The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-21

ed by a Handsome Monument Of
South Carolina Granite-The Cere-
monies OF the Day-Two Thousand
People Attend the Exercises.
Fully two thousand people gather
ed a. Stateburg Wednesday to wit
ness the unveiling Of the monument
erected at the grave of Gen. Thomas
Sumter by the State Of South Caroli-
ma. The people comprising the great
assemblage came principally from
Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties,
the territory originally embraced in
old Sumter District, which was nam
ed in honor Of Gen. Sumter, at the
time the district was named its most
distinguished and respected citizen.
Other sections OF the State were, how
ever, well represented, and scattered
throughout the crowd were well
known citizens OF Kershaw, Darling
ton. Florence and Richland counties,
while number of other counties
were represented by one or more Of
their citizens.
The State of South Carolina was
represented by Gov. NJ. F. Ansei.
Ldeut. Gov. 7. ca Mcleod, Aujutant.
and Inspector General J. C.. BOYD and
superintendent of Education O. B.
Martin, and the Sumter Monument
Commission. composed Of the follow
ing gentlemen. Col. ]. J. Dargan, R. I.
Manning, ]. ". Babcock, and E. H.
Ravenel.
The United States was represented
by Col. Greenough and staff and 800
soldiers from the garrison at Fort
Moultrie and the First Artillery Band.
The greater part of those present
reached the scene by means Of 'pri-
vate onveyance-autonob car
riages, buggies and wagons-but quite
a number travelled to Scales Siding,
wedgefeld or Claremont by rail and
were transported thence to the monu-
ment by carriages and wagons, which
were in waiting at the depots when
the trains arrived. Much larger
crowds had been expected to come by
rail and there. We're in readiness at
each of the three depots a sufficient
number of vehicles to transport half
dozen times as many as came.
Gov. Ansel, Gov Montague Of vir-
ginia. Col. Greenough, Hon. H. A. NJ.
Smith. Congressman Lever, Col. Boyd
and other guests who were entertain
ed in the city were taken to Stateburg
yesterday morning in automobiles
by the entertainment committee Of
the Chamber of Comemrce. reaching
the Gen. Sumter Memorial Academy
in good time for the exercises The
detachment Of United States troops,
the First Artillery Band and the Sum-
ter Light Infantry went by rail to
Scales Siding and marched thence to
the academy, and it was long. hard
march.
The crowd assembled in the large
and beautiful grove in front Of the
academy building and when the pro-
cession had been formed it moved TO
the Sumter family graveyard, short
distance away, where the body OF
Gen. Sumter had reposed in an un-
marked grave for three-quarterS OF
a century, until the State Of South
Carolina. aroused to sense Of a too
long neglected duty, had caused to be
erected an enduring and beautiful
granite monument.
When the military, distinguished
visitors and the two thousand specta-
tors had assembled around the grave
yard, the simple and impressive cere-
nony of unveiling the monument was
carried out:
The First. Artillery Band played
.'Columbia;" Rev. H. H. Covington
made the invocation; then the monu-
ment was unveiled, the cords holding |
the drapery in place being pulled by
Mrs. J. H. Raynsworth and Miss Be-
atrice Sumter, the great-great-grand-
daughters of Gen. Sumter: the band |
PLAYED America" and the ceremony
was concluded by the Daughters Of
the revolution of sumter Hone Chap
ter placing garlands on the Honu-
ment
The monument, which is made of