John Ogden Murray

“ We do not arrogate to ourselves any superiority for devotion to principle, loyalty to cause and country, or any self immolation that we do not cheerfully accord to them, and pay them the tribute to say that we believe that the same number of soldiers could have been taken from the rank and file of any of the Confederate armies who would have proved as true and endured the same with as much fortitude and defiant spirit as we did. ”

“ Remember me, dear old comrades, when you meet at your council table at Mobile; as you grasp each other's hand, do not forget us who are absent. I can never forget you while time lasts. My love grows more intense for each comrade that remained true unto the end now we are on the shady side of life marching with the burden of years upon us down the picket line of life where we shall all cross over the river. ”

“ All we ask is that the truth shall be told. If the truth shows the South or Confederate authorities to have been guilty of cruelty to prisoners of war, then they should be held up to the scorn of the civilized world. ”

“ His should be a vindication of the South and her people from the slander of cruelty, and would be, but for the persistent slander of some of the pilpits and press of the North, that make the charges, to keep alive the hatred engendered by the war, which are used for political purposes, by the corrupt politicians who live politically on sectional hate. ”

“ J. F. Hempstead, our president, and with their assistance went about the work of perfecting an organization of the survivors of the Six Hundred as I could find them. Often I was on the point of abandoning the work, more from financial reasons than any other, but with God's help I kept at the task until organization was made and today, comrades, we are organized into a society honored and loved by our old veteran comrades and respected by the world that knows our story for the manhood and courage of our convictions and adherence to the right. ”

“ We want only the truth, we ask for nothing else. We want to refute the slanders against the South and her people. Jefferson Davis, Peresident of the Confederate States, nor General Robt. E. Lee, were never cruel to any human being. But Secretary of War Stanton and his colleagues in power at Washington, 1861-65, were and they were guilty of all prisoners of war suffering on both sides, by stopping exchanges of prisoners of war. ”

“ We only claim that as it fell to our lot to really undergo the test which we did and maintained the honor, dignity and adherence to principle that was incarnate in every true Confederate soldier and which has won the admiration of the world. ”

“ It gives me great pleasure to look into your faces and clasp your hands as veteran soldiers of the most splendid example of heroic devotion to an undying principle and allegiance to a failing cause that the world has ever known. ”

“ We would not pluck a laurel from any brother comrade and only ask that the history of our endurance, fidelity and torturous treatment may be accorded its rightful place among the illustrious deeds that crowned the glory of our Southern Confederacy. ”

“ Our society, since its orunization at Louisville, Ky., is growing in favor each year as our story becomes known, and the whole civilized world seems to know it. The past year has added names to our roll of dear old comrades who were true during those days of torture on Morris Island, at Fort Pulaski, Hilton Head and on the prison ship Crescent. These dear old comrades were marked dead on our roll after repeated efforts to find them. ”

“ And it is a fact, proven beyond all question of doubt, that notwithstanding the South had no medicines, and could get none, to cure the sick, and keep men in health, that only nine 9) in each one hundred Union prisoners of war died in Southern prisons, while twelve (12) in every hundred Confederate prisoners of war died in the prisons of the North, where medicine and food were abundant to keep men in health. ”

“ Cantwell, while a man of the strongest convictions upon all subjects, never hesitating to express an opinion nor to defend a position, was yet genial and kindly and made friends of all who came within the range of his strong personality. Possessed of a high sense of honor, urbane and military in his bearing, he stood among his fellows a type all too rare in this last generation. ”

“ He recommends, as a necessary sanitary measure, that they be at once put on full prison rations; and, also, that they be allowed to receive necessary articles of clothing from friends. I would respectfully endorse the surgeon's recommendation, and ask authority to take such steps as may be necessary to relieve actual sickness and suffering. ”

“ Give my love and best wishes to the boys and tell them that I am with them in the spirit if not in person, and if we never meet again on this earth let us try to meet in a more glorious world than this. ”

“ As directed by vote of society Hon. James Hay, of Virginia, upon my request introduced in Congress for the relief of the survivors of the 600 the following bill which is still in committee unreported, and I have a doubt if it will, owing to the political complexion of the committee and opposition of the G. A. R. Yet the introduction of this bill for our relief has done much to call attention to our claims for justice, and if the Murdock bill or the Taylor bill is acted upon by the committee so must ours be reported or the bill for the relief of Union soldiers is dead. ”

“ IV. The officers of this society shall be president with two vicepresidents, one secretary, chaplain and color-bearers and an executive committee of five active members in good standing; these officers to be elected by ballot and to serve one year from date of election.
The duties of the president shall be to preside at all meetings of the society. He shall keep order, appoint committees, settle all points of order, and shall cast the deciding vote upon any question or motion before the society in tie. No political or religious discussions shall be indulged in before the society. ”

“ This band of Confederate officers was kept under fire for several weeks when the survivors were moved to Fort Pulaski and kept on short rations until they were almost starved. When they were returned to Fort Delaware later they were so emaciated that the authorities would not send them to Richmond for exchange, and thus they were kept in prison till the close of the war. No other citizen of Pulaski or Giles county would be missed more and the death of no other would be more sincerely mourned by the people generally. ”

“ A great and good man has gone to his reward and the entire community is bowed in sorrow. A lovable comrade peace to his ashes. A true 600
Good of Society.
Secretary Murray read history of 600 and financial report.
The history of our society, its organization and its membership have for want of time delayed until now. It is proper you should all know this history, my stewardship as your secretary and the results of the work for the betterment and success of our society. ”

“ I am sorry that I cannot attend the reunion at Mobile, Ala. You know that I have lost the best man to travel with I ever met with and its too great an undertaking for a man of my age to take with strangers. ”

“ The society, if it elects to do so, can elect contributing members, but such membership shall carry no right to vote or voice in the affairs of the society, but such contributing members shall be entitled to wear such badges as shall be designed and arranged by the society, and such contributing members shall be entitled to all social privileges of the society. ”

“ Without then little of the glorious past and its impress upon the future, We did not think of our gathering together the 582 true men of the 600 into an organization to perpetuate our glorious record made under trials such as no men were ever called upon to endure. ”

“ Sweet music's power! One chord doth make us wild;
But change the strain, we weep as little child.
Touch yet another, men charge the battery gun,
And by those martial strains a victory won.
It matters not from whence, how far we roam,
No heart so cold that does not love sweet home!
Roll of Survivors.
This roll of survivors is correct up to January, 1910. Some of the survivors are feeble and do not write often:
This work was published before January 1, 1928, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. ”

“ Cantwell married Miss Kate Theodosia Calder, a sister of Mr. William Calder, of this city, of this union there are now surviving an only son, Mr. Robert C. Cantwell. She passed away in 1863, and after the war, on April 20, 1869, Col. Cantwell married a second time, Miss Kate Theodosia Blout, of Woodville, Miss., and she with three daughters and one son now survive, having the tenderest sympathy of a host of friends here and elsewhere in the great sorrow that has come to them. ”

“ Senators Taylor and Frazier, Tennessee, and Senator Bailey, of Texas, all promise their support of the bill. All Democratic members pledge help. To post members of Congress I gave away about sixty or more books of the Immortal Six Hundred which were more effective in posting members than talking with them. Judge John S. Southern, of Independence, Mo., has rendered me much help with legal advice. All the work before Congress was done by myself. ”

“ J. H. Darden, of North Carolina, eight survivors.
Death has been active in our society in the past year. We have lost some grand old comrades: J. L. Cantwell, Capt. F. C. Lewis, North Carolina; Z. W. Ewing, W. N. James, Tennessee; F. C. Barnes, Virginia; Isaac Kuykendall, W. Va., all true Immortals now. These were all true men of the 600 death has taken from us. Six honored and loved members. ”

“ Stern justice with impatience waits
⁠To crucify the docket's venal flaws.
Junius L Hempstead.
The following letters were read by the secretary from absent comrades:
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company,
Warsaw, April 10, 1910.
Mr. J. Ogden Murray, Charlestown, W. Va.
Dear Old Comrade: I regret very much that I will not be able to be present at Mobile on the 26th. I had to go to a sanitarium in Richmond the 4th of February and was unable to get out to business until the 28th of March, But I am glad to say that I am physically O. K. again with business far behind. ”

“ Barnes, one of the 600 prisoners sent from Fort Delaware to Morris Island, S. C, for retaliation, as the Yanks called it, but we thought it was done to show the fiendish and brutal treatment of the North towards the Southern people. Lieut. Barnes calls a few names of the 600 martyrs for the Lost Cause who are still living. We name a few more:
Col. D. W. A. Ford, Lewisburg; Rev. D. M. Layton, Frankford; Capt. J. W. Mathews, Alvon (the three above named all live in Greenbrier county, State of West Virginia) and Capt. Alford Edgar, Hillsboro', Pocahontas county, W. Va. ”