The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-11-21
CHAPTER III.

AmG0& Ga0tbl1OU UsaituSOl1S4uSoeS W1os
IN the early months Of 1861, crowded
into Kentucky from the mountains OF
Tennessee and North Carolina there was
not one who attracted more attention
and cared less for it than Captain Hugh
Beatty. The loss of his sons and the
fortitude with which he bore his trials
were well calculated to stir the synapa-
thy of all who met him, but this soon
gave place to an intense admiration for
the.old mans devotion to the cause OF
the Union and his readiness to give up
all that remained to him for the success
Of It's arms.
AZ the beginning Of the war our re-
cruising officers were very particular as
to the physical ualifcations of the vol
nnteers, and all men under Is and over
: rs were regarded as disqualified for raili-
tny duty. It took us two years to learn
that boysof 16 and men Of 60 or raore
might make good soldiers.
Although ga risin Of 7s, = and with
arandsons strong enough to fight, there
was not at Camp Dick Robinson in Jan
uary, 1862, a better rifeman than old
Hugh Beatty nor man in the ranks
who was capable of renderings bet
ter service to the cause that was SO dear
to his heart. Great, then, was his dis
< appointment when he was told that he
could not be enlisted
AZ theold mans request I introduced
him to General Thomas, and I recall
asif Z had heard it yesterday, the pur-
port Of heconyersation between thesere-
markable men, each Of whom represent
ed the best types of the trained southern
soldier and the unframed southern
mouataineer At this time General
Thomas was about 40, tall, powerfully
built. and with face that showed the
kindliest heart and the most masterful
intellect. He understood the volunteer
soldier as no other officer Of prominence
did at that time, and so he had NO bar
rier of bayonets to fence him ID from
the men. He heard their stories without
the Intervention Of red tape, and he
made himself accessible to all without
permitting familiarity from any. The
soldiers of the Army Of the Cumberland
were looking around for an idol, as sol
diers viii, and they began by giving
{ this calm, kindly man their confidence,
a confidence which gradually deepened
into the love Of sons for father, and so
: it came about that he whose home was
childless found an army of boys who,
with mingled love and reverence, called
him Pop
Old Hugh Beatty had no idea of the
social distinctions that divide men into
classes. He would have been uncon-
strained in the presence Of king, or if
he gave their differences thought it
would be TO feel pity for the prince who
could not be his own master, and who
was so unfortunate as to have been born
outside the Cumberland range There
was dignity about the old mountaineer
that commanded respect, nor was there
any boorish familiarity in his treatment
of others. He shook hands with General
Thomas, and sitting down facing that
officer he began in his intensely earnest
way.
s.Gineral Thomas, I'm in a ID bad
scrape, and I've come to see eff so be
yon can't help me out. y
Il shall be glad to aid you, if in my
power said the general
t'Waal, hit is in yer power.
please tell me IN what way, - and
the general smiled.
''I come from Batsy's crick. 'Tain't
called after me. Ny dad was the man,
and he was kilt way back when the
Cherokees was in the hills to the south.
We uns down our way is purity much
all Union, and when we seed that the
rebs was 'bleged to conscript us, me and
my boys and a lot OF neighbors lit out
and agreed to foller the moth star till
we uns found the flag and men ready to
fight fo' hit. %
saThat was noble resolution, (" said
the general
.sWe uns had a hi Of a time gittin
har. Hit was nigh most four weeks OF
starvin and marchin and fghtin. Three
of my five boys and two Of my grand
sons was kilt yet we uns didn't never
give up, and I'll tell you TO- why, gin
eral. You see, I was in command The
boys howed I'd been a sojer way back
with Ole Hick'ry, and they howed ef
any man in Che mountains could fetch
'em through-why, he was man Of just
my age and heft :"
1'And from what I have learned, %
said the general, ''you did your duty
like man.
eyes, gineral, like a full growed
mani"
Certainly"
..And not like ID ole fool, or a
babb4. ez hez to be fed on stuff that