THE IMMORTAL SIX HUNDRED
to see how much he really made them suffer. They were that class of men referred to by Judah P. Benjamin who, when he left the United States Senate, said to the people of the North: "You may, with your immense armies, invade the South; sack our cities, towns and villages; render homeless our wives and children; you may drive the black car of war throughout our land; but the subjugation of our people is impossible."
The most fearful test a man can be put to is that of starvation. The corn-meal-pickle ration was this test; it was the trying ordeal of the manhood of those six hundred Confederate mortals. They stood the test. The seventeen who took the oath were the dross of the gold; they must wear their badge of dishonor; they cannot rid themselves of it, they cannot hide it. In the world's history these fellows will be classed as cowards; in the glorious history of the Confederacy they will be written down as deserters,—none can defend them. Dear old Murray, let's say together, "God bless those of the six hundred who remained true unto the end." Their story will be written on the scroll of fame; it will go down through all time. Generations will sing their praise and crown them martyrs to principle for their devotion and fidelity in those days of torture.
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