Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-26
MUsTERs OF oLDEN DAYS.
These Occasions Were Important
Events In the Country.

Events In the Country.
Capt Chas. Petty writes in the
Charleston News and Courier: The
sad deaths Of John T. Wilkins and
his sister at Cowpens call up to men,
ory the regimental musters at their
fathers, Goucher John wilkins. In
the old days there was a battalion
muster ground at Willis Aliens
about six miles below Gaffney and
the regimental muster was held at
the Wilkins muster field near Couch
er Creek church. The day before
the muster the whisky and cake
wagons would roll in and be ready
for the crowds. The manufacturers
of rifles would also be on hand with
new guns for sale. The price of
plain guns ranged from SO to SIS.
The ginger cake wagons were al
ways on hand and the very sight Of
the cakes with barrel Of beer or
cider to go with them made the small
boy hungry. No old man now ever gets
cake of any sort that tastes half as
well as the ginger cakes sold from the
end Of wagon.
Our recollection is that any one
could sell whisky by the drink or
gallon. The we'll Of Mr.. wilkins was
a curiosity to the small boy. After
digging it he dug out set Of steps
to go down to water, the we'll and
steps being covered by house 40 to
so feet long. About II o'clock the
drum would give the signal for the
formation Of companies and then they
would go through some sort Of drill.
the plumed officers, with cooked hats,
rode with great pomp and parade along
the line when 1t was formed. One
thing noticeable about the colonies
and generals of the militia was that
they considered their military duty
fully performed in the old militia
days. They did not make much OF a
show on the firing line from 1861 to
1865. There were generally a few
free fights in the afternoon. 1t is
also a fact that few Of these muster
grown bullies were good soldiers dur
ing the year. Some Of them could
not be backed up to battle with a
blind bride on.
At these musters the candidates were
on hand and when opportunity offer
ed they made speeches Often a con-
siderable number Of men being very
tired would remain on the ground all
night; or after resting awhile start
homeward. Although hundreds of
men were present at these musters
and many fights took place, we do not
believe there was ever a homicide at
the battalion or general muster
ground. The big thing after the
mounted officers was the band. New
er did a boy see Isaac Neighbors
or the old Scothman, Aley Mcpherson
pound the big drum without wanting
to join the band. These musters were
great and enjoyable holidays. Cir
cuses were rare and other shows and
dramatic performances were not
dreamed of.
In that day and time nearly every
one living between Thickety station
and Trough Shoals was a Littlejohn,
Lipscomb, Wood or wilkins. or closely
related to these families. The Will
kins family which was a large one
generally prepared dinner for such
of the militia as would pay for it.
1t was not often that anything was
left. Those meetings on the muster
grounds were educative. They brought
people together in social way and
broke in on the monotony Of life on
the farm. The military feature did
not amount to much, but without
guns, uniforms or plumes they were
worth as much to the country as the
militia of this day which costs the
state thousands of dollars.