Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-04-27
TRIBUTEEPAID
HEROES OF SOS
BY GEN. HARRIS
Downpour Prevents Fl
nal Ceremony of Day
At Cemetery

A sudden, heavy downpour Mon
day afternoon at o'clock necessi1
tated the elimination of that portion
of the Memorial Day exercises ar
ranged to be held at the cemetery,
but large crowd heard the address
of General Walter A. Harris at the
First Methodist church at $3.50. In
the gathering which assembled there
to do honor to the memory of depart
ed Confederates and extOl their he
rolsm and sacrifice, every class OF
Americas citizenship was represent
ed. Confederate Veterans, members
of Camp Sumter No. 642, U. G. ",
attended in body, as members did
of Camp Cults, Sons of Confederate
Veterans, commanded by John w.
Shiver; John D. Mathis post, Ameri-
can Legion, the local Boy Scouts or
ganization and the High School cadet
corps. The Third Histrict Agricul4
turial college was represented by
number of students who came into
the city to assist at the exercises.
Stephen Pace and T. o. Marshall,
members of Camp Cults, sons of Vet
erans, acted as ushers. Seated upon
the rostrum were General Walter A.
Harris, the orator of the occasions
Commander Henderson D. Watts, of
Camp Sumter; Commander Gordon
Howell of John D. Mathis Post; John
G. Hoist, adjutant of John d. Mathis
Post; Major Lawrence S. Churchill,
commanding officer at Souther Field;
Major Earl S. Schofeld, executive
officer at the flying field. Rev. Frank
Anderson, pastor of the Presbyterian
10 Minn,r
tor of First Baptist congregation.
The church decorations were arrang-
ed by Mrs. Frank Harold and Mrs.
James Davenport.
Howell Introduces Speakers.
The exercises were begun with the
invocation by Rev. Frank Anderson,
who made a touching prayer that all
present might receive grace to offer
their bodies living sacrifice to God,
and their country, as had those der
parted veterans whom the assembly
honored at the hour. A trio of Bre-
nau Glee Club girls then sang and
this was followed by the introduc-
tiOn of the speaker.
introducing General Harris, the
orator of the day, Gordon Howell,
commander of John d. Mathis post,
said:
"A little more than half a century
has elapsed since our fathers, south
of the Mason and Dixon line, went
forth to battle, against tremendous
odds, for a principle, and an ideal,
dearer to them than life itself. Four
long years they were engaged in this
fratracidal conflict when-over-
whelmed by superior numbers and
equipment, our gallant AMI matchless
leader surrendered his kingly sword
at Appomattox.
''The deeds of daring, gallantry,
patriotism and real heroism of the
confederate soldier are without
parallel in martial history. By their
heroic struggle they have bequeathed
to posterity a legacy of which we are
Justly pround.
''The fair and noble women of the
beautiful Southland, within the bor-
ders of our own state, first conceived
the idea of decorating the graves of
our fallen heroes with sweetest flow
ers-and watering them with holy
tears. This custom of paying hom-
age to their memory annually, in the
beautiful spring time, we have come
To regard as most sacred and holya
and may it be perpetuated by the
lovely daughters of the South so long
aS the sun shall shine and until time
shall be no more.
Son of Noble Sire.
"We are fortunate In having WIN
z,s as the orator of the day worthy
son of a noble sire. His father,
tvnical Southern gentleman of the
"a school. who fought in the bloody
conflict of the sixties, has llved TO see
his own son take up arms IN defense
of liberty and freedom against the
wreed and aggression of the hungry
Hun. When the recent call to arms
was sounded he crossed the broad Al
lantic and together with many cholce
opd noble spirits reported to the
Land of Lafayette as ready TO make
tba supreme sacrifice for the cause
of humanity. 1t gives me pleasure
70 nresent to you the Honorable wal
ter A Harris, formerly commanding
General of the 61st brigade, of our
avn Dixie division"
General Harris, who spoke clearly
and rapidlv, consumed about thirty
,a;n,1tes in his address, and made
5;stinct impression upon his nearer
Ho beqan by saying that although
6ftv.fye years had elapsed since the
nh nIo:e Of the struggle between the
states stofe he had no patience with those
who % were bold enough to say s = that tt the e
80 for .he observance IF Memorial
natl has psssed. 1t is wrong, ne de-
cIayyed. Jay d. 10 forget the glories of the
Tonfederacy in the effort to more
'.,,,aiv cement our already united
count country. He then passed 3r on rapidly tRs
10 events that have convulsed me ne
ssEad his fearers who among them
ronid sonTi forget the events Of two years
ngges,sing ngo, mss toward the channel ports in
France, when the Allied defence OF OF
Frsnce and England had crumbled
Enotb Eranof R tbe most powerful artillery
gre then known to the whole world,
- force so great as never had been
Sresmed came of to that time; with Rus
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