The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-08-11
editorial Correspondence.)

VAN Wrinkle WHO had gone TO sleep III
1862 and slept until this good day. had
opened his eyes on the long procession Of
gray-headed Confederate soldiers who
marched to the tune OF Dixie. Up the
street, he would nave thought that he was
witnessing a review Of a magnificent army
returning from the war victorious. IN the
splendid Confederate Reunion here today.
there were several hundred Confederate
soldiers IN the line OF march, and the
spirit of patriotism that animated them
in 1861 still burned brightly in their
hearts. They were IN excellent spirits.
one hearing their applause and witness
ing their enthusiasm as the eloquent ora
tor told the story of their faithful and
their immortal deeds. would not have
thought that they belonged to he army
OF the vanquished. If they were vanquish-
ed they have never found 1t out, and have
acne OF tire humiliation that is supposed
to belong to an army that has not sue
ceeded.
A few years ago a preacher from Canada.
who came to North Carolina to spend the
winter, said that he made up his mind
during his stay IN North Carolina not
to mention the war at any time, or any
phase of it. His reason was that he
thought it would mortify the Confederate
soldiers who had surrendered, if any refer
ence was made to their unsuccessful strug-
gle for the right of the State to secede.
L had an idea" he said, that the South
ern people were living IN the shadow of
war must give them a feeling Of humilia-
ton. Therefore, [ had determined not to
speak of it, because | did not wish to
hart their feelings. Imagine my surprise, "
he went on to say, when / found that it
was a universal topic OF discussion and
that in every community the deeds Of
the brave Confederate .oldiers were re
counted daily. Instead OF wishing to avoid
Southern people had no feeling about it,
except OF rejoicing III the various sue
cesses of their brave and valiant soldiers
| came to know more about the war in
| had learned in all the books of history.
l thought to find a crushed and sorrow
ing people IN the depths of humiliation.
Instead / found the people happy, content
noble soldiers, and cherishing the Lost
Cause with a beautiful and undying af-
lection that lifted them up on 4 plane
that challenged my admiration and re
spect. There is no parallel IL history to
the sentiment that pervades IN North
Carolina and in the whole South with ref
erence to the unsuccessful war. l be-
[ lieve the feeling expressed by the old
a common sentiment. He said, with a
smile, We were never defeated; We wore
| ourselves out whipping the Yankees"
There is no county in the State where
the Confederate spirit is more in evidence
than here. At the outset of the discus
sion of secession Arson, being a Wing
| county. was opposed to secession. Under
the leadership of that grand old man, the
late Thomas S. Ashe, the majority of
these people strongly believed that the
hope of the South was to fght for its
rights in the Union, but there was not
wanting here ardent disciples of Calhoun
who believed firmly IN the light of seces-
| Siop ond who HOLLYWOOD tlat tho two b,-j
come in 1850, upon the election of Lin
coin, to put that conviction into prac-
tlce. Foremost among the jealous seces-
sionists was a talented young man, Will
day af~fectionately call him "BiIl."O Re
turning to Wadesboro from the University
of North Carolina. where he graduated
with high honors, Mr.. Hammond became
trIots, young men of spirit who were for
secession. His career at college had been
q brilliant one, he had served as q tutor,
showing scholarship of a high order, and
menced had hung out his shingle here fo-
the practice of his profession. His father.
a leading citizen, was a true disciple of
Calhoun, and his talented son inherited
! his ather's views. He raised the first
company in North Carolina that was Of
fered to the Governor of the State for the
Confederate army. Speaking about it to-
day he said: Eve were so anxious to get
into the fight that we chafed because we
could not get uniforms and equipments
quick enough. We feared the fight would
all be over before we could get to the
'front.'
After deciding to volunteer, the Arson
soldiers We're anxious to do their part.
Their desire to go to the front recalls a
story told by Bill Arp. He says that in
the first days Of the war the young men
were so anxious to go that it was impos-
sible to equip and drill them as rapidly
as they desired. 1t was therefore decided