The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-10-04
Letter From the Indian Territory.
CHIcKAsHA, I. T., Sept. 21, 1901.
EDITOR UNION TINES:

L, q. IL, l.,
EDITOR UNION TINES:
My Dear Sir:-Haviug met you at
Memphis at our great reunion, and
only partial acquaintance at that,
| regard you as being one Of the boys.
Though while you are young and
have not the experience Of the boys
who wore the grey, at the same
tine L believe you will voice my SEN
timents. l have been reading some
of Capt, j. l.. Strains letters Ia The
TINES and l do think that we, the
old boys, the heroes Of '6l-'65, are
not doing our duty as we should
Every old Confederate soldier who
can WELD the pen in behalf of our
brave boys who stood on so many
bloody battlefields with barred breast
to leaden hail. Eulogy is too limited
and inexpressable. Words cannot do
justice. No man can utter the SEN
tence that will fill the requirement
or explanation Of the fortitude, brav-
cry and endurance Of the Confederate
soldiers. l say we are not doing our
duty. Every ex-Coufederate who
can tell the most with the fewest
words should have voice in this
matter and show to the rising gen
erations that the Rebel soldiers were
the grandest that the world has ever
known, and let it be so recorded in
hist ory that the South ra.se. the
noblest army that the sunlight of
heaven ever shone on. / think we
are muking great mistake by not
doing more to elevate the names and
deeds Of those who have already
crossed the river and we trust are
resting under the shade Of the trees.
COL. JOHN r. GILES, ONE OF UNIONS
HEROES.
Is is my desire to, if possible,
speak few words for the name Of
one whose endeAvors were great and
his patriotism was unbounded, and
all Of which was proven at the battle
of Seven Pines, before Richmond, in
1862, when he gave his life for the
cause he loved, and a cause he be-
lieved to be right. l believe that |
can safely say that Col. John R Giles
was one Of the noblest sons Of thus
dear Southland. We shall not Say
thai he was perfect, but we will say
that he was almost without blem-
faultless. In his army career, and
vet while that was very short, AID
necessarily governed by cruel war;
his charitable deeds knew no
bounds, kind and gentle. brave and
true, and disposition as loving as
the mother that bore him to the light
of his earthly habitatiop. His every
day walk carried with 1t all of those
noble characteristics that it takes to
make the turn for the betterment of
his interiors. On the march he was
ever ready to speak a word Of consp-
lation. In the camp he was more
than willing to lend helping hand
to those Of his comrades who occu-
pied lower position in the walks OF
life.
On the battlefield he was cheerful
and or his bright face no look nf
tremor, every feature, every gesture
and every motion of the man showed
the strongest virtues of a fearless
soldier: I do not think he ever
power to relieve the suffering Of his
fellowman and comrade. While his
men were his comrades and eompan-
ions In arms and yet he commanded.
but was true to the fellowship of his
men. Col. Giles was one Of the
Knights of Manassas Plains, one Of
the heroes of Williamsburg, and last
q martyr of Seven Pines; there to
give a life to the cause he loved, and
there to end the tolls, hsrdships and
suffering Of the march, the biyouac
there that sweet spirit returned to
God who gave it, and we TRUST TO rest
with the honored host Of GodfI oEr
people where SORROWS are no m)re
Can we say more? The halt can
never be told Of such men and sol
diers as Col. John R. Giles, Of the
Confederate army, and one Of the |
bright sons of South Carolina. And
nSW Mr. Editor if it is your will that
! shall have spsae; 7 will add few
more brief remarks.
In 1851 when Col. Giles organized
his Co ID. of the 5th .. O. Volunteers
(Giles was Captain), j. T. Douglass
was Orderly Seargent, messmates
bedfellows, coworkers and compan.
IONS in arms. Time, the great healer
of ST. ills, makes great changes in
men Tae Year roll by, Col. Giles
has gone to the last seslips glsce of
mortal man The widow to mougn
the loss Of noble husband; but still!
the same beautiful Mary Jane Giles,
full Of vigor and the true virtues Of
After all the woes ard
misery and Ve&atlQns Of cruel war
has vanished and supplanted by pure
happiness and the onlook of better
days.
j. T. Douglass, once Orderly Ser
geant Of Col John r Giles, and tn,
sweet Mary Jane, once the wife OF