Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-10-03
miscellaneous &eadiua.
/. For the Yorkvills Enquirer.
RRMTNJSCRNCES OF WESTERN "

= "REMINISCENCES OF WESTERN YORK:
v Those who had said that the Yankees
! wouldn't fight, had nothing to say upon
the subject after July q, 1851. The first
battle of Manassas was the first evidence
accepted by the country that the war was
a reality. Those who were to drink all
the blood split withdrew their propositions
after, that battle. Minute buttons were
put out of sight, and many of those who
wore them vent into the CRITICISM busl-
ness" Gen. Beauregard was almost cash
Tered by our "Home Council" for not press
ing Gen. Scott and taking the city. OF
Washington, thus browning our thls) 11rst
victory with the capture of the tederal
capital. But they accepted the situation
with all the dignity their suppressed ma
lures could command, and permitted the
State and Confederate authorities to call
for additional troops without raising Il
finger in behalf of the cause they had so
enthusiastically espoused at the beginning.
In the summer, fall and winter OF 1861,
York county sent 80 per cent. OF her arms
bearing population to the army. They
represented, I believe, every branch OF the
military service. '"-
Early in the spring of 1861, Gen. Micah
Jenkins went to work to raise q regiment
(the 9Th S. CO. Most if not all the COM
panies were from York, Union and Spar
his canvass he lost a fine horse at HoWelPs
Ferry. The river was up, and the Hat
running under a bending tree, the horse
was knocked out and drowned before the
harness could be cut off him. The ferry
man, Jerry Thomson, told the General OF
the risk he would take in crossing, but he
insisted that his business was such as TO
compel him to risk it. He was a man
who knew nothing of fear. The first troops
Western York contributed to the Confed-
crate Army went under his command.
Nothing can truthfully be said OF Gen.
Micah Jenkins but that he was a true
type of an American soldier, and Withal
a perfect gentleman.
A great many men who volunteered.
upon being examined, were pronounced
left at home until the enactment of the
"conscript law" which took most of them
back into the army again. ...
In different parts of the county compa-
MES were made up, which, upon the calls
for troops, were in readiness to offer their
services. A company was made up at
Blairsville. They provided themselves
with nice uniforms and drilled every few
DAYS but BY someimeans this company dis
banded and the members went into differ
ent commands. At one time they expect
ed to join the Hampton Legion, but that
command being fully made up, they were
4 disappointed. 1t was called the BROAD
River Light Infantry" but was generally
known as 1.-THE Crosby Company" Some
members of this company went with Gen.
Jenkins regiment to Virginia but most
Of them went about the 22nd of June, 1861
and united with a company from the east
ern portion Of the county under Captain
| White. They joined the 9Th Regiment at
| Summerville and went on with it to lVir-
ginia, reaching Manassas the day OF the
first battle, July 81, 1851. Owing to some
misunderstanding as to who should be the
officers, part of the men failed to 60 in
Capt. Whites company. Most of those
remaining volunteered in companies A
and B, 18th S. G. Regiment, and left York
Vile with those commands respectively,
on the 18th and Goth of August, 1861. for
their rendezvous at LightWood. Knot
Springs, where the said regiment was or
ganized and placed under Col. r. g. NJ.
Dunnovant as its commander. For the
the reader to the "History of McGoWan's
S Se,gyos s. G. Ss A'' . = ''"'O" VI
Up to this time the most gigantic civil
war known to history had been brooding
over this country. Every Southern port
had been e~ffectually blockaded, and our
people were put to the test Of their W
resources, and all the ingenuity of both
male and female wa brought into requi-
sition. No substitute, however, could be
found for salt. Butsoon hundreds of bush
els were made from sea-Water by means of
evaporization. A great many hands were
employed around Charleston in this in
dustry. A few thoughtful, or rather for
tunate, housewives, had laid up some gen
uine coffee, which was quite a luxury in
those times. The most popular substitute
for coffee Wasrye, commonly called "ryee."
Wheat, corn meal and parched sweet pota-
toes, all were tested, but nothing was so
acceptable as rye. The women changed
their straw hats and bonnetS in such a
manner as to deceive the most astute crit
ic. The straw wa died and the ribbon
turned wrong-side outwards. The far
mers turned their attention to raising
breadstuffs and other necessaries to sustain
the army and for home consumption 1and
as a consequence this country, aside from
the blood shed) has never been so happy,
prosperous and independent as it was
during the war. Our people showed them
selves in every respect capable of self
government. It was during the war that
our people generally began to raise and
manufacture sorghum molasses, an indus
try which has proved a great advantage
to this country. Wooden mills were used
to crush the cane, and during the grinding
season the screaking of the mills could be
heard in all directions. 1t is now about
thirty years since this cane was first intro
duced into Western York. By-the-way,
Wagon-maker John Whitesides, near
Smyrna church, was the first man l knew
to succeed in its manufacture. ]. LIS.
RS@ Col. Matson, the Democratic candidate
for governor of Indiana, has just returned
to Washington from a visit home. Dur
ing his absence in Indiana, Colonel Matson
made a number of speeches, and inaugu-
rated the State campaign. All of his
meetings were largely attended, and in
his own home community the enthusiasm
awakened by his presence was uDprece-
dented. The effort to secure a joint cam
vass of the State by the two candidates for
governor failed through the refusal of the
Republican committee to permit their
man to meet Col. Matson. In speaking of
the situation at home he said that the
Democratic outlook is extremely bright.
He comedies that the battle is to be a hot
one, and that the Democrats must exert
themselves to the fullest to win. The par
ty organization assures the result, and Col.
Matson says that the Democratic majority
for both the State and national ticket will
be a substantial one.
Bs" There is one humbug that has been
thoroughly exploded in this campaign,
and that is the old Republican cry that the
tariff agitation is ruinous to business"
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