The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-07-13

gentleman and laying his hand over the
souvenir said Tell her l will defend it
with my life"
After the ceremonies the soldiers were
invited 20 a barbecue where the tables were
presided over by the principal ladies of
the city. Battles, except with knife and
fork, were for the nonce forgotten, and
the men who manfully stood by their
dag were quickly engaged in paying
tribute to the pretty girls, who were
only too happy thus to show their appre-
citation of the gallant fellows who repre-.
sentcd the omen Of The land Poor bows
Scores ofthem -exohaasaa-the;r- paluIottv
buttons that day for little kecpsakes who
never eturned to redeem the tokens or
claim the hands that gave them Conspi.
cious among the throng was Colonel Mar
tin W. Gary who subsequently became com-
mander of the Legion anL was made
brigader and major general He was one
OF the most fearless and dashiug officers of
the Confederate army, and up to the day
OF his death was known as "the uupardon>
able rebel" During the four years of the
war he had passed through some forty en-
gagements without receiving wound and
died in the prime of life only few years
ago, at his home in Edgefeld
THE HAMPTON BATTLE FLAG.
The flag of the Hampton Legion was
made from portion of the wedding dress
Of Mrs. Hampton and was presented by her
in person to the command. The few threads
OF it which remain show how faithfully it
was borne in the thickest ofthc fray. Moro
than twenty men have gone to their sol.
ders rest while bearing it aloft amid the
din and horror of battle. AT the beginning
of the war General Hampton was wealthy
man. He supplied his soldiers with their
arms and quartercd them on his own
grounds. The Legion comprised some of
the best men Of the State, and there were
scores of young planters and professional
men who, volunteering as mere privales,
with little hope of promotion represented
millions of dollars The esprit du corps
was something remarkable.
INCIDENTS RELATING TO THE LEGION.
An incident that occurred within the
observation Of tho writer illustrates her
meaning. 1t is that of DR.. Hyder D. Be-
don, now of Mississippi, who served in the
ranks during the entire war, from the toe
sin that called him to Bull Run to the tap
of the last drum at Appomattox. On being
rcmonstI ated with by friends who de-
picted the hardships of camp life, in his
capacity as a private his reply was
"Any man will accept the position of an
officer but every man will not fight as pri-
vate. I'll take my chauccs and endeavor to
do my duty" He fought CALAMITY and care
out of the war uuscathed. A humorous in
cident is related Of another private in tho
Legion who left sumptious home. The
regiment was encamped near the Potomac.
and the young warrior having been taught
that cleanliness was akin to gedliness"
decided not only to take bath himself,
but to wash his clothing. He did so and
hung the latter on the neighboring limbs To
dry while he went to sleep. On awakening
he found that every vestige OF his attire
had been stolen, probably by some luckless
individual whose morals had not been i'm.
proved by the war and whose wants were
worse. This was predicament for sol.
der of the Legion who might expect
marching orders at any moment. He
arose to the situation, however, and stating
the case to his friends they called the com.
pany together to consider the question of
REPAIRS? They voted him an outfit in
very short order, but for uniqueness it has
doubtless seldom been equaled. A coat
was contributed by one, Fair Of trousers
by another, sock and shoe by third
etc. Not an article was of the proper di.
mensions, but it served as temporary cov>
ering, for which he was grateful, and when
the entire "get up" was complete, the boys
christened him "The child of tho Regi-
ment."
A QUIET QUAKER.
While the Legion were encamped on
the banks Of the Opequan, in Virginia, an
old Quaker rode into camp. Ho was mount.
ed on the back of sorry looking mule and
was himself, with his "thees," ond "thous,"
typical specimen Of an anti-bellgerent
from the backwoods. The boys jeered
him from one end of the camp to the 9TH
er, but he Paid little attep,ion to them uD.
til he reached the headquarters of Colonel
Hampton, where being met and cordially
greeted by number Of officers, he quietly
raised the coIored glasses that concealed bis
eyes, removed wig and revealed the famil-