The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-05-02
MEMORIAL DAY.
4 Great Gathering at Riyers's Bridge
Last Friday.

Last Friday was the DAY set 1OT mt
mortal exercises at Rivers's Bridge, in
commemoraton of the gallant dead who
gave up their lives in the fight at this
place in 1868. Ofthe Association nothing
need be said. for its history has heretofore
been published in these columns. We
believe this to be the most successful Me-
mortal Association in the State, both IN
point of attendance at the memorial eX-
ercises each year, in the excellence OF its
speakers, and in the interest shown by
the members and the people Of this sec
ton.
The gathering this year was as large or
larger than usual, at least 5000 or more
persons being present, from the counties
of Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and
Hampton. Last Thursday afternoon the
writer left town to attend the occasion,
and stopped that night at the hospitable
home of Capt. J. c. Mcmillan, president
of the Association, where was also doml-
ciled Dr. \. p. Montague, one of the
orators of the day We handsomely
entertained for the night, and next morn
ing went on down to the memorial
grounds, arriving about eleven o'clock.
A large crowd had already gathered, and
they continued to come until 12 o'clock
and after 1t was great pleasure to us
to have the privilege of shaking hands
with so many Of our friends, for in no
section of the county do we feel more at
home than there.
Before the exercises of the day were
commenced, a meeting of the Association
was held. Against his protest, Capt. j. G..
Mcmillan was reelected president; Capt.
w. E. Sease, ce-president; Capt. J. w.
Jenny, secretary; ]. F. Kearse, Sr., treas
urer, and Rev. S. p. Chisolm, chaplain.
The president then appointed committee
to nominate the executive committee,
which was composed of the following
gentlemen: DR.. N. F. Kirkland, ST., ].
4. ChaSsereau, and E. F. Kinard. The
committee retired and soon returned with
the following committee, and their report
was adopted: Dr. N. F. Kirkland, ST.,
J. o. Kearse, NJ O. Kinard, j. j. Copeland,
J. D. Jenny, J. c. Copeland, J. A. Chas-
sereau, E. F. Kinard, W. E. Sease, Rev.
j. H. Wilson, Rev. E. w. Peoples, ]. A.
Peters, J. w. Kinard, J. F. Kearse, ST.,
H. w. Chitty, G. NJ Brant, J. NJ. Smith,
lJ. G.. Breland, Calvin Rentz, NJ A. Kinard,
and B. r. Lewis. The president and sec
retary are ex-otficio members of the eX-
ecutive committee. The Association then
adjourned and the exercises of the day
commenced. After music by the choir,
Rev. S. p. Chisolm offered prayer. Presi-
dent Mcmillan then made a few apprO-
pirate remarks. and introduced Dr. 4. P.
Montague, president of Furman Univer-
sity at Greeuyille, rs the first speaker
DR.. Montague's address was fine one
and was well received. Many of those
present, in speaking to US afterward, said
it was one of the best ever delivered
there by any speaker. He spoke in part
as follows:
II deem it a high honor to take part to.
dav in ceremonies that commemorate the
lives and deeds of fathers, brothers, and
friends whose courage and sufferings
shall be spoken of for memorial of them
as long us chivalrous character shall re.
ceive the need of tender memory and
loving panegyric. To chronicle in story
and song and speech the exploits Of the
noble dead is to receive with open mind
and loyal heart the heritage Of the hal
lowed past Even as it is rank of great
ness to perform worthy deeds, so is it q
badge of honor to eXtol those who
wrought them. Therefore today bring
greeting and congratulation to the
Riverss Bridge Memorial Association be-
cause they pause amid the duties Of life
amid it's busy scenes and occupations, and
offer to the memories of the heroic dead
tributes of praise and tender loyalty. II
is the custom of mankind to refer to the
dead as links that bind US to days gone
by, when their companionship gave JOY
and gladneSS to our lives; just as much
even more, are they links in the chain
studded with the gems of hope and faith
that binds us to the coming time when
with them we shall dwell in that house
not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens
The speaker then gave word picture
of an old Southern home as it was in the
days of slavery, alluding in touching
terms to the faithfulness Of the negro ser.
wants. He said: The ties that bound
the servants to the family are among the
tenderest memories of the old South
In alluding to this he spoke of the slaves
of ancient Rome and the serfs of Russia
and the bitterness they felt towards their
masters, and said that as rule the slaves
of the South were the trusted friends OF
the family, the playmates and companions
of the children of the home But he was
not here, however, to regret the abolition
of slavery | believe that, with the pass
ing of that institution, came better days
and larger independence for our people
On the other hand l utterly despise the
ranting and the screeds of so-called poets
of freedom, like Whittier, who drew their
inspiration from diseased imaginations
the lies of demagogues, or the vile acts OF
the assassin. John Brown"
Abiding to the careers of great war
riors he spoke of Alexander, Hannibal
and Napoleon, and then of Robert E. Lee
comparing the lives of these, and paying
a high and eloquent tribute to Lee. He
spoke at length on this line, dwelling on
the grandeur of character shown by Gen
eral Lee, after the fall of the Confederacy
as he accepted defeat in the true spirit
and spent the remainder Of his days in
structing the young men gathered around
him, the lessons of duty and patriotism
Then he spoke of "Stonewalr' Jackson
the ungainly, awkward boy, who de-
velopcd into the highest type Of the
Christian soldier, and whose career fur
niSheS lesson of strong, brave, earnest
manhood such rs in all the centuries the