Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-04-19
/, a Plea for the Young Soldiers.


called upon the Members Of the Legislature
to assemble in extra session on the 25th of
the present month";. The necessities for this
step are urgent and patent, and We cannot
doubt the attendance will be, ,as full as the
brief notice given will permit. s..
Among the subjects which will demand
.thsattention Of our legislators, there is one,
apparently triaing at tbes6rst glance, but
really of the utmost importance, when prop,
erly considered, and one which will have the
grestest influence upon the future of our
loved State. We allude to that class of our
reserve forces between the ages of sixteen
and seventeen years $ and the absolute me-
cessity for the adoption Of some measure
looking to their literary training.
| We have now in camps of military In
struotionseveral hundred of the class refer
red to, many Of whom have already borne
the fatigues and wlthstood the dangers Of "a
campaign, with credit and honor. They
have shown how important they are as an
auxiliary in offensive and defensive opera
tions, and how worthy to receive the foster.
ing csre Of their mother State, They have
been drawn from their homes at an age
most suitable to the acquisition Of those
branJhes of education which would ft them
for the duties of life; and all ordinary
means denied them of learning anything
beyond the rugged arts, of war. Nor is
this deprivation Of a temporary character.
For even were our struggle for independence
to end the present year, some time would
thereafter eIapse before the, post ordinary
facilities forthe education ofyouth could be
re-established. In the;meantime the tender
mind is becoming hardened to the war
phase, and it would be impossible to soften
Sic again and make it iimpressibleto thegeut.
Ilsr influences ofthe ,sahoolroom. The youth
of sixteen who has been transformed into
the machine Whipk every soldier must of
necessity bseoms, will never be fitted for
the studysof books when war releases him.
The mind has been .prematurely developed
and intellectual growth stopped. 1t is USE
less to argue this point Its truth is plain.
Isit not the duty, then, as it should be
the pleasure of our, Legislators to do some.
thing for the brave boys who constitute 50
important anelement in out general defense2
The aged and honored parents of those
young men deserve some consideration from
the State In giving them up as defenders
Of the common soil, tits true they did 50
with the knoHledge that BY the casualties
of war. their children might fall. But if
they survived the dangers Of the CAMP, of
the field and the march, it would be at least
some compensation for the service rendered
that their education had not been neglected.
We sincerely hope that our Legislature
will take some action in this matter, either
indirectly or by special separate enactment
We do not pretend to say in what manner
the desired end can be attained. This will
suggest itself to the minds Of our represen-
tatives. It is as aswell.to remark, however,
that the. officers of a military company,
whilst they may thoroughly understand ev-
crything connected with the military train
ing of soldier, may be deplorably Ignorant
of those other branches of education which
are more usefulto the possessor in sta'e
Of peace.
I'VE have instructors heretofore employed
,in the two Military Schools of the State;
cannot some plan be devised IN connection
with this matter BY which their sphere OF
usefulness can be enlarged ?-Spartan.
= The HOME GUARD.-It seems that the
authorities have decided that a necessity
exists which renders it expedient to call
out the Homo Guard, and'they have acted
acccrdinclq. We will not say that this ne.