The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-30

me, lyon, you are going uo"n 1nIo
Lexington county to begin your life
work. l want you to hunt up one OF
mn old comrades, Capt. J. H. Counts,
who is down there, and I want you to
always be friend to him. l know
he will be a friend to YOU" This is
no more than he would have said OF
each Of you. He was faithful to you
as fellow soldiers and was always
glad to sing your praise. As to his
character, honor, and bravery, [ leave
for You to attest. As to Capt. Counts,
I always found him true gentleman
and friend-a man faithful to his
trust. his friend. his country. his
church. and his God. Having known
YOU veterans. for years. | can say as
much for YOU. We all delight to pay
our feeble tribute to you survivors OF
the greatest struggle ever recorded IN
history. Not many years will elapse,
when all the survivors Of the Confed-
crate army Of America from South
Carolina, will have been laid to rest
beneath the soil Of this and other
states. and most Of them beneath the
soil Of this grand old '$Palmetto"
State. for which they loved and
fought so we'll.
You are not towards, traitors and
"rebels," but you are true noblemen,
honored patriots. This concourse OF
people crowd here today to JOIN with
your wives, your sons and daughters,
to rejoice in pride with them, and to
show You every honor and respect.
The men Of South Carolina have al
ways been knightly, gallant and
brave, and have always responded to
every call to duty. In the Revolu-
tionarv struggle more battles were
fought on her soil than all other
states combined. South Carolina has
her share Of the praise in all the In
dian wars and history shows that she
did her duty we'll. In the Florida war
her men were the first on duty and
many, sacrificed their lives from bat
tie. fever and exhaustion. Is the Mex
lean war hers was the first play to
float over the walls Of MeH-
co. In all these wars, she furnished
three times as many men as any 9TH
er state. This grand old "Palmetto" "
State has produced many heroes, al
ways to strike down the hand Of the
oppressor.
In 1861, when the tocsin Of war was
sounded, you volunteered OF your own
voition. You entered and were ready
to defend that great and fatal cause,
but a cause based on constitutional
grounds. You bivoueked and tented
on the fields of your own "Palmet-
to'' State. You went into the camp OF
instruction, you went under the most
encouraging circumstances. Thrilled
with all the inspiration our women
could give, who buckled on the shield
of valor and the sword Of defence.
Your mothers, your daughters and
sweethearts floated cheering banners
to the breezes and hollored, "Hur-
rah, for home, property and native
land!" Endowed with such courage,
you went.
The abolition Of slavery has proven
a great blessing to the south, but 1t
cost us dearly. History records no
more desperate struggle than that OF
the war in which you fought, and you
were left a shattered remnant OF a
once powerful army, worn out by ia
tigue, hunger, disease and battle
Without supplies, confronting. line
after line, of well-clad, well-fed and
well-equipped men. That you con-:
fronted these odds, is attested by the
fact that you left mony Of your num-
Der. on the field Of battle and burned
beneath iVrginia's soil, and the few
that returned to tell the tale, and the
number OF arms stacked at Appomat-
tox.
During the four years Of the war;
the north mustered into service y
100000 soldiers, while the south was
not able, after taking all the boys ana
old men. to count more than 55O,OOo;
50 YOU were not whipped, but simply
over-powered. The ''Cause", wheth-
er right or wrong, was illumined by
deeds of desperate valor in battle OF
consummate skill. matchless fortltude,
and patient endurance OF retreat'