Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-09-19

V'iV SiiiP'StoHiSHI OF Ihe lEeSlmentj were
received in week after the call was made,
and supernunerary company was rcjec-
ted
As soon as the call was made, ] became
restless in my college seclusion. | was con
stitutionally soldier, and had an irrcpress
iblc longing to minglc in the smoke and
conflict of battle. In the romance of my
boyhood, [ was on the point of going to
Circassia to fight against the Russians
And now that my own country was at war,
and my native State was called to prove her
chivalry, | could not allow others to 90 and
leave me at home. [ threw down my
books, and offered myself as one of the
Palmettoes. did this without the knowl-
edge orconscnt of my guardian, and against
the fearful remonstranccs ofmy friends who
looked upon mc as doomed to die. Two of
my college friends, Haywood Trczevant
and Perry Butler, followed my example,
and both of them fell in the service of the
State. They were both mere boys, like my
self, both brave and talented, and both of
them fell i'll the line of duty [ walked
over the dead body of Trezevant at Chap
uitepec, and Butler died of the yellow fc-
YER.
Early III December, the Palmetto Regi-
ment rendczvouscd at Charleston, where
they were murstcred into the service. The
| Regiment was composed of the following
companies under the following Captains:
Company a., from Sumter District, Capt
Frank Sumter, aud 70 men. Company b.,
from Chester District Capt r.. G. NJ Dun
novant, and % men. Company c., from
Kershaw, Capt. Moffat, and 83 men. Com
pany d, from EdgeGold, Capt. Preston S.
Brooks, and 81 men. Company H., from
Abbcvillc, Capt. j. f. MARSHALL, and OF
men. Company e., from Charleston, Capt
Blanding, and 96 men. Company G., from
Fairfield, Capt. Kennedy, and SO men,
Company H., from Richland, Capt. Des-
saussure, and SO men. Company L., from
Lancaster, Capt. Sccrcst, and II men,
Company X, from Barnwcl, Capt. N. H.
| Walker, and SO men.
These ten Companies made up full reg
imcnt, and the Company from Ncwberry,
under Capt. James III. Williams, was re-
jcctcd. This Company however, persisted,
and made special application to the Sec
rotary of War, which was successful, and it
was added to the Regiment few weeks
later. The eleventh Company then, was
Company H., from Newbcrry, Capt. j. H.
! Williams, and % men.
The numerical strength of the Regiment,
including Captains, Field Officers, Medical
Staff, and Musicians was about 1000 men
Regiments generally do not contain more
than 700 men. The Companies were very
full, and the Regiment unusually large.
1t was composed of the best material in
the State. A majority of the men were
less than 80 years Of age, and many of them
were less than 20. The Company to which
| belonged, Company f., was remarkable
for the youthfulness of its members. They
looked like bcardless schoolboys, whose
mothers probably, did not know "they were
out" Fifteen or twenty of us were less
than 20 years of age. 1t was by vast odds
the most youthful regiment of men in the
army. One boy of about 16, offered his
services, and he was rejected, on account
of his age Hc cried from his disappoint-
ment and begged the officers to receive him
Being pleased with his spirit, they waived
the rule, and accepted him. He fought
like hero, and lost one arm at the Garita
Bclen saw him when cannon ball took
off his arm. Somebody asked him if he
was hurt, and he replied with the utmost
indifference, that he had received little
scratch" Poor boy - lie was afterwards
fast rising to distinction, when his body
and his hopes were buried together in
premature grave. This little incident will
give an idea of the youthful ardor and char
acter of the Palmettocs. Young men of
wealth, of genius, of education, and of dis
tinguiahed family, composed great part
of the rank and file of the Regiment. They
knew and they appreciated the responsible
ties of their position, the character of the
State whose honor was in their keeping
the high and confidcnt anticipationS with
which their State looked to the day, when
they should be baptized in the fire and
blood of battle.
Such was the character of the men, and
Drawer men never were led to battle by bra
yer officers. Among the Captains was
Frank Sumter, the grandson of the patriot
soldier of the revolution, and the compeor
of Marion, who won the soubriquet in his
tory of the "game cock of the South" -
All the dictionaries in the language could
not give Sumter the faiptest conception Of
what fear means. And then there was
Preston s. Brooks, whose courage was equal
to any crisis. And there was the gallant
young Dessausure, who was wounded three
times at 0burubusco, by reckless expo
sure of his person, as an example to his
men. And there was Dunnovant, always
ready for tho fray, and the foremost in it.,
and syValkor aud NVilliams, both as galant
Il n !.