Sidney Lanier -- Georgia’s Own Hero

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/27/2020

Autograph Document Signed, "Evelyn Kelld'Antignac", 12p. quarto, titled "Sidney Lanier Georgia's Own" and reads in part: "...February the third brings anew each year to the hearts of all true Georgians a feeling of pride and ownership, it is the birth date of our beloved southern poet, Sydney Lanier, not only to the lover of music and poetry, in both of which he is so beautifully and artistically excelled, but to every individual fortunate enough to come in contact with his writings, so generously inspiring his readers with all that is pure and noble and uplifting...Sydney Lanier was born in Macon Georgia February 3rd 1842...At fourteen Sydney entered the sophomore class at Aglethorpe University, and with a year intermission graduated with first honor in 1860 when just eighteen...Young Lanier gave up his position at Aglethorpe to enter the Confederate army as a private in the Macon volunteers of the second Georgia Battalion, an organization among the first to reach Norfolk in the spring of 1862. Lanier was joined by his younger brother Clifford, then seventeen years of age...in the spring of 1864 the two brothers were separated, each being made signal officer of a blockade. Summer Sydney's vessel was captured and he was prisoner at Point Lookout Maryland for five months, terrible months of deprivation hardships exposure and suffering. Which cost our poet musician his health, and finally his life, what a sacrifice on the altar of his beloved Southland. Sydney was allowed to carry his flute into prison, which proved a great comfort and blessing to him, and joy to his fellow prisoners. Father Tabb the poet wrote of him 'there was no room for pretense or guise, men appeared what they really were, noble or low minded, pure or depraved and there did one trait single him out, in all our intercourse I can recall no conversation or word of his that an angel might not of uttered or listened to.' He bought his release with gold smuggled to him in a friends mouth, he was so ill from his hardships exposure and undernourishment he came near dying on his trip to Fortress Monroe, a friend asked to be allowed to care for him and it was a touching scene as his fellow prisoners crouched and assisted in passing him along over their heads they were so packed there was not room to carry him through, he was so nearly frozen, warmth from the fire was painful but he was given brandy and hot soup...after midnight he asked for his beloved flute and 'you should have heard the yell of joy that came up from the shivering wretches down below, as he played the first beautiful notes and they knew that their comrade was alive.' He left a week later on foot for Georgia, carrying with him a satchel and his beloved flute…" Much more. VG.

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