The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-05-05
RIVERS BRIDGE MEMORIAL
THE ANNUAL EXERCISES HELD AT THE
GROUNDS LAST FRIDAY.
Rev. John T. Morrison Orator of the Day
Large Crowd Present-Grand Reunion
to be Held the 9TH of July.

to be Held the 9TH of July.
The memorial exercises of the Rivers
Bridge Memorial Association, in honor Of
the gallant dead who gave up their lives
in defense of their homes at that memora-
BILE fight at Rivers bridge in 1865, were
held at the grounds last Friday. The
crowd in attendance was not as large as
on some occasions, but there were people
present from Hampton, Barnwell, Cole
ton, Bamberg, and other counties. Candi-
dates were very much in evidence from
all the counties named.
The meeting was a most pleasant one.
Nothing occurred to mar the pleasure OF
the day in the slightest. Good order was
kept throughout the grounds, and there
was very little drinking. The bad prac-
tice of firing pistols down in the swamp
has, by the vigilance of the committee on
order, been finally stopped it seems, which
is we'll.
At twelve o'clock the large crowd as
sembled at the stand to hear the address
of the day. DR.. n F. Kirkland, Sr., presi-
dent Of the association, called the audi
ence to order, and Rev. S. P. Chisolm, the
chaplain, offered prayer.
After music by the choir, DR.. Kirkland
introduced the orator of the day, Rev.
John T. Morrison, of Hampton, who de-
livered a most eloquent address. Mr..
Morrison was soldier in the Confederate
army, and his "reminiscences of ''the times
which tried mems souls" were intensely
interesting.
After the exercises at the stand were
over, the ladies decorated the graves with
flowers, and shortly afterwards dinner
was announced, which, as is always the
case in this section, was fine one. Din
ner over the crowd mingled in social in
tercourse until the time for departure
came.
In the morning, just before the speak
ing, the association held business meet
ing, at which several matters of import
ance were looked after. Doubtless the
most important question before the body
was that of having the association incor.
porated. 1t was the unanimous sentiment
that this should be done, and committee
to have the work done was appointed,
consisting of J. ". Jenny, j. c. Mcmillan,
J. F. Jones, and A. W. Knight. This COM
mittee will take the proper steps to have
the incorporation act passed by the legis-
ture at its session the coming winter.
In the afternoon the camp of Confeder-
ate Veterans held meeting, Commander
J. ". Jenny presiding. This camp is
known as Rivers Bridge, No. $50. J. W.
Jenny and J. W. Warn were elected as
delegates to represent the camp at the
reunion in Charleston, Tuesday, May 1s
with G.. H. Kearse and J. 4. Chassereau
as alternates. J. W. Jenny and J. ]. Cope
land were elected delegates to the national
reunion in Nashville, Tenn, June 10th,
with Calvin Rentz and J. B. Hunter as
alternates.
The camp decided to hold a grand rally
at the memorial grounds on Tuesday,
July 18th. This is to be a general reunion
of Confederate soldiers, and all such are
earnestly invited to attend. Several COM
mands will participate in this reunion,
and it is proposed to make it a large
affair. Prominent speakers will make
addresses, and their names will be an
nounced later. Of course there will be
the usual picnic dinner, and pleasant
time is promised every one.
The following committee OF arrange
ments was appointed from the camp: j.
J. Copeland, j. A. Peters, NJ. A. Kinard,
NJ. O. Kinard, and J. C. Mcmillan. The
following veterans from other commands
will also serve with the above committee
as the occasion is to be general reunion
OIL OlQ SO1QlclS: W. L. SdSC, Sou1poay
g., 18th S. G. v; G.. &. Kearse, Company
G., 18th S. G. v; and J. G. Copeland,
Company G., First Regiment.
Further announcements in regard to
this reunion will be made later, and all
can rest assured that it will be great
success, for the good people in charge
intend to make it such.
Just after the address of the day was
concluded, Rev. E. W. Peoples offered
the following tribute to the late E. F.
Kinard, a member Of the association. It
was unanimously adopted and its publi-
cation requested:
as the ranks of the old Confederate
soldiers are daily being thinned, and as
now in few years more there will not
be one left to tell the sorrowful history
made bythem from 1861 to 1865, we deem
it our duty as an association, known as
the Rivers Bridge Memorial, to offer the
following resolution as tribute of re-
spect to our fellow-comrade, Brother E.
F. Kinard: