The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1898-1913, 1902-04-30
Wade HamptOn's Farewell to
His Soldiers From His Piazza
Last May.

2 his SO1uleTS Il TOIiI IlIS ldLL'
Last May.
My Comrades: l have indeed, a
Major Hart has said, heard that Reb
|, ell yell often before and when l heart
it from my own men, from the mer
whom | had the honor to command
| knew that we were safe. | think
it is one Of the British poets who
said:
THE kites know we'll
The long leagues swell
That bids the Romans close.
i might paraphase this by saying
The Yankee knew we'll
The Rebel yell
That made the Johnnies close.
My old heroes, hope it never will
be forgotten. l hope it will be trans
mitted to your children and to your
children 3 children-if not for them
to use, to tell how it used to ring
from the forests of Virginia, how it
rang from Gettysburg II the west,
land how it always told OF men who
we're willing to die for their south
tiand, TO die for truth, for honor, for
manhood, for cilivalry and for a great
ause. 1 want you to try and teach
your children, your children's chill
drsn that ours was not lost cause. l
want you to tell them that we were
fighting for the right. George Wash
ington was rebel but Lee was not.
When Great Britain recognized the
independence of this country she
did not recognize the independence
of the Uaited States, but Of each SOW
.ereign State as independent and SOW
ereign. There were 13 independent
and sovereign States. They founded
this union and they had the right to
withdraw from it whenever they chose
80 to do. We were not successful-it
is not given to mortals to command
success. You have done more-you
have deserved it.
And now in your declining years
and when mine have extended long
beyond the period allotted to man,
YOU, my old comrades, whom | lov-
ed, whom l trusted and with whom l
felt as safe as / do now, want to
say to you and all that the love you
have given me has been more than
reciprocated that all that l have
ever been able to do for you, for any
ono of you, or for South Carolina,
has been more than repaid by the
honors you have unsolicited conferred
upon me and by this the crowning
honors Of my life. / may not see
you again. 1 remember g story OF
Cardinal Wolsey, who, when ready to
retire from public lifA went TO the ah
bot and said:
WV 80 father abbot
An old man broken with the s'o'n'
"a come to lay his weary bones among
Give him little earth for charity"
That is all I ask of South Caeolina
"A few feet OF earth where my KIN
dred for six generations are resting
And l am proud to say that one or
more of each generation since the!
vere known in South Carolina, has
filled bloody grave for South Caro-
lima. (Applause) ! claim no credit
for that. Every South Carolinian
who was true was willing to give MS
blood and his life for the old state
T am sure that l was willing to 40 So
7 think can say to you, my men,
that I never turned my back upon
oos Of YOU when your faces, were
tnrned toward the enemy. The great
eat honor l felt during the war was
once when / came upon a poor pri
vate who was dying. l stopped be
; aide him and he said: 81 am happ!
, to die fighting, and l am proud TO o''
fighting under you"
< 1 pray God will bless you and VIII ).
give you peace and prosperity give
!. to the old State, give it to each on
: of you and that you will go home an
+ tell your kindred that you have see
g your old comrade and that ne THANK
# them through you.