The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-12-17
MONUMENT 10 HAMPTON.

Editors IutuiA6SASSts ~ 1h21ptctos
,.,r, 1876, South Caroline lifted her
.D".nacled Dv.r hands 70 Heaven, for the
w. u had gone forth that . deliysrer had
vi .ri,eu to avenge her wrongs. For
aeary years oppression aad robbery,
Ike fearful tidal wave. had surged
nnon the shores Of our dear State,
snd. receding, had left behind it the
scum of the humanity Of othsrregions.
These people of many colofs, and Of
al degrees Of rascality, had obtained
Dossession of the highest places in
nur pround old legislative halls. And
other dangers nenaoed us, for wMo-
mems faces were blanched with fear,
and, like the daFk-skinned people Of
tbe Old Testament, their cries went
m night and day for as trong srm to
came to their relief. In such an ex-
,remis the whole land turned to one
mai, one name was on every lip, one
lave filed every heart. And who was
our hero of liable Round" who fash
ed the sword esoalibor from mountain
70 sea? And who was our knight Of
the White Crusade who came to our
rescue in that hour Of midnight dark
ness? And who was the soldier that
crossed the battlements Of g forlorn
hope and proclaimed peace instead Of
var? A man greater than Alexander,
who was simply boastful conqueror,
and greater than Napoleon Bonaparte
who was ever, and always, selfish
brute. And this was the name and
the prayer that asoended from the
fair land to Heaven; from the the lips
Of stern men, whose eyes glanced fire,
and from the quivering throats Of wo-
meu: "Hamptonl Dear God, send us
Hampton!
And where was the warrior whom
We adored? Out from the banks Of
beautiful mountain river on rock,
stood carelessly dressed man engag-
ed in fishing. Suddenly the sound Of
a horse hoofs broke the intense quiet
Of the sleepy woods, from whence
emerged a man mounted on horse
that seemed almost spent with fatigue.
"Hello. GenAralr' said the TRAD
rider.
"Hello!' said the man on the rock.
"Geu raj, you're wanted"
Wanted for what?"
you're wanted for Governor Of
South Carolina"
And then our hero came down from
the mountains and the land was fairly
on fire.
Next came the first Red Shirt Regi-
ment, originated and organized by
Colonel A. j. Sitton, and which
marched one night to the sound Of
wartime yells, into the torch lit square
Of old Pendleton; and that same night
the campaign cry, which afterwards
swept the State from the falls Of the
White Water, to the stones Of Fort
Sumter, arose: "Hurrah for Hamp-
toni
And now we will return to the Sep
tembcr day, when long train Of cars
pulled out from Pendleton, filled with
men Who oheered from windows and
platforms, while women waved their
handkerchiefs, and smiled amid tears;
for sometimes in life it is vouohsafed
to us to cry for rapturous JOY,
sat in front Of Hampton, ard will
draw a picture Of him, as he then ap-
peared. A superbly handsome man
with very dark, almost black, curly
hair, sincere blue eyes, fine features,
and the height and proportions Of an
athlete. His costume was intensely
careless, (true greatness can afford to
De unconventlonaD, and consisted Of o
coat, checked shirt front, no collar
or necktie, and q slouched hat good
deal the worse for wear. A mutual
friend introduced us, and he bowed
bis head, saying: "This thing is very
unexpected. Twas in the mountains
hshl.;, and they sent courier after
me. have on no collar or necktie,
out when we get to Anderson I'll bor-
row some from Whitner.p Then I
|oecan'c >. aware that the glorious sol
!aler, who afterwards marched at the
|nead of band Of infuriated mep, aud
saved State that was on the brink of
obstruction without shedding blood,
was ''so possessed OF most magnetic
!pe sonality.
Suddenly the rebel yells broke out
Ilagaln, and looking eastward / saw il
|'0e Tar distance, moving slowly against
i background of forest, o never.
| |'nding line it aeemel Of men on horse
pack, all clad in tGe now hiptorio