Judge Erskine was appointed judge of the United States court in Georgia, in 1865, by President Andrew Johnson. Of him it might well be said his wisdom enabled him to temper his justice with moderation. Honest integrity and an inflexible regard for rectitude, and the recognition of his sterling worth, made him honored even by those who opposed him politically, and won for him the love and respect of his friends. It may truly be said, “He never forsook a friend, nor forgot a favor.” After nearly twenty years of service he retired from the bench in 1883, with the universal esteem of his associates at the bar. He deservedly attained a place among the honored roll of Georgia’s worthiest sons. There was the brilliant and lamented Henry W. Grady, journalist, orator and patriot, whose grandfather was named O’Grady and whose father died on the field of battle at the head of his company, fighting for the Confederacy. The South had no more gifted son. He was proud of his Irish blood. His untimely death was a public bereavement. His genius and his talents have won for him a lasting fame. The Hon. Alexander H. Stephens and the Hon. Joseph E. Brown were two of the most distinguished sons of Georgia. Mr. Stephens had Irish blood in his veins and Governor Brown’s ancestors emigrated from the north of Ireland to South Carolina. These were two of the wisest and greatest of Georgians. They were proud of their Irish blood and were the life-long friends of Ireland and the Irish people. They fought intolerance and proscription and stood boldly for the great principles of civil and religious liberty. Irish names are common in the Southern states. In many instances the people who have them are removed several generations from the immigrants, thus showing that the Irish immigrant pushed his way into the South in the early settlement of the country. A host of Irish-Americans in Georgia during the war were true to the Confederacy, and fought for its independence. Augusta sent the Irish Volunteers into the field under Captain Harvey Hull, who was succeeded by Captain T. G. Barrett. The last captain was M. J. O’Connor. This company had 100 volunteers. The men fought gallantly in the Army of Tennessee until the close of the war. Capt. Matt. Rice, a native of Ireland, commanded the Confederate Light Guards, in the Army of Northern Virginia. He left a leg at Gettysburg. There were twenty-five Irishmen in this company. The other companies from Augusta contained Irishmen. They were in the Clinch Rifles, the Oglethorpes and the Hussars. There are numbers of Irishmen in Augusta who illustrated Irish valor and patriotism in the Confederate army. I regret that I have not the space to mention in detail the names of the Irishmen of Augusta who served the South during the war. Hon. A. D. Candler, secretary of state, is proud of his Irish descent. He writes: