The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-05
Col. ]. 4. Wilson's Address.
Delivered at the dwelling Of the
Ghiekamauga Monument,
May 9th.

Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and MY r ell
low-Countrymen: Surrounded by mon
,nments that testify to the valor and
heroism of the soldiers Of many Of
her sister States, South Carolina
comes today to unveil her tribute to
her cherished dead. A vast majority
Of that marshalled host who, nearly
thirty. eight years ago, met on this
historic field to join the battle have
passed into the great unknown, ana
those who are left bear the indications
that ere long they must cross the river
and rest on the other side. Cheeks
that then wore the bloom of youth
now wear the furrow marks of time.
The elastic step has been changed to
the slow gait of age, the locks that
were golden. brown, or Jet have as
sumed a uniform color, they all wear
The silver gray. But, notwithgstand-
ing the fact that the evidence OF
change is stamped on almost every
thing earthly, we rejoice to know that
the love and the reverence that the
true soldier has always evinced for ms
dead comrades has not peen anecgeo
bv the change of circumstances, or the
rayages of time, and that no hearts IN
this assembly rejoice more in paying
honor to the heroic dead than DO the
hearts of these old Veterans who. on
their iiourney to their annual Reunion,
have stopped by the wayside to partlc--
mate in these ceremonies. For, next
to the love they cherish for those en-
5eared to them by the ties of consan-
sguinity is the love they cherished for
those who shared their trials ana Vnelr
dangers: and next to the reverence
they feel for their sainted dead is the
reverence they feel for the men VINO
fell by their sides.
Standing on soil made sacred by the
blood of many of the brightest, best
and brayest of Americas sons, and IN
fhe presence of some who wore the
hire and others who wore the gray,
and perhaps in the presence OF some
whose loved ones wore both the blue
and the gray, I would Enot utter one
word calculated to reklndle the AM
mostly of the past or provoke the
jealousy of the present. L Woulo
rather come in that spirit that
breathes
Peace on. the quiet dales,
Made rankly fertile by the blood OF
men,
Peace in the woodland, and in the
lonely glen,
Peace in the peopled wales.
<sPesce in the crowded towns,
Peace in the thousand fields OF waving
Peace on the highway and the Aowery
Peace sse on the wind-swept dawn.
ssPeace on The whirring marts,
Peace where the scholar THINKS, Che
hunter roams,
Peace, God of peace, peace, peace IN
all our homes,
And peace in all our hearts,
While we rejoice that peace with all
of its attendant blessings PROOFS over
this fair land OF ours, and that the
time has come when those VINO once
met on this historic field IN deadly
strife can now meet in spirit frater-
nal and Join with each other IN honor
Inp the memory of their dead heroes,
.regardless of the uniform they wore,
or the flag beneath which they march
ed. it is not expected that either the
North or South should come with
hvsterical apologies on their lips for
the part they acted on a field made
sacred by blood that was precious
alike to both sections. We're we to
offer such apologies we would be false
to every instinct of our nature, false
60 the memory of those we have to
honor and false to truth. We have
Simply come to honor those who be-
levied they were right and had the
courage to die for their CONVICTIONS,
leaving it to God and the future to
determine whether they were right or
wrong. Carolinians, you are here on
a holy mission, you are here to honor
the memory of your precious dead by
erecting monuments to their memory.
Emulating a custom as beautiful as
it is old, and as sacred as it IS beau
Siful. YOU come with granite from
YOUR own loved hills, and surround
Ing it with the proud emblem Of your
State you declare to al? the world that
your sons who fell on tie battlefield of
Chickamauga are W rthy of every
honor that gratitude can pay to valor
or affection bestow upon those whose
memories are enshrined in your hearts.
They are your sons to the manor
born They came from every section
of your State, from your rugged noun
tain heights to where the magnolia
blossoms by the sea. They died to up
hold the flag you raised, they died to de-
fend the cause you espoused. with their
life's blood they sealed their devotion
to the State, and by their death they
illustrated your patriotism and vindi-
Gated yo1r manhood. !.
/ would like to speak of many of
the gallant Carolinians who took part
in tie ems agement here, especially OF
the knightly Kershaw, who wore with
-ssaal credit, the uniform and the
eru6ne Of his State, of the chivalrlc
Manigault and the dashing Gist and
others Who led our battalion in the
6ehe, would like to speak OF the
brave Ebert Brand, of Houle, and
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