Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-06-15
Mr.. Rusaell,s Fifth Letter.

london Times written from Charleston, April
! II, the following Interesting passages:
/ "Tbero are, l believe, only $4,000 register
ed voters in South Cafolna The number OF
men furnished by them is q fair indication of
the zeal for the cause which animates the pop
ulation The physique of tho troops is undo
niubly good. Now and thcu uudcrsized,
weakly men may be met with, but the great
majority of the companies consist of rank
and flo exceeding the average stature of Eu-
! ropeans; and very well built and muscular.--
The men run very large down here Moth
ing, indeed, can bo moro obvious, when one
! looks at tho full grown, healthy, handsome
race, which develops itself in the streets, in
the barrooms and in the hotel halls, than the
error of the argument, which i, mainly used
by the Carolinians themselves, that white
mcn cannot thrive in their State. In limb,
figure, height, weight, they arc equal to any
people l have ever seen, and their features
arc very regular and pronounced. They are,
indeed, as unlike the ideal American of our
coricaturists and our stage as is the m2or
of the Porte ST. Martin to thc English gen
tlcman. Some Of this superiority is due to
the fact that tho bulk of the white population
here arc in all but name aristocrats or rather
oligarchs. The State is but gigantic Spar
ta in which the hclotry arc marked by an in
dclibc difference Of color and race from the
masters. The white population which is not
slavoholding and agricultural is very small
and insignificant. The masters enjoy every
advantage which can conducc to the physical
excellence of a people, and to the cultivation
! OF the graccs and accomplishments of life,
even though they are rather disposed to neg
lect purely intellectual enjoyments and tastes
of a.
men worth from $4,000 to 100000 year
at least so was told-and men were pointed
out to me who were said to be worth far more.
One private feeds his company on French
patcs and Madeira, another provides his com
rades with unlimited champagne, most Crate
ful on the arid sand hill thin :, with more
sodierly view to their permanent, rather than
occasional efficiency, purchases for tho men of
his Guard a complete equipment of IN
field rifles. How long tho zeal and resources
of these gentlemen will last it mny not be
easy to say. At present they would prove
formidable to any enemy, except regular
army on the plain and in the open field, but
they arc not provided with field artillery, or
with adequate cavalry, and they arc not nc
customed to act in concert, and in large
bodies.
Yesterday morning i waited on Gen.
Bcaurcgard, who is commanding the forces
of South Carolina. His Aids dc Camp--Mr
Manning, Mr.. Chestnut, Mr.. Porchcr Miles
and Colonel Lucas accompanied me. OF
these tho former has been Governor of this
State, the next has been Senator, the third
a member of Congress. They arc all voluu-
tcers, and arc gentlemen of position in the
State; aud tho fact that they are not only
content, but gratilicd, to act as aides to the
professional soldier, is the best proof of the
reality OF the spirit which animates the class
they represent. Mr.. Lucas is a gentleman
| OF the State, who is acting rs Aid de- Camp
to Governor Pickcns. Passing through the
dense crowd which, talking, smoking and
reading newspapers, fills the large hall Of the
Mills House, VIC emerge on the dirty street,
sufficiently broad, and lined with trees pro-
| tcctcd by wooden shcathngs at the base--
The houses, not very lofty arc clean and spa
cious, and provided with vcrandahs facing
the South as far as possible. The trees give
the streets the air Of boulevard, and the
| town has some how or other a "reminiscences
OF the Hague about it which / cannot explain
or account for satisfactorily. The hcadquar-
tcrs arc in large, airy public building, once
devoted to an insurance company operations,
or to the accommodation of the public fire
companies. There was no guard ut the door
officers and privatcs were passing to and fro
in the hall, part of which was cut off by can
vas screens, so as to form rooms or depart
mcnts of the Horse Guards of South Carroll
ma. Into one Of these we turned, and found
the desks occupied by officers in uniform,
writing dispatches and copying documents
with all the abandon which distinguishes The
true soldier when he can get at printed forms
and Government statinnery In another mo-
mcnt we were ushcrcd into smaller room
and were presented to the general, who was
also seated at his desk. ANY one accustomed
to soldiers can readily detect the real article ;
from the counterfeit, and wliay General Duau.
regard stood up to welcome us it was patent
that he was man capable of greater things
than taking Sumter. lie is a squarcly built,
lean man, of about 40 years of age, with
broad shoulders and legs made to fit horse
of middle height; and his head is covered
with thick hair, cropped close, and showing
the bumps, which are reflective and combativo,
with true Gallo air at the back of the skull !;
the forehead, broad and well developed, pro-
jccts somewhat over the keen, eager darl,
eyes; the face is very thin, with very high
check bones, we'll shaped nose, slightly aqui-
line, and large, rigid, sharply cut mouth,
set above full, fighting chin In the event
of any important operations taking place, the
name of this officer will l feel assured, be
heard often enough to be my excuse for this
little sketch Of his outward man."