The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-06-14

these, words does there not arse IL
every mind the thought of a meteor
ic army which fifty years ago spran&
into existence, as it would seem, ou'
of space and nothingness, and after
four years, unsustained by treasury
or arsenal, but unsurpassed for bril-
liarr fighting and lavish Outpour OF
blood, vanished from earth as utterly
as if it had been a phantom of the
IMAGINATION? 1t had followed as a
banner a starry cross born in fire
and smoke Of its battle line, which
had flown over its charging columns
IN many fields and under many lead
ers whose names proud history viii
forever cherish, and then in night
it had Also taken its flight from
earth, to be seen no more of men.
A federal historian wrote OF this
armv. "Who can forget it thai
once looked upon it? That array Of
battered uniforms and bright mus
l,ets-that body of Incompatible in
fantrv the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia-which for four ears carried
the revolt on it's bayonets, opposing
q constant front to the mighty con-
centration of power brought against
if. which, receiving terrible blows,
did not fail to give the ike, ana
It'll, ,-;+o1 IN oil i+s narts. died only
with it's annihilation.'
And now a generation has passed
away. The smoke of civil conflict
has vanished from the sky, and the
whole country, under the new condl-
4ions evolved in its tours years
struggle, finds itself united in deVel-
oping its vast resources in successful
rivalry with the greatest nations OF
of the earth.
Upon our president Jefferson
Davis, there fell from the ne
cessity of his prominent posi-
ton not only defeat, but OBJ
louuy and woes too many to enum-
y
him Justice as having been most
worthy to represent the South,
whether as man, a statesman or a
soldier. And how now shall | speak
to you of the great Lee, whom it was
an education to know-never elated
and never depressed, but always
calm and audacious in reliance upon
himself and his troops, who in turn
relied upon him and loved him unto
death? Of stern and grave StoneWalI
Jackson, trusting only in the God OF
battles and in the Righteousness of
= his cause, but winning by the fierce
courage his personality inspired?
Of Joseph E. Johnston, master OF
strategy in the great game Of war,
whose brain was treason incased in
bone?" Of Beauregard, who won
Bull Run by his personal tenacity and
with such science and skill defended
Sumter and Petersburg? OF Long
street, who Lee called his "old war
horse" doing heavy work on every
field from Bull Run to Appomattox?
Of A. P Hill, whose name was last
on the lips of Lee upon his deathbed?
And Of Jackson when he crossed the
river to rest in the shade of the
trees" OF genial, dashing Stuart,
always ready for any venture and
sanguine of success, who took up the
battle left unfinished by Jackson S
fall and carried it to it's brilliant
end? Of gifted Hampton, with his
Saber-scarred face, who served his
state as effectively in peace as he had
done IN war, and always bore with
out abuse the grand old name of
gentleman" OF Hood, with his one
leg and crippled arm, under whom
the Texans loved to fight? OF good
old Ewell, also with his one leg and
bald head, who believed fighting to
be the sole business Of a soldier?
OF Early whose unreconciled spirit
is perhaps Taiding up and down the
valley? And Of a thousand others
whose forms and faces throng upon
my memory, and whose names his
tory has inscribed upon the roll of
honor?
And so, did time permit, lessons
could be learned and stirring events
be depicted from the memories of
innumerable other scenes. But l
prefer to leave the picture as it
stands, and commend the record of
THE old Confederate veteran; we
know him as he stands
And listens for the thunder of the
far-off battle lands.
IA hears the crash of musketry: the
smoke rolls like sea,
For he tramped the fields with
Stonewall, and climbed the heights
with Lee.
The old Confederate veteran, his life
is in the past,
And the war-cloud, like a mantle,
round his rugged form is cast.
He hears the bugle calling DER the
far and mystic sea,
For he tramped the fields with
Stonewall, and climbed the heights
with Lee.
Travellers who journey to the trOp-
les tell of the wondrous beauty OF
the southern cross, which night after