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The Encampment. As an ovation to the veterans of the county, the meeting at Miller’s Camp Ground, on last, Wednesday and Thursday , on the occasion of the organization of a camp of United Confederate Vet erans for Marion County, was a most brilliant success; and, in point of attendance, harmony, general good feeling and the beneficent results that are likely to follow, exceeded even the most sanguine expectations of its pro jectors. The location, with its spacious grounds, its extensive grove of stately oaks, its immense old camp-meeting shelter, and in the heart of a region famed for hos pitality, was an admirable selec tion; and well was the committee prewarded by their fortunate choice s or location. From every nook and corner of the county, the Confederate Survivors with their wives, their children and their grand children came in and went into camp, cooking their meals in war, fashion at the camp fires. At every turn would one meet these grizzled old veterans— mostly bent, grey and battered, but with the light of an enthus iasm in their eyes that had not shone before in nearly thirty years, and with a huskiness of tone in their voices, when com rade greeted comrade, and remin iscences of the past rose up in their minds eye of a common ex perience of dangers, glories and misfortunes shared, that would have excited the sensibilities of a stranger. Men who had seen it all from the bombardment of j Sumter to the surrender at Appomattox; survivors of the gallant South Carolina regiment that gained the day at first Man assas; who were blown up in the explosion of the mine at Peters burg, and who bore their wound ed comrades from the fatal field’ at Gettysburg—men who have made themselves a deathless name as long as heroism is honored; ie as patriotism remains a virtue; and as long as ivered the Address or tained the purposes jon: “that it was a social, historical and benevolent organization, and also teaches us to cherish the ties of friendship that exist among the men who have shared common dangers— common suffering and privations; to care for the disabled and ex tend a helping hand to the desti tute; to protect the widows and orphans; and as far as possible, to preserve the patriotic sentiments of love and devotion to the “Lost Cause” and congratulated the audience, generally, upon the unanimity of purpose on the part of the younger generation to do honor to the memory of their ancestors, who shed their blood in behalf of their country’s cause. The camp adopted as its gov erning principles the rules and regulations, as far as applicable, proposed by the assembly at Bir mingham, April 25th, 1894. The officers were elected for the first year; Maj. S.A.Durham, command er; Barfield Rogers, 1st lieutenant comander; M. B. Stanley, 2nd lieutenant commander; W. H. Daniel, 3rd lieutenant commander G. A. MclIntyre 4th lieutenant commander; G. W. Smith, 5th lieutenant commander; F. D. Bryant adjutant; E. B. Smith and ©. T. Ford, surgeons; T. E. Stanley, quartermaster; Simeon Campbell, chaplain; W. W. Ham ilton, treasurer; D. E. Gilchrist, sergeant major; E. T. Huggins, vidette; J. L. Collins, color ser gean; R. M. Edwards and W. T. Stevens, color guard. The name selected for the camp was “Camp Marion.” A committee was appointed to draft suitable resolutions in mem ory of Col E. T. Stackhouse, who had died since the last meeting of the Survivor's Asociation of which he was the President. The committee consisted of D. E. Gilchrist, G. A. McIntyre, F. D. Bryant, E. B. Smith, T. E. Stanley. ‘The camp being thus organized a battalion was formed and divided into four companies. The companies then organized by the election of officers in each and making a company roll. The officers elected for the sev eral companies were as follows: Company A—Captain M. B. Stanley; 1st lieutenant, G. W. Smith; 2nd lieutenant, ©. D. Jones; 1st sergeant, R. M. Ed wards. Company B—Captain, Dun can McIntyre; 1st lieutenant, D. ,D. McDuffie; 2nd lieutenant, C. T. Ford; 1st sergeant, E. T. Hug ins; 2nd sergeant, N. V. Me illan. Company C—Captain, J. L. McInnis; 1st lieutenant, Wilson Connor; 1st sergeant, D. M. Alford. Company D—Captain, Bar field Rogers; 1st lieutenant, B. G. Smith; 2nd lieutenant, W. H. Daniel; 3rd lieutenant, A. C. Lew is; 1st sergeant, E. P. Ellis. After the company organization the battalion was marched around the camp and back to the shelter, where directions were given for drawing rations and some inquiry made for equipage for the battle which was expected the next day. The noise of artillery was heard in distance; quite a large number who were unarmed, saw the emer gency and promised to have guns on the following morning. Ranks were then broken and all repaired to their tents. The balance of the day and night was consumed in tales of the war and interchange of reminiscences of the terrible “long ago.” The old dilapidated veteran cooked his rations by the camp fire and amused his grand children with stories of what he had seen and felt in the Confed erate war. No man with the half of a heart could have looked upon the scene without the strong est emotions. There was but lit tle sleeping in the camp that night, for those who would have slept could not, for listening to the stories of those who would not. At the peep of day the camp began to stir and before sunrise recruits began to arrive, and by 9 o'clock the forest for a mile square was a squirming mass of men, women, children and Horses. The number of persons present was setainly not less than 2,500, which was the minimum estimate [ContINUED TO THIRD PAGE, |
Newspaper Details
Marion Star
Marion, South Carolina, US
Wed, Sep 12, 1894
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
William R.
SC, USA 29 Aug 2026
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