The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-08-22
WOFFORD'S MARTYRS
A aroNUNENT TO BE ERECTED
TER HEROIC DEAD.

President II. n. Snydef FaSS Oe"
served tribute to the Boys Who
Died TO- Their Country.
The fol owing article from DR.. H.
N. Snyder, the accomplished Presi-
dent of W,fford College, will be read
with inte, est by all students of the
college, a. well as by other friends:
AS one looks upon the campus in
the tranc Utility of these July days
one thinks, by contrast, OF the un-
quiet wraGgling days of another July
now just fifty years ago. In the hrs'
OF January, 1861, seventy-Elne STU
derts hat. matriculated, the largest
number Il the eight years history Oh
the then young college. or these
seventeen ne the president OF the col
Iege reported that mot one was eau
ed before the faculty to answer Ior
any ;ularity during the whole
scholastic year" Yet that year was
one OF stcrm and distress.
Two g1 eat sections were discussing
aitterly vital questions Of policy ana
morals. snd were arming themselves
co subm,, the settlement of their dlf-
,arences to the grim, bloody issue OF
var. Tbs Wofford boys had formed
Shemselv,s into company and hao
altered their services to their govern
n,ent Gov. Pickens wisely decllneo
their ser vices. But with the battle
OF Fort sumter, April IL and 49, II
was no longer possible to hold tnem
TO their books. The call OF .copntry
transformed students into soldiers
and the college boy discovered tne
nna,ity If manhood, not in the les
sons of the classroom, put III tne
stern du les OF the battlefield.
Conse luently there was no com.
narcemc Mt in 1851. On the eighth OF
July the board Of trustees met anu
sold the public why: 1. Because tne
continue excitement and suspense
of the D ,blic mind in relation 20 the
war nov; going on forbids the ootru-
-r,on OF The usual college 1estlYai'
w;th an, hope that it can prove ac-
.c.ntable or be satisfactorily attend
ed 2. Because more than nan Oh
the gra iuating class have lett ana,
9TH ON, or two exceptions, are now
,r the Confederate army in virginia
- ~ ooven who remain have Pc
t,tioned to be allowed to leave az
onca to enter into the service or de-
fence OF their country if need be, and
# seem fitting that request should
be gran ed"
Stirring times are these for young
.eo,legia.s in those July days hfty
years a;o, drawn by a patriotic pas
sion frc the quiet Of academic life
into thr din and turmoil of battle.
Six of he class of 81 did not wait
even TO. the final examinations, but
hurried at once to the front. These
were J. Hamilton, J. P. Lockwood,
C.. F. found, T. N. Simpson, and
J. F. Watson. But they were stand
ing ott ar examinations, for some
their ".linals," and their college was
proud t3 confer her A. B. upon them
while they were on the firing line.
Others joined them so that more
than half Of the student body We're
with tt = army. and the next October
only tlirty-three students matricu-
lated. But by January, 1852, only
eighteen were left in college, the rest
having heard the call of country and
needed it. Many never came back to
home ind college, sealing with their
young lives their devotion to state
and seation. In the report Of the
board If education Of the South Car
olina conference. which met at Spar
tanbur.s December II, 1858, occur
these .tgnficant words:
I'Sho uld her (Woffo1d oollege) ca
reer n1w suddenly terminate, she
might we'll feel that in the consis-
tent pity, the ardent patriotism, and
the Sr artan valor Of her sons she
had le! the to Church and to the the
countrr far more than an equivalent
for all that has been expended in her
endowment. The voices of one-fourth
of ali who have gone forth halls from
her ha lis into military service, fallen
in def ence of our Southern homes
and aitars, appeal with earnest and
persuasive eloquence from honored
graves on every principal battlefield
of the Confederacy to the hearts of
the guardians of their alma mater to
provide literally for her continued
well-t eing and prosperity. 1t Is due
to the bright constellation Of virtue
that crowned the life and death Of
these noble young men that their
names should be particularly men
toned and preserved in the public
recorcs of the college. They are as
follow S:
"W lliam Maxwell Martin, James
Alexander Moore, Richard Ragin
King, Eli Hcvle Miller, Theodotus
LIE Grand Capers, Epaminondas
Wash .ington Davis, Thomas Elijah
Dawk ins, Thomas Carey Duncan,
Jane German Palmer, Fielder Davis
Housnr, Abraham Samuel Summers,
James Emory Williams, Horace AS
bury McSwain, Nicholas Davis Ogles-
by, l5enjamin Wofford Wells, John
Melviu Zimmerman, John George