The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-08-26
Re.Union of the Spr0tt Guards.

Reunion OF the Spr0tt Guards.
Last Saturday we had the pleasure of at
tending the reunion of Company |, better
known as the Sprott GliardG. This compa-
nv went into the war with one hundred and
thirtv-seven members, and bore with honor
throughout the war the name of one Of
Clarendon's S most beloved citizcns-Joseph
Sprott. It has been the custom Of this COM
pany to meet annually at their old ,4uster
ground Mt Juncvillc, but this year Mr..
Sprott extended to the survivors and some
! friends an invitation to partake Of his hos
pitality at his residence Notice of the
place of meeting was published in the
TIMES, and, as was expected, q large num-
Der of people who knew how Mr.. Sprott en-
tertains, gathered.
We were among the first to arrive and it
was indeed handsome picture that met
cur view as we drove up: the hoSpitable
mansion, shaded by huge old oaks, with the
old gentleman, his estimable wife, and a
number of grandchildren on the piazza;
the 'tcrand Old man held in one hand the
massive sold-hcadcd cane that was present
ed to him by the Sprott Guards, as q token
of their appreciation for his many kind
acts toward them in war and in peace, and
with the other lie would grasp the hands of
his guests, giving each a warm shake, and
such a welcome as can only be given BY a
Carolina gentleman of the old school. For
several hours after our arrival, people from
far ana near were gathering, and while sit
ting on the spacious piazza watching them
as they approached, We were struck with
the beauty of the surroundings. In front
of the yard is q magnificent field Of living
green; on the right another field planted in
peas, for forage; on the left corn; lmmcdi-
ately in front OF the house stood three stacks
of oats and hay; and the place was sur
rounded with frame of beautiful wood
land. Everything denoted prosperity. No
Better or prettie. spot could be selected for
q landscape painter to put on canvas q pref
ty picture, and no more appropriate word
could be inscribed beneath it than the word
'Contentment.
When the guests assembled there was
general hand-shaking among the.l. The
veterans, Of course, were men that had
reached the shady side of life, and some of
them are closely nearing the time when re-
unions on earth for them will be no more.
It was pretty sight to see the affectionate
greeting that these battle-scarred old patri-
OTIS would give each other, and with what
tenderness they would recall to each other
some incident of the late scene of blood,
carnage, privation, and suffering, that they
together had passed through. One incident
would bring up another, and While so..le
were fraught with tear-fetching Sadness
and even some were full Of horror, others
had their bright side, and when related
their old countenances would light up with
Joy.
One of the Incidents related was how. an
officer had jestingly tested the honesty Of
one of his command The officer had OBJ
tanned for the man bomb-proof position,
taking him away from the scene of whiz-ing
bullets and death, and had placed him in the
culinary department. One day the officer
said to his chaplain that he was going to
test IS honesty oy telling him that If he
did moi send him an extra ration be would
make him give up his position and 60 into
ranks. The chaplain begged the officer not
to subject his man to such great tempta
ton, that man was naturally weak, and that
the temptation to steal an extra ration to
keep out of the way Of danger was so great
that few could withstand it. The officer,
however, had his mind made up, and 60
ing out to the cooking department, he call
ed his man out and took q walk with him.
Putting on q serious air, he said: E,
the position you now hold is free from dam
ger, and one where you have decided ad-
vantage over those in the field; you always
have something to eat at your command.
Now, this position you hold under my ap-
pclntment, and you are under obligations
to me for it. l want you to hold it, and
will keep you in it, providing you consent
to do as I wish" The officer now lowering
his voice so no one else could hear, said:
II will retain you in this place of safety if
you will slip me each day an extra ration"
The words had hardly escaped from the Off
GERS lips, when the man indignantly wheel
ed from him, and in voice loud enough
to be heard q quarter of q mile, repeated q
half dozen times that he would do no such
thing, and that he would shoulder his mus
ket and 60 70 the front rather than consent
to any such arrangement. The man was
talking so loud tlat the officer whispered to
him 10 hush, but it did no cood the indig-
nation of the man had been aroused, and it
was only after the officer assured him that
it was all a joke, would the man consent
to remain in the position.
Another incident was told Of certain
veteran eating fourteen ears Of corn for sup
per. The veteran said it was not so, for at
the time referred to he only ate thirteen
ears, but after eating them he was still hun
cry. he said he would have eaten more
had it not given out
At about one o'clock COL H. L. Benbow,
the company's first captain, and president
of the Survivors Association, called the
body to order under the shade of one Of the
mammoth oaks in the yard. Thirty-thrcc
responded to roll-call, and after addressing
them with few appropriate remarks, lie
introduced Rev. J. c. Bissell, who opened
the meeting with prayer A committee
was appointed to draft suitable resolutions
of respect to the memories of Maj. H. H.
Lesesne, ". J. Clark, +. S. Connor, W. NJ.
Tobias, and J. J. Tndal Some of
the resolutions were touchingly seconded
by Col. Benbow and Capt. BraGham.
Dinner was then announced, and Col.
Benbow stated that he had promised Mrs.
Sprott that as soon as dinner was ready he
would order the command to make an at
tack, and as true and tried soldiers the
order would be obeyed without delay.
The march was then taken up to the tables,
Joined in by the other guests, and in a
short time the tables were urlor1ded and
captured. After blessing had been asked,
there was q general clatter of knives and
forks along the double line doing destruc
ton to the suostantials of life. The table
was laden with the best the land could pro-
vide. Everything was there in plenty, and
was served in thet style which has made
the Sprotts noted entertainers. 1t was an
excellent dinner, and all enjoyed it.
The dinner being over, the veterans were