Evening journal., 1914-09-12
New News Of Yesterday
How North and South
Fraternized After the
Civil War
By Holland.

The late Col. Richard Lathers, who
died in 1902, was almost a cosmo-
politan, certainly an American cos
mopolitan, and was sometimes spoken
of as the citizen who possessed the
largest number of intimate personal
friends who. as a whole. represented
all phases of American life-scholas-
tic, manufacturing. political, and
commercial
Col. Lathers once told me that he
was native of South Carolina and
that his title of colonel was not an
honorary one, since he had served as
colonel of a regiment Of militia in
South Carolina some years before
the civil war. He possessed a beau
tiful estate near the north shore of
Long Island Sound, about seventeen
miles from New York City. He also
had a country place in the Berk-
shires. and maintained for years still
another home in Charleston, S. c.
I have never met any one who so
( delighted in anecdOtal "reminiscences
or who POSSESSED a. more abundant
( supply of them as Col. Lathers. His
/ personality was very attractive. His
/ refinement Of thought and manner Of
! living we're revealed in the tones of
his voice, the play of expression on
his face, and in a peculiarly graceful
attitude.
once asked Col. Lathers how it
happened that he, a native of South
| Carolina, cherishing, as he did, her
traditions and loyal in his sympathies
and views to the State and her peo-
PIE, nevertheless refrained from sup
porting her when the civil war began
and instead espoused the cause OF
the Union.
Il suppose no man Of South Caro-
lima birth was prouder of his State
and more loyal to her people than ]"
he replied, MY preiudices and Social
sympathies were entirely with South
Carolina during the war, but my
judgment told me that on this con-
tinent, south of the Canadian line and
north of Mexico, destiny was for one
nation. If that were so, il must be
the Union. 1 am happy to say that,
. notwithstanding the position / took
at the beginning of the civil war. I
maintained the warmest friendships
with the people of South Carolina.
Let me tell you a little incident
{
/ or two after the close Of the civil
= war l opened my house in Charles
ton and made il a point to entertain
! citizens of the South and citizens OF
r the North. Upon one occasion / had
! as guest at my house Gen. Mcdowell
{ who was the commander of the Union
e forces at the first battle of Bull Run
E | was very glad to be able to have
I nU NJ q
I and one or two other South Caro-
4 linians who fought at Bull Run. The
f tears filed my eyes when / saw the
e cordiality which characterized the
e greetings between Gen. Mcdowell ant
these Southern officers.
Among others who were present
was Gen. Chestnut. He had beer
. United States Senator from Soutl
! Carolina and was in command of {
Confederate brigade during the civi
war. He was one of the most charm
ing men / ever met His wife was
l. very brilliant and very witty woman
81 remember that Gen. Chestnu
asked Gen. Mcdowell If he agreed
= with all that Gen. Joe Johnston ha,
+ said about the manner in which thu
!. battle was fought. Gen. Chestnu
e asked this question in the most annie
n able manner, and Gen. Mcdowell re
h piled in the same way. I remembe
II his words distinctly. He said:
a Gen. Chestnut. l have read wha
l. Gen. Johnston has said about tn
/ battle Of Bull Run and in the main
4 agree with him. In one thing I d
a not. He criticised me for not mass
n ING my entire army. Well. IL he hai
i known how difficult It was for m
r TO keep my first line In battle orde
4. he would have understood why wa
l. unable to mass the entire army. whicl
consisted for the most part OF raw
II troops. Three years later that woul
l. have been accomplished without din
"a Guilty"
al Copyright, 1914. by +. J. Ed
ld wards. All rights reserved.)
A nunn A -