The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1919-03-13

heavy Shell aI4u machine gun fire
this gallant soldier was killed"
From the hands of Maj. Gen. Henry
6. Sharpe of the United Statse army
Mr.. James B. Blackwell, Person cou1I-
ty Confederate veteran, Thurs shay. re-
ceived the Congress Medal of Honor.
posthumously awarded to his son, Pri-
vate Robert L. Blackwell, Company
K, 18th Infantry, ''for conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity above and
beyond the call of duty in action with
the enemy near Saint Souplet, France,
October II, 1918." The presentation
took place in the office of Governor
Beckett and in the presence of State
officials and other prominent citizen
OF North Carolina.
Exercises in Governors Office.
Major General Sharpe arrived in
Raleigh from Charleston, S. c., where
he is stationed as commanding gen.
eral of the Southeastern Department,
Thursday morning, with Maj. Thomas
w. Davis of Wilmington. Mr.. Black
well, members of his family and
friends, arrived later and the presen-
tation followed at noon.
Mr.. Blackwell, veteran of three
seYenty-six Nears 4ssft age and far from
strong KeenEy2 suffering the loss of
his son, he bore his grief silently Wis
IDLY moved, he received the first Con-
gress Medal of Honor conferred upon
a North Carolina soldier, with merely
a murmured word. Around the room
in a circle for the ceremony were
thirtv-tive or more interested specta-
tors.
J. Medal is Presented. .... p
| General Sharpe, presented b. the
Governor, referred to the eminent pro-
rriety of honorjng the memory of the
Person county hero by delivering the
medal in the State Capitol, in the pres
ence of State officials. He read the
orders directing him TO make the pre-
sentation, explaining the various med
ais awarded by the United States for
services in war, and stated that only
forty Congress Medals of Honor have
been conferred, fourteen of these post
humously. Such awards are made
only for conspicuous gallantry outside
the line Of duty.
his admir7 tion for the heroism of Pri-
vate Blackwell, who volunteered for a
mission in the face of almost certain
death, he presented the medal
The Governor spoke q, briefly and
quietly. ~
"We all realize, Mr.. Blackwell" he
said, "that nothing can compensate
you for the great loss that has come to
vuur life. No earthly honor, we un-
derstand, can take the place of the boy
who comes not. But in behalf of the
State feel it my duty to say, know
his example will be an inspiration to
, the youth of our State and I want you
to know that he will live in our hearts
as high as the stars and as fragrant as
; the flowers, forever and forever"
Signing the Receipt.
It was a simple ceremony. But not
even the high tide of sentiment it car
ried could sweep away the dictates of
| military routine. Major General
Sharpe had his orders; he had to carry
| them out; and he had to secure re-
ceipt from Mr.. Blackwell with. prop
er witness to show in the records OF
| the War Department that the mission
| had been performed. So with the pain
| full scratching Of crow quill pen, Mr..
| Blackwell signed the paper presented
! him, and Governor Beckett added his
own name as witness
10 Private Robert Blackwell. hal he
/ 1lVGO, WOulu ndNS UCCh rCW CACy SAAA SS
wears old in October, 1919 Like his
| father, he was a farmer, living nine
! miles from RoxborO, near Hurdles
+ Mill. He entered the service Septem'
ber 10, 1917, was stationed for while
| at Camp Jackson. and later was trans
ferred to Camp Sewer, Where he was
assigned q to Company X, 10th Infantry
! the old Second Regiment of the, North
Carolina National Guard. iEe arrived
! in France May "A. 1913, and with his
COMPANY followed the victorious for
tunes of the Thirtieth Division until
his death on October IL in the fight.
ing at Saint souplet, the last day OF
series of successive attacks which
!, carried the Old Hickory Division IT,.
ZOO Yards and netted it in prisoners
! * officers and 1889 men, On the day
blackwell was killed. the Thirtieth
! was relieved by the Twenty-Seyenth
/ for four days, before it resumed1 the
sleage, hammer blows on the Hinden-
hung Line that brought the world
nearer to peace on November IL