The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-10

nteFru LMtrA A~03Ss@ " .hE Ot D- ss
 Reunion.
 eagles They outfianked us and of ridge from which we had originally started. On reaching this position We were so exhausted and broken to pieces as to be unable to hold the ridge foreseen from the time we struck the fresh troops that would be the result, E and had immediately collected and con- eentrated about sixty twelve pound planted on rise, So that as soon as we passed behind them, he could open fire upon the confident advancing col- on the side of ridge behind. the artil- lery. where we were comparatively out of danger. General Lee was on his horse with his sword drawn, holding It In the air, and riding back and forth from one end of this great battery of artillery to the other. He was direct ing the fire of the guns and encourag- and fast. but their places were filled immediately, and do not believe there Is case in history where artillery was more successfully and courageously army. General Lee looked like the god of war; v
 T can see his face now. positively radiant. as he had these guns to mow
  I expected to see him fall at every minute. but the God of battles protect ed him. and spared his life to his coun- tTy sy and countTymsn, men This uneqSal .. con finally succeeded In breaking the ene- my's ranks and driving them from the field with his artillery.
 Lee at J0meabOro.
 '"rhe next time I saw General Lee in battle was on the field at Jonesboro. You are all familiar with that terrible and bloody assault that he made upon
 When we struck the enemy's breaSt works. with the guns under the logs not move than foot apart, they open c.n cd fire upon rs sns and our eS treSps vent CT did l witness such destruction of life, and those that were left were within forty feet of the breast works and stood there stubbornly and fought while being shot down. without the prospect of accomplishing anything. Again General Lee collected seventy five or hundred pieces of artillery. and prevented Logan from capturing the railroad to Augusta.
 T served under General Lee the bal- anee of the war and saw great deal .tbat 4b fi,,s; refuses to I fa,oe intoxiesnts' At that time he1was as true specimen of the follower of the meek and lowly Sa- vior as was to be found throughout
 "of course you will take proper act ion so express the affection and admir- ation that you and every Confederate soldier entertains for General stephen D. Lee. se-ct@
 Our country has sustained a great loss He was useful man, full. of in- tense loya of old Confederates and his never was a time since the war but what he was perfectly willing to give his life to redeem them from the hor- TOTS of Reconstruction. Peace to his ashes.
 Nov, comrades. I will devote a few moments to speaking of the confeder- ate soldier. It Is unnecessary to con- SUI S1me ethsr time in discussing the question In appealing to arms to secure the constitutional rights that our fathers had coined ou of their sacrifices. hard ships and own blood for our benefit. The world now comedies that they were perfectly justified in going to war. The Abolition Party, led by the Hon. William H. Seward. had years before the Southern States indalged in secession. announced what he was pleased to call the higher law He and his followers contended that there was law higher than the Constitu= ton. higher than the acts of Con- gress. and that these higher laws had to take the place of the Constitution, which had for their purpose the talk represented the sweat and toll Of the Southern people for two hundred years l and which was tealously guarded by the United States. Of course the an- nouncement of the higher law was to all tntents and purposes revolution | ary, and when this party had secured fectly natural for the Southern people | to assume that the higher law would | he 6esp,ao put in a1 operation. and that 1t would rig0ts, and thus deprive us of leRft. | innate and legal property.
 This left the South the option of |
 First the Southern people had the right to remain in the Union and draw | their swords in preservation of its | honor and of It's Consultation and laws |
 Second. they had the right which l had been reserved by each State, to withdraw from the Union They chose the latter course. Whether this was l wise or not, 1t is not now necessary |
 After the War.
 The Southern army was composed of | citizens that had enjoyed a peculiar | similar in it's customs and practices | from the civilization of our Northern l neghbors. They were commercial consequently had different environ | ments, politically and socially, from | the Southern people The, Southern | They lived at home. They were train ed to ride wild horses, use firearms in | the chase. and to lead an outdoor life | that tended to make them absolutely | independent and rather disposed to be | arbitrary. Now when tile war was | precipitated between the States. these | Southern men volunteered, and the | Southern army was composed of just | such class of citizens They never | had been in the habit of observing any | self-restraint. or having any power | above them to restrain them from do- Ing what they thought was honorable | and Legitimate. They volunteered, | made up their own messes. and never | was any army that had more intelli- i gent discipline than the Southern army. | These men promptly and cheerfully | submitted to every hardship in the | camp on the march and on the battle !! field The esprit de corps and morale of the Southern army was equal to any that had ever been organized. and an- other singular feature connected with the Southern army was that these men were allowed to elect their own field officers, lteutenants. captains. majors lieutenant colonels and colonels of the regiments. and I challenge history to furnish akDarallel where the field offl- cers of any army were superior to those of the Confederate army. although elected by the free ballot of the sol- diers themselves. These oficera undsr- stood their men. They never resorted