The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-04-24
I]UR WOMEN IN TEE WAR.
DEAR AUNT KATE.
/, STORY or A womAN's DEVOTION
,n, q z. Means, Of Sparta,b,rg. S, C., in
NS' Charleston Weekly Ne,c5.

,t,, e. E. Means, Of Spurta'.burg, S. G., in
Charleston Weekly Ne'c'.
In this sketch | must, to enable the
,eadcr to appreciate the character of my
oroine, touch momentarily on her life
bcfore the war, make you acquainted with
sunt Kate and her husband. He was q
nan of uncommon personal beauty, Of
5hc pure Saxon type, tall, broad-should der.
Il erect. The red blood colored his
rheeks, with girlish roses. The yellow
air worn in those days several inches
onr. had CLEAN of gold amid its curls.
Tbe blue eyes were violet in their shin.
sEny depths, and the white teeth, even and
4ttopp, filled wellshaped mouth.
Will all this beauty there was nothing
ferninine about his appearance.
Aunt Kate herself was tall and slender,
"a handsome brunette. In the parlance
1f the country neighborhood, "they were
In uncommonly likely couple" She
,as fine housekecper; he good man,
sger, and no earthly Eden wac ever more
Zee from sorrow or sin than their home
when the war came.
The man, of the type 1 have sought to
describe, was Of the material of which
sshe best soldiers are made. Amolgst the
5ery first volunteers he went forth to fol-
ggow for better or worse, the fortunes Of
y3ahc Ccnlederecy.
l9 Aunt Kate suffered quietly but very
acutely from the separation, but at once
Inc identified herself with the work to be
s.aone for the country. Men were to
icbt; women were to Hork. as well as
yeep and pray. She gave her personal
Attention to the details Of plantation
york. She was up by daylight, attended
10 the feeding Of horses and cattle, rode
1yer tile fields to see that the work was
lone there as it should be, looked after
Die plantation supplies, sick negroes; in
ahort, displayed such energy that the
5hole neie ehborhood talked of her extra
rdinary management.
~ LETTERS TO THE ABSENT ONE.
M At night, after her little children
fhere we're three) were N bed. she wrote
her husband, filling pages closely writ
Nm, consulting him in regard TO every
Il title matter, yet never relating her
ioubles, repeating instead the smart
IS ayngs of the children and making jokes
bout their quaint old neighbors. AS he
8 zpressed it, when speaking Of her let
t Srs: "Kate don't let me get homesick.
he keeps me posted about everything at
Dme even sends me piece of every
fess she makes for herself or the cnii.
ben, and then writes me which they We
orn during the day"
a There were no sheep on the plantation
hen the war began, but soon she had
athered fine feck, and watched their
eece as if it was gold. She raised indi.
%, and when the autumn came she had
splendid suit of warm jeans-spun,
ayed, woven, cut and made by her own
q Sands, to send to her soldier husband.
he almost seemed to grudge that any
and but hers should do anything for
jim.
Every few weeks box of dainty pro.
isions were sent to him in camp-boiled
sams, roasted turkey, baked chickens,
ies, cakes, preserves and pickles. Even
fter the troopa were sent to Virginia, ali
dds she contrived to send frequent boxes
~ edihles, until she had the reputation
sf being the best honsekeeper of q,
}an's wife in the regiment.
His last visit home was Just before the
ovement of our troops into Pennsylva-
ja. When he left for few weeks Aunt
late seemed entirely crushed. She had
is. taken hold again of her usual daily
putine, when the news Of the battle Of
gettysburg came, and in the list Of miss.
be- of Company X, First Regiment of
3ihes, was the name of her husband.
lost of his friends gave up hope and
ss elieyed him dead she would lot think
WAITING AND WATCHING.
1t was wonderful h,,. many ways she
hdertook to learn some word Of her
Nnsband;s fate. but every effort was fruit.
ss. With agonizing interest she read
~ e papers, watching each proposal made
the Confederacy for 40 exchange of
@isoners. "If uuiy were North" she
sould say, II surely could move Lincoln
pr humanity's sake to accede."
ss The horrors Of Andersonvil!o were
ainging grief to the whole South, yet the
Suel policy of war caused the United
IS tates to reject all terms of exchange for
Pc prisoners Of either siIe.
At last, in December, 1861. Aunt Kate
ceived letter. The superscription
ns scrawl, so broken and tremulous
LAS the handwriting, but she knew it as
fr husbands. With q glad cry she
Pened and read it. There were only
~ words: II am exchanged; have
een for months at Fort Donaldson.
rom the cold, cruelty and starvation
hcountered there, am nearly dead.
pme to Savannah 10 meet me. l may,
od willing, live to see you once more"
Aunt Kate did .ot seem to realize what
ese words conveyed. To her they only
lid he lived, and she would soon be with
in again.
At once she took her children to her
theirs that they might stay there, whilst
e went on to Savannah. She went
mediately to the nearest depot, but
As told that the Government had taken
ssession Of the road for the transporta-
9n Of troops. and provisions, and no
lssage was given to any one. She hired
conveyance and drove through TO Co.
smbia. After encountering many dill.
ties she succeeded in obtaining an in
view with the General in command,
81 from him got an. order to be allowed
ssage on the railroad 70 Charleston
SSaln by personal application, and earn
8 supplication, she got pass to Savan'
h.
CHASTITY SCENES IN SAVANNAH.
On her arrival in Savannah she en-
a'ntered the greatest confusion. Sher.
had entered the city only a few
szys before her. Aunt Kate now had
qualities of heroism fully tested.
ae was alone in city just conquered
an invading enemy; confusion was on