The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-07-06
Col. Brailsford Replies to Is.
Editor The Manuin" Times:

Editor The Manning Times:
If "Sweet l6'' had confined himself to
the clearly defined issue between us as
to the right OF any one to wear the
Confederate cross of honor save a bona
tide Confederate veteran | would be
saved this reply, for it does not bear
discussion.
The very questions propounded to a
veteran when he applies for q cross,
and which he must answer above his
signature proves or diSproves his status
as a good soldier. How, then, could it
be bestowed upon those who never
served under the starry cross as a Con-
federate an hour?
The attempt to prove me unappreci-
ative of tie gallant services rendered
this State mot the Confederacv} by the
youths during our war is far-fetched.
ungenerous and untrue Not a line of
my protest against the indiscrIminate
distribution of the Confederate crosses
OF honor conld be so construed. Again.
| am criticised for not distributin" I'd
libitum and ad inIinitun our camp
badges to parties who were not mcm
bers OF the camp and could not be, on
the very eve of our visit to q city who
proposed to entertain US with our knees
under their mahogany. and wonderful
to say, really did, ought. could Or
should I have distributed those camp
badges?
'Sweet 16'' asserts positively that
four regiments of these State reserves
composing a brigade were with John
sons army at the evacuation of Fay
etteville and Raleigh. but is singularly
reticent as to the part they took in the
terrific and bloody battle of Benton
vile which occurred right then and
there. and as Johnson was heavily
pressed by Sherman and was getting
his cooks and teamsters in line of bat
tie he would have been most grateful
for this magnificent addition to his de-
pleted ranks and the clash OF arms
would not have been drawn battle, but
a great victory for Southern arms: for
q iour years touch OF the elbow in bat
tie with Cardinals young chivalry
teaches me that no line of battle on
earth could resist the impetuous assault
of these young heroes. And I know
likewise that having got within hear
ing Of the roar of battle at Benton
vile no authority on earth could keep
them off that field. So ''Sweet 16.'
must in justice to these brave young
Carolinians explain how it comes about
that only on this occasion of the evacu-
ations of cities that they are conspicu.
Gus, and are again seen gallantly aud
rapidly leading Johnson's retreat on
Charlotte, and are strikingly absent
where they were so much needed in the
Confederacy's last great struggle of the
war. And it must be remembered, too,
that this was no insignificant command,
four regiments that had not yet smelled
the smoke of battle numbered 500 to
the regiment and grand total OF three
thousand two hundred rifles. As our
young friend said they were with the
troops that evacuated Charleston, went
right along with them into North Car
olina and with them around Fayette-
vile and Raleigh, and as the troops
that they were in such close: touch
with, bore the brunt of the fight at
Bentonville notably Rhett's regiment
of regular artillery, but armed them
with muskets who were cut 10 pieces:
it becomes standing question as to
where were those four regiments OF
South Carolina reserves a whole brig
ade unaccounted for. while the very
cooks and teamsters were firing. What
we have right to demand is the name
of these regimental commanders: and
above all that of the brigadier gener-
ais, that their names may 60 down to
infamy. Surely our young friend knew
them. for he saw them daily and heard
some Of their names mentioned every
hour and the brigade was known by the
name Of its commander. And what
concerns US of Clarendon county most
is who was captain of the Clarendon
company. for our young friend says
very clearly that each county in the
State furnished a company that made
up these four regiments, and being
with this company he surely knew his
captains name. TO recapitulate, give
US the names of first, the brigadier gen
eral, then the four colonels and that OF
the captain of the Clarendon company,
and why it was that this splendid COM
mand of over three thousand troops.
a fourth as large as Johnson's army,
were not in the battle of Bentonville,
while other commands from South Car
DINA were nigh dec!mated in that
fight?
And then our-oracular young friend
tells of remarkable blunder made by
some one who decided to send those
three thousand two hundred reserves
home. to procure three thousand two
hundred horses. for you will note he
does not record any laurels that had
been reaped or lives lost. therefore
they wanted horse for every original
member Of the brigade. The time
made between Charlotte, N. c., and
the various counties of South Carolina
was highly creditable, for these fast
young men got home, secured their
three thousand horses, when it was
known that Sherman and Potter's raid
ers never left that many decent horses
in the entire State, and were on their
way back when they heard of the sur
render which occurred few days after
they left 1t was remarkable piece OF
strategy to detach three thousand sup
posed to be effective troops to go three
hundred miles to obtain horses, with
the railroad torn up from within thirty
miles of Charlotte to the coast to ride
down an enemy that was surrounding
the little skeleton Of the army when
they abandoned them. But "Sweet
16" is going to tell US all about it and
make us see things through his specta-
cles in manner to make US fall in love
with the maneuvering OF those four
regiments of reserves from South Caro-
lima around Bentonville.
D. w. BRAILSFORD.
Mothers, hearken while | tell
What will make your bopy we'll
| .:rHEIIrCIIIN A.: c,,11,eS them of q II main