Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-12-21
I
A New Way Of Enlisting Recruits.


There Is no class df people for WHOM
the countrymen of the Southern State
have so great dislike as those wearin,
fine Clothes and there is no surer way q
bec5ming unpopular with them than b,
going anotig them iashionably dressed.
This aversion extended as far back a
the revolutionary war, as the following
incidents will show,
/ During tlis fav6liitioh, Capt r.
d member of one ot the first families o
| Charleston, having lost id skirmisl
most of his men, went to the interior o
South Carolina for the purpose Of enlist
ing recruits. Having appointed a ren
dezvou=. he spent day or two in lodk
ifig atuht the country. AT the time ailt
place appointed, he fouiid large mum
ber Assembled, ndt one Of whom would
enlist After several Hours speiit to nc
purpose he appointed rendezvous fol
the next day, and left the ground. Next
| day came, and with it the same crowd
but he met with no more success that
before. What could I've the matter1 It
was the first time duriiig The war that a
recrhting Office had beeh entirey TIN.
successful. Something must be wrong,
and he determined to know what it was
Calling one of the rustics aside, he
asked
"Why Is it that t get no recruits I"
You don't think, answered the conn
tryman, "tItat we are goiu to list under
such looking man as you are You are
dressed too fine 10 be much Of b fighter.
In those days kiiee-brseches aud silk
stockings were fashionable, and the Cap.
tain was dressed i'll that style there lay
his s.nnpopnIarty. lie turned to the coun.
tryman, aud said.
so you object to my dress, do you :?
Vefy we'll Coms here TOMORROW, and
shall have recruits. .
Next day the same crowd had assern-
bled, anxious to know wllat.new idea the
dandy captain had got into his head 49,
After the crowd had assembled, Capt. l..
stepped out and said in u clear and distinct
voice:
"My ftignds, I understand that you
object to me because | am dressed lit
tie finer than yourselves. You think I
ain unable to fight on that account Now
| wish to make proposition I'd you. |
will whip as many Of you as will come
out, oiie at a time, with the understand
ding that every man is to enlist after he is
whipped. Pick your men and send them
out.
After short consultation, huge, broad
shl1!dered fellow came out. The Cap.
tain dew off his coat very cooly. lie
was large and well nude, and a superior
boxer.
The countryman rushed UP, intending
10 brush out the Captain in few min.
ntes. He mistook his man, however, and
soon measured his length ON the grass.
A greater bully than the first stepped
put to take his place, and soon took his
place on the ground. The countrymen
stared. They had no idea such man
tould fight. He had, however enlisted |
wo men, and f1l1st not be allowed to 90
arther. The bully Of the crowd now
stepped out to take tIlt gentleman iii
iand. He was stout fellow, weighing
lbout $50 pounds, and Dragged that be
lever had been whipped lie knew moth
ng, however, about boxing, and he very
oon followed his companions. Never
vas a crowd SO utterly confounded -
Three of their best men whipped by
nan from the city. They could hardly
ealize 1t, and stood perfectly motionless.
Well, my friends, are you satisfied
have enlisted three of your best men
suppose you have no objection now to
ollowtbeir example ~
!" Not, bit Of it, responded one Of the
rowd, you'll do to tie to, old fellow
,ome boys, fall in. !"
They. did 50, and in n short time the
'aptain had his company filed, and offers
t more than he could find room for. /,
y