Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-05-17

now the Parish burnt lot. Whitehead
was boarding there, and was sitting
out in the piazza waiting to let loose
the devilment that filled his malicious
mind. He stepped into the street, halt
ed the soldiers, addressed few angry
remarks to Lieutenant Benner and told
that officer to consider himself under
arrest. Lieutenant Benner, Of course,
obeyed orders; but the procession, SOL
diers and all, proceeded on to the GEM
etery.
After a large crowd had assembled
in what was then a grove at the
old Methodist church, Rev. Henry r.
Dickson, then pastor Of the Presbyte-
rian church Of Yorkville, offered pray
er, a choir composed Of ladies and gen.
tlemen sang Dixie" "The Bonnie Blue
Flag" and Major James F. Hart made
the address of the occasion, giving ex-
preston to utterances which may have
sounded somewhat strange then; put
which have been amply vindicated by
subsequent history. For. instance these
extracts:
To-day, then, for the first time since
the first hostile shot of the war, the
Conquered Banner" as well as the
"Star Spangled Banner" takes its place
In our common history-the one to be
folded away tenderly in the hearts Of
devoutly trust to remain forever the
emblem of Union restored.
"In this enclosure lie the mortal re-
mains Of soldiers Of the Cbnfederacy,
and soldiers Of the Federal army. The
grave knows no distinction between
them, nor strife, nor bitterness. AS
you pass through this silent camping
around Of the dead to place your gar
lands upon their mounds, affection
claims for your kindred and loved ones
that "suffereth long and Is kind, that
hopeth all things, trusteth all things.
and endureth all things" prompt you
to reserve few choice garlands for the
unknown soldier dead. And in placing
these over the silent clay Of the heroes
whose valor is our common heritage,
1t is needless to inquire whether he was
buried In blue or grey Jacket
whether he fell under the fiery South
ern cross or the Stars and Stripes
whether in the service of his country
or in the ordinary duties Of life."
Major Hart's suggestion was carried
out to the letter and the graves Of the
Federal soldiers were decorated along
with those Of the Confederates, and
after 1t was all over the exercises were
closed with a prayer and benediction
by Rev. Robert P. Johnson.
Referring to the action Of White
head, TILE ENQUIRER in its account
says: But we cannot, with justice.
pass in silence the conduct of Lieuten-
ant Frederick F. Whitehead which, in
all existing circumstances. receives the
condemnation Of the community, and
which, whatever the motives that
prompted it. is construed as an insult
offered the people and the occasion"
There was a great deal Of indigna-
tion at Whitehead's conduct and the
situation finally became so warm
among both citizens and soldiers that
he felt constrained to offer the COM
lHillCC eli CAPidiinliOA Ia ShC "oy Va
apology which was, in part, as fol-
lows:
my action in relieving 1t. Benner
Of the command of the troops paraded
was not done through any discourtesy
to any one interested in the movement,
but purely through a military neces-
sfty."
On this THE ENQUIRER commented
as follows:
I'm justice to Lieutenant Whitehead,
we give him the benefit Of this dis
claimer, only remarking that his acts
and the language of his note to the
committee are singularly at variance,
and the public will be slow to under
stand why, If military necessity de-
manded the arrest Of Lieutenant Ben
ner, the little matter Of "formality"
could not have been ignored in this
instance, too, and why, instead Of re-
primanding a subordinate officer and
attempting to humiliate him before an
assemblage Of citizens In a public
place, 1t could not have been deferred
until the conclusion Of the Memorial
exercises so auspiciously begun. With
the supposed necessity Of the arrest,
| 1t Is not in the province of civilians to
enquire; but they do claim the right
to protest against the mode in which
it was done, and to insist that the
time, the manner and the occasion
had only the appearance Of premeditat-
ed contumely, as much intended to
affront the citizens as to abuse sub