Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-28
RED SHIRT MOVEMENT.
Reunion Date Changed to September
27 and %.

The annual reunion of the Red Shirt
organization of South Carolina, says
the Columbia State of yesterday, will
be held In Columbia on September q
and 2S. The meeting was to have been
held on August 9 and 10 at the same
time with the United Confederate vet
Grams. The reunion Of the veterans
was postponed to August 90 and %.
The announcement that the reunion Of
the Red Shirts had been postponed
was made here yesterday by John G..
Mobley Of Winnsboro, the commander
of the organization.
The following have been selected as
a committee on arrangements and ad-
visory matters connected with the cell
ebration to be held here In Columbia,
September q and %: Willie Jones,
W. d. Startling, T. ]. Harper, Thomas
B. Aughtry and George w. Taylor.
The following announcement was
made yesterday by John G.. Mobley:
THE celebration of The Red Shirt
Democratic victory of '76 will be held
in Columbia September q and %. In
accordance with the constitution pre-
sented to the Red Shirt convention in
Anderson, August, 1909, by Col. w. l..
Mauldin and adopted at that time, a
celebration in one of the counties Of
our state was to be held each year in
commemoration Of the liberation OF
South Carolina from. lawlessness and
misrule. The object was to promote
the spirit Of patriotism, to keep up the
touch of her sons, and should the state
ever need their services, to be ready
TO respond promptly. Politics are not
connected with the organization.
The mayor Of Columbia, w. H.
Gibbes, invited the organization to
meet in Columbia, and I accepted the
invitation in April, appointing August
and 10. I was informed that sub
sequent to our having selected the 9th
and 10th Of August, the Confederate
veterans selected these dates for their
reunion, which would make the reun-
ion of both organizations in Columbia
on the same date. This action on their
part suggested to me that they unite
with the Red Shirts in commemorating
an occasion, which was the aftermath
of the struggle which they had so
gloriously maintained. Not wishing,
however, in any way to interfere with
their meeting, but in a spirit of desire
to have them join with us, I changed
our dates to August IL and IL, thus
making the meeting, In fact only one
reunion so that they could attend the
Red Shirt celebration without the in
return to Columbia. The veterans
subsequently changed their dates to
August 30 and 23, which was, Of course,
perfectly agreeable to US. The inten-
ton Of the Red Shirts was to honor
them and add as much as possible to
the patriotic sentiment that would at
tend their reunion at the capital. In
announcing his change, however, Gen.
Brooks uses language that was unnec-
essary. He said In part: In order not
to conflict with any other organiza-
tion,' and intimates that the Red Shirt
meeting at Columbia smacks Of poll
tics, emphasizing the fact that the re-
union of veterans Is non-political.
was surprised at these expressions from
him. The conflict is over. These are
times Of peace. There could be no con-
fict between us. We are OF one fam
lily. The one longer in service, glorious
in military achievement; the other
ready always to honor them, while they
live, and reverence their memories
when they die. The greatest bond Of
union should be between the Confed-
crate veterans and the Red Shirts. All
of the veterans wore the red shirts In
rs, and 1t was the fact that remnant
of the men who followed Jackson and
Lee, and under the command OF the
great general Of Confederate cavalry,
Wade Hampton, composed a large per
cent of the army of Red Shirts that in
spired respect and fear in the hearts
of the Federals who garrisoned our
state in '76, and made them see the
hand writing on the wall predicting a
desperate conflict. A conflict that once
started would have been on to a finish,
and where the war cry would nave
been remember the broken treaty OF
Appomattox, the Imprisonment OF Da-
Wis and the desecration Of the south.
"Col. Brooks Is man OF much
learning, but he seems to have forgot
ten that the political issues OF '5S and
'59 brought on the War. Between the
Sections. Does he fall to recognize
the fact that every Confederate, VINO
will attend the reunion OF the soldiers
who wore the gray, also wore red
shirt under the command Of their own
chieftain? When he writes OF conflict
and politics, he does not represent their
sentiments.
Now, in order that there may not
be even the faintest idea Of other or
eanizations and political organizations
causing conflict I remove the date or
the celebration Of the great Democratic
victory of '76 as far away as possible,
and appoint September q and 28 at
Columbia for the meeting OF the Red
Shirt organization. These dates have
been accepted by the mayor Of Column
bia, and I extend a most cordial invi-
tation to all of the Confederate veter-
ans to be present with us, each wear
ing a red shirt, and all Of the honors
of the occasion will be theirs. This In
vitation specially includes Gen: U. K.
Brooks. John G.. Mobley,
"Commander-in-ch chief"