The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-11-14
A PUBLIC CALAMITY.
GOVERNOR HAMPTON SERIOUSLY IN
JURED WHILE HUNTING.

Specidt DtSpdfch TO me NcloS ahd Courier.
COLUMBIA, S. c., November s.
While hunting deer with q party of
friends in the lower portion of this coun-
ty yesterday, the mule that Governor
Hampton was riding became frightened
and, the bride breaking, the Governor
leapcd from the saddle, receiving severe
injuries in his fall. His right leg was
broken in two places below the knee with
the bones protruding, and the ankle also
is badly injured.
He was brought to Columbia this
morning and is now lying at home. The
prospect is that he will be confined to his
bed for long period
LATER.
The following particulars in relation to
the serious accident which befcll Cover
nor Hampton yesterday were obtained
from member Of his family, and will be
read with painful interest.
The Governor left Columbia on
Wednesday afternoon on his way to meet
a party of gentlemen who had arranged
for deer hunt in the Wateree swamp
next day, and had invited him to be
present. Spending the night at the
residence of Mr.. Speigner, few miles
distant from the appointed rendezvous,
Governor Hampton, next morning,
Thursday exchanged his horse for a
young half-broken mule, and proceeded
alone towards the place where he expect
ed to join the other members of his
party. Just before reaching there, how
ever, the pack of hounds, already on
hot scent, passed within hearing, and the
Governor leaving the road followed them
until he obtained shot at the flying
deer. Soon after this, finding himself
involved in the thick underground of the
swamp, he leaned forward and threw bis
bride reins over small limb prelimina-
ry to dismounting. At this critical mo-
ment, however, the miserable beast
which he bcstrode suddenly succeeded in
releasing the reins from the bough and
dashed off through the woods. Being
unable to recover the reins as quickly as
was necessary to assure himself against
certain injury from violent contact with
the trunks or the overhanging limbs of
the trees, Governor Hampton instantly
sprang from his saddle to the ground,
alighting upon his feet, but, unfortunate
ly, with so much violence-his weight
too falling mainly upon the right foot
that both the bones of the right leg were
fractured just above the ankle, and the
joint itself dislocated.
Finding himself suddenly disabled
and left alone in the depth of the swamp,
the mule too having disappeared on the
instant, and SO deprived him of the only
means of seeking assistance, the Cover
nor had recourse to his hunting horn,
and the gun which he had retained in
his hand, and employed them for nearly
two long hours III the seemingly hope
less effort to summon the help which he
so sorely needed. The direction Of the
chase had, indeed, led the other gentle
men engaged in its pursuit to within
hearing of his signals, but these very
common sounds naturally enough failed
to attract attention, until the frequency
of the reports of the gun in such an un-
usual quarter led Col. Thomas Taylor to
send a colored man to inquire into the
matter. This most providential messen-
ger soon discovered the Governor lying
on the ground in the condition described
and suffering great pain, and quickly led
the party to his side.
The triAing circumstance deserves to
be noted in this connection that after
first administering to his immediate
wants, his sympathizing friends quickly
observed that the sufferer, with charac-
teristic GOODNESS and nerve, had utilized
the time and ammunition employed in his
hours of signaling and suffering by
firing ata distant mark, which mark, it
was next ascertained, was fairly riddled
with balls; or as one of them afterwards
amazedly declared, che had hit the bulls
eye every time"
1t was now nearly 6 o'clock in the
afternoon; the accident had occurred
about o'clock F.; but before removal
could be effected it was found necessary
to cut rough road through the swamp
in order to allow the passage of the
spring wagon, which had been meantime
procured, furnished with mattress, and
brought to the nearest point of the road.
This labor accomplished at last the
party started to Columbia, sixteen miles
distant, and reached the Governors home
n little before midnight. Medical assist
ance had been summoned, and DR.. B. w.