The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-04-23
WADE EAMPTON'S
Farewell to His Old Soldiers E'ron
His Piazza Last May.

When the Confederate Reunion was
held in Columbia last May the old sol
diers called on General Hampton at
his home in body. On that occa-
sion he made the following speech:
Nv Comrades: | have indeed, as
Mai. Hart has said. heard that Rebel
yell often. before and when l heard it
from my own men, from the men whom
l had the honor to command, knew
that we were safe. / think it is one
Of the British poets who said:
The kites know well
The long leagues swell
That bids the Romans close
1mighJ paraphrase this by saying:
The Yanks knew well
The Rebel yell
That babe the Johnnies close.
Ny old heroes, hope it never will
be forgotten. | hope it will be trans
mitted to your children and to your
chi!dren'S children if not for them to
use to tell how it used to ring from the
forests Of Virginia, how it rang from
Gettysburg to the west, and how it al
wavS told of men who were willing to
die for their southland, TO diefor truth,
for honor, for manhood, for chivalry
and for a great truth. l want you to
try and teach . your children and to
your children's children that ours was
not lost cause. l want you to tell
them that we were tigntlng for the
right. George Washington was rebel,
but Lee was not. When Great Britain
recognized the independence of this
country she did not recognize the in
dependence Of the United States, but
of each sovereign State as independent
and sovereign. There were Is indie
pendent and sovereign States. They
founded this union and they had the
right to withdraw from it whenever
they chose so to do. We were not sue
ceSSful-it is not given to mortals to
command success. You have done
more-you have deserved it.
And now in your declining years and
when mine have extended long be-
vond the period allotted to man, you,
my old comrades, whom I loved, whom
l trusted and with whom | felt as safe
as do now, want to say to you ali
that all the love you have given me
has been more than reciprOcated: that
all that | have ever been able to do!
for you. for any one OfyOu, or for South
Carolina, has been more than repaid
by the hOnOrS you have unsolicited
conferred upon me and by this the
crowning honor of my life. may not
see YOU again. l remember story Of
an old bishop who, when ready to re-:
tire from public life, went to the abbott
and said:
Father abbot, an old man whose,
heart is broken by the storms OF state;
is come to lay his weary bones among
YOU"
That is all I shall asS OF South Car:
oiina-;t few feet Of earth where my
kindred fCT six g2AerationSar resting
And l am proud to say that one or
more Of each generation, since they
were known in South Carolina, has
filed bloody grave for South Carolina
(Applause.) / claim no credit for
that. Every South Carohnian whoi
was true was willing to give his blood;
and his life for the old State. l alH
sure that l was willing to do so. I
think | can say so to you. my men,
that never turned my back npon any
OF YOU when Eour faces were turned to-;
ward the enemy. Hhe greatest honor
that felt during the war was once
when I came upon a poor private who
was dying. stopped beside him ana
he said: Il am happy TO die lighting
and I am proud to die lighting under
you" ,,
I pray God will bless you and viii
give you peace and prosperity, give it
to the old State, give it to each one OF
you and that you will go home and tell
your kindred that you have seen your
old comrade and that he thanks them
through you.