The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-24

fog that morning. Nothing could bt
seen fifty yards off. In starting theil
trains, therefore, they had foundered
about in the fog, and were completely
lost. They had taken the wrong roat
hnd were going back the same way they
came. About 10 O'Clock, however, they
got righted and Gen. SIocum's division
of Sherman's army resumed their "GranG
march to the Sea-" Gems. Davis end
Hooker with their divisions had been
passing several days. Late that after
noon the guards were Withdrawn, and the
last one of the Yankee army disappeared
Our secreted Confederate officer came
walking up just after dark Friday night
lie had concealed himself during the
four days in cavity at the root of q
large pine tree, almost entirely hidden by
the small roots of the tree. He said he
thought several times that he vas dis
covered, as the Yankees were so nea
him. Once he was about TO call out that
he surrendered, Is he saw some of them
coming as he thought directly to him
just ready to shoot, but they passed on.
He had kept closely hidden during the
day and rested himself at night by
changing his position and walking around
little after everything became quiet.
He returned to Louisville feeling very
thankful that he did not fall into the
hands Of the enemy.
The rear of the army encamped that
night about four or FIVE miles from us.
We could see the glare Of fires and knew
from our own experience that the work
OF destruction was going on. Tine cii.
zens Of Burke County being wealthy the
sp6iis were great.
DEsoLATION AND RUIN.
Saturday morning we looked out upon
q scene CT desolation and ruin. We
could hardly believe it was our home.
One week before it was one Of the most
beautiful places III the State. Now it
was vast wreck. Gin. houses, packing
screws, granary-all lay in ashes. MOI
a fence was to be seen for miles. The
corn crop had not been gathered, and
tho army had turned their stock into the
fields aud destroyed what they had not
carried of. Burning cotton and grain
filled the air with smoke, and even the
sun seemed TO hide its face from 80 gloomy
picture.
The poor negroes had Jared no better
than we had. Their friends had stolen
everything from them as we'll rs from us.
Their master had given them q months
ra,ions, thinking they would be able to
save it, but alas they had provisions,
clothing and everything taken from
them; even their shoes wero taken from
their feet. Their chickens had all been
killed and their beds and bedding all
carried of. Poor creatures! They looked
disconsoiate,. and when they saw their
II, n tnr fHn s,II
"Marstel," they asked piteously, what
we all gwins to do now? Everything
1one-nothing left for us TO eat?"
II can't tell" he answered sadly. at
looks as if we would all have to starve
together. l never saw starvation staring
me in the face before"
He seemed almost in despair, and be.
gan to caicc!a,e :s &c how long we could
sabsist OH what little food We had left.
tried to encourage him and told him
did not believe the good Lord would
allow him to starve. He had fed too
many poor people and had befriended
the needy too often, and l believed il
would be paid back to him now, in his
extremity, and that friends would be
raised up to him.
/ remember well the distress of one Of
the negro women. She was sitting on
her door steps swaying her body back
and forth, in manner peculiar to the
negro, and making q mournful noise, a
kind of moaning, q low sorrowful sound :,
occasionally wringing her hands and cry !.
Ing out. AS we approached her, she
raised her head.
"Marster," she said, rolling her eyes
strangely, what kind Of folks desc
here Yankees? Dey wont even let de
dead rest in de grave"
what do you mean 2" he asked.
You know my chile what bury last
week7 Dey take EN- up and left em on
top Of de groun for de bog to root. What
you think of dat, sir"
Her story was true. We found that
the Vandals had gone to the graveyard
and, seeing new made grave, had dug
down into it and taken up tho little
coffin containing dead baby. no doub.
supposing treasure had been i .ried there.
When they discovered their mistake, they
left it above ground, as the poor mother
expressed it, for the hog to root"
We soon discovered that almost every
thing we had hidden had been found,
and either carried of or wantonly de.
stroyed. All around the grove were car.
cases of COWS, sheep and hogs. some
with only the hind quarters gone, and
the rest felt to spoil. There were piles
OF carcasses all around where the army
had camped. Some Of them had been
killed and left without being touched'
The negroes went to work and saved q
great deal Of meat. They could have
ssvcd enough to have lasted them through
the winter If the weather lad been cold
enough, but 1t was unusually warm for
the season, and the most of tne meat was
lost. The hams that were burned in ihs
slaokehonse we're not discovered bv the
plInderers. and we wero re;oiced to know
we had enough meat to keep us i-om
suffering for some time, if we could get
bread. The question of getting anything
tn eat was O very serious one. The stores
were all burned, not one being left with.
in thirty.fve miles: The mills were ell
destroyed, or partially 70, railroads we're
torn up, bridges broken, all our stock
carried off and the fences burned. There
seemed TO be nothing left to live on
during the winter. Oh! the first OF
December, 1864, is indeIibly impressed
upon my mind. We had more than q
hundred negroes to feed and clothe,' and
to all appearance there was nothing to
do it with. We almost wished ell had
gone. with the army, as there seemed
nothing but starvation left for those who
remained. t,ir s {
BREAD CAST ON THE WATER. RETURN.
,'. N ING. -.r5 sss.. !
On Monday morning we saw in the
distance coming towards the house O
small covered wagon such as is used by
the poorer class of people in the piney
woods for carrying their produce to mark.