The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-31
An Explanation.
BY

The multiplicity or confusion Of military
titles applied to the oversigncd, induces me
to ask a small space in the Press and Banne,.
for explanation and defence. The Captain
"!Abbcvillc 1tilClncn," "a notification organ
%ization,) as the successor Of Capt. Leroy j.
Johnson, who was the successor of Capt.
Thomas Thomson. who was the successor Of
Capt. Thomas Parker. who, If not the original
was the SUCCESSOR of Capt. Alexander Bowie.
The Colonel" is an Alabama consummation,
and as thereby hangs II tale or q reininis-
cence, or rs my old friend OF your vicinity,
the late John -, would have dubbed 1t, "a
ditty," l will relate the whole truth as II was
and Is.
On becoming a citizen Of Alabama, my
brother-in-law, a fresh transplant from South
Carolina, took ne around and introduced me
as his friend captain Z. from South Carroll
expecting them, no doubt, to open their
eyes at the tile, An occasional did, but
most dropped their countcnances; and the
reason was more fully cOmprchended n few
days later, when pnsSing q crowd the few who
knew me saluted me with title, Among them
tive man who said something l did not hear
distinctly, but which was thus arterward re-
ported to me:
p. S.-"Who and what did you call that
man
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Captain +. from South
Carolina, new conner among u.s."
7. S.-(Drawing down his wool hat, rolling
his quid to the otherjaw and cooking his open
eye alter me- wen, Wcll. DlaSI my SlZHaru il
! couldn't come here with a bigger handle
than that, I'd Il staid thar or gone further on
And still more a few days later my BROTH
brother, an original settler and sol
i'd, staid old cX-South Carolinian, who had
been so long away as to have had every parti-
Gle of military polish and enthusiasm rubbed
Off and out him, took out his brother and
chidcd him thus: ''Thomas, you arc fresh
from South Carolina and don't know the I'M
value of military titles In Alabama we've
never had parndes here, and there Is no rank
here below Colonel. You have done your
friend an irrcparable injury by starting him
with Captain"
But there | wns and how could I help it?
Several months Inter my friends. Colonies
D-n and Big, tand who cln doubt their good
will p finding q vacancy, obtained without
my knowledge, a paper, mostly printed and
on blue paper, bearing tho impress of the
great seal OF the State, dated April 18th, 1853,
and reading in part thus II. Henry NJ. Col
iicr. Governor OF the State OF Alabama, hav-
Ing full confidence In the ability and intcgri-
appoint him Deputy Quartcrmaster General
OF The southern Division Of Alabama. with
the rank OF Lieutenant Colonel and COM
mnnd and require that he be obcyed and re-
spected accordingly:" But ~ IN no , one ey y r. ~
late war, however, has somewhat rclicv-
ed me. as. besides several others in the cOun-
ty. two eminent lawyers OF my vicinity MS al.
so the Judge of Probate are cX-(;ahtainS OF
the late war and accept the title with compo.
sure.
NV Alabama promotion IA associated with no
service required or rendered rs yet bat OF
Captain calls 10 mind several hundred dol.
lars expended, time devoted, labor rerformed;
the Aston House the town commons, Nc
Caw's old field, Moro WIS old field, %Shinburg;
and more than the average, IN Its day, OF old
field glory.