Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-11-29
An Incident Of the War

|
few miles from the confines of the NEIGH
boring State of North Carolina. General
Sherman's victorious army passed through
it and remained there some davs in the
month OF February, 1865. The inhabitants
were, of course, subjected to all the losses
and sufferings which in all ages and in all
countries have been consequent upon the
inroad of triumphant army into the re-
glon OF what it deems peculiarly hostile
foe. But even amid the excitement of
angry and mercenary passions, which al
ways prevail to too great an extent among
the soldiers of an invading and conquering
host, the still small voice of Masonry will
be heard and felt.
DIR. k, an intelligent Mason, and
most worthy citizen of Cheraw, has re-
lated to me the following anecdote, which
L give almost in his own words
Some time previous to the appearance
of Gen. Sherman's army" said the doc
tor, g L transported from my plantation to
my residence in Cheraw, q largo amount
of provisions, which had caused to be
stored, for safe keeping, in the attic rooms
of my dwelling house. There were living
with me at the time my wife, my children,
and lady who was distant relative, all
depending on me for protection and sup
port On the day after the appearance of
the army III the town, / was standing at
the door OF my mansion when an officer
approached, accompanied by guard and
followed by q large baggage wagon. He
introduced himself as Liedt. B, of
| Wisconsin, when the following converse
| ton took place
Have you any specie in your shouse.?"
EI have not"
Have you any gold or silver ?"
! Yes, / have gold watch, and my wife
| md I hou +l,a 10 ,f
q respectable family-some silver forks and
spoons, and things of that kind"
"Well, L will attend to, those matters in
time. What provisions have you in the
| house 90
"About enough to last my family year."
"Show them to me-"
[ conducted him to the attic room, fol-
lowed by my wife, andheaccompaniedb byhis
guard of soldiers. He looked at the good
ly display of wheat, and maise, and bacon,
and corned beef, and then said
CT have an order from General Sher-
man to take all your provisions, except ten
rations for ten days for your family. Men,
set to work and fill the wagons"
81 looked on with CONSERVATION. The
idea OF being left with only ten days pro-
visions, all means of transportation taken
away, the railroad and bridges destroyed
and no possibility, therefore, of getting
fresh supply, was anything but delectable
prospect as it afforded in the future q
very closely approaching picture of actual
starvation. But [ thought that if he were q
Mason there was still some hope of saving
myself and family from the threatened
ruin and for the first time in my life, long
as L have been member of the Order,
determined to have recourse to it for that
aid which it had promised to be in time of
peril and danger.
[ commenced, therefore, in the mute but
expressive language of our institution, to
inquire If Lieutenant Il. was a brother of
the mystic tie. To my signals he promptly
responded, and in a few minutes L wascon-
vinced that he was q Master Mason. Ipro-
ceedeG III the same mysterious manner with
my investigation, and was satisfied that he
was also royal arch companion, and one
bright too, In the ritual. Having learned
this much, L resolved to try the experiment
tun1 cruseS and to make that last appeal, to
which L hope he would not be inattentive,
for upon it was founded my hope of food
for my wife and children
''The position of things at this time was
thus. [ was standing III the centre of the
room where the provisions were stored on
my right hand was my wife {; opposite to
me was the Lieutenant the soldiers had
just left with the first load OF provisions,
which they We're conveying to the wagon
below. L availed myself of the opportuni-
| ty afforded 10y their absence, and by the
fact my wife was intently looking on the
floor in pensive attitude, to move back
a step and to make that signal to which no
true Mason can, without perjury, refuse to
respond.
''The lieutenant, as he recognized the
hail, seemed for q moment surprised, and
perhaps confused. He Turned rapidly on
his heel and retreated to "a window, where
he sat down and leaned his head upon his
hand apparently III deep thought. After
few minutes the soldiers, who had dcposi-
| ted their first load in the wagon, returned,
and were preparing to throw another load
upon their shoulders. At that moment the
lieutenant rose from his seat and in grun
voice exclaimed
"NIen, put those things down You can
60. In response to their look of surprise,
he continued, q guess there isn't more
here than is sufficient for the family"
"The soldiers departed empty handed,
and with them their commanding officer
AS he passed out of the door, he whispered
to sergeant who had previously been
placed there as guard over the premises.
What that whisper meant | soon learned
After the officers departure, the sergeant
approached me, and in a respectful manner
asked if L could accommodate him with q
place to sleep. replied in the affirmative,
when he said:
"' Another man will soon be here to re-
lieve me, but the lieutenant has given me
orders to remain in the house and protect
it from depredations by straggIers.
'The mystic sign had prevailed. 1 was
left not with ten days, but with more than
ten months provisions my silver and gold
were untouched and my house under the
careful guardianship of the sergeant, was
never molested during the remaining stay
of the army.
"Inever saw Lieutenant B again."
said DIR. k, concluding his tale, "but
this / know of him, that whoever he was he
was good and true Mason"
No Mason who reads this little story,
will, we imagine, refuse his assent to the
proposition.
Lynch Law i'm Kentucky.
LOUISVILLE Nov. 81
band of REGULATORS has been organized