Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-08-26
TRIP TO BATTLE-GROUND.
Encampment OF Boy Scouts
Kings Mountain O Success,
CWritten for The


The encampment OF the Fort Mill
troop Of Boy Scouts recently held
at Kings Mountain battle-ground
was decided success. judging from
the reports of those who took part
in the encampment. Contrary to
plans. the troop left town without q
cook. but necessity proved good
mother" and the scouts returned
home looking as we'll as when they
left.
Eighteen tenderfoot and second
class scouts left Fort Mill on the
morning OF August 8. under the
leadership of the scoutmaster, ]. G.
Stribling. each carrying his haver-
sack on his back containing his
moss kit. cup and toilet articles. The
blankets. tents and extra clothing
were carried in a wagon with the
supplies and cooking utensils. The
scouts marched the entire distance
to the battle-ground. The first night
was spent on the school grounds at
Newport. The next stop was at
Tirzah to attend the cotton associa-
ton picnic. After dinner the troop
continued the hike to York and
spent the night in a pasture near
town. II was here that the first Of
the many rains the troop encoun-
tered fell. Part of the day was
spent in camp, but after dinner the
hike was resumed and the third
night was spent near Bethany.
The fourth day about noon the
troop began the ascent to the his
toric battlefield or Kings Noun
tain. and camp was established just
nm q ~ hn 10
by the national government to COM
memorate the turning point Of the
Revolutionary war.
The fifth day was spent in explor-
ing the region and looking for a
swimming hole. A trip was also
made to n nearby mountain home
to purchase vegetables and chickens
for the Sunday dinner. After clean
Ing up and taking a few pictures
Sunday morning. n short Sunday
school was conducted on the base OF
the monument. Progress on the
Sunday dinner was halted when all
the salt was put In the lemonade.
One scout quickly did his turn. how
ever. by running down the montain-
side and borrowing some salt. As
usual dinner was late. but with an
corn, fried chicken and gravy, stew
ed apples. bread and coffee, the
lemonade was forgotten. During the
stay at the battle-ground much OK
citement was aroused by the expert
ence of one OF the smallest of the
tenderfeet." He went to the grave
OF Colonel Ferguson. the British
commander who was killed there,
and when he had knocked on the
tombstone three times asked, els
there anything you want, Colonel
Ferguson?" Colonel Ferguson's re-
ply was. Nothing"
Rain fell on the sixth night Of
the cncampment. so the tents were
forsaken and the scouts slept in the
pavilion. 1t continued to rain the
next day and as there was no bread
In camp the troop hiked to the town
of Kings Mountain. N. C. Return
ing to camp an old deserted house
was found at the foot of the noun
tain and there the night was spent
This house was in the danger zone
or the artillery that practiced near
there during the World war and
'he chimney was demolished and
shell holes were found in the walls
and roof
The next morning practically the
entire party climbed to the pinnacle
OF the mountain in the rain, but the
clouds blew away for q time and
some good pictures were taken, The
scouts on duty in camp had a large
boiler of hot vegetable soup ready
for dinner and 1t was enjoyed de-
spite the rain.
- fN,,
gun after dinner and Glover was the
first objective. A fresh supply of
hread and peanuts was secured and
the stop for the night was made at
the Miller school house, four miles
from Glover. The third patrol laid
claim to n record when they prepar-
cd and served breakfast in an hour
and half the following morning.
Things were soon packed and the
last days journey was begun in
good spirits. An hours stop for
dinner, can OF pork and beans, a
bucket OF lemonade at the Cherry
spring. swim in the river and a
happy entry to Fort Mill were the
principal events Of the last day of
the homeward hike as we'll as hav-
ing walked 25 miles in the rain and
mud.
The troop was away nine days.
walked about so miles, did their
own cooking on their own impro-
Fised stove. had but one accident
and but one case OF homesickness
and were still game when they
reached home.
Among the souvenirs Of the en-
campment are kodak pictures, q
large snake hide. chips from the
monument. fragments of shells from
the artillery range near the noun
tain and a canteen Of water from
the medicinal springs at the foot of
the mountain.
An insect believed to be a Mexican