The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-10-04
From the Ninety@six Guardian. 7
The Last .Encampment:. d"

Sho closing scenes OF the1great drama
Of our civil warwore being enacted,
and the nation which had known
such n brief but brilliant life was in
| its death throos, Colonel Thomas, now
of tho Carolina Military Institute,
Professor Sans, now of the Spartan>
burg High School, Professor Norris
now practicing law at Edgefeld, G..
H., and Professor Patrick, now Of
Grcenvillo High School, woro in
command OF the cadets Of tho. State
Military School, who, together with
company Of recruits, had been
muet cred into tho service of the Com
federafe States, and wero encamped
III Grcenvillo.
Some time during the latter part
of the month, five arc rightly in
formed, this command of one hun
dred and twenty youthful soldiers
struck tents and started for hasty
march down tho railroad toward
Columbia. Tho upper part of the
State was then beginning to swarm
with United States soldiers, and
when Colonel Thomas' command
reached the ncighborhood Of Vii
liamston, while taking rest of few
minutes by the roadside, they were
charged npon and fired into by a
! party of the eneny's cavalry. Taken
completely by surprise, and aroused
suddenly from sleep, it is not to be
wondered that tho boys woro thrown
into confusion, but goodly number
Of them quickly rallied and returned
tho fire, unseating somo of the horse.
men and repulsing the charge. They
then pressed on, marching at the
rate of about thirty miles a day, until
ihey reached Ninety-Six. On arriv-
ing here, some fellow, with little
moro te'ncrity than the rest, gave
expression to the universal feeling
among them, that to continue longer
as an organized Confederate COM
tnand was not only useless, but dan>
gcrons. by2ealling out from tho ranks:
Como, boys, let's 60 home;" where's
upon Col. Thomas gave a severe re-
buke in the form of stirring, patri
otto speech, and called upon all who
wcro willing to remain with him to
step to tho front, with the assurance
that any who did not come forward
would be permitted to go home
Unlike Gidcon's army, they all, to 4
man, stood the test and stepped for
ward. Col. Thomas then marched
them into the woods on the south
| sido OF the Kate Fowler branch, and
went into camp, on tho very spot
Whero tho writer noW livos, within
tho incorporate limits of Min ety-Six.
So tar as We know, this was the
last cncampment of organized Con-
fcderate soldiers this side of the Mis-.
eiasipi. If 50, to tho State Cadets and
the recruits connected with them be-
longs the honor OF having been the
last command of tho Confcderacy,
and to Ninety Six was granted the
privilege Of furnishing the last camp,
ing grouud for this gall mt little
baDd.
Several, of the citizons urged Col.
Thomas to disband the command and
send thom homo, as it was needless
task tor HIM to continue to hold them
together; but, soldier like, he waited
for orders. Finally, some time in
May, perhaps a months or moro after
Genoral Loo's surrender, Colonel
Thomas became satisfied that all the
Confederate authorities wcro either
captured or across the Mississippi, and
that it was utterly vain TO wait longer
for orders, marched his little COM
n"nd to New berry, and there dis
banded them.
If any who may road"tnese lines
should know any further facts Con-
NCciG1 wiIh tbic cnbiont 80, ,,,., 4&