Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-09-22
FORT MILL
Interesting WrltG.up Of York COanty'S
Town Across The CataWba.
LOCATED ON SITE OF old INDIAN FORT
Claim is Made That Red Shirt Move
ment Started There-Record in war
and Peace Stands Out Boldly on
Paqes of States History.

John NJ. Banks in Columbia Record.
Situated among the hills of eastern
York county, eighty-odd miles rom
Columbia, seventeen miles from Char-
lotte and eight miles from Rock Hill Is
the town of Fort Mill.
Fort Mill is not a town which seeks
glamor or which goes before the worlo
with blasting trumpets or which Is
puffed up with self-pride. however,
deep in the hearts Of those VINO nave
lived there or who live there now ana
who know the record OF the fork
county town, is justifiable pride anu
IL one studies the history of the town
and looks into the progressive ana
fighting spirit that dominates lts m
habitants today he sees there the cause
for this justifiable pride.
Fort Mill is located on the spot which
was once the National village or capital
town Of the Catawba Indians. HIS
said that back in 1861 an old In
dian fort was started, but never COM
pleted. Here is where Fort Mill Is
located. The incompleted tort STU
stands three miles from the town ana
near Fort Mill still live the SURVIVORS
of the brave Catawba Indians VINO
have always been friendly to the Wnlte
race and who have fought for ana
with and not against the pale face
A Historic Town.
Another historical aspect Oh tne
town is the fact that it was there that
the last meeting Of President JEFFERSON
Davis when head of the Southern
Confederacy, was held and from there
mart of the cabinet went to Aboevlie'
another historic town where the last
council Of war was held. 4af ~
Fort Mill was the real birthplace OK
the Red Shirt" movement which sue
cessfully brought the old PaimeIto
state out of the rule Of Radicalism
and the carpetbagger into rule py
Democrats and the white man. EDGE
field and Fort Mill have been said 10
share in the glory of the Inception anu
successful conclusion Of the moVeIhehs
which resulted in the election OF Wade
Hampton and the suppression Oh tne
Radicals and carpetbaggers.
Fort Mill is town which has naIur-
ally felt the depressed times, but the
manner in which it is pulling through
and still fighting pluckiiy with its iaco
TO the sun serves all the more as
credit to the town.
Fort Mill is composed of a sturdy
people whose vocabulary does not con-
tain the word quit. The same spirit
that made the soldiers from Fort Mil
and vicinity famous in the war OF o1
to '65 and of the world war, from wnlcn
nIace the most gallant and brave
soldiers that donned the uniform-thls
same spirit predominates the citizenry
Of Fort Mill today.
Permanent improvements. So
At present plans are now under way
for the paving Of the streets OF the
town and the roads connecting WIN
the highways to Charlotte, Rock Hill
and other points. The town has issued
$40 600 in bonds and the township Sf5,-
IOOO more which will be spent in the
Immediate future for the permanent
improvements in the streets ana roaos
in and around the town. This work
will be under direction of l.. A. SprdtI
lG. L. Spratt and n. L. Carothers' the
birhwav commission of Fort Mill towp. 5
ship.
Fort Mill Of the present is perhaps
better known as the home OF lour
monuments, some of which are unique
located in Confederate Park, which Is
situated on the railroad. These monu-
ments are erected to the Confederate
veterans. bearing the names Oh the
soldiers Of Fort Mill in that CONNECT
another to the women OF the Confed-
eracy, the first Of its kind ever erect
ed in this state; another to the falthtui
slaves also unique; and one to the
faithful tribe of the Catawba Indians.
These monuments were erected largely
through the untiring efforts Of the late.
Capt. S. f. White.
Her Gallant warriors.
Fort Mill is also known for the paro
that her sons played in the World war
With a heritage Of bravery handed
down to them from their fathers VINO
fought in the War Between the States
the young men of Fort Mill and sur
rounding territory part of the I'M
mortal Thirtieth Division and whose
fighting was to large measure re-
sponsible for the crashing of the Hln-
denburg line went TO war and came
back with a record that is uneXceiled.
In 1900 the Fort Mill Light Infantry
was formed for drills and for whatever
service may be asked Of them with w.
r. Bradford now editor Of the Fort
Mill Times, as captain; Thomas b.
Spratt who rose to the rank or lieu
tenant colonel in the world war and
Samuel w Parks, who was wounded
in action in France, as Heutenants.
When the call to the Mexican border
came, Fort Mill sent company which
made fine record, but when the coun-