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Chapter 1

           "ClaytonWildCats,""FireEaters,""NorthGeorgiaHussars,""Zouaves,""TheInlandRifles"(althoughtheTroopwastobearmedwithpistols,sabersandbowieknives,andnotwithrifles),"TheClaytonGrays,""TheBloodandThunderers,""TheRoughandReadys,"allhadtheiradherents. Untilmattersweresettled,everyonereferredtotheorganizationastheTroopand,despitethehigh-soundingnamefinallyadopted,theywereknowntotheendoftheirusefulnesssimplyas"TheTroop." 

           Theofficerswereelectedbythemembers,fornooneintheCountyhadhadanymilitaryexperienceexceptafewveteransoftheMexicanandSeminolewarsand,besides,theTroopwouldhavescornedaveteranasaleaderiftheyhadnotpersonallylikedhimandtrustedhim. EveryonelikedthefourTarletonboysandthethreeFontaines,butregretfullyrefusedtoelectthem,becausetheTarletonsgotlickereduptooquicklyandlikedtoskylark,andtheFontaineshadsuchquick,murderoustempers. AshleyWilkeswaselectedcaptain,becausehewasthebestriderintheCountyandbecausehiscoolheadwascountedontokeepsomesemblanceoforder. RaifordCalvertwasmadefirstlieutenant,becauseeverybodylikedRaif,andAbleWynder,sonofaswamptrapper,himselfasmallfarmer,waselectedsecondlieutenant. 

           Abelwasashrewd,gravegiant,illiterate,kindofheart,olderthantheotherboysandwithasgoodorbettermannersinthepresenceofladies. TherewaslittlesnobberyintheTroop. Toomanyoftheirfathersandgrandfathershadcomeuptowealthfromthesmallfarmerclassforthat. Moreover,AblewasthebestshotintheTroop,arealsharpshooterwhocouldpickouttheeyeofasquirrelatseventy-fiveyards,and,too,heknewallaboutlivingoutdoors,buildingfiresintherain,trackinganimalsandfindingwater. TheTroopbowedtorealworthandmoreover,becausetheylikedhim,theymadehimanofficer. 

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