The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-09
LOADED THE FIRST CANNON.

ter That, at least, is his claim, and
he supports it by a very graphic and
oircuinstantial narrative. He is re-
ported to be thoroughly truthful
and trustworthy man
! The veterans name is Thomas a.
Wheat. He has farm on the COSTA
uaula River, and nine miles from
Rome, where he has lived since he
left the army. Physically he is IL
I magnificent specimen of manhood.
Six feet high. broad -shouldcrcd and
>incwy, he is as good a fightin. man
I to-day as when lie was Il soldier in the
Confc'lcracy. Although in his fifty
more than 40.
So devoted is Wheat to the lost
cause that he still wears the gray
oycrcoat Of the Confederate service.
/ He has guarded this precious relic so
carefully that to-day it is Il complete
and scrviccablc garment, capable Of
protecting the wcarcr against cold and
fit to be worn in another campaign
/ He is ready to begin the war over
again, and il such thing were posi-
bic it would see the veteran coming to
tho front in his coat Of Confederate
gray like tbs gE st Of thc'last genera
ton
The other day Wheat gave a sketch
Of his life and its most momcntous in
cident-thc time he helped to fire on
Fort Sumter. He also sat for his
photograph in his Confederate coat
and was told to look as he did when
he was watching for the effect Of the
Shot which was to start the biggest
civil war in history.
Wheat was born in Middle Georgia.
Just after his twcntyfirst birthday,
which was on Christmas day, 1860, he
left home for Augusta.
'Thc boys" he said, "got after me
to go with crowd of them down to
Charleston and fight the Yankees.
| was a strapping youngster, and
the recruiting officer took my name
very readily and was attached to a
South Carolina battery and stationed
on Sullivan's s Island. | had heard a
good deal Of talk about war, but Bob
Toombs and other fire eaters had
taught us to believe that war would
not be moro than breakfast spell and
that we would whip the Yankees so
easily that if fellow did not keep
right at the front he would not get a
chance TO share in the fun.
81 four out better later on. !Af-
ter the Star Of the West affair we
knew that there was some movement
on foot, am were not surprised when
the long roll sounded just after mid
night on the morning Of April 13,
1861, and we were ordered to take our
places at the guns.
1t was my business to load the
first cartridge for the 10-inch mortar,
and while our commander, Captain
IIallenquist, took his station near the
gun, measured out the powder, load
ed the cartridge and cut the fuse.
''It was just growing light and the
fog hung heavy on the water between
our position and Fort Sumter. We
could see the dim outlines of the old
fort, and back to the landward, as the
mist thinncd, we could see figures
moving to anu fro along the battery
in Charleston. It was the crowd
gathering to witness the attack on the
fort.
Suddenly the signal was given just
as the fog lifted, and revealed the out
lines Of the fort, and, springing back
ward, oCapt. IIallenquist pulled the
lanyard. Bomb the shot rang out,
tand was echoed from shore to shore,
and the frightened water fowls flew
shrieking in every direction. 1t was
like clap of thunder from q clear
sky, but in a moment the wild cheer
ing Of the crowd along the battery was
borne across the water.
"My blood was up, aud in moment
another charge was rammed down the
black throat of the old mortar, and /
was permitted to fire the second shot.
and had known all it meant then, /
might not have been so eager for the
honor, but was young and my blood
was hot and I was ready for anything
that might turn up.
The firing, of course, became gem
cral, and the guns from old Sumter
answered our challenge. I was kept
so busy working the gun that paid
little heed to what was going on until
the order came to cease firing.
''Then l saw the officers in the boat