The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1878-08-14

GAO oi4OV SonS Va CsSAANS eA~
the British encampment. The
whole place was instantly in up
roar. The officers in the house
sprang from bed, and hastily
dressed and armed. The family,
rudely awaked, rushed to the win
dows. A cold rain was falling, and
the soldiers, half clad, were run
ming wildly hither and thither,
while the officers were frantically
calling them to arms. Mary woke
at the first terrible roar and fled
to her mothers room. Tho eS-
citable servant uttered most pierre
ing shrieks. The poor little chill
dren were too frightened to scream,
but clung trembling|y to Mary.
Mrs. Gibbes was in great dis
tress. She knew not at first
whether it was an attack by
friends on the camp, or an assault
on the house by the enemy. 'Sho
ordered the servants to cease their
wailing and dress themselves.
Then her husband and the chill
dren we're prepared; and while
the cannon beloved in quick sue
cession and the noise around the
house grew louder, the father and
mother consulted what was best
to do. It was now evident that
the attack was by their own
friends, and it's object was to dis
lodge the enemy. But Mr.. Gibbes
did. not know that the house
would not be fred on, and be ad
vised instant fight. He was car
ried to his chair, and the whole
household sailed forth from a
back door.
The scene was terrific. The
night was pitchy dark, and when,
just as they stepped out, a sheet
Of fame belched forth from the
vessels, it seemed to be almost
against their faces. The roar shook
the ground. The troops were too
busy saving themselves to notice
the fagitives, and they pushed on
as rapidly as possible.
Not one was sufficiently pro-
tected from the rain. Little Mary
had the hardest part, for nearly
all the children were in her care.
The mud was deep. Some of the
little ones could walk but short
distance at a time, and had to be
carried-Mary having always one
sometimes two, in her arms. Sew
eral of the servants were near
her, but none Of them seemed to
notice her or her burdens. The
last horse had been carried OF
that very day; there was no es-
cape but on foot.
Suddenly, a ball came crashing
by them through the trees! Then
a charge Of grape-shot cut the
boughs overhead. They were ex-
actly in the range Of the guns! 1t
was evident they had taken the
worst direction, but there was no
help for it now-it was too late to
turn back. In her agony, the
mother cried aloud on God to pro-
tect her family. Mary hugged
closer the child in her arms, and
trembled so she could hardly keep
up. Another crash! The shot
shrieked past them, striking the
trees in every direction. The as
sault was fierce, the roar was in
cessant. The frightened family
rushed on as swiftly as possible
toward a friends plantation, far
back fiom the shore but it was
soon seen that they would not
have strength to reach it, even
if they were not struck down by
the flying shot. The Americans
we're pouring their fire into these
woods, thinking the enemy "oulo
seek refuge there. The wretched
tugitives expected every moment
to be the last. On they pushed
through mud and rain and scream
ing shot.
Soon they found they were get
ting more out of range of the
guns. They began to hope; yet
now and then a bali tore up the
trees around them, or rolled fear
fully across their path. They
reached one Of the houses where
their feld-hands lived, with no
one hurt; they were over a mile
from the mansion, and out OF
range. Unable to fee further, the
family determined to stop here
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