Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1902-08-27
BILL ARP'S LETTER
he Urges the Preservation of Our
War Records.
CITES NORTH CAR0LINA'S EXAMPLE
Barlow Sage Says He is Getting Old
and Wants to See Our Noble His.
tory Preserved.
Bill Arp in Atlanta Constitution.

- AA <hbiohtd SOnSllluIlOu.
Gainesville. Ga.-Editor Constitution:
am not well and may not write many
more letters for your reads and there.
lore write this one to you to enlist
your interest and nearly cooperation in
a matter that is very near my heart
and | am sure would be as near to
yours if you were twenty years older
and had more time.
1 have received the five volumes of
history compiled and edited by Judge
Walter Clark, now the chief justice OF
the state of North Carolina. This is no
ordinary work. 1t is on higher plane
than any | have ever seen and is to
the land what Service Afloat" is on
til eea. For seven years of unremitting
toll Judge Clark has worked on this
labor of love without pay or reward
save that which comes from the ac-
complishment of sacred duty faith
fully performed. OF course he has had
capable and willing cooperators who
out o! the 254 sketches wrote 179 of
them. Judge Clark wrote all OF the 9TH
ers besides full half volume (fifth) OF
graphic events and comments that con-
Germ all the southern states as much
as North Carolina and which includes
the first published history of the
North Carolina navy-the Abermarie
and Shenandoah and Florida and some
other smaller cruisers and blockade
runners. 1t is worthy of mention just
hero haf -
shenandoah, was the last man to keep
the confederate flag at the masthead.
Tor his vessel was in the mid-Pacific
ocean and he did not know of the fall
OF the confederacy until the 10Th of
August. 1863. and had sea fight with
the enemy on June L. The volumes are
beautifully bound in gray and gold.
The paper and the printing is of the
bost quality and their pages embel-
iished with over 900 portraits and
battle scenes. These portraits are. OF
course, reproduction. eight to a page
OF the old time photographs that the
mothers of the dead and living bows
furnished to the engravers. These en-
cravings were reproduced by thatpatri-
otic southerner, Major Patton. presi-
dent or the University Publishing Com
pany. New York, without cost. The
Volumes are quite large. containing 500
pages each. Judge Clark selected the
best men to write the sketches of their
regiments
TRUTH OF HISTORY GUARANTEED
What guaranty of thuth and culture
wnen we see in this list OF contributors
such eminent and patriotic names as
General ID. II. Hill General Clergyman.
Governor Vance and his brother
Robert. General Toon Moore (who COM
piled the roster twenty years ago). DR..
Moses Hoge, of Richmond and captains
and lieutenants by the score. And there
are ministers and privates mingled in
whose work is well and ably done.
There were eighty-four regiments and
twenty eight battalions besides the
state troops (home guards) and every
regiment and battalion had one or
more historian. 1t is magnificent
work and if were a North Carolinian
and lived far away | would purchase
set If | had to do without tobacco
and whiskey for month, for the price
Is only SO. There are 1900 names in
deXed in these volumes and | would be
sure that some of them were kin to me
or nay folks. What n wonderful state.
Ihelr long forebearing people twice
sent commission to Washington to
plead for peaceful solution and avoid
war, but got TO promise or considera-
tion. and then they made war as one
man-and all the women. They had
only $4,000 Of full grown bet of 81
in the state but they could not keen
the boys out and 125, 900 troops were
enrolled What a sad comment must
come in here, for it is matter of rec
ord that of these troops Al 600 were
Killed or died in the service. / have the
old roster before me in four volumes
containing 125, 900 names and appended
to every name are significant letters
telling when he enlisted and where and
what became of him.
SOUNDS AN ALARM.
But why am / writing so earnestly
about this? Because l wish our own
state to do something OF the kind be-
lore 1T is forever too late. 1t is alarm
Ing To read i'll Judge Clarks Review
-nnd Conclusion" how many of his con-
tributors died before they had finish ed
their sketches and either ne or some
other had to take 1t up and complete
it. Now the costs Of this work to the
state is 81 per volume, which is the ac-
tual cost OF the paper, printing, bind
ing and engraving. The greater portion
Is as readable and fascinating as ro-
nance and will brighten up and faster
the patriotism of our young men
whether they be from North Carolina
or Georgia.
Now, some of us old veterans wisf
the Constitution to start this ball il
motion. Your great paper can do it