The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-03-18
History Making.

During the recent session of the
Constitutional Convention debate
arose On some question in which it
was desirable to get accurately the
plumber of troops that served from
South Carolina 10 the war of the
Revolution of I776. So imperfec'ly
have the records Of the State been
kept that statistics of an accurate
character upon any subject con-
nected with tdat war are difficult to OBJ
tain
"This. however, is not the case With
the Northeastern States. They have
cbronicled everything. and the con-
sequence has been that the writer's
of these States are the historians of
the country, aud they have accurate
Information recorded on almost every
subj not only of a public bat prl-
vate Dature.
Dr.. j. l.. NJ Curry has written a
book entitled the Southern States
of the American Union," in which he
seeks to record the part which the
Southern States have enacted in the
formation of the Union-in the
pioneer work of its settlement-and
in the acquisition of territory out Of
which the large Western States have
been carved.
In this little book Dr.. Curry states
that in 1870 the white population Of
Pennsylvania was 110,738 and 10
Virginia 110,934. while Pennsylvania
only furnished 81 1865 soldiers for the
Revolutionary War, aud Virginia So,
721.
The military population of New
Hampshire was 531 larger than
South Carolina. and she contributed
only IA, ,906 soldiers, and South Caro-.
lioa 31.1Sl. New York contributed
only 1886 soldiers, when it bad
double the military population Of
South Carolina and 40 per cent. more
of total population South Carolina
sent to its armies 81 out of every 40
citizens capable Of bearing arms !;
Massachusetts sent 50, Connecticut 80
and New Hsmpshire Is.
At the North accurate rolls are
Kept of every person Who entered
the army The North sent to The
army. 100 meu for every 727 of mill
tary age. as shown by the census Of
1890, and the South 100 for every
zoe In 1848 one of every sixty-two
Of the men of military age in 1870. 10
the North, was Revolutionary pen
sioner, and one out of every 10 in the
South. Of these pensioners, DR..
Curry says, New England had 3.l46
more than there were 10 all the South,
and New York swo-thirds as many,
though she contributed not one-sev-
enth as many to the war of the Revo-
luA;on.
A recent experience fhas shown the
writer of this article what difficult
matter it was foe soldiers from South
Carolina in the Revolutionary War
to make proofs Of sheir services 10
taet war in order to get the pensions
allowed in 1882 In looking up a
family record as far back as 1888,
the papers upon which Revolu-
tionary soldier was granted a pen
sion were fouod, and the proofs of
this service as therein revealed, were
given solely upon the individuals
affidavit of service, and record of
ao account paid by the State of South
Carolina to him IS taken from books 10
the Treasurer's office of date 9th Of
June, 1885; certified to by Colonel
Anderson.
No rolls had been kept, aud 80 diff
cult was is to prove such service in
1888 that comparatively few in the
State could get the benefit of the pen
sioos granted u1der said act.
The materials for an interesting
aod instructive history in South Caro-
iua is abundant, and private fortunes
are 10 limited that iadividuals have no
the time to devote to such work, and
the State should therefore make annual
appropriations to assast in doing the
work.
The work which is s,now beingspre-
pared by General Farley to preserve
tee rolls of the soldiers of South Caro-
liza iD the Confederate war is in the
rigdt direction, bat shogld be enlarged
so as to have complete history Of
South Carolina written. The State has
suffered gfievoasly by baving others
than der own sons to write her history,
and that history is glorious one if it
could be faithfully and accurately writ
ten.-Columbia Evening News