Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-01-30
A GEORGIA COLONEL.

Colonel Joseph George Washington
Mills is the king of Red Clay, one of the
mountain Kingdoms that lie a-straddle
OF the state line which divides Georgia
and Tennessee, and is one Of the most
noted characters of that mountain re-
gion.
In the seventies Colonel Mills was a
Republican, residing i'll Atlanta, and
ran for congress on the Republican tick
ct about the time of the political up
heaval that brought on such radical
changes in the state government. He
was victim of existing circumstances,
and without waiting until the ballots
were counted he gave up the fight in
disgust.
Not long afterward he removed to the
remote corner of the commonwealth
where he now resides aud possessed him
self of the historic town of Red CLAY,
including the ancient council house
where Andrew jackson and the chiefs
OF the Cherokees met for tho last Cine
preparatory to the removal of the tribes
to their now territory in the west. He
is full OF anecdotes, and his stories car
ry one back 20 the days of the old Geor-
gia militia, Of which he was one of the
commanding officers,
Il shall never forget" said he one
day, "my first experience as a drillmas-
ter. was elected captain of company
down III Cobb county, the muster roll of
which included the warlike deuiZens of
the forest depths in the neighborhood Of
Lost mountain. Hunters, traders, trap
pers, squattors and crackers of low de-
gree were included in this organiza-
ton. know the character of the men
that had to deal with, and as my IA
Their was Major General Enoch R. Mills,
then commanding the Justly celebrated
Georgia militia, felt that l must keep
up the dignity of my office by arraying
myself not only in authority, but in all
the gorgeous habiliments Of n high Off
clal in the Georgia militia.
Il called to mind an old friend Of my
fathers, Captain Howell who lived
over in GwiDnett county and who had
recently resigned the command of his
company. He possessed a gorgeous uni
form, with the most fetching epaulets
that l ever beheld, and 1 made up my
mind that l would apply to him for tho
loan of his paraphernalia to wear at my
first drill, which was to occur OH the
following Friday. II was in the heat Of
the summer, after crops were laid by, so
L mounted my gray pony and rode to
the home Of Captain Howell, who ex-
tended to mo an exceedingly warm re-
ceptlon. Lend you my coat and epau-
letsf' said he when told my mission.
OF course 1 will. will do anything for
the son of General Mills, who is nv
warm personal friend, sir, am proud
to say. Try OH the coat and let us see
how 1t fits. Aha, it is the very thing
Take IT, with my compliments, sir, epau-
lets and all, and may You wear it with
the same distinguished honor with
which your esteemed father has won the
uniform Of Il major general of the Geor-
gia militia, sir. Here is my sash, also,
sir. And he handed me silken sash as
long as fence rail, with a gold fringe
on it like an old fashioned window cur
tain. After bidding him an affectionate
adieu, mounted the gray pony and
started back home
Hold on there, shouted Captain
Howell after l had ridden a few PAGES
Here Is something else that you will
need, Captain Mills And he overlook
me and handed me IA copy of SCOTS tao
tics. present you with this, sir, as the
highest authority i'll the land. 1t has
been carefully compiled by General
Winfield Scott after the most approved
methods and usages of the greatest COM
manders of the age, sir. 1t is above and
beyond all statutory law and is second
and subservient only to the constitution
of the United States, sir. Only follow
its instructions and carry out its regu-
lations and your future is assured, Cap
tain Mills.
with the uniform and sash carefully
packed in my saddlebags and that copy
OF Scott's tactics i'll my left hand rode
off down the winding road in the direc-
ton OF Lost mountain, where the citi-
zen soldiers OF my command were pur-
sulng-their peaceful avocations. A cas-
ual inspection Of the cover of the book
showed me military officer in full reg
imentals, and as l opened it and began
reading my heart swelled and my bosom
glowed with military enthusiasm and
patriotic ardor
about o'clock in the afternoon ar
rived in the heart of the arrest around
Lost mountain, and it Occurred to me
u
soldiers l ought to engage in some pre-
hmlnary tactics and not make a display
OF my Ignorance to the men whom l ex-
pected some day to lead to glory. So I
turned aside into the forest, and after
riding for 200 or 300 yards through the
densest woods | ever saw l dismounted
at the root OF fallen tree and tied my
pony.
"Divesting myself of my coat, put
ON the emblaZOned aud epauletted gar
ment presented to NE by Captain How
ell and invested myself with the glow
ing sash and its tinsclcd tassels floating
in the wind. Taking position close to
the fallen tree, where / thought it
would be utterly impossible for any one
to come upon me without my discover
ing his approach, assumed naughty
and commanding Posture, and with q
copy OF SCOTS tactics opened in my
hand L began drilling the imaginary
squadron.
Garry aims! l called in stento-
rian tones.
"'Order ahmsl'
Right shoulder ahmsp
Present ahmSH
Recover ahmsp
Having gone through with this part
OF the eYolutions to my entire satisfac-
ton, began on that portion Of the
panual which referred to loading and
firing the old flintlock muskets then in
use by the Georgia militia.
Draw rammerr
Bite off cartridgep
Charge cartridgeP