The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-14

in choosing him as the speaker of the
occasion Major Stedman spoke in part
as follows:
1T was the dauntless moral resolution
of the soldiers of the South which made
| their great deeds possible. What grander
| spectacle does the worlds history furnish
| than the unconquerable resolution with
which they maintained the fight? They
were neither elated by success nor dis
| heartened by disaster, but ever the same
unchanged and unchanging men of iron.
| Without that moral power to sustain
| them, the incompatible leg-ions of Lee
would have In vain struggled for so long
time to roll back the tide of invasion
across the banks of the Potomac, and the
marvellous campaigns of Stonewall Jack
son would have found no place in history
/ to gid forever with romantic lustre the
| beautiful Valley of Virginia. Neither
| famine nor pestilence nor mighty armies
carrying in their track destruction of all
that was near and dear to them could SUBJ
due their invincible will. In the splendid
/ future which awaits the Southern portion
of this Republic there is no character,
| the study of which will more elevate its
|
| that of the Confederate soldier. The cap
stone of the arch of his glory was the
moral power which sustained him upon the
battlefield and which will forever perpetu.
ate his fame.
| 'An incident which illustrates the SUI
preme sense of duty which can only be
| impaired by moral firmness, as. exhibited
by North Carolina soldier deserves to
be recorded amidst the feats of heroes.
| The conduct of a private by the name of
Tilman in the 44th North Carolina Regi-
ment had attracted the favorable notice of
his brigade commander and he was at his
request attached to the color guard. Till
mans name was also honorably mentioned
| in the orders of the day from brigade
| headquarters. Soon thereafter, in front
| of Petersburg the regiment became Sc
| verely engaged with the enemy and suf-
| fered heavy loss The flag several times
| fell, as its bearers were shot down in
quick succession. Tilman seized it and
again carried it to the front 1t was but
an instant and he too, fell As one OF MS
comrades stopped to raise the flag again.
the dying soldier touched him and in
tones made weak by the approach of
death. said. Tell the General l died with
the flag" The tender memories and as
sociations connected with his boyhood's
| home faded from his vision as he rejoiced
in the consciousness that he had proved
himself worthy of the trust which had
| been confided to him.
| Wolfe died upon the Heights of Abraham
1 the death of a hero. and as his spirit
took its flight to another world. left as a
/ legacy to his countrymen words which viii
! forever live Nelson at Trafalgar, illus
trated by his conduct and speech his SUI
preme sense of duty to England and her
glory. The Scotchman who died at Water
loo with his bagpipe in his hama, by the
l'sabre of the Cuirasser of the Guard,
whilst thinking OF Ben Lothian and play
ing an air of his native land has been
immortalized by Victor Hugo But which
of these three; aye, who of all those who
live in song and story is more worthy of
the crown of immortality than the humble
country lad whose grave today is UNI
noticed and unknown?
Have we learned naught from the 81
| lent endurance, the patient agony, the
deathless valor of the Confederate soldier?
| His life and his conduct have taught US
! the lesson over again which history is
ever repeating 1t is neither on the great
est fields of battle, nor places where the
most calamitous bloodshed has taken
place that the recollection of future ages
IS chiefly riveted. 1t is moral grandeur
which produces a durable impression. 1t
is patriotic heroism which permanently
attracts the admiration of mankind.
The day may come when the memory
of the fields of Gettysburg and Freder-
icksburg, or Sharpsburg and Chancelors-
vile shall be dimmed by the obscurty
of revolving years, and recolected only
as shadow of ancient days, but even then
the enduring fortitude and patriotic valor
of the Confederate soldier who followed the
banner of Robert E. Lee will stand forth
in underlying lustre amid the wreck OF
/ ages ard survive the floods of time.
Death. which destroys the pomp and
i power of this world has only placed the
seal of immortality upon their lives. The
sacred charge of their fame is entrusted
to you. my countrymen and countrywo-
men, Guard it devoutly bravely, justly
and truly, that it may remain unfair
nished in its pristine glory and not alone
WITH IDlS generation, DuJ WIFI an lHOSt
who may come after us until time shall
be no more. Let the glorious example
| left by them be preserved for untold ages
and for every people from the rising to
the setting sun. If history be false, let
tradition preserve it, and on every ami
versary of our memorial days let eloquence
proclaim it as Il heritage for all humanity
which it has elevated and adorned with a
pathos and glory which belongs to the
| civilized world
My comrades. as your footsteps APP
preach the shores of that river broad and
deep which flows between time and eter-
nifty may the pathway of each and every
enc of you be lighted by the sunshine of
peace and happiness and in the horizon
far beyond, may you see the rainbow OF
eternal promise which shall tell you that
your last battle has been won and that
a crown awaits you more splendid than
was ever worn by earth's most favored
hero.
When Maj Stedman had concluded his