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 Nidlifi cation in South Carolina, iSjo-iSj^ 755 excuse will be received for any failure, when your services are required. Remember that you fill one of the most responsible situations in the State, and it would be better to abandon it at once, than to fail in the slightest degree, to fulfil its vitally important duties. I wish you to see personally each of the Colonels, and learn every thing relative to the general condition of the militia, within your District — the temper of the men — the state of their arms; — whether those out of order can be repaired in your neighbourhood — and what supplies exist of Field Pieces, Muskets, Rifles, Lead, &c, and generally every thing, which it is important for me to know ; — all of which maybe embraced in a con- fidential Report." Very respectfully yl ob! S' Rob. Y. Hayne Col. F. W. Pickens. P.S. The uniform of my staff will be the same as my Predecessor's except under boots and a short yellow crane Plitmc. Palmetto Buttons of a beautifid pattern may be had at Roche's, Charleston,- or of Col. P. M. Butler, Columbia.' xviii. James H. Hammond to Robert Y. Hayne. Barnwell C. H. 8 January 1833 Sir. I had the honor to receive a commission as your Aid- de-Camp bearing date the 21" Ult. accompanied by several copies of Your General Orders and Circulars, and your letter of instructions charg- ing me with the duty of " raising inspecting and commissioning Volun- teer Companies in this District." I had also the honor subsequently to receive another letter of Instructions from you informing me more in de- tail of the duties you intended me to perform. Immediately on receiving your first communication I qualified myself to act by taking the prescribed oath and proceeded to distribute the circulars and General Orders through- out the district. An arrangement was made to have a general meeting of the citizens of Barnwell at the Court House yesterday and in the mean time I communicated by letter with the most influential men in the Dis- trict. Yesterday the meeting took place and I am happy to inform you that on no occasion have I seen more enthusiasm and unanimity among the people. You will see in the papers the resolutions that were passed,* and I assure you they breathe the true spirit of the occasion. I made every exertion in my power to stimulate the military spirit of the people and found but little difficulty in succeeding to an extent beyond my ex- 1 What follows is in manuscript. 2 An amusing tale respecting the palmetto buttons may be found in Niles's Register, XLIII. 146, and another in Josiah Quincy's Figures of the Past, p. 354; and perhaps they may be said to confirm each other. The former relates to a tailor designated as "R.," presumably the Roche above mentioned. 3 Col. Pierce M. Butler, a bank president at Columbia, killed at Churubusco in 1847,
 * SeeNiles, XLIII. 397.