Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-02-24

v OLUMM.

| understand that you are go
ing 60 have a column of your pa
per pen for Confederate Veter-
ans and others who will write any
thing OF the events as they came
under their eyes, or in their ex-
pesieuces during the COS or in
the earlier history of the country,
or perhaps during The reconstruc
ton period. Now | do hope that
you will have many responses to
your request.
[ know that there are many in
the county who can tell many in.
teresting experiences which will
entertain and inform az well a.
amuse the generation who have
come on the stage since those
events TRANSFERRED. Who can tell
but that there may be some valu-
able scraps OF history unearthed.
| think that it was Gen. Sher-
man who said that "War was
Hell, then Reconstruction, such
as the South experienced is hell
fire because in war you can strike
back, in reconstruction we were
unarmed and at the mercy of a
merciless crew of carpet baggers
and for good measure, we were
subjected 10 UNDERSTANDABLE hu-
mil aiion.
One thing which hope may be
brought out in your Confederate
column IL that we may ascertain
how many companies went out
from this county. the captains of
the companies and any other in
formation. | remember the three
1rst infantry companies were
Capt. Delay, Capt. Green, Capt.
Lowry. Now someone who can
will please give any other they
can remember. Probably DR..
Chandler may do it. 1t is scme-
lines said that it was The slave
holders warSlavery was one Of the
exciting causes, but the principle
II State Rights was the main
question involved. The Erstern
part of Lafayette had few
negroes, but they furnished more
soldiers, volunteers too than the
Western. and let me say here that
hey made as good soldiers as
hose who owned slaves. Thatl
question was never raised or dis
Used in camp. Instances of |
devotion to the cause were not |
scarce. Let me give your read
'rS somewhat CONSPICUOUS ex-
npie. Let us cherish and re-
member such along with our he
'oes who fell upon the battlefield |
Here it is, the Confederate fla
n Samoa. From the South Pa
me comes a curious, pathetic
tory of devotion to the Lost
;ause' and even the least sue
'eptlole reader must wonder who
he unknownex- Confederate was
nd what was his history. The
'amoans are experts at rowing
nd sailing-fron which factl
5ougainville, the French discov-
rer, called their country the !
navigation lslands-and since
ne advent of the white man every
boat must have its flag
ust what the flag represents is
ot so important a question.
Sitting in the cool OF his porch
overlooking the bay one after
Don during his term as land com
Missioner. ex-Chief Justice Cham
ers, of Samoa, saw a boat ap-
reaching the shore flying a flag
he sight OF which struck him al
nee with peculiar interest. Itl
AS none other than the Stars
nd Bars of the Southern Confed
racy. What could it be doing.
ordered he in the South Pacific
nd SO long after Appomattox?
lie determined to learn the his
'ry of the flag and get possession
1t. But meeting the boat as it
lnded he found the owner by no
leans willing to part with his /
ag. The offer the American
hief' to buy it was promptly,
lough very politely declined.
hen the Justice tried a little di-
lomacy, he took the boatman
Ito store and bought for him a
olt OF calico and then a kit of !
lackerel-which delighted the ,
amoans to whom they were luxu
es But the native still insist
d that he could not part with the
ag. ut would not be right for
.e to give it to you." said he in
UGH a manner as TO show that
)me deep feeling was involved.
But why? Where did you get ,
:? And why do you value it SO !
ighly?' asked MIR. Chambers.
well | will tell YOU" answer
i the Samoan. "A long tin e |
go a man came to Samoa from l
n eff in America, where you
anne from. He was not a sailor,
ut told me he had been a soldier I
lie was my friend and lived at INV
ouse. But after awhile he got !
lex, and one day he said to )
lie, "Tasi, look in my bag there
No get out my flag. and put it :
p on the wall where | can see
!. 81 did so and he would Hel
here and look at it and look at it
everal days afterwa d he grew
Iorse. He called me to him and
aid Fasi | am going to die am
ar from my home and people.
mis- flag is all have in the world
.ou have been my friend | give
IN vntI KaarH - n. -