The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1910-04-20
SURVIVORS HOLD
ANNUAL REUNION
The "BriarS" Met Saturday
at Durbin Church.
THE DAYS EXERCISES
Appropriate Music and Earnest Ad-
: dresses-COmrades of Three Com
mands Enjoy the Occasion,

hS S7Ih aLhual reunion OF the sur
Vivors Of companies &C." 14th S. c..
"G. Naurens Briars) of the Third
regiment and "E" of the Third battalion
was held at Durbin Creek church last
Saturday, April 16. The weather was
pleasant and there was in attendance
quite large crowd. There were pres
ent ten survivors of the Laurens
Brlars, nine OF whom were Of the first
enlistment; six Of Co. "E" 3rd Battal-
ion and twelve of Co. "E", 18th Regi-
ment
The exercises, which were held in
the large and comfortable church
building, We're presided over by Judge
w. u. thompson, and were opened with
prayer offered by Rev G.. w. Bussey
OF Fountain lnn himself gallant sur
Vivor of he Confederacy. Appropriate
and inspl ing music was furnished by
cholr composed of the young ladies
and gentlemen of Durbip and led by
Veteran Sam Stewart. Pleasing feo.
lures in this connection were two wor-
time songs by Veteran Stewart, and
Richmond is a Hard Road to Travel"
by Veteran John Jones.
The first speaker of the day was
Col. Joseph N. Brown of Anderson,
the first captain Of Co. e, 14th South
Carolina, afterwards the brave colonel
or the 18th regiment Col Brown is
man OF large business responsible
ties and connections, yet he Is never
too busy when these reunions come to
lay aside his work and meet again with
his old boys" Most of his address
saturday was devoted to "reminiscences
OF camp life, marches and the battle
'leld, to the entertainment and instruc-
ton OF all He closed with an earnest
appeal to his comrades to be prepared
Tor the final scenes of existence"
Then followed Senator John III.
Wharton who spoke for about fiftv
minutes. To say that he was at his
best is sufficient
At the close of Col Wharton's ad
dress the large company, with the vet
erans in line, marched to the tables.
And who ever saw tables so loaded as
those? Tom Henderson who was in
old Virginia and who always knew a
good thing" when he saw it, had some
mighty fine hash.
In the afternoon Capt. Fl. P. Griffith
OF Limestone made an impressive ad
dress, directed especially to the i'm
mediate survivors Of his old command
which he so faithfully led. He too,
closed with earnest words to all as
the manner of spending their remain
ing days. and of preparation for the
future.
Capt. Griffith was followed with
brief, though appropriate talks by Vet
eran Jared ID. Sullivan of Co. A 9Th
cavalry; Veteran John r. Harrison Of
the 10th S. C. regiment, and the "old
.brue and tried" survivor, Rev. ]. X
Mccain OF the 18th South Carolina,
who poured out some rich blood at
the battle OF I'd Manassas.
A message of greeting and regret
at his inability to attend, was received
from that old war-horse citizen, vet
eran, Journalist, patriot-soldier, Col
Thos. B. Crews
Others Present or Absent.
A number Of survivors of other com
mands were on hand and took active
interest in the meeting, among them
being Comrade #. j. Hughes Of the old
10th. There was also Abe Cook. Com
rades CLANCY Burgess, Newport Gar
rett, w. p. Coker, Roll Newman, A. c.
Owings, who is one OF the three sur
viving commissioned officers of Browns
company, and many others that can
not now be recalled Some of those
whose presence was missed on this
occasion were Col. A. w. Burnside now
of Augusta, Capt Ben Lanford who
was too unwell to attend and the ven
erabie William Stewart VINO passed
away since the last meeting.
Uncle" Joel Crisp, now Of Newber-
ry county, aged 90, who was one of the
original members Of the Laurens
"Briars," deserves special notice. for
he was on hand and enjoyed the day
meeting and conversing with old
friends and comrades.
fhnco annual xo4lt.o~