The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1884-11-26

possibility Of injury to the work by
thoughtlcss or evil disposed persons.
The simple slab which was removed TO
give place to the present more costly
monument itself bears silent witness to
the necessity OF such prccaution, Is it
was so budly clipped and broken by
relic hunters that it was found ncceSSa-
~ to round the corners to prevent fur
thGrn da..aSe. Even the breaking Of
leaf from the capital of one Of the pill
lars wonll be a matter Of lasting regret,
and in the present exposed condition of
tho work such a depreciation is likely to
occur at any time.
1t is not generally known. perhaps,
that this is the third time that Mr.. CAL
houn's remains have been removed
since they were first laid to rest in the
soil Of the State he loved so VOL, but
that such is the fact appears from the
following statement made to Reporter
of -NeuS nnd C'n"rfcr by Il gentleman
II NC1lNcu hlS illOItIltllUu from M +.
Robert y. Gourlin
In 1862, or 1868, when it was known
that the Federal fleet would attempt to
pass the forts and capture this city, sew
cral citizens Of Charleston who were
friends Of Mr.. Calhoun during his life
asked General Bcnurcgard to roticy
ib~1n V.hrnnvnr fI,r, ,,rn,,,l e., b.
any serious danger Of Charlcston's fall
ing into the hands Of the enemy, in or
der that they might take the necessary
steps to protect the remains Of Mr..
Calhoun from dissertation. According
~, on Sunday, thc 5:h Of April, General
Braur"gard notified the gentlemen that
the monitor fleet WAS inside the bar,
and that rs he could not ~forcicll the re-
suit Of the impending contest with the
forts, he thought that Charleston was
seriously threatened. That night the
gentlemen went to tho Cemetery and
removed the caskct Containing the body
Of Mr.. Calhoun to the church, where il
was placed under the north gallery
stairs and concealed under \ mass Of
loose material until they could provide
a better hiding-placc. Tie next night a
grave was prepared in the churchyarl
nearest the church, a box was provided
md the caSkct was reinforced. None OF
the laborcrs employed in the removal OF
the body in the first instance was en-
ploycd i'll the second instance, and the
place Of the secret grave was only
known to John n. Gregg, the colorcL
sexton of st. Phillips Church, the sex
tor OF the Hugucnot Church, who was
also n colorcd man, and to Mr. Robert
\. Gonrdin and n or two other gentle
men, who were concerned in the matter.
The colorcd men proved 10 be worthy
OF the trust rcp"scd in them, and moth
ing was known Of the removal Of the
body until it was again disintcrrcd and
replaced in its original resting place in
1871. While it was concealed in tile
church, all Easter election for the vcstsv
"'' 81 httt "lliilu lpl CI
twenty feet Of where the caskrt was w.
ing, no one who took part in the cleo
ton being aware Of the fact Of it's pres
cncc.
1t is related, also, that when the body
was removed in 1871 from its secret
grave near the church to its original
resting place, a lady placed a laurel
wreath upon the caSkct. When the
grave was opened again a few days ago
20 allow the remains to be deposited
where they now lie. !hc wreath was
found intact and in good preservation,
but was destroyed by the weight Of the
covering which was thrown on the cask-
ct while it remained above ground.