The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-04-21
Old Time Musters.

ton of an old-time muster of the militia
of South Carolina, which will prove in
terestiug to our readers, the elder ones
especially:
Before the war South Carolina had q
rigorous military system and every male
between the ages of eig ghteen and forty
FIVE years was required to do military
duty. Each district comprised a regi-
ment, divided into two battalions these
were cut up into companies, which were
required to muster four times year, and
we're called petit musters; the battalion
musters occurred once year, and were
reviewed by the Adjutant-General of the
State; the regimental musters occurred
every other year, and were reviewed by
the Governor. These we're grand occa-
sions. These were days of general jolli6
cation. One year they were held in the
upper part of the district, the next year
in the lower. 1t was in the lower, or
Toney's old field, where the muster could
be seen in all its glory and pomposity.
This field is about seventeen miles from
Greenville. At very early hour, the
volunteer company (which though
exempt from petit muster was required
to attend the general muster) the regl-
mental band, the Governor and his aides
de camp, in carriages, hacks, wagons,
blggies and horseback, started out for the
place of meeting. Going out by the
Augusta road, we soon encounter the
country contingent pouring out OF the
side trails, bringing into requisition every
sort of vehicle, not forgetting the two
wheeled chariot with the little bull at
tached, upon which would probably be
perched an old residenter and his old
wife, in box that barely held the two;
then there were the pedestrians, men and
women, with their best duds on, trudging
contentedly along, happy if they hap.
pened TO run across the band chariot, or
got sight of the "Guv'ner." Sometimes
there were women with infants in their
arms and pipe in their mouth, making the
tiresome journey of five or six miles to
see the muster. And thus, through the
dust and heat and general discomfort, all
arrived at the goal, to find the earth
swarmiug with people from all parts of
the district, and adjacent districts. We
arrive probably at 10 o'clock, the parade
comes off at twelve. 9his gives the reg.
imeutal and company officers an oppor'
tuuity to retire to the obscurity of the
contiguous forest and don the habila-
ments of their office, whence they soon
issue upon their gaily comparisoned
steeds, fully imbued with the "pomp and
circumstance of glorious war" They ride
around and show themselves to the awe
struck but admiring crowds, aud then as
semble near the tree which serves as the
Governors headquarters.
Away up in the woods there comes a
souawk like that of migratory goose
returning to his nestiug-place in the
frjgid zone; the. crowd understand the
signal-a company band is going to play,
aud everybody moves for the scene'
Drawn up in line are twelve or fifteen
meu, each with clarionet in hand with
6pgers on the keys; the leader stands
little in front of the liue, and sees that
every mans right foot is advanced about
eight inches; at the signal of the leader,
who is powerfully impressed with the
dignity and importance of his position,
every instrument ia placed to the mouth,
and every right foot is elevated upon its
heel, and tben-the noise that follows
can only be compared to a battle between
cats and geese during q thunder storm,
the drums representing the thunder;
there they go, those elevated feet striking
the earth like pestles, beating time to the
tune, all playing the air, which the lead
er will inform you is "susannah, don't
YOU cry" The feeling that pervades you
is. that if Miss Susannah ever had any
disposition to cry, such an adjuration
would staunch the lachrymnal fountains
forever. There ere other bands in those
woods, aud similar signal on the right,
and still another on the left divide the
audiences, and then commences musl-
cal contest, which results in driving all
the wild beasts out of that section. AS
12 o'clock approaches, the companies
form on the field for the grand parade.
The volunteer company is uniformed,
spleudidly drilled, and armed with the
regulation musket; it is no trouble for
Stanley Crittenden to place his men in
position; the other troops are uniformed,
badly drilled, and armed with shotguns,
rifles, umbrellas, walking canes, corn
stalks, etc.,; the commanders have a
sword as mark of their position; their
attempt to get their men in order, owing
to their lack of drill, was as ludicrous a
scene as could we'll be imagined, and
wholly indescribable; but by dint OF
swearing, and showing, and pulling they
were made to describe line as straight
as a Virginia worm fence, some facing
front, some rear, and their arms at such
position as resembled eherau.c de trise.
When the colonel took command and at
tempted an evolution in battalion drill,
then they became interminably involved
in mixture which no taxtician on earth
could unravel; the colonel would yell
his commands and his lieutenants rushed
forward to execute them; but it was uua-
vailing the only hope was to reform and
try again; and after an hour or more oil
this exercise, the regiment vas formed
for review, ths Governor acknowledged
their skill and discipline in short ad