February 28, 1864
---Gen. Kilpatrick’s cavalry
raid begins as his column rides toward the southwest. His column splits as Col. Ulric Dahlgren
splits from the column and takes a wide arc to the right. There is skirmishing with guerillas along the
way, although Wade Hampton’s cavalry waiting in the wings to counterattack.
---In Kinston, North
Carolina, a sermon is preached to the Confederate soldiers of Hoke’s Brigade
(part of Pickett’s expeditionary force there) regarding the execution of 22
Tarheels captured in Federal uniform as deserters, for the crime of
treason. The sermon is delivered by Rev.
John Paris, the chaplain of the 54th North Carolina Infantry
Regiment. Following are some of the main
points of his sermon:
I do
so, not to eulogize or benefit the dead. But I do so, solely, for the benefit
of the living: and in doing so, I shall preach in my own way, and according to
my own manner, or rule. What I shall say will either be true or false. I
therefore request that you will watch me closely; weigh my arguments in the
balance of truth. . . .
Of all deserters and traitors, Judas Iscariot,
who figures in our text, is undoubtedly the most infamous, whose names have
found a place in history, either sacred or profane. No name has ever been more
execrated by mankind: and all this has been justly done.
Turning
to the history of our own country, I find written high on the scroll of infamy
the name of Benedict Arnold, who at one time stood high in the confidence of
the great and good Washington. What was his crime? Desertion and treason. He
too hoped to better his condition by selling his principles for money, to the
enemies of his country, betraying his Washington into the hands of his foes,
and committing the heaven-insulting crime of perjury before God and man. . . .
Thus, gentlemen, I have brought before you two
grand prototypes of desertion, whose names tower high over all on the scroll of
infamy. And I now lay down the Proposition, that every man who has taken up
arms in defence of his country, and basely deserts or abandons that service,
belongs in principle and practice to the family of Judas and Arnold. . . .
Many
tell us the war cloud looks dark and impenetrable to mortal vision. This is all
true. But are we not men? Have we not buckled on the armor, putting our trust
in the Lord of hosts, as the arbiter of our destiny as a nation? Shall we then
lay down our arms before we are overthrown? God forbid! Sons of Carolina, let your
battle-cry be, Onward! Onward! until victory shall crown the beautiful banner
that floats over us to-day. . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment