The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-15
Keeping Record Straight.
REBEL Troop Formed in Charleston" Says
Mr.. Mikell
"Rebel Troop
Mr.. Mikell

TO the Editor Of the sunday News:
Let us keep the record straight. for,
Hs Mr. w. r.. simmons says "nistakes
OF history are hard to correct" And
] viii add people should be careful
leo" they make history, that they are
right
! notice in his. Mr. Sinmonss, ar
ticle in the sundays News OF Decem-
Der 81. that he is considerably mixed
up In giving an. account Of the Rebel
Troop The Troop was not formed
In our parish" as he SAYS. but was
formed i'm Charleston, I'm what was
then the Mills House. now tho st
Johns Hotel on December 5. 1851.
the men from the sea islands met and
formed the Troop, clectinE us captain
John jenkins. Of Edisto Island; John
!" Seabrook, of WadmaIaw, first lieu
tenant. I. Warning Mikell, OF Edisto
Island. second lieutenant: John NJ
Jenkins. OF Wadmalaw. orderly ser
Scant. etc.
The most OF tho mon comprising the
company we're from the sea islands
There were some from ST Paurs Parish.
about twenty men. There was no, n
simmons on the roll during the whole
war as far az Know. and have the
orderly's roll
Tho Troop was mustered into Con
Tolerate service February u. 1852, at
Camp Gist IN ST Andrews Parish.
ard afterwards was Known as Conn
paay g. Third South Carolina cavalry.
served during the entire war. ana was
surrendered with General Iohnstou's
army April, 1865.
Mr. Simmons further states mat "fn
august or September the Rebel Troop
WAS ordered out for duty on EdIsto
lsland. In this he IL entirely wrong
for after the fan OF Port Royal. No
Nemoer 1861 all the noncombatants
ana slaves were ordered from the sea
islands 10 the mainland I:disto Island.
With the islands south of II, hv orders
from the powers that were. were cvac-
uatcd. left in possession OF the Yam
KEGS. All of which was before the Rebel
Troop was organized. Here, 1 think.
MIR simmons Is mixed up and Is re-
.HrrinS 10 the Calhoun Artillery and the
-. Pauls Rifles. Tho Calhoun Artil-
leey William Murray captain. was
composed entirely OF Fdistonians Il;
was in State service II was the first
company 10 do service on Edisto Is
and at the mouth OF North Edisto
River.
The Calhoun ARTILLERY was relieved
oi duty by tho st Paul's Rifles, Captain
u. l.. Smith, and the ST Pnurs Rifles
IS the company that MIR. Simmons calls
the Rebel Troop. that started from
nohScS island, to which his father
gave the dinner and the young officer
gave his sweetheart the parting kiss
The company from Walterboro. Col.
Teton County, about the same time
was ordered 10 occupy the fort on
South i3dsto River Colonel Dunno
wants regiment OF infantry and Col
oncl Blacks regiment or cavalry were
stationed at EdinEsvilIe.
The men on Edisto, after moving
their families and slaves from the
island, with the men Of the Wadmalnw
company, then united and formed the
Rebel Troop but this was practically
after Edisto Island was deserted
General Bcaurcgard regarded the
services of the Rebel Troop q: such
Importance iii the defense of Charles
ton, on account of The character of
the men composing 1t; their thorough
knowledge of the seacoast geo
graphically and physically, that when
General Evans's Brigade was ordered
TO Virginia tho Rebel Troop, being at
that time attached to 1t. he stopped
them ut SummcrvilIe and sent them
back for duty Or the coast, where they
served until General sherman com
menced his march from the sea
through South Carolina. The first