The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20
A Reminiscence Of the. War.

In conversation the other, day with: q
merchant in this city, who during thewar
was Il member of the immortal StenewalTF
brigade, he told sho following, Of. which
he was an eye witness :..en '2.:a':a. 60,
Iu-April, 1854, he Was one among'the
large, number, of Confederate prisoners
confined at Camp Douglas prison. the
commandant of which was Col. B. j.
Sweet, kind.hearted officer and true
gentleman When the news Of the as
sassi nation Of President Lincoln. was re-
ceiYed, the flag was lowered to half-mast
as a mark Of respect but, owing to the
+ great height of the staff, the banner,
which was of the largest size, was blown
so fir out that, there was imminent dan
ger of the lanyard giving way, when it
would come down with a run. =. !
I" To obviate this It was determined to
sefta man to the top ofithe staff and re-
move the pulley, intending to replace iit
at a point half way, down, and g. volpn-:
tary was called from among the guards to
perform the patriotic service. The danger
was great and the cornmandant: offered q
discharge from the seryica to the: man
who would climb. the giddy height
With. this inducement a young man
stepped forward and announced his read
inessito make the attempt. '''~l'' ;T'>:::,
Hewas then furnished With pair of
leg guards, containing small, sharp pro-
jections something similar to those worn
by telegraph constructionists, and with q
stout belt ibuckled atodnd his waist and
encircling the Aagstsff; be commenced
the !oilsome ascent. Slowly he proceed
ed, stopping at intervals to tighten the
belt, whic6 was rendered necessary by
the gradually diminishing size of the
mast. Onward and upward he went.
with, the. eyes of, every; man inside the
walls fixed upon him with. az, eagerness
almost painful in its intensity. Still the
daring man continuedf,' growing smaller
and smaller, untilifrou1 his lofty attitude
he seemed no ,largsrkt thata child, He
had almost reached the top, and Iesched
out his hand to seize The lanyard which
futtereG In reach jubt above bis head.
In an instant the cheers Of thousands Of
anxious spectators would, break forth in
admiration, and, encouragement, when
the cord eluded his grasp, be lost bis bal
;ance,H and fell !MdoWn,, with lightning
rapi1ity, the belt lightning every inch Of
the way. until, the tension became so
great the faithless band worn by rapid
friction and the momentum of descent,
gave, way. The unfortunate soldier fell
keatllong, striking the;'platform at the
bottom of the flagstaff, and crushing
through the heavy planking- of which it
was composed. },....,. ....,,.,.;. -, If.,
T. His Mortified comrades at once ran to
his assistance and picked up the mangled
form, but the injuries the unfortunate
man had sustained we're, fatal, and he
died in short time. ~, ,....;,,., .,,l.
The commandant though. deeply re-
GREETING the accident, still wished the po-
sition Of the flag changed, but the tempt
ing offer of FIVE hundred dollars ip green
backs and a discharge from the service
could not induce any of the garrison to
make the attempt, with the fate oftheir
comrade fresh in their minds. ,........
Col. Sweet then made the same offer to
the Confederate prisoners, and one daring
fellow, young artillcryman, announced
his willingness to try the dangerous feat.
The proper equipments were furnished,
and with steadfast nerve he slowly made
his way upwards till he reached the top.
The lanyard was removed, from the end
of the staff and secured properly; lower
down. when the unshaEen Johnnie safely
descended to terra irma once more,
when, with the concentrations of the
soldiers on duty rs we'll as his comrades,
he received his discharge from prison and
FIVE crisp 500 .greenb'a1clks,-.more 3 than
sufficient to pay his. travelling expenses
home, while the flag aoated at half.mast
in honor of the dead President, famed
by the breezes from the great Northern
lakes.-KnoruiNe Press and Herald. ans