The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-05

John r. Lane. delivered at the Gettysburg
Battle ground Celebration on last Friday:
Members of the North Carolina Society
OF Baltimore, Ladies and Gentlemen:
am thankful to you for an invitation
TO be present on this occasion 1t is
pleasant beyond measure to find such a
patriotic band. whose aim is to secure
for the soldiers OF the Old North State
that recognition and praise that their
deeds and gallantry deserve. With such
societies to keep fresh the memories OF
their labors, hardships and heroism, the
Southern soldiers can rest secure as to
their lame. And for the battle-scarred
veterans of our own good old State,
want to thank you for this organization
and for what you are doing. But l must
warn you that you must not expect a
highly wrought Grafton from me. was
once soldier, never speaker. Besides
our good friends, the enemy, took good
care on this field of Gettysburg that l
should never become an orator, for a
Yankee bullet ruined my throat and took
away part of my tongue and deprived
me OF my teeth. Yet, with your kind for
bearanee, / will do my best to tell you
something of the personnel, spirit and
conduct of the 18th North Carolina Re-
eiment. in whose honor / am pleased to
think you have invited me to be with
you.
Forty years ago-who can realize it?-
forty years ago, on the first of July at 10
o'clock a. m, our regiment lay over there
facing McPhersons hill, in line of battle
How the heart of the old soldier, especial
" the old officer, returns with affection
and pride TO his old regiment. What a
magnificent body of men it was. / see
them now. In the center with the first
glow of youth on his cheek, was the gal
liant Col Harry King Burgwyn. His
eye was aflame with the ardor for bat
tie. Near him was his Lieutenant Colonel
commanding the right, and Major John
T. Jones commanding the left. These Of
ficers had put their souls into the train
ing OF the soldiers and were now waiting
the issue OF battle with full confidence
in their courage and proficiency. On the
right of the Colonel was Company e from
a Chatham. Capt $. w. Brewer: on the
4 left Company from Caldwell county,
ACapt. r. M. Tuttle. Near the center also
gas Company G from Chatham, Captain
G. Albright, and Company A from
Captain Sam p Wagg; the other
panies with their officers were Com
ny G from Wilkes county, Capt j. "A.
arrett; Company ID from Wake county,
capt T. T. Adams: Company H from
Moore county under comrand of Lieut..
Mcleod, Capt. j. D. AfcIver being absent
on detached service; Company / from
Caldwell under Capt. N. G. Bradford;
Company K from Arson. Capt. j. G. Nc
Lauehiin. Pardon my pride-I do not
ask 81 pardon my loving remembrance of
then. and the tears that gather in my
heart and rise to my eyes, but pardon
my nxSde. when say finer body of
men never gathered for battle. May
mention some Of the things that went to
make them good soldiers? In the first
place the soldiers came of good blood I
do not mean that their parents were aris-
toerats-far from it; many of them never
owned a slave They were the great mid
die class that owned small farms in cen
trial and western North Carolina; who
earned their living with honest sweat and
owed not any man. They were good, hon.
est American stock, their blood untaint-
ed with crime, their eyes not dimmed by
vice. These boys had grown up on the
farm and were of magnificent physique
welding the axe had made them strong
They had chased the fox and the deer
over bill and valley and had gained great
power of endurance that scorned winters
cold and the parching heat OF a July's
sun. Again these men. many OF them
without much schooling, were intelligent,
and their life on the farm and in the
woods had taught them to be observant
IF IL TIT ,nl~ -
quick to understand, quick to act. Again,
every man of them had been trained from
boyho0d to shoot rifle with precision
General Pettigrew, observing the deadly
execution of their muskets on this field,
remarked that the 18th shot as if shooting
squirrels. Again these men were pa
triots; they loved their country, they
loved liberty. Their forefathers had
fought the British at Kings Mountain,
and Guilford Court House. They had
grown up to love and cherish their noble
deeds Now every man of them was con-
WINGED that the cause for which he was
fighting was just he believed that he
owed allegiance first to his home and his
State. He was standing to combat an un-
just invader. Finally. these men had ma
tive eourage-not the loud-mouthed cour-
age of the braggart-but the quiet, I'M
faltering courage that caused them to
advance in the face of murderous fire.
The men OF this regiment would never
endure an officer who covered in battle
They demanded in the officer the same
courage they manifested themselves; they
would endure no domineering they
would suffer no driving. At this time the
men had come to understand and to trust
the officers. the officers the men, and like
mighty, wel-arranged military engine
It was ready with one spirit to move for
ward. That noble band of men, God
bless them. God bless them. Here the
brave fellows lay from early morn until
p. m. when orders to advance were
given.
And now / will describe to you the best
can the charge that brought wounds
and death to so many friends and foes.
And in order that may not seem to boast
Of my own deeds, nor yet through too
much modesty may be thought to keep