The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-05-21
! GEORGIA COLONEL.


Mills is the king of Red Clay, one of the
Il )untain kingdoms that lie a-straddle
Of the state line which divides Georgia
aid Tennessee, and is one of the most
noted characters If that mountain re-
gi)M.
In the seventies Colonel Mills was a
Republican, residing in Atlanta, and
ran for congress on the Republican tick
ct about the time of the political up
heaval that brought on such radical
changes i'll the state government. He
was a victim of existing circumstances,
AMI without waiting until the ballots
we're counted he gave up the fight in
disgust.
Not long afterward he removed to the
remote corner Of the commonwealth
whnre he now resides and 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 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 car
- OhC JOIN w Az uuyS VI Tx olu U
gia militia, CT which he was one of the
commanding officers.
Il shall never forget said he one
day, my first experience as a drillmas-
ter l 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 mountain. Hunters, traders, trap
pers, squatters and crackers Of low de-
gree were included in this organiza-
ton. I knew the character of the men
that l had to deal with, and as my IA
Their was Major General Enoch r. Mills,
then commanding the justly celebrated
Georgia militia, l 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 a high Off
cial 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 a gorgeous uni
form, with the most fetching epaulets
that I ever beheld, and I made up my
mind that l would apply 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
l mounted my gray pony and rode to
the home Of Captain Howell, who ex-
tended to me an exceedingly warm re-
ception. Lend you my coat and epau-
lets:' said he when l told my mission.
OF course l will. Twill do anything for
the son of General Mills, who is my
warm personal friend, sir, I 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, epau-
let's and all, and may you wear it with
the same distinguished honor with
which your esteemed father has won the
uniform of a major general of the Geor-
gia militia, sir. Here is my sash, also,
sir And he handed me a silken sash as
long as a 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.
"~ IA AAoAS - oPSe
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 a copy Of Scott's tao
tics. l present you with this, sir, as the
highest authority in 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 SCOTS tactics in my left hand l rode
off down the winding road in the direc-
tlon OF Lost mountain, where the citi-
zen soldiers Of my command were pur-
suing their peaceful avocations. A cas-
ual inspection of the cover Of the book
showed me a military officer in full reg
lmentals, and as I opened it and began
leading my heart swelled and my bosom
glowed with military enthusiasm and
patriotic ardor.
About 2 O'Clock in the afternoon l ar
rived in the heart of the forest around
Lost mountain, and it occurred t O me
that as l had never drilled accompany of
soldiers l ought to engage in some pre-
hminary tactics and not make a display
Of my ignorance to the men whom l ex-
pected some day to lead to glory. So /
turned aside into the forest, and after
riding for goo or 300 yards through the
densest woods | ever saw I dismounted
at the root Of "a fallen tree and tied my
pony.
"Divesting myself Of my coat. l put
on the emblszoned and epauletted gar
ment presented to me by Captain How
ell and invested myself with the glow
ing sash Il its tinseled tassels floating
in the wind. Taking position close to
the fallen tree, where l thought it
would be utterly impossible for any one
to come upon me without my discover
e. "