The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-05-23

80, that all the great historical facts
and the biography and "reminiscences
Of our great leaders have been told
over and over again.
These who have read Lee or Jack
sons "Mcmoirs," Davis "Ilistory Of
the Confedcracy,' or The Last Days
of the Cohfedcracy, BY Gen. Gordon,
no doubt. what | shall tell will appear
tame and insipid, for | shall deal
mostly with the private soldiers, the
unknown and unrecorded hero of the
rank and file of the Southern Confed-
crate army. But after all, should not
their deeds of valor appeal to US just
as much? Ii seems to me, he who
stands tho brunt Of battle does not get
the credit Of being the hero that be ie.
Think Of the brave boys Of 61-e5, who
often with bare end bleeding feet, in
ragged jacket, and With empty haver-
eacks, bore our battered flag to che
front OF G hundred victorious folds,
and wrote on brightest pages Of Amer.
loan history the names that will never
die. We know what they were BY
what they accomplished against over
whelmiDg numbers aad RESOURCES. I
would not pluck one flower from the
laurel wreath OF Jefferson Davis, col
der, patriot, orator and Christian gen.
tlemaD; not from R. e. Lee, the peer.
less soldier and model man Of all the
centuries nor from Stonewsll jackson,
the very thunderbolt Of war; nor from
j. E. B. Stuart, dashing, glorious
"Jeb," the flower Of cavaliers; nor
from G. T. Beauregard, kind and fear
less, the idol Of his men, and many
other worthy comrades Of these. But
is not the honor great and glorious
enough to be shared by leader and
follower? II they were here to speak
today, I can hear them say, "yea, a
thousand times yea
At one time when John B. Gordon
was being enthusiastically cheered at
a banquet in N. Y, he sprang to his
feet and sid, "Cemrades, you arc
cheering the wrong man, you should
cheer the men, the private soldier who
made Gordon. In the limited time
given me, I did not have opportunity
Of talking with many Of the old sol.
diers. One thing, however, surprised
me from what did see-thst though
true to the Stars and Stripes, and will
now hold that banner high, they are
as faithful to the Lost Cause as
though its battles had been fought
yesterday, unconquered in spirit.
I asked one what he thought Of She
idea, being advocated by some Of our
Nort'aern friends, that the result of
the war Was but the accomplishments,
by human agencies, the will OF the
Divine. We know two cot q citing
civilizations came into existence with
the establishment OF the Ameri-
can Union. As one Of the lrst states
men Of the South has truly said, the
seed OF the civil war were planted some
fifty years before they we're born who
fought nor battsies, but &c sshis, TIC CID Cd
soldier quickly replied, the result 10
but another truth OF the maxim Of the
great Napoleon, :'The Almighty 10
on the side OF the greatest cannon:
I am indebted to "A. j. Livingston
Tor the following incident: There
lived in, spassanburg couasy a poor
and humble family by the name Of
Bailey. They had one son, Austin,
who was oonsoripted and sent to Coin.
pany B, 3rd g. @. Regiment, then on.
eamped near Richmond, Va. He,
With several oshsrs, came marching
into camp, Bailey tagging behind, be:
ing en- awkward boy, dressed in bark.
dyed clothing, strav hat and stitched
down shoes. The boys at once began
to guy him, telling him to come down
out OF that hat, eto. Bailey saiGi,
''boys, let up and give mo trial 10 |
battle," and I tell you he put q good
many Of the noisy boys to shame, for
be was one Of the bravest and coolies. |
boys In battle that I over saw. This
poor, brave fellow marched aud fought
With the old 3rd regiment through all |
he battles We were engaged in until |
The battle Of the Wilderness, whore I |
vas knocked out. : + lost 4 leg there !
md I never saw my friend again. |
some time after tho war I met Capt. |
Nance, aud in talking about some Of |
'ur brave boys, I happened to mention |
he name Of Bailey. The Captain'. |
yes flashed - be said, &"vho, Bailey |
'e yourresimsnt2''': ~ saw shss br.vs i
10Y after he; received the death wound.
Dur resitnsnt was agksinga a brigade 81 |
'aokees% below Richmond. The lina
n; e.. "a ~ 'tF. ,Htt"3f