although president of the Atlantic
and Gulf Railway during this period, he
was appointed major of artillery in the
Confederate provisional army and con-
tinued to serve with his command in the
defenses about Savannah until December,
1862 when he was ordered by the COM
handing general to resume his railway
duties In 1854 when Sherman commence
ed his movement toward the coast, Maj.
Screven raised a local battalion of five
companies to aid in the defense of Sa-
vannah and was promoted TO the rank of
lieutenant colonel Thus was Col. Sore
ven In active war service even before the
Confederacy came into existence, and al
though but a short time in the field, always
held commission in the army, and left the
field only at the call to more arduous and
trying duties; If in a less conspicuous
sphere, yet one in which he could serve
his country to most advantage.
THE war ended, Col. Screven took up
the thread of his life where it had been
broken, and from that time to the close of
an eventful and checkered career, so bore
himself in public and private life that he
has left to us the legacy of a spotless
name. Upright in heart and mind and,
mien. with nobility of soul stamped upon
his face he walked among us, the light
of chaste thoughts so beaming from his
countenance, that men turned to look up
on him and to gather inspiration to fol-
low in his foot steps No one could hold
intercourse with HIM without feeling that,
Here IS a gentleman in whom nave an
absolute trust"
He was a Christian in faith, hope and
charity;
An "Israelite indeed in whom Is no guile"
A Knight in "Chivalrle"
'lTutne anu non AiSNShN usN NN' tNAH'N'
"A gentleman and what is it to be
gentleman? Is it to have lofty aims; to
lead a pure life; to keep your honor viz
gin: to have the esteem of your Fellow
citizens and the love of your fire side;
to bear good fortune meekiy; to suffer
evil with constancy; and through evil
or good to maintain truth always? Show
me the happy man whose life EXHIBITS
those qualities, and him we salute as
gentleman"
Thus was he,
"And indeed he seems to me"
"scarce other than my own ideal knight.
who reverenced his conscience as his king,
Whose glory was redressng human
wrong;
Who spake no SANDER, no, nor hstend TO
It,"
1--WE have lost him, he is gone,
We know him now; all narrow Jealousles
Are silent. and we see him as he moves