The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-04-13
LOOKING BACKYARD.

The Spring Of 1865, When The Soldier in Gssy
Came Home. and His Passing Since
the Wax. Etc.
Horace Greeley, philosopher and
journalist, with his facile pen, wrote
these words. which I quote: THE
hope Of the then Southern Confeder
acy was carried aloft on the points ci
the bayonetS Of the bright rifles oI
the army OF Northern Virginia" Bu,
alas. on the ninth day of 3peil, 1865
came the crisis Of our fate; the end
had come. Lee, the old gray lion. anc
his little band Of courageous soldiers
were hedged in on ali sides by Grant:
ponderous army: the best equipped
the worlG has ever seen; lacking moth
ing appertainins to war, cruel war
Nevertheless. Lee never lost his equi
poise, calm and resolute. he stood in
the midst OF his faithful and undauu
ted soldiers, abiding the time to sur
render. The croakins raven OF de
spair had made its flight over Dixie
Land, and in the wake Of this i'll omi
nous bird came the wkite-winSed
dove Of peace, bearing within IT.
beak, an olive branch. The guns
were stacked. the roaring cannon.
were hushed, the shrieking shells,
grape and canister, lay dormant with.
in the caisson boxes, and the thin
gray line ceased to pour their !eader
messengers o: death upon the unceas,
ing and ever-increasiug blue line. The
blood-stained has, the starry cross,
vas furled forever, (but with unsad'
ing slory.) Everything was quiet and
serene. No dead or dying soldiers
with gaping wounds could be seen
Oa the eve OF the surrender, OF what
was left, Of the once invincible army
OF Northern Virginia, an aid Of Gen.
Lee said to him, what would posterlsy
think II he surrendered: The General
replied that it concerns US more near
" than it vii. posterity. therefore lei
Us be right. and l will take the respoE,
sibility.
LEES FAREWELL TO HIS SOLDIERS.
After four years Of arduous service
marked by unsurpassed courage and
fortitude, the army OF Northern Vir-
sinia has been compelled to yield to
Overwhelming numbers and resourc.
es. l need not tell the survivors OF
so many hard-tought battles, who
have remained steadfast TO the last,
that I have consented to this resul,
from 10 distrust OF them: bat feeling
that valor and devotion could accom-.
plish nothing that could conpensate
for the loss that would have attended
the continuation Of the contest,
have determined TO avoid the useless
sacrifice Of those whose past services
have endeared them TO their country
men. You will take with you the sat.
isfaction that proceeds from the con-
sciousness OF duty faithfully perform
ed; and I earnestly pray that a Iner
cifut God will extend to you Bis bless.
ing. With an cnceasins admiration
OF coustancy and devotion to your
country, and a grateful remembrance
OF your kind aod generous considers.
ton Of myself, / bid you an affection.
ate farewell"
Lee went down at Appo,nattox un-
der halo OF glory like the descend.
ing sun, flashing his brilliant rays
across the western sky, and goes down
below the horizon in his majestic
splsndor.
now place a withered white rose
on the bosom Of the young nation
that died in its purity from constant
attrition and exhaustion. The soldier
in gray came home with his parole in
the pocket of his worn and faded
jacket. over his fearless heart, a mea
gre crust in his hand moistened by
the dews from the stars, with many
miles between him and his childhood
home, with his thoughts upon those
who were near and dear to him; yes,
loving hearts, who were looking and
waiting for him at home, sweet home
Dixie land, a land Of sorrows: yes, she
sorrowed for her gallant dead, whose
now suckep graves cover our sunny
land, which was furrowed by shot
and shell of Devastating war. Let a.
rot forget the traditions Of the South
As listen to the tender soul-stirring
strains OF the good old sopS Dixie, my
heart goes out 70: the love I have for
my dear old native heath, land
eonsecrated by precious memories o!
the past, when our heart was young
and free from care.
Oh, how many hearts quickened
when the soldier in gray came homo.
forty-fiye years ago; mothers looking
anIiously for their sons, wives with
glad expectancy Of welcoming their
husbands home again, and dear chill.
dren saying from their innocent
hearts, dear father come home. On,
the hundreds OF hearts that were
crushed, for the soldier in gray that
never came home. The mothers tears
for her only son, the wall Of the wild.
ow, for husband that never returned;
and how sad it was to hear the or
phan's plaintive cry, saying good
father never came home. have read
history (remote) that Thermopylae,
had its messenger; (but the Alamo
had none, the slaughter was complete,
this occurred, in modern times) It
would have been fruitless, 70 have
destroyed, that splendid remnant OF
the Army Of Northern Virginia; hut
il our peerless leader had thought
proper to have continued the contest,
every one Of the gray jacket boys
vould have died in obedience to the
command. No, this great exemp.ar
Of modern times thought best to stay
annihilation, and let the faithful sol.
dier in gray come home, that the gal
Liant tribe might increase IN number.
Yes, the Confederate soldier has
made history, telling OF the deeds OF
yalor and OF love for cause that was
lost, and Of the patriotic devotion OF
the women. Of the then seeded states,
who made sacrifices and suffered pri.
vations for the sake OF a just cause.
When the story IS written in fact, it
matters not from Whist cline he halls
from in this great American republic,
the future student OF history will read
with increasing admiration and won.
der; he will e1claim with glorious
n