The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-11-28
A Remarkable Coincldence.

Greenvilie Moutaineer
Mr T. B Lackie of Detroit. Mich,
has sent us the following interesting
remipiscence of the Second Manassas,
which narrates an incident of the
battle with which some of our read
ers are already familiar
"In the year 1853 four gentlmen
entered their sons at boarding
school at Cokesbury in South Caroli
na. They had been for years init.
mate friends, and were clergymen in
the Methodist church These boys
remained at this school as room
mates and classmates for two years
and entered Woford college. stand
ing relatively first, second, third snd
fourth in large class. They remain
ed in this institution four years and
were room mates all the time, grad1
atipg relatively FIRST, second, third
and fourth
They entered law Office In Spar.
tanburg and studied law under the
same chancellor. The war broke
ont and they entered Jenkins Rife
regiment from South Caroline (Capt
Jos. Walkers company and were
messmates in the same company
Being near the same height they
stood together as comrades in battle
in this regiment At the second
battle of Manassas . shell from the
federal battery fell in the ranks Of
this company. killing these four boys
and no others in the company.
"They are buried oD the battle
field and sleep together in the same
grave. Their names are Capers,
Mcswaip, Smith and Duncan, and
they are the sons of Bishop Capers,
Rev. DR. McSwain. Rev Dr. White
foord Smith and Rev Dr. Duncan of
Virginia This grave is marked by
a granite cross enclosed With an iron
fence"
The writer vas 10 command Of Com
p.ny C, Palmetto Saarp Shooters.
which vas on the right of the regiment.
aud Company K Was the oexs to the
right. commsnded by the late Capt h.
H Thompson. brave soldier Who died
q few years ago in opsr..sburg The
position occupied BY the regiment Was
10 . piece Of woods bot far frem che
edse, whore It vas halted, ordered to
lie down, .sd remained uader most
.erri6s Ere Of shot and she'll uasil Col
Walker gave the command to "cbanee
from front 70 rear on 12:h company,
which would place the regiment ss
riebs .ugle from It's drss position in the
woods. When CsmpsOies c and 4
began the movement, it was observed
By tho writer that seversl men did not
rise wben the command Was given to
change lrout, vheo he west to the
place where the men we're lying, and
found shat Eve young men were killed BY
tho explosion Of the she'll in the manner
described Four Of them we're Cspers.
MoSs.iu. Smith aud Duucso, who
belonged to Company Z. aod the fifth
man vas W "A Keowu Of Company T.,
who was raised in Anderson couo'y
Young Keovn bad narrow escape
from death in the First Manassas.
whore minnie ball went through bic
hat aud gr.sed bis hair, sod ne sen'
eallaosry through all other battles
unhurt until be va. within 200 yards
of the spot where he so uarrovly run toe
gauntlet 10 the First Msuassas. He
vas 40 e4celleut soldier and remarkable
for bis oative Wit aod Intelligence,
although be did not have the education
al advantages OF the young men "ho
met death with him.
Mr. Lackie was member OF the
Sixteenth Michigan, and TIE Mouo
saineer printed last year 40 account
written by him OF the famous enooon-
ter of bis regiment with the Palmetto
Sharp Shooters at Gaines Million Juoe
27, 1862. This account of the battle
led to an extensive correspondence With
Mr. Lackie by the members of the sharp
shooters sod others Mr. E. & R.nkln,
of Arlington, Te1a.. was among the
ponber wbo wrote to Mr. Lackie. espe
cially With reference to toe proposed
reunion at Louisville. which uo!ortn
pately did not take place. Mr. RANKIN
discovered that swo Of the sharp shoot
ers livsd in this town. and they we're
much interested in the "reminiscences o'
Gaines Mill
The names of those two soldiers ere
M. T. and A. W. Walker, Who be
louged to Company K, P s. s., and
one of them sent the clipping FROM an
old newspaper which gave the facts
recited about the remarkable eolnc'
dence at the Second Manassas. Com
rade A w Walker Informed MI
Rankin that be helped to bury the tour
hoes helonoiny 20 Company K who ars