Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-03-24
(To be Continued.)
AMERICAN INTERVENTION

Cine of Three Survivors Talks Of First
Mexican War.
That the United States should inter-
vene and take charge Of affairs in the
turbulent country Of Mexico, is the
opinion expressed by Judge John j.
Martin, former Carolinian who was a
captain and Is one Of the three surviv-
ors Of the famous Palmetto regiment
that won undying fame in the Mexican
war Of 1S46. Judge Martin who has
spent much Of his life III the southern
republic is confident that Uncle Sam
could intervene and yet there would be
no war, as the Mexicans would look
upon the act as child would upon the
Intervention of father over its affairs.
AS he expressed 1t, 1t would be stop
ping a fight between children and not
between husband and wife.
Judge Martin, whose home Is now in
East Point, suburb of Atlanta, Is in
Greenville for few days visiting his
daughter, Mrs. H. X. Sturvant, on
West McBee avenue. His old home is
near Lowndesville in tho old Abbeville
district. In those days there were no
counties. Many and complete have
been the changes since then, but Judge
Martin possesses a keen memory and
talks reminiscently Of the events of
more than three quarters Of a century
ago.
When seen on the streets no one
would suppose that he Is a Mexican
war veteran and is rapidly nearing the
century mark, so well is he preserved.
He carries himself erect and moves with
a. measured step. There Is still much
strength and keenness in his steady
eye. He carries a heavy walking cane,
not so much for support as for protec-
tion. To keep the automobiles off him,
he says.
Friends of Lee and Grant.
Judge Martin entered the war pri-
vate and came out a captain. While in
Mexico he met Lee and Grant and
knew them quite well, the two great
generals being then lieutenants. All
were friends and each ignorant of
what the next twenty years would
bring upon them.
The Judge when Speaking Of the
Civil war referred to it as the Great
National Baseball Came" between the
north and south, stating that he dis
liked the word war" us 1t did not
arouss'--the proper spirit at times in
neither the old nor the young.
After the fall Of Mexico City, the
American officers then in that city
formed a club naming it the Aztec
Club of 1S47, said Judge Martin. OF
the 165 original members Judge Mar
tin is one Of the seven surviving. Cen
eral Simon b. Buckner Of Kentucky,
was the last to fall in sleep. AS Lee
and Grant were officers they were also
members
The friendships made in Mexico did
not die, for the judge told Of a kind
remembrance at the hands Of Grant
when he became president. He said
President Grant sent for him and ten
dered him the position Of auditor Of
the treasury for the postofflce depart
ment After serving in that position
for six years he was made postmaster
at Montgomery, Alabama, which posi-
tion he filled for four years.
Story OF Silver Urn.
Judge Martin told an interesting bit
Of history about silver urn. After
Andrew Jackson defeated the British
at New Orleans the ladies Of South
Carolina presented him a silver urn be-
cause of his distinguished services as
a soldier. They gave it to him as a
token Of their appreciation for the
honor he had brought upon his native
state. Jackson, before his death, gave
it back to the ladies with the request
that it be given to the bravest soldier
in the first foreign war. The Mexican
war was the first after the conflict Of
1872 1t teing impossible to decide this,
the ladies turned 1t over to the state
with the request that 1t be given to
the last survivor of the Palmetto regi-
ment. 1t is now in keeping in Colum-
bia and Judge Martin states that If he
Is the last to answer the roll call he
will give it to those in charge OF jack
sons old home "The Hermitage at
Nashville, requesting that 1t remain
there forever.
Three Survivors.
A Mr.. Mckee in the upper section OF
Pickens county, and another aged vet
eran whose name the judge could not
recall are the other two survivors. He
stated that he didn't covet the urn as
much as he did the Last Roll" Judg-
ing from his appearance it would seem
that there are fully IL more years to
his life and these would give him an