TAYLOR COUNTY, GA - MILITARY Confederate Monument 1910-1911 ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Carla Miles cmhistory@mchsi.com The Butler Herald November 22, 1910 Page Three To The People Of Taylor County The Daughters of the Confederacy who have been more patriotic and have done more to perpetuate the history, deeds of valor and sacrifices of the men and women of the Sixties, than all other combined agencies, come to you with a patriotic request. - That you respond to their call in liberality to assist them to pay for a marble shaft to be erected on the Court House Square in Butler, Ga., and to be unveiled April 26, 1911. Said shaft has been contracted for at a cost of $1,175.00. This shaft is to be erected in loving memory and honor of all confederate veterans, more especially to those sons of old Taylor soil who dated to do and did do at their country's bidding, the greatest feats of bravery and sacrifice which have been recorded in any nation's history. They quit their homes of peace and plenty and went to meet in deadly combat the invaders of their beloved Southland. Many dropped by the wayside, a few still abide. Counties around us and throughout the South have erected these memorials to their sons. Will old Taylor be less loving and patriotic than our neighbors around us? Nay, nay. Then we ask you to donate as God has prospered you. We have appointed Mr. A.S. Wallace to receive and receipt for any amounts, which you may donate. Mr. A.S. Wallace and others will be appointed to solicit subscriptions, but do not wait to be solicited, but forward any amount you will donate to A.S. Wallace, Secty. and Treas., Monumental Fund, Butler, Ga. Should by chance this appeal be seen any former Taylor County citizen or friends we will appreciate your donation. Help us in this cause of love and duty and we will be under obligations to you until death do us part. Daughters Of Confederacy A.S. Wallace, Secty. and Treas. The Butler Herald Tuesday, April 4, 1911 Page Three Confederate Monument to be Unveiled April 26th A handsome Confederate statuary of Italian marble, 20 feet in height, is now being erected on the courthouse grounds thru the enthusiastic spirit of the Wallace- Edwards Chapter Daughters of Confederacy. The monument was purchased sometime ago from the National Marble and Granite Co., of Marietta, Ga., who have sent here to superintend the work of erection, Mr. E.L. Brewer, formerly of the county, but now of Atlanta. The foundation for the monument is being substantially laid, it being of brick and cement 10 feet square and 4 feet from the bottom to the surface of the ground. When the work of erection is completed, which will be probably this week, the beautiful statuary will be veiled and remain so until Memorial Day, April 26th when with appropriate exercises the veiling will be removed. Rev. Solon B. Cousins, the Baptist minister of Montezuma, will be the orator of the day. The Memorial Day exercises of this year will be the most extensive since the organization of the local chapter. In fact, with the unveiling of the monument, it is expected to be a great day for Butler and Taylor County. Everybody in whose veins there is a spark of patriotism is cordially invited to be here on Wednesday the 26th and take part in the exercises sacred to the memory of the heroes of the Sixties. A program in full of the exercises of the day will be published later in these columns. The Butler Herald Tuesday, April 11, 1911 Page Three Local Paragraphs Miss Eva Rhodes, Janet Wallace, Hortense Davant and Mae Rawls will pull the cord that will unveil the Confederate monument on April 26th. The monument if now in position on the courthouse square, the beautiful statuary of a brave Confederate soldier looks with fixed eyes and an expression of satisfaction to the south. The address will be delivered by Rev. Solon B. Cousins, of Montezuma. The Butler Herald Tuesday, April 18, 1911 Page Three Program For Memorial Day Unveiling Confederate Monument - Wednesday, April 26th 1. Song, America 2. Prayer, Rev. Earl W. Anderson 3. Song 4. Delivering Crosses of Honor 5. Delivering prize for best essay 6. Song 7. Introduction of Speaker 8. Address 9. Volleys fired by the veterans 10. Unveiling Monument 11. Song, Dixie, by school 12. Decorating Soldier's Graves 13. Dinner for veterans Program subject to change. We urge all the Daughters to attend the exercises. Be sure to wear your badge; we want to make this 26th the very best we have ever had. Lets all meet at the Bowling Alley early Wednesday morning in order to make what preparations that are necessary before the exercises begin. We hope all the Daughters and as many others who can will help us honor the Old Veterans, and send a nice waiter to the Bowling Alley early Wednesday morning. The Old Veterans are fast passing away and we will not much longer have the privilege of thus honoring them. We will need from sixty to seventy-five cedar wreaths. We would be so glad to receive any help we can get. We do not want a scarcity. We trust each veteran will supply himself with an old army gun, loaded, to be used in firing the volley. We also want the veterans to give us the famous "Rebel Yell." Any assistance on any of these points that we can get will be thankfully received. The wreaths can be made the last of the week if convenient. The Daughters The Butler Herald Tuesday, April 18, 1911 Page Three Veterans, Take Notice! The boys that wore the Gray in the Sixties are requested to be present on April 26th, Memorial Day, to witness the unveiling of the Confederate monument, which has been erected in the courthouse square and is a beauty. Comrades, come prepared to make a liberal donation to help the Daughters who have labored so faithful to pay for the monument. I trust that every patriotic citizen of Taylor County will take pride and feel that it is the duty they owe to the dead heroes to help pay this debt. Our annual dues must be paid the same day in order to entitle us to representation in our general reunion, which will meet May 16th at Little Rock, Ark. Come early and bring your muskets. Yours to serve, A.J. McGee, Commander Butler, Ga., April 10, 1911 The Butler Herald Tuesday, May 2, 1911 Page Three Memorial Day Observation A Credit To Taylor County Under the auspices of the Wallace-Edwards Chapter Daughter of Confederacy, Memorial Day was most fittingly observed in Butler Wednesday. The exercises were attended by more people than ever before on a similar occasion in Butler. The unveiling of the handsome confederate monument, recently erected on the courthouse square, was also an important feature of the day's exercises, as was also the bestowing of crosses of honor to about a dozen veterans. They were presented by the Daughters and pinned on the lapel of coat of each veteran by Mrs. J.E. Davant one of the foremost members of the organization. Owing to threatening weather the crowd assembled in the courthouse, which accommodated about half of those who had hoped to hear the address. About fifty or more of the old veterans were present and they were given the best chairs near the speaker. They brought their old muskets and other souvenirs of war times. One of the most prominent veterans in the county attracted attention by being the only one dressed in his gray uniform that he wore so worthily in the great strife. The old wartime yells stirred the audience. After the address the veterans fired their guns the reports of which sounded like real wartime. The school children and the brass band assisted in the music and other exercises of the day. At 11:15 Hon. A.S. Wallace introduced the orator of the day, Rev. S.B. Cousins of Montezuma, who was showered with congratulations at the close of his address. He eulogized the gallant soldiers, the faithful and noble women of those trying days and good ladies of the present time who are doing such splendid service in marking the graves of confederate dead, in one of the ablest and most eloquent tributes ever listened to in this county. Mr. Cousins spoke for thirty minutes. They addressed showed that to the subject he had given deep study and careful research. He began with the days of the Revolutionary War, speaking of the patriotism of the Southerners and their loyalty to the union, and told of the oft- asserted right of the New England states to withdraw from the union at any time they saw fit. Then a minute history of the causes that led up to the secession of the Southern states, and the organization of the Confederacy; a comparison of the strength of the two armies and loyalty of Georgians to the cause; the decisive battles of the war and the surrender of Lee; paid a fitting tribute to the generosity of Grant and told of the trying days of reconstruction. The speaker closed with an eloquent tribute to the noble women of the South, their loyalty to the Lost Cause and the hardships they had borne; with an expression of his confidence in the future of Georgia, her sons and daughters. This was the first time Mr. Cousins had visited Butler and our people were indeed charmed with him. After the address the crowd assembled about the monument and the veiling was withdrawn. Misses Eva Rhodes, Mae Rawls, Hortense Davant and Janet Wallace pulled the cords. A sumptuous dinner was served to the veterans by the Daughters in the sample room north of the courthouse. The graves of all veterans buried in Butler were covered with the season's sweetest flowers in the forenoon.