The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-11-20
Meeting of Survivors Of Palmetto
Battalion

: Editor Watchman and Southron
As goodly number Of the survivors Of
Company tE,' Palmetto Bait lion of Light
Artillery. are residents of Sumter county aud
would re Interested in brief account Of a
late reunion of said Company, 'es to sub
NIT for your columns the minutes of said re-
union, with few additional remarks:
"At reunion OF c .mpany ''E, Palmetto
Battalion If Light Artillery, held on Novem-
her tie 9Th, 1895, at Elm church, Florence
county, the meeting was organized oy
electing Lieut.. W D. scarborough 10 the
chair, and Sergt w ?. Askins rs secty. Au
incomplete roll OF The Company Was called.
Twenty Survivors were present. aud il was
asc .aned that there were Is survivors Of
~ l60 names on the old Company roll.
at of the commissioned officers, Capt. j..
D. johnson and Jr. 2nd Lieut.. R NJ. Ander-
son, were dead ST. lst Lieut.. Culpeper vas
in Texas when last heard ON, and it was
not known whether or not he was surviving /;
Sr. End Lieut.. ". D. Scarborough was
therefore the only known surviving COM
missioned officer of the Company.
After some discussion as to the propriety
and desirability OF organizing camp Of the
survivors of Company &C." P B. L. A., for
the purpose OF perpetuating the old Company
organization, it was
ResoIued, That we, the surviving members
of Company "E," P B L A, of the late
Confederate war, enroll our names and or
ganize d camp of Ex-Confederate Soldiers
for the purpose OF perpe'uating the old Com
pany organization, ~ad for social and beuev-
olent purposes
On motion, partial organization of the
camp vas effected, resulting in the election
of Lieut.. W. D. Scarborough, Commander !;
sergt. w. P. Askins, Lieut. Commander,
and Private Frank Garter, Adjutant. After
organization it was
Resolved, That the officers Of this camp
sha Il select place for meeting and call
meeting of this camp about the last of Au-
gus, next, for the purpose Of completing the
organization. naming the camp, &c.
Resolved, further, That we, the enrolled
members of this camp, pledge ourselves to
meet wnen called together, if not provlden'
tially hindered, and to use our best efforts to
get the enrolment of names, and the attend
ance of every surviving member of old Co.
''E'' P. B l. A.
On motion camp adjourned, subject to call
in accordance with above resolution. !"
1t is needless TO say that the meeting was
one of much qualification and pleasure to all
comrades present. Many amusing war incl
dents, and ludicrous jokes, as we'll as sad
incidents of the end of fallen comrades were
rebearsed aad revived in memory. Notably,
was recalled and discussed the sad end oi
private "Joe Ardis," true and typical SOL
dier, respected and hopored by the entire
command, aud who, after many hardships
and dangers, was shot down, mortally
wounded by the eide of his commanding
officers Lieut.. Scarborough and Corp. E. a
White, 10 the last battle of Johnson's Army
at Bentonville, N. c., they, together With
two of Capt Lancaster's Company, being
the last to retreat from line Of battle after
failing to capture Yankee battery OF ten
guns, which the brigade was ordered to take
In this battle were displayed By several pri'
Yates of Co. "E" 50 much cool bravery
purpose of duty and patriotism, as ever was,
or could be displayed by any of the fa'
famed and justly renowned generals of tbt
Confedeate War. Among this number was
lameuted Joe Ards, to whose memory men
tion of the incident is made, and intended a;
a brief bu. merited tribute. CoMRADE