The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1911-05-25
MEMORIAL, ADDRESS
BY MIR. z. G.. DUNN.
Delivered TO The Buck ktchin Camp, u C. w. at Scotland
NeGk N. C., Oh Wednesday, Nay 10, 1911.

hurled against her, shut off from the
world, wasted. rent, and desolate,
bruised and bleeding, and then only
when she was overpOwered by main
strength" And it is in answer to
this question that l would devote the
remarks which | shall submit to you
to-day.
First The Confederate soldier
was commanded by leaders whom
the world now recognizes as not only
the greatest Of modern times, but
the equal, if not the superior, Of any
that history has produced. Com
pelling the affections and inspiring
the confidence of his followers,
watching over their welfare, caring
for their lives as for precious jewels.
always ready to give his own life and
reputation that their lives and repu-
tations might be saved, possessing
to an infinite degree the insight to
discern the strength and designs and
the moral atmosphere Of his oppon-
ents, correctly forecasting their con-
ceptions of his own surroundings
and the design, strength, situation,
both moral and physical, which they
ascribe to him; having an abiding
confidence in himself, the ability to
think clearly and decide quickly in
time OF disaster, possessing such
serenity of character as not to be
cast down by adversely, the moral
courage to grasp opportunity, to
risk life, reputation, and command
on the hazard Of the die, when the
good Of the cause justified such q
risk; possessing that Judgment which
tempers but does not shrivel bold
ness, the strength of conviction
which does not halt or vaccillate in
the face Of obstacles and doubt, and
the wisdom which sees all obstacles
in planning and none in execution
save those which are insuperable;
liberal Of praise and chary of blame,
willing to yield his glory to others,
and to assume faults not his own;
unselfish in large sense, yielding
hearty loyalty to superiors and show
ing generosity and kindness to in
feriors; having profound and abid-
ing belief in the necessity and jus
tice of the cause for which he fought,
the purpose and determination to
die rather than be beaten, despising
odds and difficulties and death, and
believing and practicing the highest
code Of religion and morality; these
were the sovereign causes which
went to crown the Confederate COM
mander, the monarch of the battle
field, and to make him the idol and
the ideal Of the private in the ranks.
Is it necessary that should name
them-the peerless Lee, the sanity
Jackson, the superb Johnston, and
Hood, and Hill, and Hampton, and
Beauregard, and Breckenridge, and
Longstreet, and Stuart, and Forrest,
and Ashby, our own Ramseur, and
Pender, and Hill, and Hoke. and
Wilcox, and Whiting, and Ransom,
and Grimes, and Baker, and Petit
grew, and Branch, and Cox, and
hundreds of others whose names
need not that / should mention them,
so high are they engraved on the
imperishab!e tablets of fame. And
It is not necessary in order to main
tam the assertion that the Southern
army was the best led army that the
world has ever seen, it is not neces-
sary, say, to take the evidence OF
the South itself, but go into the
ranks Of the enemy and hear it said
of them, "Only by rarest genius,
surely, were those dazzling tactics.
that lynx-eyed, sleepless watchful.
ness, that superhuman patience and
superhuman valor, protracted al.
most incessant for four long years
keeping in tact victorious, and ful
| inspiration that gray line, ever long.
err, ever thinner, Of men Outnum'
bered, two, then three, and at last
! five to one, whose food and clothing
grew scantier with the days, while
the bounties of a continent replen
ished their opponents, keeping thai
tenuous line unbroken till very star
vation untitled soldiers to handle
muskets which must be used empty
| if at all, because ammunition wa!
spent. And when we recall that al
this was accomplished not because
the Union army was cowardly. i'll
leu, OI C1oiSSp, OUC iIi SPiIC " " civ
relentless push and ably led army a
brave, wary and determined as eve
marched. Let US ask critics verset
in the history of war;" says he, ii
books tell Of generalship more com
plete than this" And as this er1i
nent authority now recognizes so al
the world must know the superio
qualities of those who led the South
ern army.
| Second.-The Confederate soldie
was an American. Behind him wer
the great traditions of the Anglo
Saxon race whose blood has domi
mated and controlled. always an
everywhere. 1t fed Alfred when b
wrote the Charter of English liber
ty; it. gathered about Hampton a
he stood beneath the oak; it thun
} dered in Cromwell's veins as h
fought his tyrant king; it humble
and destroyed the ambitious M
poleon at Waterloo; it carried tn
drum-beat of freedom around tn
world and spread on every continen
the gospel Of liberty and of GOO
There were Hastings and Cressy an