Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-06-11


brought face to face with It proved de-
pressing First. II became evident that
all Of our fellow townsmen who really
wanted to 60 10 the war bad already
enlisted Again. offers of bounties had
increased so rapidly that men who
looked at soldering as q mere matter
of hire and pay were waiting for high.
er offers TO come.
Besides. the old patriotic enthusiasm
which had caused men to enlist at the
first notice OF new call for volun-
teers had entirely disappeared. perhaps
becau USE an end had been put to the ear
ly impression that the war would be
only a sort of picnic, ending In the
speedy suppression Of southern NAL
contents. Worse still, increasing taxa
ton was causing a number Of the ear
lier hot blooded patriots to become
very cool and conservative and wonder
whether the north hadn't perhaps been
too hasty and whether the disagree
ment might not better be settled BY
words than bullets.
Yet none of these depressing influ-
ences seemed to affect the class Of men
among whom Mick McTwyny was
working, for Mick's list had crept along
until he had full dozen Of men en-
listed and sworn In. They were the IL
worst characters of Summerton, and
the natives rejoiced to learn that they
were to go where they might be effect
lively killed. had my doubts as to
their value to the Union cause, al
though Cloyne said they would be az
useful as better men In the work Of
stopping bullets and that q barroom
loafer often fought better than an ac-
complished gentleman.
AS for Hamilton, Cloyne and me. we
got less than dozen men between US
in the three weeks In which we worked
at Summerton and Its vicinity. Anoth-
er personal encouragement slowly
worked Its way after each trip that
any Of US made to headquarters in the
city We found at the majors Office
from time to time about 25 quite fine
fellows, all Of whom were trying to get
recruits, all hoping or expecting to be
made officers. yet the entire. number Of
commissions, including the majors
own, could be but 13 to the battalion.
How were the conflicting claims to be
adjusted and by whom? asked Cloyne
this question. and be replied sadly:
"There'll be no claims to adjust un-
less the other claimants are getting
more recruits than We"
1t seemed be was right. If Hamll.
tons wild offer could not bring men to
our Office. how were poorer men to sc.
cure recruits? Yet Mick McTwyny-
ah. there was mysterious. provoking,
enraging, affrlghtlng puzzlel
When I hadn't my own disappoint-
ments In mind, couldn't help worry.
Ing over affairs at home. My father
and mother grew more and more silent.
Little Ned complained that there was
no one to play with him, and my cous-
In May was becoming more deeply in.
terested In Hamilton and Brainard.
Which she liked best | could not dis.
cover-probably because May herself
did not know. She wasn't old enough
to know. She treated Brainard as
schoolboy friend and Hamilton as an
adult and gentleman. She was right In
both cases. but | couldn't help see
ing that both OF my comrades were
very fond of her. and ! feared that
when the time for parting came one Of
them would have to suffer greatly.
Which would It be? | could not for
the life Of me tell for which would
feel worst should he be the least ia
vored.
One day word came by mall that the
major would like to see all Of US at
headquarters the next day about noon
If entirely convenient to us.
"That looks as If we were to have
commissions in spite Of our small sue
cess at recruiting" said Hamilton.
"Officers aren't In the habit Of saying
entirely convenient to privates when
they've any orders to give. Between
ourselves, I've been asking my father
to use a little family and political In
fuence with the governor to get US
commissions, either in our own regi-