The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-09

and even now throb of anguish thrills
my heart as memory recalls that sad year
of disaster which sealed the death-war-
rant of our short-iyed nationality-the
Southern Confederacy. The gallant
Hood casting our all upon hazardous
venture had marched into Tennessee,
and Gen. Sherman, the American Attilla,
found it an easy matter to possess himself
of the defenceless South from the noun
tains to the sea. His pathway through
Georgia and Carolina was marked by
devastation and suffering. Burning
cities, plundered farms, defenceless,
homeless, half-starved women and chill
.dren were left behind him as monuments
of victory! But either to blame or de-
-fend Gen. Sherman is not our object in
these pages--to history We leave him.
His soldiers were men with passions like
our own, and oftimes the Federal and
the Confederate were children of one
mother. Then let us not judge our fel-
lows, but examining our own hearts and
marking all the evil of our sin-polluted
souls, thank God that he raised up for us
wise, humane, christian leaders, and it
may be that in denying US the triumph
of our cause, triumph so ardently cove
ted, SO earnestly prayed for, He has in
love and mercy delivered us from terri
Bile temptation-the temptation to tram
pie upon a fallen foe!
But to return to our story. Although
the Southerners had but too good cause
to dread the approach of Sherman and
his myriads, yet in that army, there
were some whose names are to-day
household words in many Southern
homes and Southern voices speak with
eloquent gratitude of the gentle courtesy
and generous protection afforded the suf-
fering and defenceless. One like unto
these truly brave men finds place in
our story. He was very young man of
grave and lofty bearing, high courage
and untarnished honor. He was held in
great respect both by subordinates and
commanding officers, although few were
familiar with him, and many regarded
him with envy and malice because his
honorable department formed so marked
contrast to theirs, whose plans for illicit
gain and outrage he often foiled. His
sobriquet among his envious fellows was
"the modern Den Quixote," and more
than one Southern woman had cause to
remember with gratitude their chivalric
protection from insult and wrong by the
grave young Colonel
The conquering army had marched
through the Empire State" with fire
and sword, and had scourged with re-
morseless hate the devoted Palmetto
land. Women and children trembled
with fearful adherence at the words
"Sherman" and yankees" for the cords
which had bound US in the ties of once
glorious brotherhood were broken and
forgotten, and rapine and murder ruled
the hour. Few remembered or thought
of the truth and holiness of the senti-
ment SO sweetly expressed by the noble
poet: ~ cox
tprL q eli oil taor has
OF honest fame than shedding seas of gore"
Before daylight one morning the in
habitants of the little town of c., in
the up-country of Carolina, were alarmed
by the exciting rumors, "the Yankees are
comingw In comfortable cottage Ornse
on the outskirts of the same town Mrs.
Maham and her daughter had found
pleasant place of refuge with patriotic
and kind-hearted lady who lived alone,
her husband and only child Ia SOM being
both of them in the Confederate Army.
Mrs. D., although not wealthy, lived
in generous ease and afluence, and it
was for companionship in her loneliness
as we'll as her desire to show kindness
to poor refugees that she afforded an
asylum to the strangers.
The change in the winter from the low
country to the cold and rainy climate of
the up country had proved unfavorable
to Mrs. Maham's health. She contracted
a violent cold which eliminated into ty-
phoid pneumonia, and for weeks her ply
sicians and friends deemed recovery al
most impossible. Only few days before
the invasion of their town, her symptoms
had become more hopeful, and the Doc
tors had said that with close, careful
nursing and perfect quiet she might over
come the disease. Much of the suffering
her people had been enduring under
Federal military rule had been concealed
from her. Poor Marion! In her moth
ers room she wore smiling, hopeful
face, while her heart was bowed down in
anxiety for that precious mothers recov-
cry; with grief for her country's woes,
and the most painful solicitude for her
soldier brother, of whose welfare they
had not heard one word since leaving
Berkley.
"My dear childT" exclaimed Mrs,
D., hurriedly entering the parlor,
where Marion was resting on a lounge
after administering an opiate, and seeing
her mother fall into deep, calm slum-
Der. "what shall we do? how can we
keep your dear mother quiet? There is
not doubt of it, the Fcdera!s will be In
c. before evening, and then who will
insure to Mrs. Maham the quiet which
she needs to save her life?"