Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-10-17
"REMINISCENCES OF WESTERN YORK.

cred desk the lawyer his profession the
physician his practice the teacher his
school I: the student his books; the editor
his chair; and the merchant his counting
room, and all took part in the sad drama
then on exhibition.
Blockading squadrons had possession of
all our ports, and the sails of q powerful
enemy Whitened the ocean. Yet the pa
triotic girls of the South would sing as
they welded the flying shuttle:
"You call us proud and naughty,
Yet, since old Abe's blockade,
We Southern girls will show our pride
In goods that's Southern made.
And though our rights are threatened,
We'll shout it near and far,
Three cheers for tho Aomespun dress
That Southern women wear"
And then to cap the climax
"You'll never subdue US, you will SEQ,
While Davis, Bragg, Beauregard, Jonsons,
Longs mt,eess' H Htoo' Gregg, Jackson and Jenkins
Can tight in defense of our red, white and
blue"
What truth in a fable! What pathos in
a line! What 4 volume in a word!
We congratulate the young men and
women of our common country that they
are born ofsuch maternalancestry. There's
noble blood in your veins if you only ap-
preeiate it. That the women of York
county bore an honorable part in that
eventful struggle we will prove hereafter.
1t was early in the spring of 1862 when
the wal clouds began to gather for the
impending storm. The ray of hope that
English interference would open our ports
died out, and people began to view the
situation in its proper light.
AS We have already said, most of the
able-bodied men were in the field, and the
army was being supported blythe industry,
economy and ingenuity of the women, old
men and decrepits, unfit for military SER
vice. TO this we may add that the slaves
(WiCh perhaps a few eXceptions) were loyal
to their masters. The generous soil, under
the husbandman's efforts and a kind Prov
idence, yielded an abundant supply of the
necessaries of life. Old feuds, personal
strifes and factional arrangements were
consigned to an eternity Of the past, and
rich and poor, high and low, learned and
unlearned, periodically espoused their
country's cause and offered their gifts,
their all, upon its altar. In almost every
household the family altar was established
where, individually and collectively, our
soldiers were remembered at a Throne OF
Grace. Churches were thronged Sabbath
after Sabbath with jealous Worshipers,
who net to return thanks for the past, and
implore Divine guidance for the future.
United hands and united hearts repre-
sented their country's cause at the Mercy
Seat, while the roar of al enemy's cannon
was heard from Gettysburg to the Rio
Grande.
With the alacrity of a trooper, a lady
would bride, saddle and mount a fiery
horse and 90 in pursuit of the new duties
devolving upon her in consequence Of an
unjust and unholy warfare. Like a Joan
of Arc, she frequently carried a pistol
buckled around her ready to defend her
person and dignity in case of an assault.
She rode or walked over the farm and gave
directions to the servants what and how to
do; or else committed that work to some
trusty slave who knew that it was his bust
ness and interest to obey her command.
Right at this point l will ask the readers
permission to digress from the subject in
order to say, that, when / meet an old
and trusty slave, who in those days proved
his loyalty to his country's interest, and
under whose protection defenceless Wo-
men, children and old men could lie down
and sleep in comparative security, l grasp
his horny hand, and with head uncovered
can thank Heaven that Humanity is
Divine"
Until the new order of things coming up
after the cessation of hostilities, masters
and servants generally belonged to the
same church; and it was, in many instan-
ces, the pride of owners to see a full turn
out of their servants at preaching. The
spiritual welfare of slaves was not neglect
ed by owners who cared anything about
the Christian religion themselves. George
McGill, colored, whose name we mention
ed in connection with Ben Bolin's dog
fight, could ansWe nearly every question
in the shorter Catechism. He wasa men,
Der of the A. r. Presbyterian Church,
holding his membership at Smyrna, and it
was something unusual for his seat to be
vacant during Divine worship. He could
converse intelligently upon Biblical doc
trineS, and he read the 'COnfessiOn of
Faith" regularly. In fact, he was as we'll
posted in these matters as some white peO-
pie /; perhaps better than many of them.
His master had implicit confidence in his
honesty, and | don't suppose he ever had
occasion to regret it. A history of his life
and noble virtues (truth and honestly is
worthy of the study and imitation of those
of his color at the present day. We lost
sight of this old negro in 1857, and have
never seen him since that time. Of others
of his race we will hereafter speak in con-
nectiOn with these "reminiscences, AS our
memory recalls their names and virtues.
Memory is mnemonic. A stroll through
the different cemeteries, and reading the
inscriptions upon the tombstones recalls
many incidents connected with the lives
of those whose memory they perpetuate,
while gallant soldiers and patriotic women
sleep side by side in these cities of the
dead, we reflect:
'On flames eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread
And glory marks with solem sound
The bivouac Of the dead.'
j. l.. s.