The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1898-1913, 1901-10-09

I hlNef, WHO, OH d''OuHI VI ASiiSi'"
scruplrs. could not be expected 10
bear arms. And worse still, when
the commissioners reached the plant
alton Of the Colonel of Njnety-SiX
Observation-Disclosures or Fletchall by
namc-who was living on Fair Forest
creek in what is now the lower part
Of Union county, they found him =
headstrong loyaist., harboring the
emis,arieS Of the Rotul Governor.
and IN secret connection with their
maturing designs to spread loyalism
throughout the province, and engage
the Cherokee Indians against the
American cause.
At this time the province was di-
vided into districts. Each dist riot
had its own regiment Of militia and
through the commanding officers Of
the several districts the people
Throughout the province could best
!r reached and instructed. Besides
! his official position, the colonel was
generally a man of strength and great
personal influence.
No exception to this rule, Col &.
Fietchall was using his official posi-
tion and popularity to make lOyalists
of his men. How well he succeeded,
the bloody years that followed too
clearly attest. 1t was largely his in
huence and that of the Cunninghams
that made the lower portion OF the
district Of NinetySiX such hot bed
Of toryi>m.
At length the commissioners reach
ed still higher ground and came into a
clearer. purer atmosphere, in sight
OF the everlasting hills, where the
spirit Of enlightened liberty ever
loves to dwell.
We hear Of them at Wotford's Iron
Works. on Lawson s Fork-the first
mention in history Of the place where
We are holding our celebration today.
4 letter from here tells that that they
had found people where they coulc
do something" Notice the potency
in those words-G power indeed, that
was not mistaken-for they were a
people, as they were reported to be.
active and spirited and "stannch
/ in our favor, capable of forming a
good barrier against the Indians and
of being a severe check upon Fletch-
all IS people, on whom they border. "
Truth is, the commissioners had
struck the old Scotch-Ilish Presby-
terian stock-of which we have beer
speaking, and as ever had come forth
from their uncompromising souls the
true ring Q. liberty or death.
1t is OF these people and the reSl-
ment into which they were organized
that | wish to speak to you today.
The Spartan Regiment, it was call
ed-a name probably given it by
Drayton himself; and was, doubtless,
suggested to him by the virtue and
valor of the men who formed it, so
akin to that of the worthy heroes
who centuries before, had made the
name immortal by their individual
acts of heroism and in saving Europe
from the degradation and tyranny OF
IN Eastern despot. These latter day
Spartans-what a prophecy theil
tame foretold-were destined to play
no small part in the salvation o
: America
1t was from the Spartan Regimen
: that the Spartan District, soon after
. wards formed, derived the name
/ The Spartan District was af;erward
, divided, and Il part OF it called spar
; tanburg county.
e Another fact, not generally con7id
{ cred. but important to underStan
r properly the history Of these peopI
Il it was forty years after the organ
:, zation Of the Spartan Regiment be
e fore the line dividing North lroE
= South Carolina was definitely located
e Before 1915 the Spartan District, or
| large part OF it, was often considere
IS as embraced in Craven county, Mort
r Carolina. Recorded in the old recor
d books Of Craven county, at Raleigi
v North Carolina, today, may be see
conyevances Of lands in this neigl
er borhood, and even Of some in tt
lower part Of the county. in Gro
Is Anchor township. Bearing this
!. ;rind. We can appreciate more fuI
10 the close bond that existed betWet
- the men who were organized into II
st. Spartan Regiment and their neig
h, bors of Mecklenburg county, wi
more than two months before tn
er time had soiemly assembled and d
us clared themselves free and ind
he pendent pcoplc-leavinga pattern
m their bold declaration of indepen
ial rnce for Thomas Jefferson and /
on Continental Congress to follow. Th
m were all the same Scotch Irish Viii
he many Of them kinsmen-and
na having common interests and dang'
!ck to bind them still more closely
pie gether.
be- We are told in Mrs. Ellie
,ri- Women Of the Revolution" Il
~