St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-10-18
PLEA FROM BILL ARP
Appeal That Georgia's History Be
Saved from Oblivion.

Southern Philosopher Sounds ~
Alarm-Cites the Work of Judge
Clark, of North Caroline, ~ .
Praiseworthy Example.
Gainesville, Ga.-Editor Constitu-
ton: l am not well and may not
write many more letters for your
readers, and therefore write this one
to you to enlist your interest and
hearty cooperation in matter that
is very near my heart, and I am sure
would be as near to yours if you
were 20 years older and had more
time.
l have received five volumes of his
tory 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 I have ever
seen and is to the land what "Serv-
ice Afloat" is on the sea. For seven
gears Ct unremitting toll Judge Clark
has worked on this labor of love
without pay or reward save thai
which comes from the accomplish
ment Of sacred duty faithfully per-
formed. OF course he has had capa-
BILE and willing cooperators who out
of the 254 sketches wrote 179 Of
them. Judge Clark wrote all of tho
others besides a full half volume
(fifth) of graphic events and COM
ments that concern all the southern
states as much as North Carolina and
which includes the first published his.
tory of the North Carolina navy
the Albermarle and Shenandoah and
Florida and some other smaller
cruisers and blockade runners. It is
worthy of mention just here that
Commander Waddell, of the Shenan-
doah, was the last man to keep the
confederate flag at the masthead, for
his vessel was in the mid-Pacific
ocean and he did not know of the
fall of the confederacy until the 10Th
of August, 1865, and had sea fight
with the enemy on June 4. The vol
umes are beautifully bound in gray
and gold. The paper an the printing
is of the best quality and their pages
embellished with over 900 portraits
and battle scenes. These portraits
are, of course, reproduction, eight
to page, of the old-time photo
graphs that the mothers of the dead
and living boys furnished to the en-
gravers. These engravings were re-
produced by that patriotic southern
er, Maj. Patton, president of the Uni
versity Publishing company, New
York, without cost. The volumes are
quite large, containing 800 pages
each.
What a guaranty of truth and cul-
ture when we see in this list Of con-
tributors such eminent and patriotic
names as Gen. D. II. Hill, Gen. Cleng
man, Gov. Vance and his brother Rob-
ert, Gen. Toon, Col. DeRossett, Maj.
Graham, Maj. Moore (who compiled
the roster 20 years ago), DR.. Noses
Hoge, of Richmond, and captains ana
lieutenants by the score. And there
are ministers and privates mingled
in whose work is well and ably done.
There were 81 full regiments and 20
battaiions besides the state troops
(home guards), and every regiment
and battalion had one or more histo-
rians. It is a magnificent work, and
if were q North Carolinian and lived
far away I would purchase set If
I had to do without tobacco and
whisky for month, for the price
is only five dollars. There are 1900
names indexed in these volumes, and
Z would be sure that some Of them
were KIN to me or my folks. What
a wonderful state. Their long for
bearing people twice sent a commits
sion to Washington to plead for
peaceful solution and avoid war, but
got no promise or consideration, and
then they made war as one man
and nll the women. They had only
$4,000 of full-grown men of 81 in
the state, but they could not keep
the boys out and $4,000 troops were
enrolled. What sad comment must
come in here, for it is a matter OF
record that of these troops 1900
were killed or died in the service. l
have the old roster before me in four
volumes, containing 125,000 names,
and appended to every name are sig
nifcant letters telling when he en-
listed and where and what became
of him.
But why am l writing so earnestly
about this? Because wish our own
state to do something of the kind
before it is forever too late. It in
alarming to read in Judge Clark's
Review and Conclusion" how many
of his contributors died before they
nad finished their sketches and either
he or some other had to take it up
and complete it. Now the cost OF
his work to the state is one dollar
Der volume, which is the actual cost
Of the paper, printing, binding and
engraving. The greater portion is as
'eadable and fascinating as ro-
nance, and will brighten up and
'asten the patriotism of our young
men, whether they be from North
carolina or Georgia.
Now, some OF us old veterans wish
he Constitution to start this ball
n motion. Your great paper can do
t. Find out how many veterans are
members Of the legislature, and how
many outsiders, like Tip Harrison
md Charles Edgeworth Jones and
iov. Gambler and Gen. Evans and
Evan p. Howell you can enlist as CO.
operators. We cannot make as large
and complete book as Judge Clark
has made, but we can certainly make