The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-04-25
Mrs. Fannie Marshall Writes Of the
Departure and Return of Abbe-
Vile Soldiers-Capt. JOS. Cal
houn Takes a Prominent Part.
The Mantle of Courage Des.
cends to the Fourth Gen
Grafton of McKelveys-
Safe at Home.

Having passed my s4th Mile
Stone, I will give you some of: my
recollections of six wars.
First.-In 1886, the Indian or
Seminole War in Florida was de-
clared.
My father, Captain Joseph Cal
houn, had served eight years in the
United States Army, was in the War
of 1912, wounded in the Battle of
Lundy's Lane, from which he never
entirely recovered, and not being
able to command Company, he was
commissioned by the United States
Government to raise and drill COM
pany to be sent to Florida.
In a short time over a hundred
men in the neighborhood Of Calhoun
Mills enlisted. Thomas Parker, IA
ther of Dr.. Edmond Parker, was
made Captain; James Taggart, First
Lieutenant; and William Calhoun,
Second Lieutenant.
AS a child Of five years old, I can
we'll remember goin with my
father to. the mill yard to see him
drill this company. In a month they
were ready for the seat Of war. The
night before the men left, they came
in big wagons covered with white
cloth, camped on the hillside>of my
home next to the river. Many faith
ers and brothers were with them, and
with the friends who gathered, made
the biggest crowd I had ever seen,
their camp fires cooking supper, and
all in high spirits going to fight the
Indians made an impression I could
never forget.
! Next morning at early dawn the
camp was broken up, and all start
ed, on march to Augusta, my faith
er going with them in his two, wheel
gig, covered with blue-the 'automo-
! bile of the day. From Augusta this
company went to Charleston, then by
boat to Florida.
The drummer boy who went with
this company was James McKelvey;
who inspired the soldier boys with
his good old time music. He. held
the same position in the Artillery
Company that drilled for many years
at Calhoun Mills. Mr.. McKelvey re-
tanned the name of Drummer JIM
until his death. His patriotism has
existed in his family down to the
fourth generation when his great
grandson, Captain George McKelvey,
so recently distinguished himself for
. bravery on the battlefields in France.
Second-I remember as school
girl the Mexican War IN 1s46. A
strong company left Abbeville under
the command of J. Foster Marshall,
with many of our best young men
of the county, who had to face a
treacherous enemy and poisonous
atmosphere of malarial country to
which many of them succumbed.
Sergeant Selleck of this company was
the first, United States soldier to
plant the Stars and Stripes on the
walls of Mexico. My what hero he
was when he returned! All the girls
made love to him, but somehow he
liked to 60 with the school girls.
The home coming of this company
was the biggest gathering ever held
in Abbeville. Men, women and chill
dren came in wagons the night be-
fore the Barbecue, and camped on
the hills around the town. Green
wood and Mccormick were then In
cluded in this Grand Old County, ex-
tending from Saluda to Savannah
River. The dinner was in the grove
which in later years was the old fair
ground near the Seaboard Railroad.
do not remember the speakers
of the occasion. The preparation
and cooking Of that dinner was not
forgotten. To see so many beeves
and hogs being barbecued over pits
of fire, all Of the washpots in the
! town filled with hash and potatoes,
together with pones Of raised corn
bread (the art Of making it has been