Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-04-28
Horrible Barbarities


lief. a letter thus speaks Of one of the most
recent of these outtages, which was probably
no more brutal tnan others concurring
The Hal Hong wrote down their
names and ordered them to be hogged-the
rebel 300 and the culprit 200 blows with the
bamboo. The rebel having received his 800
blows, and borne them without murmur,
was taken to cross made for the purpose,
and being securely lashed to it, in an upright
posture, with his arms extended, the execution.
or commenced his horrible butchery by first
cutting off the flesh above the eyes, next the
ears and then the breasts; then he cut the
muscles of each arm, laying the silvery white
bone bare, the flesh not being cut off, but left
hanging the blood spirting out, actually be-
spattered the exccutioner at each pulsation of
the'heart! Then the muscles Of the thighs
were out in the same manner After the ex-
ecutioner had performed these dreadful tor
lures upon the poor wretch, he laid his small
knife aside and took another, about ten inches
long and about an inch broad and cut gashes
on each side of the mans chest, laying the
ribs bare. Then he made several fourishes
with the knife, and then ran it into the poor
victims body, entering just below the sternum,
in the middle of the chest, to the full extent
Of the blade I! This l thought and hoped would
prove the eoup-dc-grace!' But no, for the
man still hreathcd, and the cxecutioner still
continued his bloody task, cutting downward
with his knife and letting out the entrals |!
lie then slashed and cut open the stouach
Then giving yell, ran his hand in and seized
the mans liver cut it out, passing the bleed
ing, quivcrlng mass to his assistant as coollv,
and in as business like manner as though he
were opening and butchering pig. This
finished the torture, and the exccutioner left
the victim in this mutilated state, not vet
dead, for saw him give several gasps for
breath afterward. He then cut the sa,npan
mans head off, at the foot of the cross, with
single blow, and then returned, and letting
loose the rebels head, which fell forward, he
decapitated him, certainly the most merclful
stroke he had given that day the bodies were
exposed on the same wharf, with their legs
tied to posts, for five days afterward, to the
great annoyance of the Europeans, who occu.
pied the houses adjacent. The poor rebel bore
his lnhuman tortures most manfully not
moan escaped him, during all the time. The
only movement he made was slight quivcring
of his whole frame, and movement of his head
to and fro; otherwise spectator might have
questioned whether he was alive or dead du-
ring the horrible exhibition u :
Remarkable History of Torpedo Boat.
General Maury's report Of the defences of
Mobile narrates the eventful history of tor
pedo boat, as follows:
1t was built Of boiler iron, was about thirty
five feet long, and was manned by crew of
nine men, eight of whom worked the propeller
by hand. The ninth steercd the boat and
regulated her movements below the surface Of
the water. She could be submerged at pleas
ure to any desired depth, or could be pro-
PEELED upon the surface In smooth still
water, her movements were exactly controlled,
and her speed was about four knots 1t was
intended that sic should approach any vessel
lying at anchor, pass under her keel, and drag
a floating torpedo, which would explode on
striking the side or bottom of the ship at
tackled
She could remain submerged more than
half All hour without Inconvenience to her
Grew.
Soon after her arrival in Charleston, Lieut.
Payne, Of the Confederate navy, with eight
others, volunteered to attack the Federal feet
with her While preparing for their expedi-
ton, the swell of a passing steamer caused the
boat to sink suddenly, and all hands, except
Lieutenant Payne, who at the moment was
standing in the open hatchway, perishcd. -
She was soon raised and again made ready for
service. Lieutenant Payne again volur toercd
70 command her. While lying near Fort
Sumter she capsized and again sunk in deep