The Camden confederate. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1861-1865, 1865-01-18
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IS PUBLISHED. AT CAMDEN,
EVERY WEDNESDAY, MORNING,
By
J. r: HERsHMAN.
]. n: HERsHMAN.
n ON A.eacan.den .Lurna,l

lT,oW '1e 1e5SuHueH oc0TRW
FoRTr.EIaaT RoURslS TRES ToP-My planta.
ton is about three milesfom Camden, on the waerec
Intelligence. reached me On Wednesday last that the
river was rapidly rising. took bateau, in com ,any
with strong man servant and pushed of to rescue
niy stock. While engaged in capturing three fine
hogs the head dam on the plantation above broke and
let loose flood that swepteveything before it, and
spread out about two miles from bank to bank In
attempting to get out the baeau was washed by the
current against tree, capszed and two of the pigs
drowned, The boat was caught by the tree in mid
ship, and we managed to get onthe bottom where we
stood three feet in waller. Our fail anchor began to
give way, but there was anotlnrNee Ten eet distant
beyond onr reach from the boat. BY crawling as far
~ wo could and then by placing one end of tile boat
pole in fork of The tree snd holding the other end
my companion in distress made his scapc, aud in turn
he&ske pole for me. 1t was eaton tree; seven
INCHES at the root and aboutforty feesbigh Wo had
scarcely gerched ourselves in its bougtefore the first
tree and The boat were swept away. Hse we were up
aslender tree, with an angry torrent twenty feet deep
sweeping fvs feet beneath us and an cIanse Of thu
river more than mile on either side Fiun this tims
Wednesday twelve o'clock, until Friday NO O'Clock
VIC cld6g for life to these fral but faithful Dbs. The
rirer reached its Iii hest on Wednesday eening a,
fyeeSaoel, sndit roar end width preventesnr cries
frombeing heard until rext day. AL the FRIDAY and
night and all tile second day and night wsSou,ed
g, hep and we began. to give up all hope ruS
y esriiso 1vsuvgr coat ind tGF6W6 on Ssoat
hi,lwe lost, and the only way we; kept ouaAves
2, freezing to dsath was y violently and cansshty
striking sach osiier AID kekipg the tree Thursuay
night tie boy slept soilaay, and it was siIl; difficulty
supported him and cheerrd him ap from giving out
entirely We tasted no food or water, and felt no
inclination to dc ss, out occasionally moissped nv
lips, that might haoo the louder. The wavesSlryed
about l,s and we were fearful the tree would be yP.sh
cd Off as the c,rrent seemeft 70 10 heaped up in tho
track iu which it grew. Though almo my entire
stock Of mules, beef CATTLE sheep, hogs fodder, &s
was swept away, yet SO imminent was the peril I
acarcely thought OF them for moment Every excrsop
was made to rescue BY several gent!esan, bet tic
torrent too swift and heavy for boat 10 liSe. a
bateau with two negroes c.lne within hundred yards
OF the tree when 1t was swamped and they barely es.
capped by c.inging to another. About two O'clock on
Friday, Mr. RrsH, the overseer on Col. CuESNCr's
plantation, with two colored men, reaced the Tree
in atoat He, with Que Of them, took our places on
the tree, aud safely reached the shore, stiff and
bruised from the fearful exposure. The boat returned
and brought the other parties Ny colorcd boy is con
fined to bed but is doing well ho would have given
out in few hours longer doubt. am sore in my
limbs and hoarse, but suffer in no other way, and with
gratitude to kind Providence for rescung ,us from
matery grave. l will ever remember the freshet o.
January II, 1865.
The plantation is badly washed, and in some places
heavily deposited with sand. Every dam was carried
away. The river rose two or three feet higher thar
any mark wthnsbe memory fthe Oldest citizens. ]
7ould here express my thanks to those who sonobiy
psriled their lives to Save ours, and especially 10 Mr.
RUSH.
Ny loss, in part, consists of eleven head Of horses
and mules; two jenets; about twenty head, Of cattle
seveny.fve head of hogs forty-fve, 10 fifty sheep;
large amount orfodder, peas, &c, &c, DC -.
D: D. Hocorr