Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/764

 754 Documents by any efforts, promptly to carry my views in relation to it into full effect, you will not only secure my approbation, but entitle yourself to the last- ing gratitude of the country. The Volunteer Corps above alluded to are intended to be called out by Companies, Battalions or Regiments, but a sudden emergency may arise when men may be wanted at a given point before such Corps can be prepared and marched to it. I deem it indispensable therefore, that a body of Mounted Minute Men should be always prepared to proceed in the shortest time possible to any place which may be designated, to be kept on duty for a few days or a few weeks, until more regularly organized Corps shall be brought into the field. My plan is this. Let a number of men, (every one of whom keeps a horse,') agree to repair at a moment's warning to any point which may be designated by the Governor in any emergency. Let them then come prepared with Guns or Rifles, or Arms of any description, with a supply of Powder and Ball, and come in the shortest time possible. If in each District only one hundred such men could be secured, we would have the means of throwing 2,500 of the elite of the whole State upon a given point in three or four days. And by no other means could this be effected. I wish you, therefore, to prepare a paper to the following effect, viz : " We the subscribers, pledge ourselves on honor, to repair at a min- ute's warning, and without delay, to any point in the State which may be designated by the Governor, to perform any lawful service, in defence of the State, which may be required of us. For this purpose we will pro- vide our own horses, arms and ammunition, and when assembled, we will arrange ourselves into a company, to be commanded by some officer chosen by ourselves, and to be called the Minute Men of Edgefield ' District. ' ' To persons who may sign such a paper, you may give the assur- ance that they will be called out only when necessary, that they will only be kept in the field until the regular volunteer Corps can be brought out, and that on their arrival at the point which may be designated, provisions and other supplies, and arms if necessary, will be furnished them. It would be preferred that they should serve without pay, zs, partisans, but this must not be stipulated for. Let it be distinctly understood, however, that a failure to appear at the point required, will be considered as a dereliction of duty, and will be attended by disgrace. To execute this plan, it may be well to select ten influential men in various parts of your District, to be called Leaders ; bring them fully into the scheme, and let each of them engage ten men as their quota. When the notice is given to you, that the minute men are wanted, you will instantly inform the Leaders and get them to extend the notice to their respective squads. Each man may then instantly proceed by himself, or otherwise to the place designated, with the assurance, that he will there find his comrades. Have one or more expresses always at your command, and bear in mind, that you will be held responsible for the speedy and certain extension and prompt execution of all orders. If you need assistance say so, for no ' A blank left in the print is supplied with the word Edgefield in manuscript.