The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-08-13

"But how could you get hit in the
face at Bull Run P"
Well, sir" said the man, half apollo.
getically, II got careless aud looked
back"
And yet it cannot be said that the
other side had altogether a monopoly of
that discretion which has as its basis the
very laudable desire to live to fight on
another day. A few sporadic cases are
said to have broken out among the
southern troops and Capt. Evan p
Howell, of Georgia, narrates one Of that
| character which is said to have occurred
| on the retreat from Ressca to Atlanta.
A Confederate regiment was ordered to
hold a mountain defle against the enemy
for twenty minutes to give the wagon
trains time to pass a given point in
safety. The orders were for the regi
army after holding the pass for twenty
minutes A private Of o Georgia com
pany stepped to the front and sa'uted.
" Captain" he said to his commanding
officer, F" didn't they say we had just
twenty minutes to catch up with the
armyW Yes" replied his officer.
Well, captain, as I'm sorter crippled, l
believe I'll start now"
Veterans, the story Of that bloody,
~blighting war Is known to all Of you.
1t were q tack stupcndous to recount a
1.-THE of that great tale spread now on
history's page or call the roll Of South
ern leaders, names whose martial glory
and renown fire not our hearts alone,
but must, whenever heard, stir the blood
Of men and youth for ages yet to come.
nor have L time to picture or recall the
bitter fortunes Of our dauntlcss troops in
those last desperate days. or paint the
horror Of the closing scene OF that great
tragedy before the final curtain fell at
Appomattox, except must of those who
made the last heroic stand for Southern
homes and liberties, of those who fought
those last campaigns, say this
Ill-fed and well nigh starved for lack
of proper food, subsisting in the trench
on acorns and mule flesh, and in the
march on scanty ration Of parched corn
Drawing the winters chilling blasts in
torn and tattered uniforms, often so rag
ged from long use as that the driving
sleet and falling 10Y pelted their un
protected backs in many a well-attest,
ed instance, leaving behind them on the
march the bloody imprint Of their naked
feet upon the frozen ground despite
all this, despite they knew our Southern
sun was sinking to on endless night and
that the cause was lost, they yet re
sponded with q cheerful mien to every
order and command. and when theii
gallant leaders led them in the fight
dashing at the foe with the same fiery
and impetuOus valor as that which SEM
six hundred of our English kinsmen in
to the jaws of death and into the mouth
Of hell at Balaklava
Yes, my countrymen, though starved
unkempt and naked as you were, though
broiied and blistered by the summer sun
or cold and shivering in the winters
wind, your tattered legions Of the South
for Anglo. Saxon grit, fierce courage and
%chivalric daring stand, and will forever
stand, pre- eminent among the armies of
he world, the armies of all countries
and all times. The brave Free Slater
and the dauntless Boer fighting but yes
terday on Africa's burning sands against
the like relentless and overwhelming
odds, alone will be your near comps
ions on the heights of fame and gallant
Cronje only sit at the feet of LeeI
Veterans OF South Carolina, grouped
on the eternal hills of destiny and fame,
L see the phantom army Of the South
stando out, her horsemen and her chart.
OTIS in special line arrayed. With super
natural ken / trace the spirit figures of
her hero IONS and on the highest crest
OF that ethereal plain which lies beyond
times rolling river there looms a war
ike form but newly added to that phan.
tom host. A mist falls on my eyes
n vision fades. IT'S gone, and
III can utter but the one word more:
Hamptoni
Many q gallant knight is here,
But he, the chieftain of them all,
His sword hangs rusting on the wall,
Besides his broken spear"