The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-11
SOUTH CAR OLINA.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HERALD.

meas Bureau-The sandhiIlers in All Their
Wretchedness- Few Examples Picked up
ut Random &c.. &c.
COLUMBIA, 8. c., June 2, 1867.
What was the Methodist Female Seminary is now tho
principal hotel Of Columbia. With the approach Of
Shermans army from Georgia the school was dismissed
aud its members dispersed to their homes. With the
burning Of the city the building escaped and forty am-
lies left houseless found shelter it, for weeks and
some for months 1t elegant structure, and with
its double starways spacious halls airy chambers,
admirably adapted for It's present as for the
purposes designed From its lofty central tower we
have birds eye view OF this beautiful CITY, still beau
tu though mostly in ruins and OF the green and charm
ing country FOR many miles around Astounding in lines
of splendid shade trees oaks and ems, 1t is city In
forest and hence only here and there looking over 1t
from the escaped district the track of the fire be
seem in the shell OF church, cluster Of chmneys or
line Of broken wall standing out In CHASTITY relief.
The green woods OF the surrounding country still moro
completely veil from the eye the fearful desution OF
the Carolina sandhils those wretched sandhers
crackers, famous only for their poverty ignorance and
semi-sayage condition and habits Of life In the best Of
times.
Over yonder is General Wade Hamptons town house.
His country house to be passed by sher-
mans men, and this would have shared the same fate.
but the women from the Catholic convent burned out,
sought refuge in Hampton's house, and their presence
saved the place. 1t is fine mansion in the midst Of
enclosure OF eight acres perfect wilderness Of
luxuriant trees shrrb bery, vines aud flowers.
We have been among the sandhils heretofore, and
have seen those people at home. To-day we have had
talk with several parties Of them In town tho
Freedmen's Bureau and the streets We werc
courteously received by the officers and men Of tho
Bureau They inform that at this depot they distribute
ratons In ten days to the destitute to the number
largely in the majority Each adult receives bushe Of
meal or corn and ten pounds OF pork. They comb to
the Bureau headquarters for their tickets bringing their
vouchers along with thems and when given ticket the
recipient goes TO the commssary depot and draws
his or supplcs Under the shade trees in front
the Headquarters there assembled this morning
some three hundred destitute blacks. q considerable
number OF decrepit and old men and women
being among thom Iatermixed in this crowd Of blacks
and ragged gypscs were few struggling whites but
they soondappeared when positively told that Mondays
Tuesdays and Wednesdays distribution days TO the
backs and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to tho
whites
little old withered and sunken-eyed white woman.
carrying basket with only al empty bag in It, asked
I've walked nine miles this morning empty
stomach. have nothing at home. I've been to the
Rev. Mr. Martins, OF the Southern Relief Bureau, and
he's sick. He won't do nothing to-day. Can't see US
till Tomorrow, and amt strong enough to walk them
nine miles over again to-day, without something TO
eat"
"weli, tell US, my poor woman. where aud how do
you live2n
fixed up out OF shed. The man who has the house
was in the war and come out cripple He can't do
along Win what they draw here in town They draw
some every week. corn meal and pork, and then they
are They give s
"Bnt won't some Of your neghbors lend you one ~
"No sir they are all 100 poor over IN them sandhiil.
rations they draw and ut the Yankee bureau white
folks has to como after the nigeers.,
small horse while at the time the horse pull
ing rude and curious looking rag picker's little dog
cart IN which poor white woman OF perhaps fty was
s'Good people, word with you" They stopped and
We had full conversation on their case, which may
Tan MornER.-Ws stopped here at the Rev. Mr.. Mar.
tins to II couldn't draw little But he Is
fourteen miles from them saudhilIs for nothing Los.
day. and we have TO lose anoher and the crops wanting
US all the time. My husband is old and sick Have two
girls at home, and this boy, and this little pony. Since
the we've managed split rails and fence in seventy
OF ground and with this pony for the poughng
got in this year forty Of corn Irscoming finely.
o. II only live till we make the crop This little
pony and this good boy must do the main work and
we stint ourselves sometimes, even in our little allow
ance OF corn that we draw, TO feed tho pony We are
not so bad Oft Of neghbors neither There's
twelve fifteen families four miles round the hills
and throe horses among them all. Well some Of the
rest have steer 10 do their ploughng and some ain't
You see, when Sherman army through sand
hills they swept of even TO the chickens
We've got some SINCE and COW; and while we most
starving sell little butter and eggs get such
clothes We can't do without We had four horses and
sulky to ride in when the Yankee army come through
but they took OFF everything but this little pony Will
liam, you tell how you saved him.
TnE soS.Yes, sir; took him down in the swamp and
kept him hid four days took feed 10 him and he did
not snicker but he kept right STILL He little colt
them aud he has paid for himself SINCE There amt
better little pony anywhere. He don't get much to eat
and you he amt very poor ana he Is mighty good
little fellow to work-ainl you Bily3
TnR MOTHER. You see, he named him Billy aftel
himself Creeters amt skace, reckon, up your way
Why, sir, used to be better off, but now, poor
as we are We have TO help with the pony for day.
and them the widow and little children OF who
Is dead, and another son who has family and horse
or steer
The STRANGER - And suppose madame your two
sous families draw their here from the Bureau
or the southern Relief Commission.
THs MoTnER.-Yes, sir every family that know for
ten miles round, and every that I've heard Of for
twenty miles round in them hills there draw their
nations. IL they didn't they would starve. You know
they drafted most all the in the Confederate army
and SO many Of em killed crippled. Many OF the
men were lazy, worthless fellows, but then they could
do something 50, you see all the people over in our
section there have to draw their ratons till they make
their crop Of corn; for they amt got nothing.
This was comparatively mild case; but the next
more decisive one OF suffering and belpessness. pale
faced OF about thirty passing along with the
usual basket with an empty bag In It, She had evidently
been handsome woman In her day. and her expression
be found in the sandhls
"And have you TO go home, madame, without even .
morsc Of corn meal or bacon ~
Eyes, sir The Rev Mr. Martin, OF the Relief Com
mission Ia sick, and they are just getting In the corn,
ana We can't Draw any I'LL tomorrow and at the Blu.
they are only giving out to-day the colored peo
pie. don't know what shall do. My poor husband
has the rheumatism so bad he only work day
once in while, and his sight 10 bad he can't 10
shoot bird or q squirrel. He used 10 do right we'll
mendng shoes, but he can't do that any more and my
two girls are not old enough to do much Of anything
But left 'em hooIng the potato patch. do nice
sewing, but nobody wants II now. Rich people do their
own sewing. when they used 70 give out their work.
have little corn patch; try TO work with hoe, but
the weeds are gaining on me. One Of the neighbor
said he would plough u once for me II would hoe in
his deld for two days That's the way We have TO do
have married son living near by with wife and
child He was shot in The all 10 pieces you might
say and the worst OF IL was, while he was lying
wounded NJ Petersburg he had sunstroke. and every
ton days he loses his mind for or three DAVIS
when Shsrman's army came through they came
house and asked H. bad anything buried In the ground
They had found out that the people buried their valuable
things TO save them, and they would dig up . garden
sometimes TO end EN-. told them had nothing much
20 bury. They took on horse and COW and chick
ems except ono and hen which they left me-
and six shoats haf grown pgs which the colonel also
LETT at my request but neghbors after the SOL
HATy FAIA -