The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-02-15
Cur @lin.
A GEORGIA COLONEL.
From the chicaro Reeord.

NoiOhCi OooCPh OOoA5S " aSAhSVo
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 region.
In the seventies Colonel Mills was
Republican, residing in Atlanta, and ran
for congress on the Republican ticket
about the time of the political upheaval
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 and possessed himself of
the historic town of Red Clay. including
the ancient council house where Andrew
Jackson and the chiefs of the Cherokees
met for the last time preparatory to the
removal of the tribes to their new territory
in the west. He is full Of anecdotes, and
his stories carry one back to the days of
the old Georgia militia, of which he was
one of the commanding officers.
II shall never forget, said he one
day, "my first experience as drillmaster.
was elected captain of a company down
in Cobb county, the muster roll of which
included the warlike denizens of the forest
depths in the neighborhood of Lost noun
tain. Hunters, traders, trappers, squatters
and crackers of low degree were included
in this organization. Iknew the character
of the men that 1 had to deal with, and as
my father was Major General Enoch R.
Mills, then commanding the justly cele
brated Georgia militia, l felt that | must
keep up the dignity of my Office by array
ing myself not only in authority, but in all
the gorgeous habiliments of high official
in the Georgia militia.
II called to mind an old friend of my
fathers, Captain Howell, who lived over
in Gwinnett county and who had recently
resigned the command of his company.
He possessed gorgeous uniform, with the
most fetching epaulets that | ever beheld,
and | made up my mind that | would ap-
ply to him for the loan of his paraphernalia
to wear at my first drill, which was to
occur on the following Friday. 1t was in
the heat of the summer, after crops were
laid by, SO I mounted my gray pony and
rode to the home of Captain Howell, who
extended to me an exceedingly warm re-
ception. LEND you my coat and epau-
lets p said he when | told my mission.
'Of course l will. will do anything for
the son of General Mills, who is my warm
personal friend, sir, | am proud to say.
Try on the coat and let us see how it fits.
Aha, it is the very thing. Take it, with
my compliments, sir, epaulets and all, and
may you wear it with the same distin-
guished honor with which your esteemed
father has won the uniform of major
general of the Georgia militia, sir. Here
is my sash, also, sir. And he handed
me a silken sash as long as a fence rail,
with gold fringe on it like an old fash
ioned window curtain. After bidding him
an affectionate adieu, mounted the gray
pony and started back home.
s'Hold on there, shouted Captain
Howell after I had ridden a few PAGES.
Here is something else that you will
need, Captain Mills. And he overlook
me and handed me copy of Scott s tac-
tics. l present you with this, sir, as the
highest authority in the land. 1t has
been carefully compiled by General Win
field Scott after the most approved methods
and usages of the greatest commanders OF
the age, sir. 1t is above and beyond all
statutory law and is second and subseryient
only to the constitution of the United
States, sir. Only follow its instructions
and carry out its regulations and your
future is assured, Captain Mills
ssWith the uniform and sash carefully
packed in my saddlebags and that copy of
Scott's tactics In my left hand l rode off
down the winding road in the direction of
Lost mountain, where the citizen soldiers
of my command were pursuing their peace
full ayocations. A casual inspection Of the
cover of the book showed me military
officer in full regimentals, and as I opened
it and began reading my heart swelled and
nay bosom glowed with military enthusiasm
and patriotic ardor.
"About 2 O clock in the afternoon ar
rived in the heart of the forest around Lost
mountain, and it occurred to me that as l
had never drilled company Of soldiers |
ought to engage in some preliminary tactics
and not make display Of my ignorance to
the men whom Iexpected some day to lead
to glory. So turned aside into the
forest, and after riding for 200 or 300
yards through the densest woods | ever
saw dismounted at the root of fallen
tree and tied my pony.
ssDivesting myself of my coat, put on
the emblazoned and epauletted garment
presented to me by Captain Howell and
invested myself with the glowing sash and
its tinseled tassels floating in the wind.
Taking position close to the fallen tree,
where | thought it would be utterly i'm
possible for any one to come upon me with
out my discovering his approach, | assumed
a naughty and commanding posture, and
,-;4t = ,o,,, IF Ccoff,s tactics onaned in nv