The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-03-15
AN OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR
ELLEBE WITH SOME ANUS
ING HINTS.

The following open letter has
been addressed to Governor Eller-
be by the editor Of the Onion
Times:
Union, S. c., March /, 1898.
TO w. H.. Ellerbe, Columbia, S. c..
Dear Bill: AS this seems to be
the time and season for all the
men from our country, whose
fathers we're generals, and | sup
pose grandfathers were ]graud-pen-
erals in some war or another, to
volunteer thui: services to com
mand the various brIgades or rpgi-
mentS that may he formed in the
event of war with spain, | hereby
tender my services, and only ask
for such II position as my past re
cord deserves. | will state in the
beginning that neither my father
nor grand father were ever gen
erals or c%olonels, but their names
are recorded in every war of i'm
p%ortance that this country has had,
beginning with the Revolution in
l776.
Not Knowing you personally, |
presume to Wriio you on the an-
quaintauce with which a cousin Of
mine, Thomas Hill had with at
WoffOrd College. He said YOU
were n pretty clever fellow. and
would fight, as he had good cause
to know, from "a bout you and he
had while boarding at Professor
Duncnn's, now Bishop Duncan
After his account OF that fight |
have always f5lt as If 1 knew YOU.
l have never had any experience
in actual war, but / have been p
very valiant officer in the State
militia. have had many trying
experiences, but the one that
t, ted my courage the most was
81 ncampment of the South
Carolina militia at Greenvillp, =.
c., in 1888, l think. L then com
manded about the best company
That attended that encSmpmpnt
about 40 strong, and showed no
fewer men on the final day than
any command present, about nine
men only being in line--the bal
ance lost, missing and disabled.
One gallant and elegant adiutant
general, who was and il n pirtiru-
lar fricnh Of mine, Nj. l.. BDnham,
was disabled, and lay resting npn,
the refreshment stand On the dav
of our arrival, hut he soon recov-
cred, and was able to perform all
Of his duties until the end of the
campaign. Our gallant General
HuGucnin was equal to any empr-
gency, and his chief aid, e. p. Nc
klSslck was charging everything
that looked at all like breastworks
or a battery. lie captured every
thing III sight, and if you would
watch him closely you would gen
orally Had him decorating n chair
tnht was close TO a table, mostly
covered with glass ware. He sti!i
survives, but is rather predisposed
TO govt, not able to undertake. an
other campaign. Several gallant
captains who served with me in
that eventual campaign, l am sorry
to say are soldering on the other
side of the river.
The Charleston troops proved
themselves veterans in that cam
paign, and if they are as fond OF
blood as they ara Of whiskey, they
would be a fine set to send back to
Cuba. | believe l am under many
obligations to the Irish Volunteers
OF Charleston for various acts of
Kindness, and to Captain More
land of the Simpson Rangers for
use OF his tent one afternoon.
your ad%jutant general, Gary
Watts can give you some of the
minor details of that campaign, as
there is the place he first appeared
before the public gaze, wonderful
TO behold in his military GRANDEUR!
L am about the same size as Watts
with his uniform off. He has a lit
tie the best Of me in looks, but
I've got tho age or him and eXper-
fence. [ weigh 125 pounds when in
IL good humor, and have been
whipped in every personal diff
Guilty L have ever had, but my
fights have always been with home
or native talent, and 1 now thirst
Tor foreign gore. | am about the
right size to wear a sword, too
to carry a musket or handle
a spade. l have a voice of stento-
rian tones, suitable for regimental
commands. / look better anu feel
bigger when mounted on a horse
than when ON foot. am
RED and no prospects of ever
being, conse quently, no family ties
to interfere with my services as a
soldier. | possess few worldly
goods and have nothing to loose.
Many people of my county would
he delighted to seq me take my
departure, therefore feeling that it
would be best for my country and
myself l offer my services to YOU,
Yours to serve,
M. w. Culp.
p. ST. have sent a similar let.
ter to this to Billy Mckinley at
Washington, so il you need my
SCI vices answer quickly.
M, w, @.