Newspaper Page Text
(Written for the Georgia Weekly)
GOOD-BYE.
Deab Weekly,-—Give us a small
space in your columns to describe a
scene we have just witnessed. We
allude to the exodus of the Echofe
>Guards*#rom out midst. For weeks
past, our boys have been expecting
“ marching orders.”
The mania of the North to shed
Southern blood had increased; and
the time for those who had volunteer
ed to defend, their country from the
polluting tread of the invader, to pro
nounce the Words Good-Bye, arrived.
I have, seen the mother and sister, by
every act of kindness they could think
of, preparing the son and brother for
the battle field, and often the tears,
unbidden,'coursed each other down
their pale cheeks. Like the mighty
Mississippi moving on in majestic gran
deur to its home in the ocean, but as
noiseless as the grave, so was the
current of feeling underneath those
cheeks , and tears. Prompted by a
resolution as unshaken as the rock of
Gibraltar by the ocean’s wave, the
loved one was uniformed and equipped
for the battle field while no words of
complaint were uttered. On the 23d
•day of May, 1861—a da;p memorable
in the history of Merriwether' County
—we left home early in the morning,
with one who was a member bf the
Echols Guards, to go to the town of
Greenville, to tell our friends of that
-Company good-bye. When we arrived
in town, many of the boys wer£ al
ready off, and on their way to Grant
ville, where they expected to take a
.train provided for their special accom
modation, that would convey them in
“double quick” the. seat of
war in Virginia. But mapy oY them
were still rfiere, and we enjoyed the
painful pleasure of shaking their
hands, them a (it maybe)
final adieu. When we arrived in sight
we saw the street crowded with' ve
hicles, and men, and every adjacent
portico crowded with gentlemen and
ladies, young and old, together with
little boys and girls. All had assem
bled to take leave of those whom they
might never behold again. There
evidently the same mighty feeling
underneath pale countenances, and
cheeks suffused with tears. We saw
brothers. faV* tjaeja: -aHfe.
sawiatner wfid son take' s tfif 7 parting
hand. But no words of discourage
ment escaped the lips of those who
were left behind. It was a sgene
worthy the attention of Heaven. }Ve
thought as we gazed upon it of all the
horrors of war—of cities sacked and
left desolate; of mothers weeping jtor
their sons because they were-not;.-g,nd
we thought while we have such men
as these—men of suds high to'rfc;
“men whose hearts electrie charged'
with fire from heaven,” to defend quf ■
country’s ' honor, we can defy tfeue
world in arms. Well may young la
dies of Afer/iwether exclaim,
every member of the Eghols Guards.
When we reflect is
spewing out 4§. demireps, the rag
muffins of alms Louses* Idle street
cleaners all mustering interne infa
mous horde with “ Beauty & Booty,”
inscribed on their banners, to pollute
Southern soil by their poisonous touch.
Set on by men whose only motto is,
“ Vengeance,” because, we of the 1
South will not remain as hewers of
wood, and drawers of water for them.
But we may say let this motley horde
come on. We verily believe those who
set the flood tide of war in motion,
will be overwhelmed by its rebounding
fury,, and ere three years shall have
passed away, such men as Beecher,
Greeley and others, who have pervert
ed the pulpit and the press from facil
itating the march of the mind and
the advancement of Christianity to
urging men on to midnight assassina
tions, and teaching brother to imbrue
his hand in brother’s blood, will be
buried in a grave so deep, in a gulf so
black that they will be out of hearing
pf the trumpet in the morning of the
resurrection. But one thing we con
fidently may predict, and that is when
ever our boys shall meet this motley
horde, it will be a fact they will long
remember that it takes more than such
a tempest in a tea-pot aswLincoln has
raised to shake Southern resolution,
for certainly victory or total annihila
tion awaits them wherever they go.
And now they are gone let every citi
zen feel that they are objects of their'
special care. We can now and then
contribute a barrel of flour, and let
those who have left families behind
them, have no care on that account,
and while the absent are storming over
battle fields let their hearts occasion
ally leap for joy to know they have
many friends at, home whose pulses
beat in unison with theirs. And those
who love them, let them now and then
send them a billet doux on rose-tinted
paper, to show them there is room
enough on the tablet of memory
for their names, and though absent
far, they are still to memory dear.
gone where they cannot
mountimeir gallant steeds, and visit
you, at your homes. They have gone,
to shield you from the insults of those
whose banners bear the significant
motto of “Beauty & Booty.” Will
you forget them ? Your influence
may shield them from temptation of
every kind, and cause them to return,
the very soul of honor, from the tempta
tions of military life.
Willing.
(Written for the Georgia Weekly.)
THE DEPARTURE OF THE ECHOLS
GUARDS.
In the soft grey light of the morn
ing I looked out upon our quiet village,
eie the inhabitants were astir, the
face of the glorious sun was somewhat
veiled by a few variegated clouds yet
lingering above the Eastern horizon,
which softened the brilliancy of the
rays, but soon they vanished and the
God of day his light over all
nature and made his way proudly over
the cloudless canopy of Heaven.
Notwithstanding the sky was cloudless
there seemed to be in the sunlight a
melancholy gloom, and even in the
mocking bird’s trill there was a strange
sadness. The sparkling dew-drow
falling from the bowed head of the
rose and lilly seemed to be sympa
thetic tears shed over those so soon
lo leave. At an early the friends,
and relations of the company assent-,
-hjgd around the to bio*'
adieu to the loved onesk who were "so
soon to leave us, g,nd go forth to fight
our-oountry’s battles, !tnd.to stand be
twesh us and can.fail
to loffe those I trust there
beats no heart scucofely. in our South
fern „ clime, wlrose warmest emotions
are ritft at once calletf forth by such a
scene.
As we witnessed the approach of
each groop we were struck with the
and chastened look of each
countenance—xvkich' is the true talis
man of the „Keais. None seemed to
I have come for mere idle curiosity, but
i all hearts were touched and \beat in
irtlTliwilWiWllMt 11 looked over
[ and mournful assemblage, I fc-lt at
j tim.es as if every pulse of my heart
Were being sevyed-—for I remembered
that I too h£ti Vtojpd 'ones in that noble
band, yea, as dear to, me as a child, it
seemed —and it appeared as if it
would be impossible for me to nerve
. myself to say the last fareicell —but
:it must be so, and we should not
-permit our affections to overcome our
better judgment, yield a
willing submission to the call of'our
beloved country. ***|
Touching indeed ttas a little scene
that occurred near me. A family ser
vant who was his young
masters to, the battle field came nqap
us, andliis young mistress asked litre
to take good care oL» her husfand
while away. He instantly replied
with great emotion, which he made an
effort to conceal, “ Yes marm I will
for I do not look upon them as my mas
ters but as my own children , and will
take good care of them ; and now mis
tress lam going to leave my family in
your hands and I know you will take
good care of them—let me beg of you,
when you your husband, write
a message to me from my dear wife.”
Think you %ny friends that the
feigned sympathies of the “ poor op
pressed slaves ” (as they are termed)
could be made to believe that sucli love
and fidelity reignedTiPthe heart of a
servant towards the children of his
[ master? Nay, for they would be ready
to exclaim at once-—not so —“ No
good can come out of Nazareth.”
Could they, for one moment, have the
generous blood of a Southerner course
their veins, I dare say they would be
; more charitable in their views and their
hearts would expand a little, that is,
if they have not been contracted too
long to admit of expansion. I fear
it would be rather hazardous, and the
operation would be comparable to the
“ putting of new wine into old bottles”
—the result would be their destruc
tion.
Jlut to the scene of sadness again.
The time has now arrived for the last
farewell. The father whose love is
like a root grown in a rifted rock, can
abide the tempest —he has prayed to
God to nerve him for this stern con
flict ; in obedience to duty he calmly
rises and clasps the hand of his fair
and noble boy, and bids him God
speed! Down his furrowed cheek
trickles the tear of affection —how
touchingly eloquent the tears of a
father ! Although stouter and harder
THE GEORGIA WEEKLY.
hearts may contemptuously term it a
“womanly weakness" we admire it and
deem it no mark of cowardice even in
the 'tier, butom the other
hand a proof of rerf&c faint i wart
anfl lend*. =«nsibilitieß.
Next comes the motner
love there is more ten4erness; the
thousand chqrjrts woven with every
fibre of her heaft, complain, like deli
cate harp-strings, at a breath. With
impassioned grief she clasps her pre
cious son (perhaps her only one) to
her almost crushed heart to bid him
adieu, perhaps forever. What but the
grace of God in the heart of a mother
could nerve her for the trials 6f such
amhaur as this ?
Th’e husband, with unfaltering step,
approaches a group of lovely little
children surrounding their mother; he
clasps his wife to his to
whom his affections were plighted in
youth, and whom at the bridal altar he
pledged himself to protect, has now
to be torn from his happy fireside Lnd
meet an unprovoked enetn-y in order
to accomplish it. Was there ever a
.dee<Lyjuate .noble-? Sisters bestow
farewell caresses and and kisses on
their much loved brothers bid
them forget them not. Frieridflbids
adieu to friend, and the scene is al
most closed. Think not kind friend
of the Emerald Isle, that no one sheds
a tear for thee—for we love you all—
and you have our tears and sympa
thies—although you came from a for
.eign Jand you are identified with a
magnanimous and kind-JieartecLpeople.
You" are now going to fight with our
'own brave sons to defend our country
ajid.yoiishare liberally
in our tears of'sympathy.
Members of the Echols Guards,
we speed you on to; the battle,I'’ 1 '’ we’
feel proud that our county-'can send
forth*so' gallant and noble a band of
brothers and soldiers. Lincoln, with
all his fanatical host, cfiin iever con
quer an army composed- of as brave
a band as constitutes »our Southern
army.
0 may our Heavenly Father shield
and protect you from every evil. May
He be to you as “a pillar of cloud
by day and a pillar of fire by night.”
And while in combat with the enemy
may His omnipotent hand support-you
and being you out
ors in the end. But should you( fall
(Heaven forbid) may He be your rod
and staff through the dark valley—
and a heavenly radiance overshadow
you, and in Heaven may He receive
you to spend an eternity with the
beautiful host that now surrounds the
throne of the Eternal.
I deem it not improper to say in
conclusion that our Villagers Were re
quested yqsterday to meet at night at
the church. The melancholy tones
of the village church bell seemed to
call forth an irresistible sigh,
taneous with the-sigh,-thfe question was
askedyqe by one of the soldiers who
liud. b?fen alfiOjT my household for
serial yearsOtf'When shall I ever
hear that bell again?”
However mournful the sound, the
%in£imOns was readily obeyed and the
church, at an early hour, was full.
After aiq able and feeling prayer,
one of our ministers delivered a sol
emn, impressive and appropriate vale
dictory address to the Echols Guards
—at the close of which he called upon
the Captain to pray, who at once knelt
and after praying for the whole hu
man family as a mass, he invoked the
special blessings of on liis
Company'.
A praying Captain! Is there not
something noble in the thought ?
Pious mothers, who have' seffis in this
Compqnyr,«although you may regret
that they are thrown out from home
influence remember they have a pray
ing Captain for a Pilot. 0,. Low ab
surd the idea which some persons have,
that a Minister of the GospePshould
have nothing to do with military affairs
—would that every Captain belonging
to the Southern army were ministers,
for if they can act as our guides in
protecting our souls from the attack
of the enemy, it certainly is commend
able in them to assist in protecting
our homos and our bodies.
And may God grant the speedy res
toration of peace to our distracted
country; and may the Confederate
banner wave in triumph through every
battle, and ere long may we hear, as
it were, the voice of Jehovah, saying,
“ Peace, be Still."
The cloud that is now waving omin
ously over our country would be dis
pelled, the turbulent waves would
cease their raging, and this, our beloved
land, would be as calm and peaceful
as were the waves of the sea of
Galilee. ' Philos.
Greenville, May 23rf, 1861.
fiSfurgia ffeliltj.
WEDNESDAY, jIJNE 5.
BE PATIENT.
Much impatience is manifested m
our people In waiting for the first
grand struggle, with which the war of
“ subjugation ” will probably open.
To all we say, bo patient.
The interests involved upon either
side of the fratricidal war the North
has forced upon us, are too miglftptto |
be imperiled by any rash ac tj|*' undue
haste. The result of the ‘ffiat-great
battle may produce a
plete change in the political P&TiZon,
both of Europe and Americans. The
North is well aware that a sewous de
feat at the onset will throw*upon our
side the whole interested Sympathy,
and perhaps open support of England,
France and Spain. The half de
clared recognition of the first of these
powers, has already seriously bewil
dered the Washington Administration;
and as Seward has menaced all recog
nizing powers with war, he, with the
tool and fool, Lincoln, must needs
tread gingerly amid his diplomatic
eggs, or they will be crushed even be
fore the artificial heat of the flag furor
can hatch them.
Defeat to our arms, though by no
means fatal to our cause, would be a
grave impedient to our speedy success,
and to a quick termination of Lin
coln’s policy of invasion. “It is the
first step that tells,” says the French
proverb, and our sagacious leaders,
now in Richmond, know it well.
From our exchanges we learn that
even the miserable little Government
of Mexico, is very shy of Mr. Cor-”
win, the Black Republican minister
to that effete republic. Mexico hesi
tates to conclude a treaty with the
United States lest the new-born nation
upon lffer borders shall be made a for
midable and vindictive neighbor by a
single stroke of the pen. “ Let us be
very careful,” say the public prints
of Mexico, “ how we refuse to recog
nize the independence of the Confed
erate States, who certainly are a match
for the North.” No doubt Mexico
well remembers that she was van
quished by Southern and not North
ern prowess in 1846-’47, especially
Mexican people than all of Scott’s
victories combined.
At present the war is assuming such
gigantic proportions that the whole
world pauses to watch the progress of
events. The longer the delay the
more momentous the interests involved,
and already the immense pressure
upon, the commercial and mercantile
portion of the North is beginning to
open Northern eyes, to the significant
fact, that' the South is resolved to be
exterminated before being subdued.
The power put in motion by the North
is like the' preparation for fight of a
gladiator who has but one or two blows
to deal. If they fail the gladiator
must retreat from the arena. On the
other hand the power of the South is
v - r
but beginning.to be aroused, and if
checked at one place will leap forth
redoubled at a thousand others.
'Again we say—Be Patient.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS.
On Saturday, the 17th inst., we
visited the White Sulphur Springs,
Messrs. M. R. Marks & Bro., Pro
prietors, and were received and treated
by those gentleman with all of their
well known urbanity and hospitality.
It was -..otir first visit to the Springs,
and We Were most agreeably surprised
to find everything connected with the
establishment vicing in finish, comfort,
luxury and accommodation with any
of the boasted * watering places” of
the lately patronized North. We
found plenty of amusements provided
for the guests, should leisure time pall
on satiated appetite, such as Bowling
Alleys, Billiard Rooms, Swings,
Chasers, a superb Ball Room, &c., &c.
If any of our readers of Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi,, Arkansas, Tex
as, Florida, South Carolina, North
Carolina and Louisiana—and we-have
them, thank patronage! in all of these
States—regret the civil, war because
it cuts them off from Newport, <jfrsSir
atoga, or Niagara, or Nahant, or the
White Mountains, or any other Yankee
Trap for Southern Dollars*,) we advise
them to crush all gpef and* hasten to
appreciate this South excels
in Springs as well fai jn Statesmen.
Let them encourage and frequeat
the watering places of their own soil,
and spend their m®ney at home, for
every dollar to the enemy goes to
forge a link in chan of sub
jugation.
While at the White SVphdr we saw
a parade of the Hfettte Guards, (Mr.
Marks, Sr., commanding) every mem
ber of which is rapidly becoming a
well drilled soldier. Double barreled
guns and revolvers are the
of the Home Guards. Said Captain
Marks to ns, “jdie dtfublc-barrelled
gun is'my weapon unw; for
with it noble JaesSib, of Virginia,
slew the braggat Ellsworth!” A
good reason, truly; shhjo that one
deed was more to the cause of die
South than tho death of a thousand
of the so-called Zouaves.
Another company, for war-long ser
vice, is being raised at' the Springs,
men who cannot leave
solemnly pledged to
go, after the expiration of a certain
time. a
We shalf long remember our visit
to the White Sulphur Springs as hav
ing been 91*9 of the most pleasant days
of our lira*
jfgy- The following letter, with most
responsible name attached, was re
ceived by us last week, and we place
it before our readers of the county,
that they may be ready and then act:
Wolf Out.
Mr. Editor : We learn there was a
man arrested last week in the Ist
District for misdemeanor. The proper
authorities brought him to trial, and
after hearing all the evidence and cir
cumstances connected with the case,
the court found him guilty ; not being
satisfied under the excitement of the
times, whether the case was bailable
or not, they committed him to jail <t>
Since’ that time, higher authorities
have taken the matter in hand, and
released the prisoner from custody, for
the want of evidence to sustain the
charge. We heard the evidence given
in by Messrs. 11. Revill and Snelsoh,
stating that the prisoner Was Klring a
negro to steal bacon and.eggs for him.
If these are not sufficient charges to
convict- a man of a violation of the
laws of our country, then we ask the
higher authorities, to state what are,
as we are ignorant of the laws. We
could name several other cases of a
similar character, sent off from the
Ist District, w hich have received no.or
but little attention from the courts
above. The Ist District has been
stigmatized for its ignorance and row
dyism ; andit seems likeitjs to be Kept
so, by lettingthe offendersat la£ge,
unpunished, ami still remain--,aipmigst
us: Yet we have afremefly'left us, to
which we will have ti> resort, for our
oivn security and safety, if the Supe
rior and Inferior Courts refuse longer ,
"ffHtrtrf'il.i ih suppressing evil anil im
morality. Dark Corner.
May 18, 1861. -V*
kWe take this oppor
tunity to call serious attention to the
fact, .that if the North has no paid
correspondents.and stipendarian spies
among US, she -certainly has indirect
and secret supporters. Unfortunate
ly we are unable to put our hand upon
any one of these pestilential jackals,
and it is every citizen’s duty to be un
ceasingly vigilant.
Again,- we know of numerous in
stances in which the negroes or this
town and county have been, of late,
exceedingly impertinent, unruly and
insolent. Within two weeks we know
of two instances in which slaves have
beaten their owners—a negro strikes
white men, a negress severely beats
her mistress. We hold ourselves to be
as thoroughly acquainted with negro
character as any man, and affirm, our
entire mistrust es the prevailing cus
tom of allowing slaves almost unre
strained liberty to go and come, and
to say and do, as they please within
this vicinage. In time of peace we
would say of it—let every slave
owner please himself, but at this time,
in the midst of civil war, which yearns
to iftsite servile war, we deem it the
duty of the community to take these
matters seriously and severely in
hand. Our existing patrol service is
an absurdity. There should be a
nightly town patrol and a mounted
county-patrol ' We respectfully call
the attention of our Honorable Infe
rior Court to the subject.
It is selfish to say, “ I patrol my
owngrbunds—letotherjdo the sanap;”
for it is natural for every owner to
place more confidence in his own ne
groes than in the slaves of others.
We do not fear the bug-bear of a
general insurrection—we deem that
absurd and impossible. But we do
fear individual outbreaks among a
population where too much individual
freedom is allowed.
Let every man look to it, lest we
may be forced to chronicle sojse ter
rible and sudden deed of slaye vio
lence ; for when negroes-begin to pass
from obedience to impertinence, from
impertinence to insolence, from inso
lence to blows, we shall soon see the
clintttx of insubordination capped by
bloody murder.
The negroes need a warning, and
from what we in possession of, we are
led to fear that unless constituted au
thority steps forward—we leave the
reader to draw his own inference.
ffigy Thursday, the iijtl) Inst., hav
ing been appolhted by the President
of the Confederate States of Amarica
as a day of humiliation and prayer,
the attention of all Christian denom
inations, and of the community at
large, is earnestly directed to the an
nouncement of Divine Service, on that
occasion, at tlm Methodist Church.
Professing to Christian people,
let us humbly make our acknowledge
ments to the Great Ruler above, who
is no less the source of our temporal
'blessings than of our spiritual privi
leges—devoutly invoke his special
guidance through our present difficul
ties and safe deliverence from the cal
amities of war and bloodshed. Be
lieving our cause to be just and right
eous, let us not fail, while our patriot
sons are so nobly vindicating it upon
the field, to remember them at the
throne of Heavenly Grace.
The Warm Springs.
We call attention to the advertise
ment of Mr. Mustian, Proprietor of
the Warm Springs.
One good effect of the present war
will be to force our citizens to patron
ize our Southern watering places.
We wonder they have not done so be
fore ; for they would be nearer home,
and not be exposed to being fleeced by
Yankee Humbugs generally.
Reinforcements.
As the departure of • the Echols
Guards was as hasty as possible, from
th'e eagerness of our brave boys to be
in the first of the fight, the ranks were
not filled to the highest number al
lowed. After his arrival at Richmond,
Va!,' Caj)t.. Howard telegraphed to
Greenville for more men, and the call
has been met by the following patriots,
who are to leave on Monday, the 10th
instant:
G. R. Moor. J. C.G. McKnight,
E. M. Anderson, P. B. F. Kempson,
A. Slaughter, Henry C. Giiimit,
A. A. Allen, C. J. Allen,
Roberts Eppinger.
We understand that several others
will accompany them—if so, we will
publish their names in our next.
Southern Cultivator.
We have received the Jufte number
of the above first class publication, to
the sterling merits of which wg have
I rcpeakodiy called the »ttentie'l#'W , GH(F ,
readers. It is published in Augusta*
Ga., by Messrs. D. Redmond & C.
W. Ho AVAR®, at the very low price of
§1 per annum.. Besides a mass of ag
ricultural and general information, it
always contains brilliant and effective
editorial matter. Eyery planter in
the South should take the Southern
Cultivator.
♦ -m* -•> m
BSP* A. Slaughter, formerly of
LaGrange, will leave for Richmond,
Va., to join the Echols Guards, in a >
few days.— LaGrange Reporter copy.
B@f” Our readers will be gratified
in reading the first letter we have had
the pleasure to receive, from our
friends among the Echols Gfuards.
At last accounts they were in
Richmond, and mustered into service.
y We copy the following family
compliment from the New Orleans
Picayune of May 25th. We had no
intention that any portion of our letter
should be published, yet as we have
been somewhat annoyed by this plump
question, “Why don’t you Volur
teer?” we quote as below from the
Picayune:
Right Spirit.
The folloAving interesting extracts
are from a letter written at Greenville,
Ga., 20th inst., by Professor William
H. Peck, who jvas formerly Professor
of Elocution and Belles Lettres in the
University of Louisiana, and is now
President of the Greenville Masonic
Female College, and editor of the
Georgia Weekly: *
“ The war-fever here is fearful, and
yet exhilarating. We have three com
panies ready to march from Green
ville, the Echols Guards, Mountain
Rangers, and Merriwether Volunteers.
I am compelled to remain here as one
off the corps de reserve. But God
knows how long I shall bo ; as noth
ing but my duties to my family, and
this years’ contracts hold me a reluc
tant spectator of the great drama now
transpiring—yet I am ready to sacri
fice all for my country’s cause.
Georgia will furnish 100,000 men,
if necessary. Should my brothers fall
.1 shall hasten to,.the field to avenge
them.”
Prof. Peck, is the son of our es
teemed fellow citizen, Col. S. H. Peck,
who served in the Mexican war. Col.
Peck has already three sons in the
Confederate States army, Capt. Ossian
Peck, of the Orleans Southerners,
now at Pensacola; Milton, Qdor-bear
er, in the same company, aiifiteßoy,
a private in the Walker InfWtry, of
Georgia, also at Pensacola. ■These
young men all show that they are
chips of the old block.— N. 0. Pica
yune. May 25 ih.