The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-22

@L1t ndlCyOu udJS W DODc- III Vic 4
the news came of B~eauregard's first
great victory for the south. It was
hailed with joy n reclamation, n
we hoped the happy end was near at
hand. But. sad omen of sadder days to
come, the glad news was dashed with
the inevitable war note Of sorrow. for
Bee and Barlow a fallen in the strife
and hundreds Of the men who wore
the grey lay dead upon the battlefield,
The winter followed. and with the
early summer days came the advance
on Richmond. and the seven days fight
for its defense, and when the sun set
upon that fatal field of Malvern Hill
the light of many Of our hearts and
homes was quenched IN a horror OF
great darkness. for virginia's soil was
watered with the precious blood OF
many Of Carolina's noble sons.
The years rolled on. Chancellors-
Vile and the Wilderness. Sharpsburg
wrote in letters of blood their stories
of unrivalled bravery and heroism, of
victory and sometimes OF defeat, but
never Of cowardice or t~reachery.
At last the scene shifted to u own
North Carolina coast. Fort Fisher, our
watchful sentinel upon the outposts-
the fortress we had deemed impregna-
Bile added its chapter Of superb de-
Tense and final fall and the gates OF
Confederate supplies were closed!
The end soon followed at Appomat-
tox when Lee. our own immortal Lee,
surrendered to overwhelming forces his
good sword-stainless as his own pure
soul-unsullied as his own bright
honor!
Our peerless Leei NV friends, you
bore an honorable part in the making
Of tina wonderful story Of the South
ern C~onfederacy. and for that we owe
you a debt of gratitude and are proud
to do o honor.
Flashing across the pale of history
like a meteor athwart the sky, but glo-
rious as the splendor Of the noon-tide
sun-all too soon the young republic
went down in the darkness of disap-
pointment and defeat. h Sun of
| Peace had never risen upon its noun
tain tops, it's fertile valleys could
never laugh and sing with fruitful har-
vests, for there were non to till the
land. from 3rst to last the men were
at the front, fighting for their homes,
their affairs and their sacred rights
for the reedOm they could not win!
Applause.)
But sin song and story it will go
sounding down the ages as onesof the
greatest. wal records the world has
ever known. Unequalled and unique in
many respects during it's brief continu-
ance, the story of the ~Confederacy
would not be complete without it's cpl
logue-for it stands alone in the
worlds annals for the loyalty and de-
potion which after nearly half a CEN
fury Of humiliation and subsection Of
injustice and insult. still flow in the
hear of every son and daughter
of the south. (Applause.)
Can any other country tell Of a band
of conquered soldiers so tenderly be-
loved n cherished by the people for
whom they fought and failed? Other
nations have had their conquering he
L rnaC and uo1o0roa1 than uvitp tri11po
phal professions and built their tenn
PIES to victory; but our monuments are
inscribed only to 1.-The Confederate
Dead'-our professions are the yearly
pilgrimage of Memorial day to the
thousands of sacred spots that dot the
land, where rest the braves who fought
"a good fight, and gave their lives fol
the cause that was lost (Applause.)
All, dearly do we love the cold, dead
hands that bore the banner of the stars
and bars aloft-conquered indeed il
was, but stained never. save by their
own life blood.
And no less do we love to honor the
b~attle-scarred veterans who are with
us today; sole Representatives of the
slories and he sorrows of the dea6
past.
II I regard it as a crowning honor o1
my long life that the Cape Fear Chap
ter of the United Daughters of the
Confederacy. have chosen me their rep
resentative to bestow upon you this
southern Cross of Honor. Simple
bronze badges they ADMINISTRATION
inc of little intrinsic value-but wor.
tiny OF your acceptance. and a fit inher.
1tance for your children's children, as
symbols of Confederate endurance anC
VaFOr n as tokens of wOman's INDY
ing appreciation of all that is grand
N heroic in. men who. great in action
nave proved themselves greater in de.
| 1oat- Wear fhan fhaco holpr1~ --..lI-
on your breast ais gifts of the women
on n south who are proud to be called
daughters of the Confederacy."
Soon life's long warfare will be ended
n with your own Stonewall, the good
n great, o too must cross the
river and rest under the shade of the
trees. When the last reveille shall
wake you from that sleep. may each
one or You find an immortal crown OF
true victory awaiting him in the sweet
ana blessed country of everlasting
peace!
God bless YOU all. Amen.
The address of Mrs. Meares made q
deep impression on the audience and
there were not a few old veterans as
Well as others who had to keep back
the tears. When she concluded there
was enthusiastic applause. and the ole
veterans arose in a body and saIuted
her.
The response in receiving the Cross
OF Honor was to have been made by
Colonel John D. Taylor. but Captain
Metts with regret that nv
was i'll and could not be present. Col.
onel Woodward. therefore. read a brie,
response for the veterans sent I'D by
Colonel Taylor.
: The veterans were hen requested tc
march across the stage while the
, Daughters of the Confederacy present
ed them with the Cross Of Honor
These were bronze maltese crosses
hanging from a SCROLL. They were ap-
proprfately ngraved and although
they were not valuable for the meta