The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-10-22
"RECOLLEcTIoNs"
OF THE
M MCKISSICK RANGERS.
-C:o:--
BY A MEMBER.
NO. G..

NorE-A few corrections should he made in the roll
The a as esMs in the last number of
The name Of Lieut. Crido sho uld be changed to Crider
Gorroraiappointcd afser the retirement. Of Corporal
Black who was discharged after the Company was
after the reorganization Of the Company and was sct
ing IN that capacity when Inc killed at Dascond
Wk. Thoma. was 18th Sergeant, and II. c. Kenner
The ns%e of 1sf Robart .ho0s
Of Robert w Deas The name Of I. r BLACK sho uid be
stricken from the roll as his appears among tho
hst o. oorporais, where 1t properly belongs.
In May '62 l find the Holcombe Legion cav
airy in camp at the Jenkins place This was
known as camp Spearmau. Here the several
companies were recognized and volunteered
for three years or the war. We were Joined by
Captain Campbelrs company, from Colleton
District. They took the name Of Company f.,
in camp and in liuc. This Company was known
as tho Marsh tackles but your readers must
not conclude that this title is intended to dis
parage the character of the troops or place then
in the line Of inefiiciency. 1t would be saori-
lege of the most unpard enable kind to attempt
such ~ thing Many of them were the brave
cennoniers who stood by their guns on Bay
Point and Hilton's Head, on the 7th of Novem-
Der. 1861, until the last gun was disabled or
dismounted, and retreatcd only from tho over
whelming forces and resources Of the Federals.
An elder brother Of mine, q member Of Co.
A. 18th S. C. Reg't., who was on Bay Point at
the time, under that true type of o Southern
soldier, Col. h. G. NJ. Duuovant, in giving .
description of this engagement says: The
men fought like tigers The impression that
that little sentence of FIVE words made upon
me can only be effaced by the lamp of reason
going out. God forbid that should mention
the fair name or tread on the sacred dust Of a
brave soldier but to honor it. The small horses
they rode drew the title Marsh tackles instead
of the men. This command remained with us
for about two months, and did their part of
the service we'll
When our new officers were elected the old
ones retired, who were not reelected. We
hated to give up Lieut.. Mabry Thomas. For
him always entertained the highest respect as
gentleman, officer aud soldier. He was
model man. High-toned, honorable and brave
From him the poorest boy in the ranks got tho
same ettention that the richest slave owner did.
The saoe gentlemanly qualities attached to
our othef officers and I shall mention them
further on I; but as Lieut.. Thomas here sewers
his connection with the command, we feel il
our duty to say that he carried with him the
highest respect Of every soldier in the command
whether officer or private.
or Lieut.. J. W. Crider I remember very
little. He was never duty with me, con-
ssquently did not have the opportunity 10
know as much about him as of the other Off
GERS. He was christian gentleman-a min.
lister Of the Methodist Church, and lost no
opportunity to use his high Office for tho ad-
vancement of Christs Kingdom, and was, be-
yond doubt the most influential personags IN
the command, in that respect. Neither he nor
Lieut.. Thomas were candidates for reelection
l never saw Lieut. Crider after he left US at
Camp Spearman.
have said before that Camp Spearman was
at the Jenkins farm and mansion. Around
the house and in the yard was almost all kinds
of native and exotic plants, the fragrance Of
which pcrfumed the air for some distance
around. Col. Shinglers tent was inside Of tn 0
yard, under q large wster-oak. The head
quarters Of the different companies was just
outside Of the enclosure. A few wells wore
sunk in the encampment, over which brush
arbors were made, to protect them from the
sun. Here we spent tho month Of May and
part of juno, 62. Company and squadron
drills were kept up regularly, together with
picket duty and camp guard, the latter Of
which was kept up by regular detail.
Farrs were neglected the hands taken off-and
thousands of acres Of uncultivated land were
covered with strawberries. These We would
gather and make into pies. The land was rich
and sandy-not a rock was TO DO found any-
where On it. At this camp we had less annoy
ance from mosquitos, than formerly. We
could get tho sea breeze as 1t came up Toogadoo
Creek. We made brush arbors over our horses
to protect them from the sun also over our
tents in many places. On our street grew a
large sycamore tree under which the whole
company would sometimes assemble and psss
off the time. Bob Davis used to be the cham
pion fiddler and wrestler. Under this tree he
has put many backs on the ground. It was
under this tree that Joe Leech got spider bit j;
and when an overdose Of medicine fused prin-
cipally for spider and snake bites) had been
given him he forgot who he was. He asked,
who am ], any how? Somebody said, its
Joe Leech. mo it ain'L' Not much, It ain't
Joe Leech. Med, addressing our cook) do
you know me" Yes SIR was Ned's answer.
well, who is itT Its Mas Jos.' MAS Joe
who? MAS Joe Leecb, Ned said. No IL
amt, Ned, its Jim Strain Don't belong to
this messT yes SIR well what's the mater
with me, anyhow Don't know, unless you
are d-k.' Poor Joe never heard the end Of
that spider bite. After we got to Virginia, on
Christmas eve of 'G2, joe got jolly again, and
Billy Kennedy said, Il think Joe Leech has got
spider bit again.
Jake Porter got spider bit about the same
time Joe Leech did, at Camp Spearman, but We