Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-07-26
Mistellanruas 8adius.
SOLDIERS TALK TO SOLDIERS.
What Col. Means Said on Taking Com
mand of the 18th Regiment.

| Mr.. w. III. Mitchell of Rock Hill,
who was a sergeant in company F,
Seventeenth S. c. ", was i'm Yorkvile
| last Saturday, on a visit to his son.
| Mr.. HaddOn Mitchell, who is a clerk in
| the office of County Treasurer Neil,
and while here paid a pleasant visit to
the office Of The Enquirer. He had in
/ his pocket a newspaper clipping of a
copy Of an address that was delivered
by Governor J. Fl. Means at Camp Lee,
| in Columbia, on the occasion of his
| taking command as colonel of that fa-
nous regiment in December, 1861:
This address is well worthy of the
| able and heroic Carolinian, who deliv-
cred it, and at Mr.. Mitchell's request,
| we take pleasure in reproducing it for
| the benefit of surviving members Of the
Seventeenth regiment especially, and
of our readers generally:
Officers and Soldiers: In taking
| command of you, think it proper that
should introduce myself somewhat
formally to you. and indicate the policy
| very outset, we may understand each
other; or in other words. that you
| may know what I will expect and de-
| mand Of you, and what you may eX-
pect of me.
But, first of all, suffer me to thank
you for the confidence you have i'm
| posed in me, and to assure you, that if
| the most strenuous exertiOns on my
part can avail anything, you shall not
| find that it has been misplaced.
Every man of the slightest intelli-
gence knows that the whole military
system is based upon obedience. The
whole beauty, the whole strength. the
whole efficiency Of every military
movement, depends upon unity Of ac-
| ton. The strength Of a thousand men
is no better than that of one man,
unless it is united; but once consoli-
date it, and it assumes mighty proper
tions, and moves with the force and
power of the unbroken avalanche.
TO produce this unity of action, a
| prompt obedience is absolutely neces-
sary. One single hand must touch the
spring which sets the whole machinery
in motion, just as the pendulum Of the
clock regulates the movements OF all
the wheels of which it Is composed.
Being. therefore, desirous of doing my
duty, not only to you, but to my coun-
try, | shall demand of you the most
| implicit obedience, and pledge myself,
| that If not rendered willingly, l will
enforce it.
There are, however. two modes by
which men can be governed. One Is
through the heart-the other, by the
iron despotism of the military law.
greatly prefer to govern you by the
former method, by appeals to your
sense Of propriety, to your patriotism,
and to all the higher and nobler in
stinct of your natures. All good men,
all true patriots, will readily submit to
| government so mild, so paternal: but
| if there are any who are so refractory
| that these appeals cannot reach them,
| they must expect that the cold letter of
| the law will be applied to them. In
| looking, however, upon the materials
of which this regiment is composed. l
must confess that I apprehend but lit
| tie difficulty i'm it's management. In its
ranks, recognize many who hold hon.
| orable positions at home, heads of fam
| lilies, and even ministers Of the Gospel.
Such men as these could enter this
war with no other motives than those
of the purest patriotism, and from a
wish to render an essential service to
their country. Such men will know
their duty, and will be willing to per-
form it. | have told you, soldiers,
what l will demand of you. l will now
| tell you what you have a right to eX-
pect of me, and l must confess that
feel deep responsibility resting upon
me. You have committed yourselves
to my care, to my guidance and direc-
ton. 1t is your right. to expect that
| should care for you, that | should
treat you with kindness and courtesy,
| that should subject you to no unnec-
| essary hardships or exposure, and that
| should see that your comforts are
mnistered to as far as circumstances
will permit. But, remember, there are
certain hardships and exposures Incl
dent to the life of the soldier, and these
YOU must expect to bear like men,
without a murmur. No doubt you will
| hlt |
you, that the commissary, quartermas-
| ter and surgeon shall all do their duty,
and render you as comfortable as pos
sibe. In short, soldiers. | promise to
| feel for YOU, and to act towards you as
a father feels and acts toward his chill
| dren. But remember, that he is the
| unkindest and most injudicious of all
| fathers, who either fatters the faults
of his children, or fails to administer a
wholesome rebuke when it is necessa- =
ry. While, therefore, the humblest SOL
| dier in the ranks can at all times gain
| access to me when he is in trouble,
and will at all times find in me friend
who will redress his wrongs and SYM
| DalnlIt Will MN III S'ii'"'' N''N
highest and the proudest need not eX-
pect to escape rebuke or punishment II
he be guilty of any neglect of duty or
improperly of conduct.
| have come soldiers, to share your
fate with you, either for veal or for
woe. | have come with you to win q
common glory or share common
grave. All your hardships and eX-
posurcs | expect to share. l intend to
eat what you eat, sleep where you
sleep, toll with you. suffer with you'
fight with you, and die with you, II
nv country demands the sacrifice.
| And to you, officers, allow me 10
add n few words of friendly admoni-
ton. Engaged as you are in COM
mon cause. with the same ends to ac-
complsh. it is your duty to act with
unity and harmony. If YOU should
have wranglings or disputes amongst
Yourselves. never let them pass to the
soldiers. for if you do. all discipline
| 10 ot an end However YOU may dis