Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-06-02
An interesting Tsstte t,,I,. a sfiSsrn;3 ;3er
5g OF Company e C.'' s3 isS "a So
CAMP ELLEkbn,

i 81. A,lsI ! 8 a . !. afaet Si Be ono
d EDIToBs CoTRIER: That feeling sof
pride whichyis is produced at the sight OF
brass buttons, brig lit guns aud glittering
swords is lacking at Camp Ellerbe. The
visitor to our camp Is not impressed by
tho spectacular naturally belonging to
things military. We have been here four
furnished ore particle of equipment,
either clothing or arms. There are over
one thousand mon of the First Regiment,
South Carolina Volunteers, encamped
here. This motley crowd has trulybsen
styled the Ragged Rangers" T. num-
ber OF tho men are not only dirty and
ragged, but are barefooted rs Woll. Those
in command hero, however, are not in
any way to blame. Our otiicers in all
the needs of the men, and In many cases
have done 80 from their private purse.
This has been tho case especially with
Capt. Watkins, Of Company 60" To
further relieve our wants, owing to tho
uncertainty as to when Unole Sam will
equip and pay Lis "nephews," our
ever thoughtful and gallant commander,
Lieut.. Col. Tillman, of the First Bat
talon, (our OWN, has arranged for 81 900
Our bill of faro is excellent. Tho mon
are woll fed, and regardless OF tho COM
plants of q few chronic kickers, the mon
arc well pleased. We are getting down
to regular United States army regula-
tions, each company doing its own cook
lug. The great difficulty is to get the
men to control their appetites. r..
The life of soldier is not bod of
roses. Wo have all been called upon to
witness at times the discipline inflicted
upon Yiolators of military law. But Il
remained until last night for us to wit
ness probably tho most brutal puniah-
mcnt in Uncle Sam g military, codo, with
the exception of death-that of ''buols-
ing and gagging." This punishment is
ou'y allowed when a mans mouth
becomes so foul and abusive that moth
lar n description may DO in ordor. The
man subjected to this punishment is
required to sit fiat upon tito ground. His
knecs arc thon drawn up to level with
his chin, tho bottoms of his foet remain
ing flat upon the ground. His hands are
claspcd over both logs botween tho knee
and ankle, and are then tied. A gun is
thon placed through under his knees and
on tor. of his arms. This completes tho
But tho most painful, gagging, is COM
plotted by taking bayonet, and placing it
cdgowiso in tho open mouth. A stout
cord is tied to tho bayonet on both sidos
of tho mouth. The cord Is drawn around
tho faco, over tho GERS, drawn tight and
tod behind the head. This completes
the operation, which is truly painful
and disgracoful ono. But 1t must DO
administered Mt times. and it was last
night to a private of Company '"H,"
Rutlcr Guards, Of Groenviilo,) lT!!:oSc
mouth had become so foul that nothing
olsc would stop it. He was kept in this
position from s p. M. until II j. NJ, and
this morning sooms to DO somewhat
tanned.
We arc still ono company short of oom-
plotting our regiment, but this will be
Forthcoming soon, and then wo will be
ready for marching orders, which wo are
expecting soon. Tho boys arc all
anxious to go to tho front.
am very proud of tho fact that our
company viii DO tho color company of
tho First Regiment.
Many of our boys arc rocoiving boxes
of good things from homo, which arc
highly acceptable.
Ono thing greatly missed is sufficient
quantity of reading matter. If any of
our Walhalla people are SO patriotic as
to secure a box of reading matter, such
as old magazines, religious papers, peri
odicals, good novels, ETC., and send thom
to mo, / will take great pleasure in >plac-
ing tho literature whore it will do most
good. Lot somo ono start tho movement.
1t will bo appreciated by our boys, and
will help to wear away pleasantly many
a monotonous hour. Too much cannot
bc dono to cheer those who have gono to
tho front to fight in holy cause. The
thought of homo and loved ones and the
uncertainty of our future sometimes
weighs heavily upon us, which is always
relieved by somo thoughtful act Of kind
ness from those wo have loft behind
GJrx- GppuI