The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-05-15

on the glorious days of our Republic,
MY father had died only two months
previously, and the brother who had
taken his place in the large family was
In the ranks with his townsmen. The
POSITION OF the Arsenal, surrounded with
dwellings, with the town close at the foot
OF the hills, would have necessitated
fearful havoc among our houses from the
use of artillery. Fayetteville had been
burned up twice in the business life of
my father, but common homemade
hre, Though fearful enough in ITSELF
would be rendered hell with flying shot
and kissing shells added 70 the horrors of
the scene. So thought and felt our wo.
men on that eventful morning. The men
| all professed 10 be confident that the
place would be surrendered on demand
| by such large force az we proposed to
send up the hill. Nevertheless they
looked serious, and probably during the
four years of the war never was q morn
ing of greater suspense endured than on
the erentful day when the Arsenal was
TAKEN"
| The mention of that day excites a
smile now in Fayetteville. 1t appears in
the light of burlesque upon war; but
our sufterings were none the less real at
the time. have always regrett> that
We did not turn out to see our band,
twelve hundred strong. as they marched
up the hill, but at our house the elders
thought it advisable that the women
sslould Keep quiet at home, anu " miss
ed the imposing sight. There is a vsrv
deep cut in the road at the steepesL part
CT the long hill, however, end from the
top of the bank on either side q good
view of the advancing host was had by
the Hill people near by, whose terror
was overcome by their curiosity. But as
we lived more than half mile further
on we saw nothing of it. Doubtless as
the Home Guard passed irreverent girls
were found to laugh. 1t is not often in
this world that any situation of affairs
can be found where school girls will not
find something to laugh at. "Dear me |!
how much fighting can these old men
do" "Do look at old Dir. -. He
looks as if feather would knock him
over !'' Lawyer - looks as if he
thought himself Napoleon himself; and
I'll venture to say he's tired half to death
now" "Don't you know some of them
are scared ?" Goodness Lucy, let's go
home; suppose they should send volley
of shells right over hereH" and 30 on.
THE CAPTURE OF THE ARSENAL.
But the regiment passed on its way,
and arriving at the proper distance,
halted and sent in q flag of truce by the
hauds of the Generals staff, demanding
the surrender of the Arsenal to the forces
of the State Of North Carolina. Lieut..
DeLagnal was in command at the time.
He observed the proprieties of tho occa-
sion with becoming gravity. Gen.
Draughan with his staff conducted hi n
under the flag of truce to survey tbs at
tacking force, and he was convi1c ced that
it was useless for him to contend against
such odds. He asked of the captain of
one company chow many rounds of am
munition his men had z"
Three" was the answer.
"Do you consider three rounds suffi.
cient to 20 into battle withf"
when that is gone, sir, we'll club our
guns"
1t was warm day for the season, and
the new soldiers were very thirsty and
saw no reason why they should not re-
fresh themselves With drink Of Hate=
while waiting 60 herr whether or &c .hat
hour mi,. 1t be their last. But ouo vail.
ant captain who had worked himself up
into the proper frame of mind for the
stern realities of war, thought doubtless
it was very unsoldierly to be complaining
of thirst after so short walk under an
April sun. He sternly informed his men
that they did not come there to drink
water, but to die. After much parley
and what seemed an almost interminable
delay on the part of the waiting and
anxious women, it was agreed that the
Arsenal and all its contents were to be
given up to the State troops on condition
that the garrison should be allowed to
salute their flag before lowering it, and
| should have the liberty of returning to
Washington with their baggage in safety.
DeLagnal being the only officer availa.
BILE, considered it his duty to stay by
them till they were put in charge Of the
proper authorities. So .he Afsens. vas
taken.
The salute was fired first, the Stars and
Stripes were lowered, then our men
marched in and raised the State flag and
saluted it. The United States troops left
the old flag behind when they went away
and some of the ladies afterwards con
verted it into o Confederate flag, when
the Stars and Bars had been settled upon.
When Col. Childs, with his company OF
Confederate soldiers, evacuated the place
before the march to the sea overwhelmed
| AkJ 40 Saiitcu OA LAo Otu uftSy duV tuG
final fate Of it was to be toin in strips
and distributed among his lady friends as
mementoes. have one of them still in
my possession. F,
In the meantime, in our little neigh.
borhood on the verge Of the Hill settle.
mept, half mile from the Arsenal, and
half that distance from the main road
We, were cut off from sight of the hill
summit by groves Of trees, and could moi
see the flag, nor hear anything that was
1 going on. We were very quiet at onl
house and tried to 60 about our usual
employment, but the servants were
frightened half out of their wits. With
wild eyes the middle. aged cook came in.
"Mistis," she said, with trembling lips
II hearn them people was gwine tel
throw q bum over dat way and one over
dis 'er way, befo' dey give up de Ars'
and, jis come ter tell you was gwine
down in de holler." II.
We heard afterwards that the gulleys
in the hillside were lined that morning
with the frightened negroes.
Our nearest neighbor was near rela
tion, maiden lady, one of those persons
who always look for the worst. The
dear old lady was in a terrible state Ol
mind, and we all felt the responsibility oi
supporting her in the trying hour
although her own status in the contest
was not greater than that of her neigh.
bora all round. We had all been acus.
toned to hear salutes fred on National
festivals by our towns people in SLOW
and deliberate manner, with an interval