The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-07
SIDNEY HERBERT'S LETTER.
INTERESTING COMMENTS ON MANY
SUBJECTS.

Deserved Compliment to a Geor-
ria Regular Army Oficer-The Ups
and Downs of "a West Point Cadet.
Pine Crest Villa. Maitland, Fla,
sent. 6.-I have on hand an admirable
1arter from a Savannah alumnus of
the Virginia Military Institute which
shall comment on at the earliest
chance. - While on flying visit
IN Savannah 1 got glimpse of Capt.
NJ. Ed. Wilson's enlarged photo of
the Savannah Volunteer Guards CEN
tennial parade. 1 have seen good
deal of military photographing, and I
think Savannah, the foremost military
city of the South, should be proud to
have within her borders the foremost
military photographer in the South.
His Guards picture is a triumph of
his art that will long be treasured by
that venerable and gallant corps. . -
am constantly surprised at the care
less or reckless manner. in which even
prominent men write of events with
which they were connected. Just a
Torrance of the Grand Army of the
Republic, officially visited Montgomery,
Ala. In his appeal this week for the
Alabama Confederate Soldiers Home,
he says: "I was honored with a din
ner and between every two &c. A. R.)
comrades at the table, sat an ex-Con-
federate soldier" Now, I was a hon.
ored guest and a speaker at that ban
ouet. There were nearly fifty G. A. R.
comrades at the table and only two
ex-Confederates How. Gen. Tor
rance could make such a blunder is
bevond my comprehension. = see
that Congressman Reese Calhoun De
Graffenried of Texas, who died sudden
" in Washington, D. c., week ago,
is reported to have been the son of
Gen" Matthew Fontaine De Graffen-
ried of Franklin, Tenn. 1 presume this
title was from service in the State
Militia, as he was appointed an en-
sign in the Thirty ninth United States
Infantry, from Tennessee, in March,
1914 and a month later made a third
lieutenant, then, on Nov. 26, a second
lieutenant. But when the United
States Army was reorganized in June,
1915, he was honorably discharged. He
must have been a desira BILE officer, as
he was reappointed a second lieutenant
in the Artillery Corps, the December
following, where he served until Oct.
81, 1917, when he resigned.
My highly esteemed old friend of At
lanta days. the Rev. DIR. N. Keff Smith
of Darien, Ca, who not only knows
how to write a song and then compose
the music to go with it, but can sing
it like mockingbird, has sent me a
copy of his THE Old Red Hills of
Georgia." words by Gen. Henry r.
jackson and music by Rev. DR.. Smith,
arranged as a SOLO with chorus. Few
men in Georgia have as high an opin-
ion of Gen. Jackson as d young poet
as | have cherished for years. In 1876
during one of my visits to the Univer-
sity commandments in Athens, 1
found in an old book store a copy of
"Tallulah and Other Poems," by Hen
rv r. Jackson. published. in 1850, by
John M. Cooper of Savannah. was
touched by the dedication-"To My Be
loved Mother and then the modest,
brief preface between this dedication
and a tender introductory poem to My
Father" The year previous 1 had
made somewhat dangerous explora-
ton of Tallulah Falls and visited Toe
Goa Falls and other grand scenes in
that then wild region, and was prepar-
ed to read with deep interest his poem
on Tallulah and Toccoa. and the rivers
and mountains round about. And
for twenty-five years that book
of poems has been my fire.
quent companion, and 1.-THE Red Old
Hills of Georgia" is as familiar to me
as Dixie" l thank my old friend
Smith from the bottom of my heart
for his fine setting to music of poem
that should stir the patriotic blood of
every true-born son and daughter of
Georgia.
The death of Brig. Gen. Tyree H.
Bell c. S. A, in a New Orleans san
itarium, en- route to his family in Cal
ifornia, was peculiarly sad. He was
gallant commander in Forests Cav
airy, and had. come across the CONT
nent to attend the Confederate Reun-
ION in Dallas, Tex, where he was a
conspicuous figure in the cavalry pa
rade and was highly honored by his
former comrades in arms. After the
reunion he paid a visit to his old home
III tennessee, where he was born rs
years ago. No doubt he realized that
never again would his aged eyes look
upon those once familiar scenes, but
ne knew that in his new home in Call
norma his children would give him
d nearly welcome and make his declin-
ing years peaceful and cheerful Hard
~ Hdu ne started on his hOmeWard
Journey when the hand of disease fell
upon him and Death soon claimed the
oId warrior. One by one they are pass
ing away, and soon Tennessee will
nave no Confederate generals to an
SWer TO the annual roll call. / know
OF only Maj. Gen. w. B. Bate Omitted
states senator), Brig. Gen. George w.
Gordon of Memphis, and Brig. Gen. w.
n. jackson of Belle Meade Farm. 1t
IS possible, however, that there may
be more.
read with much interest in last
saturdays Morning News the report
u the street parade of the Uniformed
RdhK, knights of Pythias. The refer
Tnce TO the organization of Du Gueselin
DiVlSlon, some twenty-four years ago,
with r. r. Richards and others as
leaders in the movement, which Gre
dted great enthusiasm in Pythian cir
cies IN Savannah, recalled a scene of
siinllar enthusiasm in the Pythian cir
cIes OF Atlanta, in May, 1883, when that
splendid division visited the Gate
oIty By its handsome appearance
ana line military bearing, under COM
lhahd OF Sir Knight Richards, 1t
Caused the Atlanta Pythians to join
me Uniform Rank. When the division
marched up to the Capitol to pay its
aspects to Gov. Mcdaniel, unexpected
~ the honor of a formal introduction
Was conferred upon me, and I said:
GOV. Mcdaniel / have the honor TO
n IL ~. III