As I left off, we proceeded to the Camp College Green at Columbia, South Carolina, where we remained for a week drilling. I had been for two years a pupil at the Kings Mountain Military Academy, and being well drilled I was kept busily employed in assisting to drill the company. This being our first camping ground, and being then something new, we had our fun, sitting around the camp fires, cracking jokes and telling tales.
After staying here a week we moved out of Columbia to Hampton1, 5 miles distance, on the plantation of a the now celebrated Brig. Gen. Wade Hampton. We encamped on an open old field formerly a race course. We pitched our tents, amidst the rain, which was then pouring down in torrents, getting a thorough wetting, we soon pitched our tents, and building some cheerful fires, we soon got dry and comfortable. While staying at this, one of our most pleasing Camps, I spent my time most agreeably, playing our camp games, living on boxes from home, filled with substantial food, such as meat and bread, which we ate with unusual appetites, cooked on our camp fires.
I may as well here name my mess mates and the faithful servants who attended us through all our hardships. My mess mates where, the Captain and three Lieutenants, W.H. Moore and W.B. Byers, Captain Wilson’s servant, and head cook was named Dick, Lieutenant Avery’s was named Noah, a stout built Mulatto, full of fun, and as faithful as the day is long. My boy was called Horace. He was 49 years of age, and one of the best and most faithful negroes, who I afterwards had the lamentable misfortune to lose by disease, contracted in camp. So you see, we were well waited on. These boys added a great deal to our amusement by telling their wonderful tales and singing songs around the camp fires at night.
1 Wade Hampton III - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade_Hampton_III
