The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-10-02
The Historic Red Shirt.

Ia yours of the 18th inst. il a Special
from Honea Path, boosting the proposed
new county, with Honea Path as the
county seat. at THAT time it was intended
to cali the new county "Gary," and your
correspondent said: "It Is proposed to
name the new county Gary, after the i'm
mortal hero of 1876, the old Bald Eagle
Of Edgefeld,' the man who did so much
to free US from negro domination, who
inauguratad the red shirt movement and
helped to drive the Radicals and the
carpet baggers from the borders OF the
State"
Far be it from mo to detract in the
slightest degree from the need of praise
due to Martin Witherspoon Gary, the in
trepid leader of the Edgefield Democracy
in that famous campaign. He was my
friend for twenty years prior to that great
event in our history, and during the cam
paign of &c we conferred many times and
oft as to the means of gaining the re-.
demption of our beloved State. But it is
not right, at this late day, to give him
credit for more than he did, and to ascribe
praise for anything which is not justly
due. His over-zealous friends and ad-
mirers would do him an injustice in maxi
ing such claim.
Gen. Gary did not inaugurate the red
shirt movement, and is not entitled to the
credit Of it. He used it to very great ad-
vantage in the campaign, but this move
ment Originated in Anderson County, and
there were red shirts at Honea Path by
the hundreds in the campaign meeting
held there, at which Hampton spoke, and
this was long before the meeting at Edge
field.
Not red shirt was in South Carolina
until after Hampton was nominated. In
q few days after he became the standard
bearer of the Democracy, a ratification
meeting was held ct Anderson, and there
was an immense torchlight procession.
The Democracy of Anderson County was
thoroughly organized at that tiIne, with
upwards Of twenty-five clubs, and in
each club there was a company ot mount
ed men who were regularly otfcered, and
who were subject to the orders of the
county chairman. The company at Pen
dleton was commanded by Augustus j.
Sitton, who served as private in the
Confed crate army, and he is the man who
introduced the red shirt into the politics
of South Carolina. He went to Anderson
clad in the first red shirt that was ever
made for this purpose in our State, and
few Of his men were in like costume.
The idea at once became popular in An
derson County, and when the campaign
opened at Anderson, not only did Capt.
Sitton bring his company fully uniform
ed in the red shirt, but there we're hun
dreds of others in the long procession,
which was headed by Hampton, who
greeted their leader in this picturesque
costume.
Gen. Gary was one Of the speakers at
the opening in Anderson, and he saw the
red shirts there for the first time. He
expressed great admiration for the uni
form, and lost no time in putting Edge
fields Democracy into red shirts 80 that
when the campaign got down that way
he had thousands of men In this historic
garb.
This correction ia made simply to give
honor where 1t is due. Mr.. Sitton was the
originator of the red shirt beyond ques-
ton, and is entitled to whatever credit
attaches to that feature of rs. He is
modest, unassuming man, and Is leading
a quiet life near Pendleton. His claim to
this honor was recognized by Governor
Hampton, who made him an aide-de-
camp in the spring Of 1877, and the writer
hereof knows the fact that Governor
Hampton's appointment was based upon
MIR. Sitton's being the originator of the
red shirts. The files of the Executive
office will show that this is true history.
It was Anderson and not Edgefield that
inaugurated this style of campaign.-
"Ve,ftas," in Columbia Register.