SECOND BATTALION,

Wharton J. Green, Lieut.-Colonel. 2. Frank Patterson, Surgeon.

3.

H. T. Bahnson, Hospital Steward.

SECOND BATTALION.

By WHARTON J. GREEN, Lizvtrenant-CoLonk..

In the first days of April, 1861, the telegraph left no room
for doubt that the United States Government was resolved to
try to revictual Fort Sumpter then beleaguered by the young
Government just springing into being.

Each fully realized that this meant war. The next train
carried the writer to Charleston as a would-be volunteer
gunner, anxious to see the beginning of what he deemed the
inevitable struggle and indeed no wise loth to see it begin.
In this he was disappointed, as orders had just been issued
forbidding any additional recruits into the batteries. He
heard, however, the opening gun of the mighty drama to fol-
low, and a day later the final one which preceded the surren-
der of this almost impregnable fortress, as subsequent events
proved it to be, when beseiged and besiegers were reversed.
It was a dramatic sight replete with patriotic enthusiasm,
even as witnessed from the city Battery. A thrilling one
when “the old flag” was hauled down in token of evacuation
and “the new one” run up. With hundreds of others our lit-
tle boat was just below the walls when it was done, an explo-
sion of cartridges killing three of the garrison while saluting
the first.

A few days later my company, that is the one in which I
was an enrolled private, was in camp at the State Capital.
The very first I think to go into the camp of instruction there
was the “Warren Guards,” Captain Ben. Wade, certainly
one of the first three. After a short space of preliminary
drill it was assigned to the Twelfth Regiment, Colonel Sol.

Norr.—There were two other Second Battalions, one of Junior Reserves,
commanded by Major J. H. Anderson which was merged into the Sev-
enty-First Regiment and the other of Senior Keserves, hereinafter num-
bered T wenty-Second Battalion.—Eb.