The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-08-06
\, s. c., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6. 1902
Gist Rifles Survivors Association.
Piedmont. s. Anp,s4

Piedmont, S. c., August 2.
Editor Intelligencer After n 4.
lightful day spent in Williamson We
write to tell it all to our Intellieencer.
The occasion was the Goth annual
meeting of Gist Rifles Survivors Asso-
citation that on the first Friday in
august, rain or shine, have been as
sembling in that athens" of Ander-
son County. Williamson, for the last
twenty years.
A gentleman remarked to ON old
vet: Aren't you afraid your meet
ing Will conflict with politicsY" The
veteran replied: "No, our meeting ia
q afixed fact. 1t conflicts with nothing.
and nothing with it. This meeting
goes on if politics dropped out of the
world"
And 30 we found it, while even the
weather with soft, gauzy atmos-
phere. wiped its usually cloudy brow
at such occasions and condescended
to be with us in cheerful spirit during
this first day Of beautiful August.
If there ever had been war in the
vicinity OF the veterans they knew how
to conceal it, gathering around the
sumptuous tables speaking of peace
and prosperity. There never were
brows more calm, more sunny. nor
countenances more truly bearing upon
their pages the gospel of brotherly
love. IT war produces such classic
evolutiOns of crime and disaster, then
its disturbance is not all n loss. Worse
things have resulted from war than the
type OF men spared to tell it out
among the nations
Standing there among them where
peace had it's victory one might thought
fully feel sad at the circumstances
which might have been-the circum-
stances which might have permitted a
people to continue in apathetic good
will; and so prevented the war which
made these grand characters, whose
development is today the fowcr of
Southern chivalry and the page of
heroic history which generations shall
not blot out. We would not have
sold these men with their types OF
character, which we saw assembled at
Williamson August list for generations
of innocuous peace that degenerated
into idiocy. We are only sorry that
the day will come which shall close the
precious volumes Of their lives, when
each name shall be golden clasp ia
the sacred writings within. Then
they who are living shall remember
more carefully the lives they but little
understood here, and place more low
ingly their memories In the shrine of
devoted hearts.
10 this end, probably, as we'll as a
patrioticpurpose, is the effort discussed
yesterday to build monument to
Gist Rifles at Williamson.
The band row is little, and not able
to fight for themoelves, but the wo-
men are fighting fol- them. Mrs. Eula
Crymes Wilson, daughter of q depart
ed veteran, Sergeant Thomas Crymcs,
and Miss Eva Stringer, of Beltpn,
daughter of a brother veteran who has
laid down his arms-Lieutenant A. j.
Strinser-are receiving contributions
for the monument. 800 yesterday
having been subscribed as q beginning
from among the few veterans present.
Every woman in the assembly seemed
to think it her duty to take up the
cause of this monument, and work to q
completion. Mr.. Hammond, of Ander-
son, was there with some handsome
samples cs granite and marble, he and
VIM. F. Lee discussing designs, which
were approved by the friends.
Among widows of veterans who
were present, Mrs. Thomas Crymes,
Mrs. w. w. Holder, Mrs. Sylvester
Bleckley, of Anderson. Present sur
viving veterans were: R. V. Acker, 1.
W. Pickens, T. B. Bennett, w. NJ.
Cooley, H. A. Griffin, Lewis Rogers,
VIM. F. Lee, Wyatt Mattison, J. v.
White. Visiting notables were j. NJ.
Payne. County Treasurer, Hon. E. NJ.
Rucker, son of veteran Col. E. M. Ruck-
er, E. T. Tollison, of Bolton, Co. E..
Hampton Legion, candidate for House
of Representatives.
The day was pleasantly passed
among many welcome guests of other
commands, accompanied by the honor
of wives and daughters.
r. r. l..