Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-07-08
WENT TO GETTYSBURG

Mr.. Thomas w. Boyd, supervisor OF
York county. was among the York
county visitors to Gettysburg last
week. He was interested mainly be-
cause his father, the late VIM. Boyd.
fought in the battle; but he has re-
turned feeling that all those who could
have gone and who. failed to go, miss
ed splendid opportunity to see and
learn things that are worth while.
zone thing that interested me very
much" said Mr.. Boyd, yesterday. was
the crops in northern Maryland and
southern Pennsylvania between Balti-
more and Gettysburg. The principal
crops are wheat, corn and timothy.
The corn Is pretty good, but later than
ours. am not familiar with timothy;
but what saw seemed to be promis-
ing a poor prospect. The wheat Is
something else. The fields were the
largest I ever saw and 1t looked fine.
I was greatly surprised at the extent
of it, as we'll as the quality. I saw a
lot Of alfalfa too; but 1t did not look
like 1t came anywhere near being as
good as ours" ....r
AS everybody knows, the Gettysburg
battlefield now belongs to the national
government. 1t Is as big as York
county township, and 1t has been
marked so all the relative positions Of
all the commands may be easily locat-
ed. For instance, there are granite
monuments extending along division
lines and on the monuments are the
names Of the brigades, regiments and
companies. Mr.. Boyd said he had no
trouble whatever in locating any regi-
ment in which he was particularly in
terested.
Mr.. Boyd did not think that there
were more than a dozen York county
men present. Among them were
Messrs. Preston Goforth of Bethany;
Capt. ]. w. Ardrey and 8. P. Blank
enship Of Fort Mill, and c.. r. Starnes
of Rock Hill.
A pleasant feature of the stay was
looking up acquaintances and being
looked up by them. The camp was
so arranged that there was no trouble
in finding any particular command on
either side, and the old soldiers Of
both sides, spent much Of their time
trying to locate old comrades. 1t was
mostly Confederates looking for Con-
federates, andYanks looking for Yanks,
however. But that does not mean any
lack Of cordiality or friendship. Each
addressed the other as Johnny" and
"Yank," and all were free to accost
anybody they saw on familiar terms.
Mr.. Boyd said he saw two men who
knew his father well, Dave Simpson.
formerly of Neely's Creek, now Of IL
linois, and Ben Powell. now living in
Sumter. Mr.. Simpson was an old
mess-mate of his fathers, and Ben
Powell belonged to the same COM
mand. Powell was a sharpshooter,
and Mr.. Boyd remembered having
heard his father tell Of certain Incl
dent that had fixed itself upon his
memory. Powell had volunteered to
do some reconnoitering, and was cap
tured by two Yankees. He took his
capture coolly and presently began to
tell the Yanks what "Old Jack" was
going to do for them next day. They
became nervous and asked advice as
to how they could save themselves.
Powell advised that If they would sur
render to him he would take them to
safety, and they agreeing, Powell
marched them back into the Confeder-
ate lines. In recognition of this feat
Powell was given the pick Of some
fine long-range rifles which had re-
Gently been received. and from thence
forward he became an Independent
who had the right to go
and come at will Mr.. Powell had to |
admit that he was the same man.