The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-06-21

tory of the Robson Soldier in
the Civil War-Facts Lacking
in War histories-A Angels
Food Work Suggested for
Daughters of Confederacy.
To the Editor of The Robesonian:
In his late memorial address at
Lumberton, Judge Clarke sug-
gested that some native son or
daughter write a history of the
Robson soldier in the war.
In the hope that some one who
had seen more actual service or
was more Immediately and per-
sonally interested in such a his
tory, would publicly agitate the
matter, l have refrained until
now from taking any public no
tice of the matter.
| have frequently noticed the
statement that North Carolina
had more soldiers in the Confed-
crate army than she had voters
in 1861. | have had occasion
heretofore to estimate upon the
basis of the u. S. census of the
white male population in 1860,
the number over q, and $50, 900
is a liberal estimate. About 20
per cent of that voting population
was over the age of As, and of
that class only a small percent
age were in service. Consider
ably more than 80 per cent of all
the boys who were 49, years old
in May, 1861, were actively serv-
ing as soldiers in 1865, and death
percentages in this class were
large as were also the losses in
the class that had not reached
the age of q, at the beginning
of the war. The formative in
f1uences that give the trend tC
the lives Of most men, are be.
tween the ages Of IA and 81 anC
therefore constitute, perhaps, the
most important period of theil
lives. Facts upon which to base
any conclusion as to the losses
the country sustained in the loss
of such population are wholly
lacking in the war histories Of
the country, so far as I have
seen, and they can probably nev
er be made available excep
through the medium of local his
tory. This is but one of a variet,
of illustrations that might b
cited, showing the value of a 10
cal history, as history. Monu
ments have little historical value
They are little more than visibl
tokens of the affectionate re
membrance of those in who's
memory they are erected. Tn
monument of the average GENE
terry or graveyard usually has tn
name of the deceased, the date
of birth and death accompanie
sometimes by an appropriat
motto or other inscription. Thi
personal feature is wholly wan
ing in patriotic monuments.
AS one views the averag
monument that is erected to tn
memory of the soldier of tn
Confederacy, there is that in
which reminds him of the alta
which the apostle saw at Athens
an altar with the inscription 81
The Unknown God". The spir
of worship was strong in tt
breast of the Greek, but he wo
shipped ignorantly and in orde
that he might know who ar
what he worshipped, it W.
necessary for Paul to decla
him unto them''. 1t is the san
= with all monuments to the cor
mon soldier of the Confederac
If we would do homage to h
memory, the only practical W;
to do it is upon the printed pa.
of local history. We and O
forefathers have lived in an ed
cational atmosphere, that mir
mized the value, especially the {
ucational value, of local histol
We have accustomed ourselv
to the idea that there was not
ing in the character or achie1
I ments of our kindred, friends a
neighbors that had any historic
value and upon the merest 81
picion Of anything worthy to
honored upon the historic paf
4 we ask the old question, us tt
the Carpenters SON..
! In my school days, the yor
4 who learned anything at all abb
) State history learned more abe
9 Sir Walter Raleigh, who was NJ
3 er within a thousand miles
q North Carolina soil, than aim
a any dozen men that ever fgul
q in the real history of the Sta
d and from my limited observat
q | am strongly inclined to bell,
& that such is still the case.
S little as he learned of State
b tory, he learned far less alb
h the history of his own cou
g and it's people.
z In the creation and naming
the many counties by the 81
Legislature since 1865, only
of the 43, ,0G0 dead Confeder:
mentioned by Judge Clarke
remembered, and that was c
Pender. On the other hand
way of accentuating the at
tionate remembrance of Vlrg
Dare, that body went back
years and took her name f
4lo