The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-10-16
d. AUGUSTUS DIC kERT
(By J~hn b. Auil.)
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Columbia, Oct. 6.-The aaily news
papers of Friday morning contalne1
a brief account of the death OF CO...
D. A. Dickert, OF Newberry. In the
present world confagration the minds
of men are occupied by the greatest
events in history, but it were Well 20
g;-a more than a mere obscure news
item in noting the passing of sucn
a man-for, had the fortunes OF
war been different in the days OF the
SOS. no military honors would nave
been too high to have paid him, nor
anv praisetoo plenteous TO have been
sroken of him; though these Wou'a
not have been to his liking so Well
could he have known, as was the
simple and sincere tribute of love
and respect, as he was laid TO reS@'
which came from the hearts of the
people among whom he thad lived and
labored and for whom he had bravely
fought
Colonel Dickert was great man.
HE comrades CT the armies of the
Confederacy, ir which ne rose from
the station of private to the rank of
captain, say that there was no finer
soldier. He was absolutely without
physical or moral fear. At the age
of Is years he enlisted in Co. H. Third
South Carolina Volunteers, KershaW'
brigade. "He was splendid soldier,
said the late Chief Justice Pope, IN
his introduction to Dickert's history
of this brigade-'fbrave in battle,
clear-headed always and OF tnaL
equilibrium of temperament that dur
Ing camp life, amid the toll OF the
march, and in battle the necessity
for discipline was recognized and en-
forced with Justice and impartlallty.
He was and is a patriot" His COLI
spicuous courage resulted in his pro-
motion through the successive lower
grades to the captaincy Of his COM
pany, and during the latter part OF
the war he was the senior captain in
command of his regiment. In the last
days Of the Confederacy he was chos-
en- by his commanding officer for
some especially daring scouting
through the enemy's lines, Of which
he in later years gave modest ac-
count in this thrilling narrative which
was appropriately titled ga Dance
With Death"
In the days of reconstruction he
was a real power in the redemption
Of the state, and from 1865. until 1876
his services to his people as a leader
in his section were an important fac
tor in the final triumph of white su-
premacy. He was prominent in the
Ku Klux Clans, where his recognized
fearlessness and real contempt for
danger gave him leadership which
was spontaneously recognized. The
deeds which he performed in those
troublesome times are household leg
ends in Newberry and some of the ad-
joining counties. q
Though his school days ended when
he was II years of age. he was stu
dent, writer and historian of note.
His most elaborate work was his His
tory of Kershaw's Brigade, an intense
ly interesting and accurate history
of the war, written from the view
point of the man in the ranks. He
was wide reader, and he built upon
the foundation of native ability tru-
ly remarkable. Ancient and modern
AiSIO1y, dSIl lOAO1us-IHSSS uC u1dStSG-
ed-and the education which he
rounded out for himself, combined
with his knowledge of men, made him
a writer of rare attainments. He
was a frequent contributor to news
papers and magazines. Many of his
historical stories have heen nuhIish
ed in pamphlet form, and are a val
liable contribution to the history Of
the state
The greater part of his life follow
ing the war was lived On the farm,
out in his later years he had moved
to the city of Newberry, where he
died. Until age enfeebled him he was
as remarkable of physique as he was
of intellect and of courange and devo-