Banner-Watchman, Athens, Georgia, Tuesday, August 4, 1885
REUNION AT HOMER
Last Friday, the 31st ult. [July], twas the day set apart for the soldiers'
reunion. The people began to come in from all parts of the country at an early hour, and by 10 o'
clock the town was full of people anxious to witness the reunion ceremonies. At 11 o'
clock all the surviving soldiers of the Confederate army who entered the service from Banks county were requested to form into a line on the public square and march to the court house.
On motion of M.L. McDonald, Wm. M. Ash was called to the chair and Dr. V.D. Lockhart elected secretary.
Mr. Ash explained the object of the meeting in a few appropriate remarks, and on motion of Capt. D.G. Candler, the roll of the Banks County Guards was called. Present: Capt. D.G. Candler, J.C. Allan, W.M. Ash, M.L. McDonald, J.A. Richey, Simeon Wilbanks, J.T. Cox, John Sanders.
Capt. Candler displayed the old original flag of the Banks County Guards, presented to the company by the ladies of Homer, at its organization in 1861; also the flag presented to the company by Mrs. Robinson, of Savannah. He entertained the audience by a happy nad well-timed speech of some 15 or 20 minutes, alluding to the organization and services of the company during the war, and the heroic self-denial and patience of the women of the south during that trying period. Col. A.D. Candler followed, with an eloquent and feeling address, which was listened to with the utmost attention. The following is a brief synopsis of the Colonel'
s speech:
'
Fellow Citizens, Ladies and Gentlement and Comrades: My venerable father [Capt. D.G. Candler] has just told you that it was in 1862 he left this town and entered the service of the Southern Confederacy. It was in 1861, and I followed in 1862. He was always a younger man than his son; he was always ahead of me; he went everywhere first; (laughter) we disagreed in politics; he was a '
fire eater.'
I was more conservative, more timorous, and therefore more slow to enter the service. We are met to perpetuate the memory of those who died in the struggle for southern independence. The history of the world is the history of great wars and great men [newspaper page is crinkled here, thus unreadable] ... who gave themselves up as a sacrifice to maintain certain principles. The names of Caesar, Alexander, Washington have passed into history and become household words. The memory of these great men will live forever. General Grant'
s remains now lie in state at Mount McGregor, that a nation may pay fitting tribute to his distinguished services ad a soldier. The crowned heads of Europe are now sending telegrams of condolence to his family. I thank God that we, too, can do honor to his memory. Not long since I stood in the Corcoran art gallery, the finest collection of statuary, paintings and other works of art on the American continent. There were statues of Moses, Caesar, Alexander, Coliquata, Washington, General Grant and many other distinguished men once familiar to us, and just opposite, in another department, stood magnificent paintings of Gen. Lee and Stonewall Jackson with others. I thanked God that prejudice has been so buried in the hearts of our northern brethren that they were willing to honor and perpetuate the memory of these great men so dear to southern people. The great mass of people at the north never apply the offensive epithet '
rebel'
to the southern people now. They believe we were sincere. The world must admit it.['
]
The Colonel said he did not wish to make a set speech. He thought these meetings should be the soldiers'
love feast; he wanted to hear those old soldiers who stood by him in so man[y] hard-fought battles, and endured so many privations and hardships with him in the army. He alluded to the terrible march of Sherman'
s army through Georgia, and the untold suffering which followed, and related several incidents illustrating the starved and broken troops at Vicksburg and other places. He related that [he] himself and a few of his men were once cut off without supplies, near Vicksburg, and bought a few pies from some boys, beef pies, they called them, and after they had eaten them with great relish, for they were very hungry, they heard the boys quarreling in the bushes nearby. One said, '
Jim, give me my money here, confound you.'
The other replied, but what he said was not understood. Again came the demand:
'
Jim, give me my money, G___d durn you. You know half them puppies was mine!'
'
Been eating puppy pie, you see; and it beat no rations to death.'
[Immense laughter.]
He would have a monument erected to the memory of these brave men. He was ready to contribute fifty dollars towards it, in order that their names might be engraved thereon, and their memory perpetuated forever.
Dr. A.D. Chenault being called for, responded in his usual happy style, entertaining the audience for some 20 minutes, after which the meeting adjourned for dinner.
After dinner Dr. V.D. Lockhart was chosen permanent secretary of the reunion association, and the work of completing the rolls of all survivors was gone into.
The following committee was appointed to assist the secretary, and to report the names of all survivors by the next reunion: R.L. Hooper, J.E. Strange, Wm. H. Meeks, T.F. Hill, James Acrey, Jobe Brock, N.J. Langston, T.A. Carlin, R.A. Means, A.G. Bowden, J.L. Cartledge, M.L. McDonald.
Capt. D.G. Candler offered the following resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That Col. E.M. Butt, of the 2d Georgia Regiment, be requested to order a reunion of said regiment, to meet at New Holland Springs at such time next summer as he may select.
The 31st of July, 1886, was chosen as the time for the next reunion. M.L. McDonald, Wm. Bolling, N.J. Langston, W.H. Meeks and T.F. Hill were appointed a committee of arrangements.
Wm. M. Ash was chosen permanent chairman.
On motion the chair appointed the following committee to solicit subscriptions for the purpose of erecting a soldier'
s monument, M.L. McDonald, J.C. Allen, T.F. Hill, J.E. Strange and B.F. Suddeth.
On motion the Eagle and Press and Banner-Watchman [newspapers, italics mine] were requested to publish these proceedings with the following names of survivors:
1st Ga., Co. A, Captain Duke, Jas. A. Hill, Hambleton Bolling, P.A. Waters, A.L. Griffin, W.R. Walker, Wm. King.
24th Ga., Co. A. R.L. Hooper, Wm. Bolling, W.H. Meeks, F.F. Cape, Wm. J. Mize, Robt. Hambrick, John T. Looney, John E. Stange, Wm. Hambrick, W.D. Hix, B.T. Smith, Wm. R. Aaron, John Sanders, Manley Lawrence, W.W. Barnes, Manley Lawrence, W.W. Barnes, D.J. Murray, Harris Stowe, E. Seegars, T.C. Oliver, Thos. Jordan, F.M. Jordan, A.M. Ricker, Moses Hyder, J.C. Wade, George S. Smith, T.A. Mays.
43d Ga., Co. D. T.F. Hill, Jas. Acrey, Jobe Brock.
29th Ga., Co. B. Capt. John J. Owen, R.A. Means, W.J. Langstan, John M. Norwood, T.A. Carlin, J.B. Gillespie, J.G. Bellamy, W.C. Chatham, T.C. Westbrooks.
1st Ga. State Troops, Jas. S. Conley.
Transcribed by EBM from microfilm of the Banner-Watchman newspaper at the Athens-Clarke County Library Heritage Room, Athens, GA, Oct. 2004.
