The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-11-01
training ground for the New
- York National Guard is Spar
tanburg, s, c., in the very

T0IT> training ground for the New
- York National Guard is Spar
tanburg, S. c., in the very
heart Of the American Sparta.
How Spartanburg came to receive
ITS name recalls the story of that
Thermopylae which modern historians
recognize as having had much to do
in bringing about the effective turning
point of the Revolution which gave
freedom to the United States. writes
John Walker Harrington in the New
York Sun.
What is now the county Of Spartan
burg was part of, District So, a region
which in 1855 was purchased from the
Cherokee" Indians. It's inhabitants
were mostly Scotch and $cotch-1rish
families who had come down from
Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Between the Broad and Saluda riy-
ers, in upper South Carolina, in the.
region of the Blue Ridge, they had es-
tablished the three settlements OF
Upper Fair Forest, Lawson's Fork and
Tigers. In their views of life and
conduct these pioneers bore many re-
semblances to the men of ancient
Sparta. They were self-reliant and
aggressive, and endured toll, hardship
and pain without complaint.
When South Carolina cast her lot
with the other colonies she had much
opposition from the Tories and Loyal
lists within her own borders. To over
come this opposition delegates were
sent out by the South Carolina Council
of Safety to explain to the people the
situation out of which had grown the
first Continental congress. The repre-
sentatives Of the council who went to
District SO were William Henry Dray-
ton and Rev. William Tenant.
On their way they stopped at the
house of Col. Thomas Fletchall, COM
mander of regiment consisting os-
tensibly Of colonial militia but In
reality of Tories. They had negotia-
lions with him in the hope of inducing
him to join the popular cause. Find
ing him obdurate, they proceeded fur
Their toward the Blue Ridge.
Mr.. tprayton later reported that the
people of District 96 were capable OF
resisting the Indians and also of put
ting check on Fletchall and that
therefore he. had taken the liberty OF
supplying them with ammunition from
Fort Charlotte, which was just across
the line between the Carolinas as now
-delineated.- Through his influence the
region was made into new divisions
and he referred to the part where the
frontiersmen were strongest and most
devoted to. the cause of liberty as the
upper or Spartan district"
Organization d The spartans.
Mr.. Drayton belonged to a race Of
scholars, and to him the organization
of the settlements and the fearlessness
of the Inhabitants suggested very
strongly the people who withstood the
Persian might in Greece. When
regiment was organized in the dis
trict it was called the Spartan regi-
ment. It's commander was Col. John
Thomas, Sr. 1.-THE Spartans" were
attached to the command Of Col. Rich
-arilson and took an active part In the
snow campaign in which the Tory
forces were much harried. The name
Spartans was applied in time to all
of those in northwest South Carolina,
and although it is difficult to trace the
history Of the regiment Itself. the
people of the region were continually
active in the cause of liberty.
Although South. Carolina was for
three years without a regularly or
ganized patriot army, the cause was
kept alive by such men as Gen. Fran
els Marion, General Sumner and Colon
,'d Thomas Of the "Spartans." On one
occasion Thomas and several Of his
associates surrendered and entered
into an agreement that they would not
take up arms for the balance Of the
war. It was understood that If they
retired x to their homes they would
receive protection from the British
commanders. Considering, however.
that the agreement with them had
been violated, they returned to the
cause and fought as the annalists OF
the time say with ha1ters around their
necks." One Of them, Col. Isaac Hayne,
was captured, and after summary
court-nartial was hanged at Charles
ton by the orders of Tarleton.
Broken up as were their military
organizations, the Spartans figured
extensively in the detached and IT.
regular forces Of the patriots under
Marion, Sumner and Moultrfe.
Major Ferguson was sent by Corn
wallis to South Carolina with 100
-o, ~ xrhoyy, Ava o9vfhq Uoro native
|Loyalists. His Instructions were TO
intimidate .he rebels and to bring IN