Chester, Monday, Jan. 21, 1929. CHESTER'S KID SOLDIERS by Arthur Cornwall In the summer of 1864 South Carolina called on her 17 year-old boys and men between 45 and 50 years of age. These troops were known as reserves and were carried to Florence, where they guarded the Federal prisoners confined in the stockade near the town. In November, 1864, South Carolina called out her 16 year-old boys and men under 45 years old, known as bonded men, and school teachers under 45 years of age. These troops were formed into a brigade of 4 regiments and were known as South Carolina State Troops. They were carried at once to the front and mustered into the Confederate service by General De Saussure at a point about half way between Grahamville and the battle field of Honey Hill. They performed all the duties that any troops were called upon to perform, serving in the trenches at Honey Hill and doing picket and vidette duty along the coast from the Savannah river to James Island. They were on James Island the night Charleston was evacuated and retreated with Hardee's army to Raleigh, N.C. From Raleigh they were brought back to S.C. and disbanded and sent to their homes, James Island the night Charleston some weeks after General ROBERT E. LEE'S surrender. These troops were composed almost entirely of 16 year-old boys, Company H, Third Regiment, for example, had an enrollment of 50 and only 7 of these were men. The Third Regiment had for its field officers COL. ARTEMUS GOODWIN, LIEUTENANT COLONEL HARRINGTON, MAJOR McIVER and ADJ. CAPTAIN SAMUEL GAILLARD and all of these had been in service before. Under such officers these troops were well drilled and were under good discipline and on the march from the sea coast to Raleigh, there was no straggling among the ' kids' and they were often congratulated upon their staying qualities. They never had any clothing, shoes or blankets issued to them, and never received one cent of pay. They had about enough rations issued to keep them hungry, but they were always in a jolly good humor and ready for anything that turned up. CHESTER'S LIST FOLLOWS: Company A, 3rd Regiment State Troops- Capt. GILES J. PATTERSON. First Lieut. -W.D. CORNWELL Second Lieut. - S.LEROY BOYD Third Lieut. -W . GILL WYLIE First Sergeant - J.H. BUCHANAN. Second Sergeant - W.A.R. WILSON First Corporal- W.O. HOLLEY Second Corporal - JOHN DICKEY Third Corporal- W.H. FLENNIKEN Fourth Corporal - J.M. CALDWELL Fifth Corporal - H.M. STEVENSON PRIVATES - j.b. atkinson, charles barbot, c.s. collins, c. crawford, sam gunhouse, j.s. hall, t.c. lynn, john revels, w.t. shirley, ben scott, ira west, leander wilson, henry anderson, john brown, w.h. campton, john cassels, david corder, george r. cherry, j.w. carter, c.c. estes, thomas fee, j.j. ferguson, j.o. ferguson, butler grant, e.s. gaston, h.w. hafner, robert hewett, robert l. hicklin, j.j. jordan, m.e. jordan, minter jamison, john jones, thomas letson, samuel love, james lucas, w.s. mCdonald, elias mitchell, j.a. mills, meyer wachtel, william spence, frank weir, j.p. marion, j.d. nail, j.h. neely, j.a. waters, robert benson, john wages, daniel mayben, a.w. boyd, l.g. stringfellow, coleman cranford, william wallace, john burns, amos revels. Reference - The late Mr. H.W. HAFNER. -------- nancie o.