Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-01
HAMPTON DAY.

In view of the Red Shirt reunion to
be held in Yorkville next Monday, it
has occurred to us that something
about Hampton Day in Yorkville, the
18th of October, 1876, would be of in
terest at this time. The Enquirer Of
October 10, contains a full page ac-
count of the dcings Of the day, rather
too much for reproduction; but the in
PRODUCTION to the story will probably
be worth while. This introduction Is
as follows:
The rally Of the York Democracy last
Friday, in honor Of Wade Hampton,
state Reform and Honest Govern
ment," is said by those who have been
at every meeting Of the campaign, to
have been the largest and most impos-
ing demonstration yet made, except
ing, perhaps the meeting at Abbeville.
Preparations had been making for
several days for the grand occasion.
In addition to the zeal and well di-
rected efforts of Major James F.
Hart, chairman of the county executive
committee, and c. E. Spencer, Esq,
secretary of the same, the committee
of arrangements consisting of w. B.
Metts, H. w. Hope, j. P. Herndon, ].
D. Colcock, S. Anderson McElwee and
John F. Oates, were untiring in the
performance of their labors to render
the meeting an entire and perfect
success. The stores and shops were
closed and the citizens of the town
with one accord, gave themselves en-
tirely to the day. The large and beau
tiful park, enclosed on the grounds of
Major Hart, on Main street, was Sc
lected as the place where the speaking
should be held. Here large and sub
stantial stand was erected, on either
side of which was also a smaller one
one for the Hampton Boys" of whom
we shall speak hereafter, and the 9TH
erer for the band of music. BY fair
hands the stands were decorated with
wreaths of evergreens and festoons Of
flowers, the latter hanging in the ut
most profusion, their rich and variegat-
ed colors, on that bright October day,
harmoniZing most singularly and beau
tifully with the scar and yellow" au-
tumn foliage of the trees and shrub
berry in the park. Besides numerous
notices and devices wrought in ever
green's and appropriate to the occasion,
a streamer, reaching the full length Of
the grand stand, bore the inscription,
Welcome, Hampton" For noble wo-
nlen 1OTk EleluS the PAIN 10 none, anu
appropriately did they manifest their
enthusiasm and devotion in the cause
i'm which the people are enlisted, not
only by the work of their fair hands,
i'm decorating the stand from which
Cardinals noble son was to address the
multitude, but at a later hour by their
presence and smiling appreciation,
cheering their fathers, their brothers
and their sweethearts in the cause of
of redeeming from the despoilers
grasp their once proud and grand old
state.
Early i'm the morning the people
commenced to arrive, and by 10 o'clock
the streets were filled with pedestrians,
the various mounted clubs having, in
the meantime, quietly marched to their
place of rendezvous a mile and a half
east of town. Here they were formed
in column by Col. A Coward, chief
marshal, and who had for his assist
ants ID. c. Mckinney, w. B. Smith, ].
w. Colcock. w. w. Gaffney G. ]. Steele
and w. b. Wilson, Jr. At II o'clock
they were met by Wade Hampton and
those accompanying him, the arrival of
whom was the signal for the widest
enthusiasm. Cheer after cheer rent
the air, and numbers OF men, who had
followed the gallant chieftan In bat
tie, rushed to grasp him by the hand.
The column formed again, and
mounted on Il splendid charger, Hamp-
ton took his place by the side of the
marshal, who at the head of the ranks,