The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, November 24, 1916, U.D.C. EDITION, PART II Pages 9 to 16, Page 13, Image 13
Tribute to the
Private Soldier
"Full many a flower is born to
blush unseen, and waste its sweetness
on the desert airr" is an old but trite
saying, and can very appropriately be
applied to the private soldier of the
army of the Confederates States.
Historians, from the days of Herodotus,
the father of history, down to
the present time, are lavish in their
praise of commanding generals ot
armies, and admirals of fleets, and
their names have come down from
geaeration to generation wreathed
with garlands as a token of the esteem
in which they were held by their
country in saving it from being overrun
by a vandal foe. This is all right
and proper and we would not pluck
one feather from their plume or detract
one single iota from their wellearned
"sours" vpt fVlA nriuotn
dier, who by his undaunted courage
and unswering obedience to his superiors
in command, made it possible
for the names of these commanders
to come to us crowned with glory, has
gone unhonored and unsung, with no
monument erected over his grave or
no page in history inscribed to his
memory except in a few instances,
and then for some extraordinary act
of daring or heroism.
No one today can tell the name of
a single private of the three hundred
Spartans under Leonidas who fought
in the famous battle of Thermopylae;
in the great naval battle of Salamis
where the Grecian triremes complete*
ly destroyed the navy of the Persians
and saved their country from being
wiped off the political may, only the
commanders are mentioned by name
by historians. Who today can call the
name of a single private of that in- I
vincible body of soldiers composing
the 10th Legion of Caesar's army?
The same is true' of the private sol- j
dier who fought under Marel, Peter
the Great, Napoleon and Wellington.
It may be said, and with some show
of truth, that the privates of most of
inese generals were but hirelings and
in the army for an occupation?be 0
that as it may nevertheless, had it u
not been for the privates with their t
cross bows at Hasting, Anglo-Saxon f
civilization might never have been ,
realized, and today, but for the bravery
ef the privates at the battle of
Tours, the hordes of the great Pro- j.
phet might be roaming over all South- s
ern Europe. P
But why go back to the old world? ,s
The same is true of our own country [e
and present time. Historians have h
followed the same trail in recording d
the battles of the War of Secession, r
The men on the firing line that made a
a Robt. E. Lee, a Stonewall Jackson, t
a Wade Hampton, and all the galaxy e
of Confederate generals a possibility, p
are rarely mentioned by name, and the a
only preservation of their individual- t
ity is and will be traditional. Cer- d
tanly if ever men fought for a prin- f
ciple that was right or they thought
to be right, and on which they staked d
everything, it was the Confederate r
private?men of affluence, and men i,
of small means, men with families and I
unmarried men, at me nrst Dugie call t
te arms, shouldered their muskets, ^
marched to the front and fought side d
by side in many a bloody fray. No t
caste there cut a common cause, the r
men of affluence abandoning his life r
of ease, buckling on the accoutrements a
of a private soldier went cheerfully j
to the front knowing it meant a life s
of hardship, privations and probably s
death on the battlefield or in some r
hospital. The man with small means e
or possibly none at all, with a like de- t
votion to his country, bade his wife f
and children good-bye, possibly feeling v
it would be forever, and leaving them a
without any visible means of support,
as his own pittances of pay would be r
only $11.00 a month in a depreciated v
^ currency, went to the front with a de- t
termination to do his duty wherever t
and whenever called upon. Surely e
men like these could not be classed as a
hirelings, and fighting for the money
they received as pay. Towards the
latter part of the war one month's (
pay was hardly sufficient to buy a r
pair of shoes, and most of their clothing
came from home, the handiwork
of their iwives, mothers or sisters,
having spun, woven and tailored these 1
garments. Rations at times had to be
supplemented from this small pay by
purchasing food. No, it was not money
he was fighting for, but as patriots
ia the highest conception of the term.
His uncomplaining endurance of the* r
privations and hardships on the march,
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CAPT. A. H. FOSTER, i
Captain Morgan Light Infantry (
Became Later Ranking Captain of i
the Palmetto Sharpshooters.
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JNION COUNTY CONFEDERATE
MONUMENT.
Erected in 1907 A. D. Located on
Main Street, Nearly in Front
of the Courthouse.
It is 32 feet in height, with a base
f 9x9 feet. The cost wag $Z,000. The
inveiling was in July of 1907, and was
he tribute to our Confederate dead
rom the loyal women of the county,
ed by Mrs. B. G. Clifford.
n battle or around the camp fire, has
eldom been equalled and never surpassed
by any army at any tiipe. Deertions
were few, even though the
nemy had overrun the section where
ie lived and devastated his home and
lestroye4 his property, yet he still re
riHinea wnere auty caned nim without
. murmur, hoping against hope that
he day would yet come when he would
njoy to the full the fruition of the
irinciples for which he was fighting
ind preferring to die on the afield of
attle than return home disgraced and
lishonored by deserting his flag in the
ace of the enemy.
When the end came on that fateful
lay, the 9th of April, 1865, the few
emaining stacked their arms in obedence
to their beloved leader, R. E.
ax, and began to wend their way
o their homes to meet loved ones.
The manner in which they brought orler
out of confusion in rehabilitating
heir homes and making the places in
uin to spring up and blossom like the
ose, showed to the world the kind of
tuff the privates of the Confederat6
irmy were made of, and certainly deerves
to be held in remembrance in
ome way. The dust of many that
lever came back again is deposited on
very battlefield from the Potomac to
he Rio Grande, who died unknown to
ame, and may have been worthy to
year the white plume of a Navarre
,nd, although no granite shaft or marie
shab marks their final resting
lace, and history has no page on
vhich their names are recorded?
heir bravery on the field of battle,
heir hardships and sufferings are
ternal monuments to their patriotism
tnd fidelity to duty.
Chester Chapter, U. D. C.
(This paper was written for the
Chapter by a Veteran who wished his
lame withheld).
LEE'S FAREWELL ADDRESS.
leadquarters Army of Northern Virginia,
Appomattox Court House,
April 10, 1865. General Order, No.
19:
After *-?ur years of arduous service,
narked by unsurpassed courage and
ortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia
has been compelled to yield to
iverwhelming numbers and resources.
! need not tell the survivors of so
nany hard-fought battles who have
-emained steadfast to the last, that I
lave consented to this result from no
listrust of them, but feeling that
ralor and devotion could accomplish
lothing that would compensate for
he loss that must have attended a
ontinuance of the contest, I deternined
to avoid the useless sacrifice
if those whose past services have enleared
them to their contrymen. By
he terms of the agreement, officers
ind men can return to their homes
tnd remain until exchanged. You
vill take with you the satisfaction
hat proceeds from the consciousness
if duty well performed, and I earlestly
pray that a merciful God will
txtend to you His blessing and proection.
With an unceasing admiraion
of your constancy and devotion
,o your country, and a grateful renembrance
of your kind and generous
onsideration for myself, I bid you
in affectionate farewell.
ft. E. Lee.
WOMEN OF THE SIXTIES, OR
HEROS AND HEROINES
(Miss Virginia Durant)
From time immemorial women have
. stood shoulder to shoulder with men,
quietly with unassuming modesty
bearing their share of the burdens and
joys of life, and essential and indis;
pensable help, and when the war
I clouds of the sixties loomed heaviest
\ the women then were no exception.
I When the call came, "Forward, march,
j men to the front!" there was no
flinching. But the greater glory of
j those days have gone to the one who
shouldered the gun, in song and story
i nor would we rob them of one iota
of praise.
But think for a minute and you can
easily conceive, it was the stay-athomes
who had the hardest burdens
to bear. Sleeping and waking the
awful ness of losing those dearest
were ever before them. Anxious fori
news of the battle yet dreading to i
hear, working, waiting, watching with '
no idea of shirking or shrinking from
their portion of the horrors of war. St.
the men at the front, they had the excitement
to carry them through, ann
it was shoot or be shot, march, march
till ready to drop from exhaustion and
then oblivious, lost in sleep or death.
But what of the wife, mother and
sweetheart with vivid imagination and
ever present sorrow and work? It is
a tie as to the greatest, the hero or
the heroine. Let us give to each their
first dues and accord them their nlneo
in the annals of great deeds, and the
history of the nations.
A few women stand out prominently
before us, and have ever been
spoken of severely and proclaimed as
heroines, their wonderful endurance
and great courape bespeakinp for
them the admiration of all?but why
discriminate theirs were the opportunity
and the ability to seize it, but
preat, too, was the battle fought at
home, starvation stared many in the
face. Think what a combination fear,
work, worry and starvation. It isn't
any wonder that heads turn white and
shoulders were bowed, and yet what
courape was theirs, husbands, brothers
and sweetheart were sent to the
front and cheered on their way. The
finger of scorn must not be pointed at
their men folks. It was not to be
thought of for a minute, cowardice
was a word unknown in their lexicon.
Words fail me in expressing what
,- - '."" MB
x' >(^v. ^ . :oA^^ ' ' 1V\.
CAPT. J. M. GADBERRY.
Afterwards Colonel of the 18th S.
C. V. Killed at Second Battle of
Manassas and while leading a charge.
Buried in Presbyterian cemetery, Union,
S. C. Was first captain who went
as a volunteer from Union District.
life must have been in those days.
Hands unaccustomed to toil, found
work and did it cheerfully. For wasn't
it a great cause we were fighting for?
And anything and everything possible
was done to cheer on the loved
ones and have success perch on our
banner. So many homes were made
desolate, not even one dear soldier
to returrf at the end of the struggle.
Truly the women gave their all, and 5
became heroines in giving. So great
was their faith in the "Giver of gifts" |
jinn inai justice won in iriumpn, mat
the greatest burdens were eagerly and
patiently borne. One stands in awe
at the picture brought before us, our
patriotism soars and knows no bounds,
when we realize our debt to father,
mother, brother, sister and sweetheart
who labored and fought so bravely for
liberty. And though the North won
-?their numbers having tribled the
men?it was not a lost cause to us.
Though our banner is furled, ours is
the privilege of keeping first the memory
of the sixties, and right gladly,
we assume the task, counting it a privilege
indeed. The truth shall be
taught and Dixie's flag, along with the
Stars and Stripes shall ever more
wave over the land of the free, and
the home of the brave.
Fairfax Chapter.
^
GETTING HIS UMBRELLA. I
"I got an umbrella back the other
day." I
"How was that?" 0
"I borrowed it from a man who bor
rowed it from a man who borrowed it E
from me."?Kansas City Journal. Si
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DAU<
OF THE
..WE
Ju^t as dear 1
cause you repr
ideal of our busi
is to maintain ;
everv tfonrl
supply every ne
or anxiety. Tha
approximated t'
the fadt that
friends and patn
full and pain^ta
county to a grec
And by the fi
ceded, that no
^tock of good th
assembled in an
we offer con^t;
patrons.
Coupled with
assortment and
to eat for all oc
excelled &ore 5
tention to ever
?
whether your
we have a warr
Don't forget c
service fir^t, an
can depend on
prices at our ^tc
Daughters of
emphasizing 01
your Hostess w
y
The be^t city
the be^t grocer
you welcome E
eracy.
The Unic
Home ol
Phones 100 and 80
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GHTE
CONFEDERAI
LCOMEI
:o our hearts as
j ?
esent is to yot
mess existence,
a place of supj
ess for every oc<
;ed, without un(
t we have in c
his ideal is te^t:
we number ai
rns pradtically e~
Lking housekeep
iter or lesser ex
urther fad; that
better or more
ings to eat has
- -
y Store in this ;
antly to our fr
this practically
variety of the b
:casions, we fu
service and cou
y patron, old <
vants are large
n welcome for c
>ur motto is qi
d if it is good t
getting it at i
>re.
the Confederac
1T* K
JLX YY U
ith the be# in c
of size in the
i #ore in tha
)aughters of th
>n Grocei
i Good Things to E
L. I
RS I
CY
P
I
; the great I
irs, is the |
And that
)ly where
:asion can
lue worry
i measure
ified to in
mong our
very career
in this
tent.
it is concomplete
ever been
3tate than
iends and
unlimited
e^t things
irnish unrteous
ator
young,
5 or small,
ill
jality and
o pot vnn
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reasonable I
y, we are I
y serving I
air shop. I
world and I
t city bids I
le Confed- I
ry C#.
at
- Wagnon, Mgr.
*