The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-04-14
"REMINISCENCES
Of AN OLD MAN
(By a Veteran.)

AS age advances the mind of
man is disposed to dwell on the past
He is carried back in memory tt
the days of his childhood, and tt
his young manhood. Having pass
ed the first thirty years of my life
on Long Cane I have concluded tc
put on paper some of the facts ano
occurrences of Bradley's old fielo
and its vicinity. This old field Is
now devoted to the cultivation OF
cotton, but it was not always So
1t was once famous for its cavalry
drills which occurred at least once
a year, July the fourth was the
day. This of course, was before
the War between the States. On
each succeeding fourth of July the
Washington Light Dragons with
splendid uniforms, clanking sabres,
their heads ornamented with caps
with red plumes, booted and spurred
mounted on good horses Wed with
each other for the honors of the
occasion. AS you neared the place
you would see your friends and
neighbors all travelling to the same
place, and long before you reached
the spot, you would see the smoke
arising from the pit and catch the
aroma that comes from meat that
is being barbecued and sec that
veteran cook and humQrist, Uncle
Tom Link, experimenting the cook
ing. Fifty or sixty hogs and sheep
are on the pit being basted by ne
groes as they cook, great pats cf
hash, Irish potatoes and roasting
ears. What an appetite! the
thought of such a feast gives a man
a1Cer Cne lapse Oh years.
Old aunt Della Bosdel and Uncle
Billy are there with a two horse
load of ginger cakes and cider, and
such ginger cakes! They We're at
least two inches thick, three inches
wide and six inches 1ong and good
to any boy, in fact the boy that
never has eaten one of them and
drunk a glass of that cider does not
know what he has missed, all for
for an old fashioned thrip cents,
&c 1-4.)
The morning would be devoted to
cavalry drill and wind up with a
cavalry charge. In these charges
the company was divided into two
parts, the captain commanding one
and the first lieutenant the other
half. After maneuvering for a
while the two commands, withdrawn
swords and charging horses would
come together. On one of these
occasions Scott McFarlan and James
Dowtin collided. Horses and riders
both went down, Dowtin with a cut
on his forehead from the sword,
Scott escaped unhurt. He was a
long, lean, lank old bachelor and as
the second set of horses reached
him, he cooked up one leg and the
horses jumped him.
In the evening comes the Tour
nament. For those who have never
seen real tournament, would say
that there are two posts about fif-
teen PAGES apart, with loose heads
on them, the third post that has a
ring attached to it, then riding in a
half circle about three hundred
yards, your horse jumps an oh,
struction. While horse and rider
are both in the air take another
ring. This is no mean achieve,
ment, as many have found out tc
their cost, for frequently horse anC
rider both went down. The rider
was allowed six cuts and thrust
at the first three posts, this was fo,
the two heads and ring. This with
a sword, not with lance or spear
Pleasant days, long to be remember
ed.
Then comes a long and cruel war
At this same old field this com
munity was called to meet. A cal
for volunteers had been made anc
we were expected to furnish oul
quota. At this same old field were
organized three full companies o1
infantry, also one of men from for
49,, G,,o ~ fffu 1,oore o1J ANA ~