Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-08-09
FROM DANCING TO THE BATTLE.
Romantic Career of Prof. Biggs, n
Wandering New Yorker.

L. M. Green in News and Courier.)
In the early SOS there came to
Edgefield Court House dancing
master. His name was J. w. Biggs.
They called him "proies When
the boys asked him about his home
he told them "Just in after life his
own people play any part in his life."
Prof. Biggs settled down in few
months to the ways of the cormu-
nifty and opened a dancing school.
Being good dancer himself and
versed in the teaching OF the fantas-
tic, Prof. Biggs, then very young
man, gathered unto himself many
pupils from the Edgefield section
me school lourished in time, and
Prof. Biggs decided to make his per-
manent residence in the Southern
States, particularly South Carolina.
Taught NJ. G. Butler.
Among Prof. Biggs's dancing pu-
pills were Nj. G. Butler, known to
every student of South Carolina
history as the great leader OF caval-
ry; London Butler, who was killed
the goth Of September at Chicka-
mauga; r. w. Tompkins, Jake
Youngblood, Pomp Smith, and, in
fact, all the young people Of the COM
munity.
From Edgefeld Prof. Biggs, as Is
the custom Of men Of like tempera-
ment, moved on, making Barnwell
his next stopping place. Here Prof.
BlggB stopped at the home Of the
late Judge A. p. Aldrich, the pres
ent Judge Robert Aldrich's father.
Prof. Biggs taught the children of
the household how to dance.
Judge Aldrich as n Pupil.
or Judge Aldrich, the present
member of the circuit bench, Prof.
Biggs In after years was wont to
say: HE was one Of the best,
though most awkward of my pupils"
But Prof. Btggs would add: After
the school closed, however, he was
one of the most graceful"
From Barnwell the dancing mas
ter iourneyed to Augusta, where he
opened a school, later coming back
to Edgetield and again opening a
school in that district. This was In
the years 1867.
Biggs started on the march through
Georgia. At various places he
opened dancing schools and taught
the young Georglans how to dance.
Joined JEFF Davis's Legion.
When the battle cry was sounded
Prof. Biggs was at Columbus, Ga.
He joined the jeff Davis Legion, af-
terward Buffers Cavalry. p. N. B.
Young, brigadier general, was at the
head Of the Georgia brigade.
Besides being dancer Of skill
Prof. Biggs could make corn t
talk" He could play as few mon
could and many were the occasions
in days Of peace that he had been
asked to entertain with his musical
instrument
After joining the cavalry Prof.
Biggs gained note as cornet player
and bugler.
One night as the army was camped
on the Rappahannock bugler from
a South Carolina regiment, camped
on one hill, played cornet solo.
Prof. Biggs answered from the top
was stationed.
Jeb Stuart Charmed.
Gen. j. e. B. Stuart, the great
cavalryman, heard the notes singing
clearly in the night air. In a few
minutes taps was sounded, but in his
tent Stuart thought Of the music that
he had heard from across the hill.
Gen. Stuart was very fond Of music,
and this led him the next day to send
an order for the man who had played
on the cornet the night before to
come to his tent. That man was
Prof. Biggs.
Gen. Stuart said to Biggs: "I want
you to be my headquarters bugler."
Biggs replied: General, am a
stranger from New York. came
South as a dancing master and fell
In love with your Southern people,
and here | am Offering my life in
their defense. In my command they
Know that ! am a New Yorker, and
each Of these officers gives me SIS a
month because l don't need fur
1ough."
Gen. Stuart said: "I'll put you on
the pay roll as a second lieutenant.
You stay here at Headquarters"
And so 1t was that after that day
the sound Of every bugle call from
the stuart command came through
the lips Of Prof. Biggs.
Played "tock Of Ages"
Twelfth Of May. 1864, Jeb Stuart
fell mortally wounded at the battle
OF Yellow Tavern, in Virginia.
AS the shades OF death closed in
about the cavalry leader he asked
that Rock Of Ages" be sung, and
In mutcd tone the cornet Of Prof.
Biggs played the sad accompani-
ment
Following the death Of his ad-
mirer, Gen. Stuart, our bugler and
dancing master must return to But
ler's cavalry.
| have heard survivors of Buffers
cavalry tell OF the recollection OF
going into battle many times stirred
by the calls from Prof. Bigg's buglc.
they say that Biggs did faithful SER
vice, barring his breast to the enemy