The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1903-06-10
The Lexington Dispatch.
Wednesday, June 10, 1903.
AN ELOQUENT ADDRESS.
Confederate Women and Con-
$ederate Soldier.

V0 SCICC0 VAO 1S2io"1hS5 Soo1 St'S s
tribute to the valor of theConfeder-
ate Soldier and the beroism of the
Confederate Women from among the
many brilliant bouquets that were
given the old Veterans at their recent
reunion in Columbia. It was deliv-
cred by Judge Andrew Crawford, q
prominent and eloquent member of
the Columbia Ba,:
Previous to the war between the
States two battles stand out lumi-
nously on the pages of history in
commemorstion of the valor of those
who dared and died for home and
country, while fighting overwhelming
odds. Thermopylae stands almost
isolated in ancient times among the
exploits of the patriotic Greeks, who
preferred death to defeat and barred
their breasts to the invaders wea-
pone, thus preferriug death to dis
honor. In Hellenic song and story
so heroica sacrifice in so holy cause
has come down to US through the
ages beautifed and sanctifed in the
telling, as it has been repeated from
generation to generation through the
urcounted centuries. The Alamo,
among the modern battles, ranks
with and surrasses in glorious deeds
the exploits Of Leonidas's band.
Fought here in America, on South
ern soil, by Southern men, the world
only knew the result of the conflict
by the ensuing silence. Thermopylae
had it's messenger of defeat, the
Alamo none. History had not dupli-
Gated these brave deeds of the An
cient Greeks and modern American,
until the Confederate soldier, in re-
Spouse to the call of arms in 1861,
rallied to the defense of our dear
Southland, when on an hundred fields
he surpassed in heroism and courage
the doughtiest deeds of the most
valorous warriors of ancient and mod
ern times. This is not the time nor
place to cite you instances of such
heroism as caused the world to pause,
lestin wonder and admiration of the
Confederate soldier. He exhibited
tenacity of purpose, fortitude in ad-
versity, gentleness in victory and
bravery upon the battlefield through
four years Of unexsmpled privation
and suffering, which have placed him
in the front rank of the soldiers OF
the world.
But when the war was ended it
was, that all that was eleyating and
truly great in the Confederate soldier
found expression. When he turned
his back on Appomastox and bid fare
well to those scenes where bis yslor
had won the applause of the world,
in his tattered clothes, and unshod
feet, tired with the toll and strife Of
a hopeless struggle, defeated, despair
ing, penniless and starviag, cropping
through the passes and by ways and
brambles snd rocks and stones of a
land that had felt the hot breath Of
war for many years, he looked into
the future with bis face turned home
ward, and bra7ed greater dangers,
greater anxieties, than he had ever
carried into battle. As he thus stood
in May, 1855, siihouetted against the
sky of his dead Southern Confed-
eracy, he was the embodiment of all
that was great and good and true and
knightly in the history of our race.
He was king among men, the brav-
est of the brave, truer and nohler in
bis defeat than the victor in any less
holier cause.
And when be had overcome all the
obstacles standing between him and
his home. sweet home, which had
nestled amid the hills and Wales of
his native heatb, what met him at his
approsch-was it the happy wife and
little children that had clambered at
his knee in the days gone by? was it
=, ,.I .I ~ oSbor ~. ibo rou