The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-08-18
Meet at Statesburg in Memory
of GamecOck Hero
COLONEL DARGAN AND
MISS TRULUCK SPEAK
Speaker of the Occasion Ap-
peals for Just Place for South
Carolina Heroes

eSi SOuhtSs Woo ucIu SATURDAY ana q
large crowd was out to do honor to
General Sumter of Revolutionary
fame. This is an annual custom in the
county, many people from miles
around gathering for an all day pics
mic near the grave of the Gamecock
General at which time speeches are
made by prominent orators in memory
of the dead hero. Colonel John j.
Dargan is largely responsible for the
keeping up of these meetings. On ac-
count of i'll health, he was prevented
from attending the celebrations for
some years, and 1t was source of,
great PLEASURE to his many friends j
sce him in good health and at the cer-'
omon.es this year. The school house]
was we'll filled at IL o'clock at which
time, MIR. e. Iteardon. OF the Sum
ter Chamber OF Commerce, called The
meeting to order and. after a few in
.roductOry remarks, introduced Miss
Caro- Truluck, the home demonstra-
ton agent, who was the first speak
er of the occasion. Miss Truluck di-
rected her remarks along the line of
improving the living conditions on the
80 NphS PiSauCu Will tLile
to spend little less money on their
barns and little more on their homes.
She illustrated her remarks with sew
eral stories of farmers wives and the
work they had to do and showed how
this work could be lightened by
little cooperation from the farmers.
Her speech was well received by the
audience. The main speech Of the oc-
coson was delivered by Colonel Dar-
gan. He expressed his pleasure in be-
ing among his friends again. He said
that Mr.. r. c. Brabham from Olar had
been asked to make the speech but
had been unable to do so. After telling
the celebration of former years, Mr.
Dargan began his speech along the
lin of South Caro'ins's plac iB world
history and the determinations made
against her by historians in writing the
record of the nation. .ColoAsy Dargan
has devoted his life to the study of
his question and is we'll qualified to
speak Of the history of the state. He
stated that when a young man, he
read book that stated that South
Carolina started the war between the
states. This book also stated that at
the battle of Manassas, the South Car
clina troops ran and hid behind the
Virginians He investigated the mat
ter and did not stop. until the book
was changed to read that General
Hampton's men were two miles ahead
OF General Jackson's men.
After discussing the matter Of writ
ing history at some length, the colonel
turned his attention to the Revolu-
tionary war He devoted some time
20 the memory Of General Sumter, re-
calling Corvallis words, General
Sumter is the greatest plague in the
country" After telling of his life.
Colonel Dargan then told Of how lit
tie was known about him by (hstor-
lans. He also spoke 81 John Laurens.
iienry Cabot Lodge has written
Life of Washington in two volumes
This piece of work proposed to show
the life of the Revolutionary leader
ana TO tell of his friends, but strange to
say, one name was left out Of the
DOCK, the name that should have been
llrst' the name Cf John Laurens, the
south Carolinian. John Laurens, ac-
cording to Col. Dargan, secured aid
from France, was largely responsible
for the defeat Of England. wrote the
treaty OF peace, and still he is not
mentioned by many historians. Wash
ington said that Laurens had not a
lauit that he could see and also that
ne was inspired by the greatest love
OF country. Still Ledge did not men,
tlon him in his writings. He then
spoke of Woodrow Wilson and told of
the Carolina heroes he had omitted
from his history. He contrasted
these TWO men with Robert Winthrop,
from Massachusetts, who gave the
greatest citdit tc South Carolnt when
he was commissioned by the govern
menf to study these things.
Colonel Dargan stated that he saw
recently that one college i'm the state
had sent one of her professors off to
study Assyrian history. He made a
ringing appeal to the colleges OF the
state to substitute South Carolina his
tory for some of this. He then smoke
OF the naming of Camp Jackson. i'm
Coiumbia. 1t was strange that the au-
thorlties were not satisfied with some
oouth carolina name like Sumter
Calhoun, Pinckney OF Marion. but had
10 name 1t for Andrew jackson who
said he had lived in the state. He
told of Jackson's last moments when
ne said Il have only one regret in
my life. that | did not hang Calhoun
as traitor" When questions as to
this he repeated his assertion and said
ne wished he could also hang all his
followers. Now" said Colonel Dar-
gan, I'VE have the spectacle of the
greatest camp in the south, here in
our own state and named for man
that said mat our fathers were trai-
tors He said that he was being
criticized for the statements he was
making hut he intended to stand by
him for he would rather be right than
be a million presidents
Colonel Dargan's speech lasted for
about two hours but his audience did