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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER SO, 1000
PAGE NINETEEN
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Looking
Back
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Red and Block Woman's Editor
Editors note: This will be a
regular feature acquainting
students with the little stories of
the University.
The Civil War has perhaps been
the most popular subject for jour
nalists and authors for many, many
years. The war had brought forth
a number of unique organizations
but none more so than a military
company formed in the classic city
of Athens, Georgia. This humorous
group called themselves the “Mitchell
Thunderbolts.”
At the outbreak of the war the
Thunderbolts” were organized as
a homeguard unit to protect Athens.
Most of the members were over
fifty years of age. The rest of the
group was comprised of those who
were physically disabled, those who
were compelled to stay in Athens for
one reason or another, and all others
who were ineligible for service.
The unit was named for Mr. Will
iam Mitchell, a reputable Athens
lawyer who, though a private, freely
gave advice tc his officers and by
the originality of his suggestions
made a pastime of the perils of war.
This humorous company, organized
strictly for home defense, positively
refused to obey orders from anyone.
They recognized no superior officer.
The right of criticims was reserved
to every member of the company and
objections to tactics were freely of
fered and discussed.
Umbrellas and walking canes
were permitted in ranks and one at
least of the privates brought his
negro servant along to carry his gun
and cartridge box.
No official record is in existence
today that would give exact details
of the organization, and no roster of
the company is existant. However
several Athens historians have writ
ten accounts in diaries and ledgers
about the Thunderbolts and their
varied experiences. Yet it is known
that the rank and file of the com
pany were gentlemen of the old
school—men who were destinguished
for their many virtues and had
carved for themselves their fortune
and fame by dint of perserverance
and ability.
Thus from these courugcous patroits
sprang the Mitchell Thunderbolts, a
company whose deeds must live in
order that history may be complete,
| whose fame, though not blazoned in
song and story, is of such character
as to entitle the names of its mem
bers to be inscribed alongside those
"that were not born to die in war."
The Thunderbolts at the close of
the war prided themselves on a his
tory possessed by no other company
on earth. They had carried out
every purpose for which they were
organized and were consequently one
of the few companies to whom ab
solute success came:
They had handled firearms but
had Ueve* had to shoot at n human
being; they had heard of the enemy
but n “Bluecoat” had never poked
a gun in their faces. Not a single
member had been killed, wounded
or found missing. Although they
discharged their duties fully, their
names never found their wny to the
pension roll and not a penny was
ever drawn from the state funds set
aside by the commonwealth of Geor
gia ofr the relief of the veterans of
the Confederate armies.
While in life they used to laugh
and tell of their connection with the
Thunderbolt Company and of the
many amusing incidents of those
days.
One of these recorded stories is
told about a certain muster of the
Transfer Aid Guide
Picks New Pledges
For Coming Season
TAGs applications for the school
year 1960-61 were screened and the
girls chosen to the TAGS for the com
ing year met Thursday afternoon.
May 18. Mrs. Margaret Singleton,
sponsor for the TAG program, out
lined the standards and responsibi
lities for Transfer Aid Guides.
The following girls were chosen
as TAGs on the basis of scholastic
average and leadership qualities:
Malone Coursey, Joan Coons, Ann
Shirley, Judy Smith, Sue Dlmoek,
Carole Peterson, Meredith Nix,
Martha Parker, Ann Kemble, Pat
Tuinlin, Peggy Thornley, Emily
Hamilton, Ann Jones, Pat Cloer,
Anne Easley, Jeanie Trujillo, Eugenia
Jolly, Patsy Vaughn, Sue Raley,
Sharon Boone, Flo Leaphart, Laura
Griffin, Martha Ann Highsmith,
Becky Nash, Dottle Colwell.
Elaine Leggett, Alice Ruffin, Anne
Griffin, Faye Bottoms, Pat Hull,
Connie Taylor, Carolyn Riley. Missie
Cone, Kay Colle, Karen Bass, Frankie
Weatherford, Lee Oudshoff, Susan
Harris, Mary Croxton, Lou Pickern,
Martha Gail Bowden, Cora Sue
Cheek, Julia Fuller, Annette Single-
ton, Betty Ann Oglesbee, Mary Helen
McGinty, Sallie McCorguodale, Sara
Ostrom, Barbara Joan Lewis.
company, Judge I,. G. Harris. One
day the good judge brought down a
powder horn that he prized highly
and going to each member he in
sisted on sprinkling their guns with
a little of the finest powder he had.
When the command, "Fire:" was
given only two guns in the whole
lot discharged:
Yet with all the fun and humorous
situations, with all their dignity and
personal liberty who will rise up
and say that, had the occasion ar
rived for uction and the necessity
arisen for fighting, they would not
have fought as bravely as any soldier
who followed the leadership of the
knightly Jackson or peerless Lee?
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