Maryland free press., 1866-08-09
III. "A NIpHIsHT SCENE.


.1rs rfsed ogEd doiS-Al 1ts 70 o5st roii
IsrThe bfollowingu incident is strictly q
fsst! have q but arranged IN regular
yertn those circumstances which i heard
ffdmothe lips Of the actors ia the scene
upd in doing 60 am very conscious that /
ksxe deprived them a'of much that added
deep interest to- the event. But the glance,
ths sitone,,i tie gesture, the rapid utterance,
orthe pause sSf emotion, must be imagined
gy the readef; my i'ptH hclaims no merit
save fhat Of decorating truth with the mel.
lowea feceilections Of friendship for I
knew. and ioved those Of whom l am about
to speak; and these are still some living
who could instantly give to my story "a
local habitation and a name" I19'
Fertile kas each of the "Cld Thirteen"
may be ID narrowing and romantic Incl
dents, connected with the War of the Rev
olutiop, none can offer fairer field to the
imagination. or to the feelings, than South
Carolina. Many causes ,eombined to make
her situation at that time very interesting;
and not the least striking was the peculiar
nature Of the population. The noble iu-
dependence andhighstoned sense of honor,
the polished manners aud accomplished
education of her aristoeraoy, werelpainfully
contrasted, by the ignorance and passive
obedience ofnumerous slaves, and between
these extremes, there was to be found a
middle ranks which seemed occasionally
TO exhibit the sterling characteristics of
the one and the degraded vices of the other.
Good sense, strict probityso enduring pa
triotism, were prominent traits; but among
those, especially who adhered to the am
cient order of. things, and whose passions
and fears were ,iconstantly excited by the
threats Of change and the dread of danger,
there was sometimes found, too, o ferocity
-7--an ,eagerness for plunder---a readiness
to engage in scenes gof violence which
scattered terror over many neigborhood
that else would have Known war only in its
milder forms. Butat the period l speak
of, South Carolina was also a prey to civil
discord;r all the ties of brotherhood were
broken, and as success crowned either
party, the patriot triumphed with taun-
ling and reproaehful joy, or the tory ex-
nlted in the prospect of such return to
the good old days, as wonld make the
word treason u shield and sword to him.
Inthe mean time, according to the depth
Of the moral character, feelings of aversion
and hatred, or Of open and manly disu-
snion,a were silently nourished or boldly
'avowed. kg7" sii a.- "a1 g."
-r.. Such characters were numerous in q
southern district of South Carolina, which
lies very near the beautiful river that sepa-
ratesit from Georgia. The year 1870
Was one of gloom and sorrow to the hearts
gifts patriots; Charleston was in the pos
session of the British; the whole State at
the mercy of the royalists, and the gallant
spirits who had thrown life and property
into the perilous stake, were in general
Obliged TO abandon the one and seek
safety for the other in the depths of their
swanips and the solitudes of their pine
barrens. There were some, however, who
still remained at their homes, and in Bit
+ terness Of heart tried, by voluntary re.
.tirement, toavoid that expression of feel
ing which could only bring ruin to their
helpless families. '.'' 1902 ''. %. ~
. Among this class was planter whose
name was P. He possessed fine
estate on one of the narrow and winding
waters which empty into Broad river; was
young, intelligent, ardent, and cnthusias-
tic, and devoted to the cause in which his
country was struggling. Such acharacter
was exactly calculated to secure strong
friendship and excite strong enmitics, in a
time that tried mems souls. Whilst free
dom Of speech was permitted to him, he
avowed his sentiments, with a careless
'feankness, a, bold independence, which
alternately CALLED and enraged those who
adhered 70 the ungracious coure pursued
Blythe mother land;" and unfortunately
there was a regular channel for the out
pouring Of his triumph, or his wrath, in a
Kind 81 weekly meeting at fayorite spot
where the neighborhood in every direc-
tion Sent forth its little groups to spend an
evening in comparing news, or debating
upon the results Its Of the, ,ensrossing events
Of the day The demon Of discord hail
ed this meeting as its own The passions,
whether noble or base, we're all aroused;
and had they needed stimulent, they would
have found tin those deep and frequent
draughts which. were rendered and ac-
eepted as the pledge Of good fellowship:
it was, very visible, ere long, to Mr.. z
--rr-s friends, that he had given great
disgust TO some, low, characters whom he
had treated with scornful contempt. He
.xas warned, AS affairs on the American
aide became for gloomy, to be on his guard;
but he, laughed at the idea of having given
serious offence to them,l as. they still doffed
Stheir hats and bowed obsequiously; and
when At last conscious of hisowa ilnpetuos-
rity,rhe withdrew entirely from those meet
.ipgs. He little dreamed that scenes and
sagiaesowhieh had passed from his own
aaemeryswith the flush they had excited on
hissbsowe bad suak deeply into the hearts
of someswhem he erlied.and, in all single
aess Of spirit, looked upon as neighbors, in
The, primitiye, sense of that word. W su
"a sHe,had married abouta twelyemonth
Ibefsrethis- period, very young creature
r-aa, orphan. and almost friendless, though
not portionless4-and very recently she had
;giyan birth to lovely boy. His wife
sWas being ofquiet and gentle mood