Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-27

rOunQlnSS may dIIOTu. All lnStdUce IL
related by a major, a Georgian. on
General Grants staff, during the late
Spanish American war. The major
by the way, was Masonic enthusiast
and while in Charleston awaiting
transportation to Porto Rico he estab-
lished his headquarters, so to speak,
at the Masonic Temple, forming very
largely Masonic acquaintances. He
often related the following story, pre-
fixed by Why became Mason:
AT the battle Of Spottsylvania on
May 4, 1864, at the Angle where the
Federal and Confederate forces cross
ed bayonets, where the death toll was
the heaviest, the Confederates held
their line, infiicting great punishment
upon their repulsed foe. and In turn
being badly punished, short lull in
the firing permitted the men to gather
the rails from a fence nearby, piling
them lengthwise about two feet high,
as a probable protection against stray
bullets Towards evening another
murderous onslaught was made by the
Federal forces formed in three lines
OF battle, closely supporting one an
other. Again bayonet met bayonet at
the rail formation; again foemen look
ed foemen in the eye for moment.
and again and again the charging
hordes were repulsed, leaving their
dead and wounded piled UP in front
of the Confederate lines and the Con-
federates were left mourning for brave
companions who fell, only as brave
men fall. and hugging their friendly
rails and In prayer giving thanks to
their God-no atheist in that gather
ing-for His protection in the hour
of danger. AS the sun began to end
his daily journey, desultory firing still
going on, the major,-then a boy OF
1s or 19 years-observed his captain
leap to his feet, and saying to those
near him, I am going short way to
the 'front.' jumped over the rails. He
was heard to speak with some one, but
a short distance away, then he jump
ed back, grasped his canteen, which
was filled with water, and over the
rails again to the person with whom
he had been talking. The bullets
were flying around him; in his work
Of mercy and charity he seemed to
bear a charmed life. His listening
men heard him say. Here, my broth
er, is all 1 can do for you just now.
God be with you, and II possible, a
little later 1 will endeavor to give you
moro assistance
ION relating his position he was
asked to whom he was talking at the
front. He replied: A badly wounded
Federal soldier, a brother Mason in
distress A little later, when dark
night supervened, in a measure insur-
ing safety, the captain improvised a
stretcher, and with the aid Of some
of his men, he brought the stranger
into our lines for treatment
THE major concluded his story
with these words, That hour resolv-
ed that II any order could impel man
to risk his life in giving succor to a
disabled enemy. I would unite d. v.
WIN that order at the first practicable
hour and I kept. most religiously. the
resolution"
An Incident Of Charleston Harbor.
Another incident Of the same sort
was related recently by man high In
Masonic circles in Charleston. Dur
ing the siege of this city by the Fede-
raj forces Major Rion with small
escort attempted to visit Fort Sum-
ter, the trip being made in a small
rowboat. No danger would have been
encountered had not one Of the oars
broken in the course Of the voyage
across the bay. and the occupants then
discovered to their dismay that the
strong tide and wind was sweeping
their little craft out Of the harbor
straight towards the vessels Of the
blockading fleet Off the bar. There
was nothing to be done. The broken
oar rendered the boat unmanageable
and Major Rion and the men with
him, in spite of their efforts, soon
saw that unless some miracle inter-
vened they would be captured. A
worse peril than imprisonment, how
ever, soon threatened them. Their
boat, drifting helplessly with the tide,
was borne down upon a vessel OF the
Federal fleet. From the deck OF the
warship the command was given to
halt. This the Confederates could not
do. their broken oar rendering 1t I'M
possible. A second command was CIV
en-; and though the men in the row.
boat held up the broken oar to show
why they did not obey the command,
they heard an officer on the Federal
ship give the command to a sentry to
aim his musket at the boat. At this
moment an idea occurred to Colonel
Rion, who was a Mason. He stood up
in the boat and made q signal that all
Masons knew, and at once he saw an
officer on the warship leap forward.
A sharp command was given, the SEN
try lowered his musket and soon a
boat put out from the warship's side.
The Confederates were taken on board,
treated with every consideration and
later paroled and sent back to
Charleston. The officer who saw and
understood the signal was himself
Mason.
How Masonry Saved Seven.
During the Boer war In South Az
rica many interesting incidents took
place among the Masons. The follow
ing stories were told by resident Of
Charleston who served through the
campaign:
while Babbington's brigade was
marching through the southern por-
ton of the Transvaal young lieuten-
ant Of one Of the home regiments was
sent out with a patrol Of six men. Az
ter accommodating for some hours the
young officer attempted to lead his
men back to his own camp. To his
dismay he found that he was lost For
hours they wandered about the veldt
and were becoming exhausted. both
from want Of food and from continu-
Gus marching. Finally they saw a