The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-05-03
THE FIRST Day OF MAY, 1866.

In the simple annals Of our village life, the day
indicated in the heading of this article will occupy
the most prominent niche of all other days in the
calendar, up to the present writing. Its anniver-
sary will ever be recognized; and in vivid recol-
lections will the inhabitants recount the sad story
of its wrongs, outrages and expressions. The war
had ceased East of the MiHsissippi-rcturned vet
Grams had met the warm, loving embrace Of kindred
and friends-the tears of welcome had scarcely
dried up, nor tho traces of sadness been relieved
from the countenances of the noble few who sur
rendered at Appomattox-ero the dawn of that
bright and beautiful May morn in 1865 Brave
youths and tender maideus repaired to the silver
brooks and murmuring streams, where wild flowers
grow and the music of birds make the air enchant-
ing there to talk over the long absence and ITS
dire results and anon to join in reyelry and mirth
The day was for spent in youthful and innocent
pleasure when the harsh and nnwecome news
spread far and near that the Yankees were IN close
proximity to the village Then came the hurrying
to and fro, the rafting of carriages and wagons,
the clatter of horses hoofs the solid earth, ana
the frightened screams of women and children at
ed edtheirrespectve homes the wild yell of infurated
men, maddencd by liquor and rayenous for plum
der, was beard in the upper part of town, and the
cloud of dust ON Main street indicated the rapid
approach of the cavalcade of SToNEMAN's raiders,
preceded by reckless horsemen who were firing
repeaters right and left. In FIVE minutes time the
shooting and yelling was in every quarter of the
town. and supplications we're going forth to the
Throne of Mercy to preserve our people from ruin
and dread disaster. 1t was q moment never to b,
! forgotten by those who shared in its anxiety and
agonizing suspense. Bronzed veterans, whose
courage had been proven on ON hundred ensan-
guined fields, involuntarily shuddered at the dis
NAL prospect, while the tears and cries of women
were heard on every side. 1t is needless to dwell
upon the awful scene-its memories are folded
away in horror and can never, never be erased.
In IN hour the entire command had filed into the
public square and streets adjacent; citizens re-
tired to their homes, and the developments of time
calmly awaited by some and nervously by many
others. The night wore along YEARLY; the MORN
ing broke upon drunken soldiery, sleeping after
hdeous orgies and rapacious plunderings, while
the citizens remained indoors TO protect and save
the small remnant which had escaped the clutches
of these men the evening previous In the mean
| time the soldiers were becoming aware of certain
valuablss within store-rooms, and door after door
was broken open, the contents Of the house scat
| tered. and what could not be made useful to them
was ruthlessly destroyed Iron safes offered no
impediment doors bolted and barred were not re-
parded in the slightest, and there was general
distribution Of other mems goods to whoever might
receive them. Thus the day wore on, with now
and then painful rumors that this and that es-
teemed citizen had been ignominiously hanged be-
cause he would not disgorge supposed hidden
treasure, and so forth. For reasons which may
never come fairly to light, the commanding officer
Brev't Brig. Gen. BROWN, ordered the command TO
take up the line of march towards the Savannah
River: and shortly after dusk the troopers loaded
with ill-gotten gain and stupefed with wine,
mounted their fresh seeds obtained in the neigh
borhood, and followed their doughty leader ito
other fields of plumber and rapine. The next
morning only provost guard remained, and by
early breakfast these had departed. Despoiled
and desolated, the village of Anderson wore
sombre, sad appearance on the morning of the 3d
of May last. Her people gathered in knots over
the ruins and wreck, and each one in saddened
tones related an experience of the dread occasion.
This concludes brief account of the frghtful oc-
currences of those memorable days, and which will
ALWAYS be dcnominated s'BRowN's RAID" Al the
time there was no publication of its horrors and
atrocities-the types of our office had shared the
common fate of the village, and were scattered
promiscuously over the floor. We have, therefore,
at this late day. briefly alluded to the events OF
which to-day is the first anniversary May Heaven
grant that no similar calamity ever descend
upon the inhabitants of Anderson