Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/771

 Nullificatioji in South Cai^olina, iSjo-iSj^ 761 men here, I would call on the Minute men, — if I wanted them two weeks hence, I should look principally to the other Volunteer Corps. I trust I have now explained my views, and must leave to your discretion the execution of them as far as may be expedient and practicable in your District. I shall be glad to have full Reports as soon as your organization is effected. In haste respectfully yours, Rob. Y. Hayne. Col. J. H. Hammond. XXIII. James H. Hammond to Robert Y. Havne. Silver Bluff 23"' January 1833. Dear Sir. On my return yesterday from an excursion through the lower part of the District I rec'l your last letter and some copies of your proclamation which I have distributed. I intended to write to you that it was impossible to make up my company of minute men without taking them from the Volunteer Corps. I am glad you have permitted me to adopt that plan ; In anticipation of your objection to it I had from the first ordered that no Captain or 1="' Lieu' of a volunteer Company should join the minute men. I am sorry to say that I have not succeeded so well as I expected in that Corps. My first appointment of leaders have given me but about fifty men and a third of them are troopers. I hope to do better and will have them all by the time they will be required. The people of Barnwell are generally very poor, and though staunch yeo- manry, not generally so public spirited I find as some of our neighbours. If drafted there is not a nullifier in the district and few Union men who would not cheerfully take up arms ; and they would make soldiers that might be depended on ; but as to volunteering they do not understand it and are not inclined to put themselves to unnecessary trouble. The fact is that there are not intelligent men enough sprinkled about to stir them up, and that they have gone right heretofore I attribute to mere instinct. Whenever they can be collected to-gether I have never failed to produce some ardour among them, but in so large a district, so sparsely populated it is difficult to get them together, and they know so little of the matter that one exhortation does not last long. I mention these things to show you why there has not been as spontaneous a burst of patriotism here as elsewhere. We shall however form a Regim'. Major Collins Battalion (a new and zealous Officer) will parade in a week or two and will I think unanimously volunteer. Two of the beats have already been absorbed by Volunteer Corps and the Cavalry. Besides this Batallion, three other Companies have been formed and two or three more will be. I have made it a point in this district to address the Union men whenever I find them and explain to them the true character of Xhe present question. It opens the eyes of many who appear never to have had any light before on the subject. Few papers are taken and there have been few public discussions here. VOL. vL — 50,