The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-05-08
WAR REMMscENcEs.'
Happenin9s I'm and Around Union
curing Recoustrucfibn-A Brave
Eafhcrl and SozlAA Bit of Their
Snbseqnenf Hfsf0ry. -
: by ]. L. STRAIN.

background and have had very little
inclination to write and consequently
my work has got long way behind.
For a long time your correspondent
has been trying to. keep up with the
most interesting features of your
newspaper work as. he considers
hem-glvipg historical and remin>
NieItal accounts of times and men,
id thus spending his leisure moments
for the benefit. Of those he, like such
reading. It IS only now and then [
can pick up a character I can follow
with ease, and som metimes I get a
iofx tt6ty and sometimes ,ashors one,
but i always try to get one that is
enteresting whether l make it SO to
tho reader or not. THE TIMES
will remember that 1 promised good
while ago to give another chapter on
Mr.. jeff Hughes, and l have got per-
sonal reminders of that promise with
request that | do SO. L must neces
sarily connect the names of other
we'll kno~a characters in Union
county to tell what I am going to
tell now. These will be remembered
by our Older readers no doubt.
sust after the war while the town
OF Union was guarrlsoned WIN Fed :
eral rtoops it was very common
thing for Its citizens, or those of the
county, to ''get up a row." and there
was, it seemed, certain. parties who
had penchant for this kind tf work.
not because they were 1awless char.
acters themselves by any means, but
simply because they could, not bear
to think of the, to them, sad change,
the etermination of the war had brou ght
upon the county, Union county
'xss noted for hepluck Of its citizen
ship, and consequently, was One of
she belligereat centres which made
inilitafy rulc 4 necessity. in the eyes
Sqf hH.g general government. -. !.
= t the time 1 speak Of plenty of
"red eye. was. being sold in the
town and this was by no means
pacifcstor of the chaotic state of af.
fairs. The town was practically
without. local self: government and
everything WAS subservient to. mill
tary rule.
During the time of which I speak
and of which 1 may, on another oc-
casion say much more, Jim Fernan-
dez, noted man came to town one
day. Mr.. Fernandez, as the older
people knew him, was man of
undaunted pluck. His, courage was
OF the highest type, so much SO that
it oftimes discounted his Judgment.
Anyway during his visit to the town
one day something took place that
provoked the military authorities to
attempt his arrest. This he could
not and. ;woa.d not submit to, and
started for his horse. Heeame down
the street from the direction of the
court house followed by a posse
which he held up by telling them to
keep their distance or he would kill
somebody-pistol in hand ready and
willing to carry out his threats''a at any
moment. just as he turned tho
corner where the Bank Building
now stands, his son, Henry Fernan,
dez, came up from the other direction.
Seeing his father pursued by the
crowd, without waiting to enquire as
to what was up he, with the spirit
and courage of a VOlney Beckner,
drew his pistol and began shooting,
and in less time than it takes to tell
the story the; street was cleared, the
posse scattered in every direction,
most Of them taking refuge in the
old hotel whittier they were followed
by Henry Fernandez. firing upon
them at every jump. Henry then
joined his father, Jim Fernando,
and the two started for their home
in the country. When they got to
the forks Of tho road one took
road leading toward the hang
ing ground,| the other going
on toward Spartanburg, Henry said
to his father: "Father, l have heard
a great deal Of talk about your pluck
but have .never seen it tested to my
satisfaction. l expect they will be
after US with posse to arrest us
aud | propose to stop right here and
di, it be necessary rather than run
another foot, what do you say?'
With the sapg-froid Of Lsonidas his