The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-31
SECOND SOUTH CAROLINIANS.
COL. JONES SPLENDID CAMP ON
DALE AVENUE.

WIN Hhteh the heEhmeht WIS
Observation-Disclosures in After
Peace Had Been DecIared-The
First Battalion One of the best
Drilled in the COrDs-Lieut. Col.
Thompson VIII Give an Exhibi-
ton Drill with This Battalion To-
morrow Afternoon.
The people of Savannah are naturally
taking great interest in the Second South
Carolina Regiment, composed as it is Of
men from a state whose territory begins
just across the Savannah river.
The Second South Carolina is encamped
on Dale avenue, north side, and is just a
short distance beyond the First Division
headquarters. This regiment has one of
the best camp sites around the city, and
the camp ground Is kept as neat as a pin.
The general appearance of the camp has
been most favorably remarked upon by
the many from the city who have visited
II. The South Carolinians had many wish
tors yesterday, and they were glad to see
them there. The men have expressed
themselves as greatly delighted with Sa-
vannah and they oil seem glad they are
here.
The history of the Second South Carolina
is rather peculiar one. That is to say,
it came into existence in manner some
what different from that of the other state
regiments. Under the first call for troops
South Carolina was asked to furnish one
regiment and an independent battalion.
Lieut. Col. Henry T. Thompson was cap
of rIe OF ba irne
of the first call. His company responded
promptly and when the independent bat
TALON was formed, Capt. Thompson be-
came its major.
The First South Carolina, which is now
at Columbia, soon to be mustered out,
was short of company just before the
second cali came, and though he objected
strongly TO parting with one of his com
panies Mai Thompson finally yielded in
order that the First Regiment might be
forwarded to Chickamauga.
Under the second call, two additional
regiments We're asked for from South Car
DINA, and these, with the Independent bat
talon, for which Mai. Thompson secured
another company, formed the Second
South Carolina On June q Gov. Ellerbe
appointed Col. Willie Jones, a prominent
banker of Columbia, colonel of the regi-
ment, and Maj Thompson its lieutenant
colonel. The regiment is composed mostly
of young men from the farming districts
of South Carolina the cities having fur
nished very few.
Peace was declared before the regiment
was mustered into the service, but the
war department was appealed to, and II
was taken into the volunteer service and
sent to join Gen. Lees corps at Jackson
vile on Sept. 16.
The, First or independent Battalion
WI hhf W
under the first call, and which, therefore,
sets the pace for the entire regiment, is
one of the very, finest drilled and discip-
lined bodies of men In the volunteer army
of the United States, and has received
the most favorable commentator from
military critics who have inspected it.
The progress which the battalion made
in drill was simply wonderful.
Lieut.. Col Thompson Of the regiment
has reputation as a military man which
extends over a considerable portion of the
South lie is the eldest son of ex-Gov.
Hugh s. Thompson of South Carolina, who
was First Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury under President Cleveland 5
first administration, end who now resides
in New York city as controller of the
New York Life Insurance Company.
Col. Thompson was born in 1853. He
was educated at the Columbia Military
Academy. of which his father was the
Schenectady, N. Y. Both of these institu'
tons had the military feature attached.
He Joined the Governors Guards at CO.
lumba as a private in 1878. In 1880 he
was second sergeant of that command. In
that year Col. Thompson moved to OAR
lington and became head of the Darling
ton Male Academy. a military school. On
the reopening of the South Carolina Mill
tary Academy. at Charleston, he was
elected instructor in tactics and assistant
professor of English in that institution.
| In 1885 Col Thompson moved to Columbia
| as private secretary to his father, VINO
was then Governor of the state, and was
| there elected first lieutenant of the Rich
land Volunteer Rifle Company. In 1886 lie
| moved to Darling ton to practice law, where
! he was appointed adjutant general of the
| Third Brigade, South. Carolina Militia,
| with the rank of major. He was elected
! captain of the Darlington Guards in 1897.
| Under his management this company has
| become one Of the crack military organiza-
| lions of the South In 1893 and 1894 It en-
tered five state and interstate military
contests, winning first place on each oc-
1 casion.
In April. 1894, the celebrated dispensary
riots occurred at Darlington. and when
ordered by Gov. Tillman to proceed to
! Darlington, most of the state militia
threw down their arms and declined to
| do go. The captain of the Darlington
/ Guards and all of his men, without eX-
ception, were opposed to Gov. Tillman po-
ltically, and hated his dispensary doc
trines but Notwithstanding this fact. they
obeyed the Governors orders and remain
ed in line to a man for a period of ten
days. They stood in between the military
authorities and the enraged people of the
community, protecting the lives of state
constables who were lying wounded in
the jail and who We're threatened with
lynching. and prevented serious boodshed
which might have followed Gov. Tillman's
mobilization of the state militia at this
juncture. This stand of the Darlington
| Guards was due to the attitude of their
captain. and il is to this. more than any
| thing else, that he owes his promotion al
the hands of a Governor with whom he
is not in political accord.
The First Battalion carries with 1t the
old battle flag of the Palmetto regiment
which was presented to this battalion
This was the first American flag carried
| into the City of Mexico. when Col. Butler
and his lieutenant colonel were killed while