The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-07-31

Cne LnleVl05 crews, aDu VI lue OllCeTs
who were led into the field against al
earnest but noble foe; officers and mer
who showed their bravery in the bas
and cowardly plundering, abusing ant
insulting of unarmed men, but especial.
of women and children. I refrain studi
ously in this description from all exag
geration, and I leave the reader to form
his own judgment.
I cheerfully acknowledge, moreover
that all the Northern troops were no
composed of the outcasts of human soci
ETY. such as these we're; perhaps they on
ly formed the minor part of the army. J
had opportunity later myself to become
acquainted with we'll conducted and vel
disciplined soldiers of the United States
I gathered up my empty box, and the
few papers that were left, and gradually
now began to realize the extent of my
loss. I specially lamented the loss of the
valuables my brother had entrusted tc
my keeping. He lost nearly every thing
he had saved during years of labor; and
being far away from home, ignorant oi
his great loss, it must come upon him as
terrible blow.
A large part of my loss consisted in
drafts on England, which had made,
representing the dividends of the share.
holders of our company, and payment OF
which to the wrongful holders was at
present impossible to estop. The loss OF
the consular archives and of my own pa
pers troubled me less. But I was borne
down by the great loss, and by the i'm
possibility to do aught for the recovery OF
what had been forcibly taken from me.
I learned in that night, and later once
again, how much man can bear, and
also that the fear of any apprehended
calamity is always worse than the evil it.
self, once you have the assurance that
you can do nothing to remedy it. When
1 became alive to this consciousness, res
ignation took the place of despair. There
was q comfort in the reflection that at
this hour many had been visited much
more severely by cruel fate than I had.
I could consider myself fortunate that
my life had been spared, and that the
values I was carrying around my person
had been saved. True I had reason to
fear for their further safety.
With the little I had left reached the
McCully house exhausted and almost
crushed in spirit. The poor family were
in great fear and trepidation at what
was passing around them, although as
yet they had escaped all danger. My
arrival was greeted with great joy. Mr..
who had long been paralytic,
sat there without taking notice of any
thing. The old grandmother lay sick in
bed, and the terrible events that were
transpiring were carefully kept from her.
Mrs. McCully and her daughters were
quite confused with fear and anxiety, only
increased by the briefrecital ofwhat Ihad
just passed through. 1t was with much
trouble 1 could prevail upon them to
gather together and have ready for re-
moval whatever they priced most in case
fire or foe should render a hasty fight
necessary.
These good people had been fortunate
to have among the soldiers who were
quartered upon them nice, gentleman
ly young man, who not only was very
amiable and considerate to the people Of
the house, but defended them and their
against the shameless thieves.
Here he stood all alone among his COM
rades, and strenuously foiled officers and
soldiers, again and again, in their efforts
to pluuder, or to set the house on fire,
till at last his strength proved inadequate
to cope with brute force. He denounced
the conduct of his comrades disgraceful ;
lamented that there were so many scoun-
drels in the army, mostly Europeans,
("Irish and Dutchmen," but maintained
that cruelties were prepetrated contrary
to the orders of the commanding gen.
eral.
Now at last the flames reached this
upper part of Main street. The rush at
our house became stronger, and soon our
brave protector could no longer ward oil
the robbers, who were breaking in doors
and windows. The wild horde came,
everything was broken open or knocked
in. What they thought they could use
they carried off; all else was destroyed.
1 took the poor family away almost emp
ty handed ; the house was already burn
ing. We had the greatest difficulty to
save the old grandmother, who barely
escaped q fiery death. As she was being
carried out by two faithful negroes col
Jared one of the soldiers Of the noble ar
my of Liberation who was in the act Of
setting fire to the bed in which the old
lady lay. I was summoned thither by
their cries of distress, and in the nick Of
time prevented this cruel murder. In
the dispute that ensued l learned to my
horror that this brute was German
who could barely talk English. This was
one of the specimens of the brave sol,
diers my Fatherland sent ostensibly to
fight slavery, but in reality to rob and tc
murder. Nor, l am sorry TO say, was he
the only one of his race among those who
perpetrated such deeds of shame.
It was the usual custom of these vile
rascals, after having plundered house
to set the beds on fire, their object, tc
make the destruction thorough and fa
tai, being best accomplished in this
way.
Burned out again and rooAess once
more, I left the house with the McCullys
who now witnessed the sad sight of theil
house in q mass of fame, illuming to it:
late denizens their sad homeless way
But whittier should we go? There wa:
but little choice now; but comparatively
few houses were left, and these mos
likely would fall q prey to cruel fate.
thought I would go to my friends, the
Gronings, on Arsenal Hill. Looking ii
that direction l found everything dark
the fire had not reached that part of the
city. Part of my rcfugeeing companions
the old grandmother, the invalid father
(both Of whom soon afterwards died,
with two daughters, found shelter witt
relatives near where was going. Mrs
McCully and her other two daughter;
accompanied me to Mr.. Groning's, where
we arrived safely, not however, without
having been robbed on the way of the
greater part of the articles of value We
started out with.
BY this time had become callous tc
the repeated attacks and blows of fortune
which durinp the last few hours-that