Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 18.djvu/347

 General Junius Daniel. 347

her love from the tomb. He gave his watch to Major Badger (whose gifted soul has gone to join him), saying it was Ellen's watch, or Ellen's gift, and asked that she should provide for his servant William, who had been a faithful boy, and that his horse, John, should be cared for. His last inquiry was as to his brigade how the men had acquitted themselves, and if they had suffered in the battle.

The great bulk of mankind must always remain obscure in the affairs of State. To lead is the province of the few. To do their duty is the supreme command to all. There is no art of rearing great men; they appear or do not appear by reason of inscrutable laws.

With respect to Brigadier-General Junius Daniel, I should say, after much thought, that he was a just man, inheriting great courage; fearless of danger to himself; with a strong, vigorous, active mind in a body of most unusual soundness; " rich in saving common sense," honest in purpose, clear in his intelligence, tenacious in his will and absolutely and unhesitatingly subordinate to his superiors in rank yielding unquestioned obedience without criticism to every order or command given with fair intelligence.

"A King once said of a Prince struck down, Taller he seems in death ; And this speech holds true for now as then, 'Tis after death that we measure men, And as mists of the past are rolled away, Our heroes, who died in their tattered gray, Grow taller and greater in all their parts, Till they fill our minds as they fill our hearts, And for those that lament them there is this relief, That glory sits by the side of grief. Yes, they grow taller as the years pass by, And the world learns how they could do and die."

I would like to speak of the "ancient and unbred integrity of the people of North Carolina, " their valor and courage in the war between the Government and the Confederate States, which levied the tribute of death from all ranks but I must keep within the lines your par- tiality has traced for me.

I venture these remarks at the risk of fatiguing your patience.

I have marveled these twenty and odd years at the extraordinary performances of the Army of Northern Virginia, and tried to analyze