The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-09-20

In the month of April, 1865, when
the closing scenes of the great drama
OF our civil war were being enacted,
and the nation which had known
such brief but brilliant life was in
it's death throcs, Colonel Thomas,
now Of the Carolina Military Insti
tute, Professor Sans, now of the
Spartanburg High School, Professor
Norris, now practising law at
Edgefield G. H., and Professor
Patrick, now of the Greenville High
School, were in command of the
cadets of the State Military School,
who, together with n company of
recruits, had been mustered into
the service of tho Confederate
States, and wcre encampcI near
Grcenville.
Some time during tho latter part
of the month, if wo arc rightly in
formed, this command of one hun
drod and twenty youthful soldiers
struck tents and started for O hasty
march down the railroad toward
Columbia. The upper part of the
State was then beginning to swarm
with United States soldiers, and
when Colonel Thomas command
reached the neighborhood Of Viii
liamston, while taking a rest of
few minutes by the roadside, they
were charged upon and fired into
by party of the enemy's cavalry.
Taken completely by surprise, and
aroused suddenly from sleep, it is
not to be wondered that the boys
were thrown into confusion, but a
goodly number of them quickly
rallied and returned tho fire, un
seating some Of tho horsemen and re-
pulsing the charge. They thon
pressed on, marching at the rate of
about thirty miles day, until they
reached Nincty-Six On arriving
here, some fellow, with little more
temerity than the rest, gave ex-
preston to the universal feeling
among them, that to continue longer
as IN organized Confederate com
mand was not only useless, but
dangerous, by calling out from the
ranks: "Come, boys, let's go homes"
wbcreupon Colonel Thomas gavo a
severe robukc in the form of q
stirring, patriotic spoech, and called
upon ail who were willing to remain
with him to stop to the front, with
the assurance that any who did not
come forward would be permitted
to go home. Unlike Gideon's army,
they all, to man, stood the test
and stepped forward. Colonel
Thomas thon marched them into the
woods on tho south side Of tho Kate
Fowler branch, and went into camp,
on the very spot where tie writer
now lives, within the incorporate
limits of Ninety-Six.
So far as wo know, this was the
last oncampment of organized Con-
fcderate soldiers this side of tho
Mississippi. If SO, to the State
Cadets and the recruits connected
with them belongs tho honor Of
having been the last command Of
the Confederacy, and to Ninety-Six
was granted the privilege of furnish.
ing the last camping ground for
this gallant little band.
Several of the citizens urged
Colonel Thomas to disband the
command and send them homo, as
it was q needless task for him to con-
true to hold them together; but,
soldier like, he waited for orders
Finally, somo time in May, perhaps
q month or moro after General Lees
surrender, Colonel Thomas became
satisfied that all tho Confederate
authorities were either captured or
across the Mississippi, and that it
was utterly vain to wait longer for
orders, and marched his little COM
mand to Newberry, and there dis
banded them.
If any who may read these lines
should know any further facts con-
nected with this subject, or any
facts contradictory of tho state
m onts herein made, wo would be
very glad to have them.
Since tho above was written, we
learn that Colonel Thomas did not