Historical

Don Gordon of Columbia, South Carolina was the guest speaker at the March meeting of the Sixteenth Regiment, S.C.V. in Greenville. Mr. Gordon used his unique presentation style to create a map of the battlefield out of the meeting room itself before walking out the movements of the contesting forces as he gave his vivid account of General Grant's Overland Campaign of 1864. At the conclusion of his presentation Mr. Gordon quoted from memory a lengthy portion of a stirring speech given by Wade Hampton in Walhalla, S.C. on September 22, 1866 at the formation of the Soldiers' Association. Quoting from Hampton "Pickens gave to me besides Calhoun's brave men and volunteers in that noble battery of Germans of Bachman one whole Company in the gallant 1st South Carolina Cavalry which formed so important a part in my old and beloved Brigade, a Brigade which though it fought on a hundred fields never knew defeat."  The Presentation drew an enthusiastic standing ovation from the packed banquet room at the Phoenix Inn.