My 18^th birthday, January 4^th, 1860 brought with it the fact that I was “subject to military duty”, though between military duty at that time and the same as I afterwards experienced it there is the difference of day and night, the former meant only a few parades and drills in some military company, or the “Beats”, while where does the latter stop? Nothing short of one’s life perhaps!

Parade with Palmetto Riflemen July 4^th 1860

On the 4^th of July of that year I received a [5] summons “to appear with black pants, coat and hat, and white gloves for parade. Defaulters dealt with according to law,” such was, as near as I can now recollect the wording of the dire order that would summon its unwilling victims to a parade of the 16^th Regiment So. Ca Militia, otherwise and familiarly known as “the Beats” or “Ragamuffins”.  I evaded that appearance by parading under the spiked helmet of the Palmetto Riflemen, under command of Capt. Alexander Melchers;  this was my debut, and a hot one it was, in the uniform of a soldier, and proud was I of the same;  little did I that day think though that the time would so soon come when I would only too gladly exchange the uniform of the soldier for the plainer garb of the citizen.

Parade in the “Beats”, Oct 30^th 60

On the 30^th October another of those missives made its appearance, and as already then the discontent between the North and South began to give rise to rumors of an “impending crisis,” the authorities were already putting on, as it were, the thumbscrews; I had to go “noleus volens,” and made my only appearance in that motley procession, parade it could hardly be called, [6] of “rag, tag and bobtail.”

Meanwhile the discord between the sections had become greater, and the hatred more intense, until in Lincoln’s election to the presidency on the 6^th November culminated the point of aggression, and the disruption of the great American Union had become apparent.  Although an ardent admirer of the United States and of the Stars and Stripes, for which, under other circumstances, I may have as earnestly fought as I did against it, the love of my native state was greater, and I soon became as strong, considering size and age, a secessionist as any one in the state, and was as eager for the news of the day as any.

 

On the 27th November some of our Charleston militia companies were ordered to take possession of the United States Arsenal in the city, which they did without any trouble;  this was the first open act of the war, and caused considerable excitement.

Secession of South Carolina,  Dec 20^th 60

A convention of representatives of the people of the State was called to meet at Columbia on the 16^th December 1860, [7] but that city not having a sufficiently large hall on which account they had met in a church, they adjourned to meet at Charleston on the 19^th, and where, having met at St. Andrew’s Hall in Broad St. which like Institute, afterwards called Session Hall was destroyed by the great fire in 1861, at 11/4 P. M. on 20^th December they passed the Ordinance of Session, declaring all connection between the State of South Carolina and the United States as severed, and establishing the State as a free and independent republic.  Alone those who witnessed it can know the great enthusiasm that this act caused among the people of the city and State; hardly had the same been passed when the report of a gun was heard, followed soon by others,  which was ascertained to be a salute of 100 guns in honor of the new-born republic, fired by the Washington Artillery; I did not think that day, either, that I would for 3 years be identified with that company, and help to man those same guns, not for a holiday salute, but in the sad and stern reality of war.

The blue cockade

The blue cockade became general that [8] day, that color having been chosen as the national color of the new nation, the convention having adopted, as we like Jasper, did not want to “fight without a flag”, a blue flag with white Palmetto and Crescent, the same that now so peacefully waves alongside the Stars and Stripes, and which is therefore a relic of “The Lost Cause”, as the national flag of the state.  As remarked before, the blue cockade was worn by almost every one, even the ladies and children joining in showing their devotion to the Palmetto State.  I too wore the same, and not wanting to be only by birth a South Carolinian.

Joined “Charleston Zouave Cadets,” Dec. 20^th 60

I joined the “Charleston Zouave Cadets” resolved to do my duty to my state even if it should come to the worst.  This company, the discipline of which had a moral tone, had that afternoon made its first appearance on parade, making a favorable impression on me, and I resolved to connect myself with it.

 

If the excitement during the day had been great that night it was intensely so;  banners were flung to the breeze from the housetops, and across the streets, [9] transparencies with significant mottos flashed through the darkness on all sides;  Meeting Street, from Broad to Wentworth, was lighted by bonfires of barrels of tar; a tall liberty pole was erected at the northeast corner of Meeting and Hayne Streets, with the Palmetto flag flying;  and hung from top to bottom with colored lanterns; the sky was brilliant with rockets, roman candles, &c. while crackers, serpents & pistols were fired about the streets in every direction.  I doubt that those, who saw the large quantity of powder fired that night in this manner had any idea that it would be, great as it was, but as a grain compared to the enormous quantity used in the four years after, not as that was in rejoicing, but in killing and wounding one another, father against son, brother against brother.

 

At the Institute Hall, afterwards called as beforementioned in honor of the ratification of the 0rdinance of Secession therein, Secession Hall, and at the Mills House, and Charleston Hotel large crowds were assembled listening to the Speakers, many of whom were of the highest ability; with what wrapt attention were not the speeches of Wm L. Yancy, [10] Henry R. Jackson and others, famous afterwards in the council and the field of the newly created nation, listened to by the multitude, and what a thundering applause greeted them, or rent the air when they uttered some sentiment that went to the hearts of the people, or when the band struck up the now so famous tune of “Dixie”, only those can know who were present and saw and heard;  surely, if our people were ever in earnest it was then, on that day;  though there was quite a difference of opinion about the results of the act, some there were who prophesied years of war, others were willing to drink every drop, as they said, of blood that was spilt, a job though they would have had of it.

Another exciting day was Dec. 27^th when it was discovered that Maj. Robert Anderson, in command of the U.S. troops at Fort Moultrie, had during the preceding night dismantled and spiked the guns, burnt the carriages of the same, destroyed whatever stores could not be taken away, and evacuated that fort transferring the garrison to Fort Sumter which was hardly in a serviceable condition, being not yet finished, but wherein he could [11] better stand a siege;  that day companies of the state militia were ordered to take possession, which they did without trouble, of Fort Moultrie and Castle Pinckney, at the latter place the first blood of the war was spilled by accidental shooting by a sentinel of a member of one of the companies.