The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-09-02
COMRADES GREETED
JUDGE BARkSDALE.
Reunion ut Lanf0rd Last
Wednesday.
MANY WERE PRESENT
Eloquent and Appropriate
Speeches Made.
Picnic by the BriarS and Their Friends
in Compliment to n Visiting
Veteran.

HeSuey, lne ZOtn lnSt., was great uay
at Lanford Station.
About three hundred people of fine
quality were there to do honor to the
Confederate soldiers.
The members of Company G., (the
Briars,) had held their annual reunion
ut the usual time in April. This sec
ond meeting was called that the mem
bers might have the privilege of meet
ing again, and possibly for the last
time in this world, their old com
radc Judge Alien Barksdale of Lou
isiana.
For.y-fvo or fifty old soldiers we,e
present, not all, however, were mem,
bers of Go. G.. This company, COM
posed Of as brave men as ever fired
musket, went to the front in the spring
of 1861, and remained at the front till
the star Of the Confederacy sank be-
hind cloud OF disaster and defeat. 1t
was actively engaged in many of the
greatest and bloodiest battles of the
war and in u number of less strenuous
contests. So torrible was its oXper-
strife it came out OF tha. war with
only a small fraction OF its former
strength. Its greatly reduced mem
bcrs tod the story of its heroic strug-
giles, and how brave men marched to
danger and to desth for their country's
cause
Its tattered flag speaks with muto
eloqncnce to the youn g; people OF
this day and tells them that the strong
hands that upheld and kept it waving
amid the storm and tempest of liorcest
battle were nerved by hearts as brave
as ever throbbel in human heart.
1t tells them that the men who
fought beneath its starry cross be-
lcvcd there WAS something dcarer
than life itsclf-.ruth and homer.
To uphold that flag men toilcd and
struggled and sacriiiced; to defend it
many gave their warm hearts blood.
Is it strange, therefore, that the fow
left of that gallant band still love the
old ntg? Is 1T strange that when it
was paced in the hands of the brave
many hard Eight, and he slowly un-
folded and uplilted it, the audicnaes-
greeted it and greeted him with ap-
plausc that shook the air? Is it strange,
that during the delivery Of that splen-
did speech of his, Judge Barksdale
should point to that old flag and say
with thrilling pathos, "l love it still.
| will always love and revere it. can.
not be disloya| 10 it. Too many of our
brave comrades wont to sleep under
its folds never to awake again i'm this
world for me to ever forget it?n
"Ah. yes, love it. Love it for the
| sake of the cause il represented. Love
it for the sake Of the heroes who fell
beneath it, over whose graves our
Southern stars keep nightly vigil.
"And teach your children and your
children's children that it was the om-
blem Of n gcoplc's honor and peoples
rights"
The public exercises of the day were
very interesting. Several spirited and
appropriate songs were sung.
| Veteran Lewis Stoddard offered an
| earnest prayer.
Judge Barksdale made q fine speech,
giving his recollections Of many stirring
scenes through which the members Of
Co. G. passed, and paying high tribute
of praise to their bravery. While not
disloya) to the Union he urged the I'M
portauce of introducing in our schools
Southern books prepared by Southern
writers 50 that our boys and girls
would not be taught that the men who
fought for the South were traitors and
rebels. He also urged the young peo-
pie to be true to our Southland and to
aspire to lofty Christian living.
| MIR. Lewis StOdlard was called on
for speech and responded in a nice
talk telling of the war and expressing
his appreciation of an opportunity OF
meeting the friends Of other days.
Col. A. w. Burnside gave an inter
estlng account of an act of conspicuous
bravery performed by the color bearer
of the company, Mr.. Wm. Lamb.
At this point Lieutenant b. w. Ian
ford, who always knows how to please
people, made a very happy announce
mont - dinner. And such q dinner.
Kind Editor, did you ever help eat a
Lanford picnic dinner? IL you haven't
you have missed something. Ncxt time
you hear of meeting OF any kind at
Lanford Station go. a part OF every.
thing good to eat was there, and it
was there in abundance. NV only re-
gret was that | didn't have large ca.
pacity.
Speaking was resumed In the after
noon. Hon. Nj. p. Patton of Gross An
chor, delivered highly humorous
speech, provoking much laughter, He
also gave his hearers some solid chunks
OF wisdom which was greatly appre-
ciated. Not one who heard him but
would be delighted to hear him again
and again.
Judge O. G. Thompson's address was
historical in character and was given
marked attention. He presented facts
in a clear, luminous style. Such
speeches as Judge Thompson made are
worth something and the pity is that
we do not hear more Of them.
Some time WAS spent in social inter
course, and it was not till the sun cast
very long shadows toward the east th at
people left for their homes. They.car-
riod with them pleasant recollecfions
of the kindnesses shown them by the