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

since passed away. He was told that
there was now no such place known.
Everything was enveloped in a dense
fog that morning. Nothing could be
seen fifty yards off. In starting their
trains, therefore, they had foundered
about in the fog, and were completely
lost. They had taken the wrong road
and were going back the same way they
came. About 10 o'clock, however, they
got righted and Gen. Slocum's division
of Sherman's army resumed their "Grand
march to the Sea-" Gems. Davis and
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noon the guards were withdrawn, and the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.
He had concealed himself during the
four days in cavity at the root of a
large pine tree, almost entirely hidden by
the small roots of the tree. He said he
thought several times that he was dis.
covered, as the Yankees were so near
him. Once he was about to call out that
be surrendered, as he saw some of them
coming as he thought directly to him
lust ready to shoot, but they passed on.
He had kept closely hidden during the
dav 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. The citi'
zens of Burke County being wealthy the
spoils were great.
DEsoLAT1oN AND RUIN.
Saturday morning we looked out upon
scene of desolation and ruin. We
could hardly believe it was our home.
One week before it was one of the most
beautiful places in the State. Now it
was vast wreck. Gin-houses, packing
screws, granary-all lay in ashes. Not
a fence was to be seen for miles. The
corn crop had not been gathered, and
the army had turned their stock into the
fields and destroyed what they had not
carried of. Burning cotton and grain
filled the air with smoke, and even the
sun seemed 10 hide its face from so gloomy
a picture.
The poor negroes had Jared no better
than we had. Their friends had stolen
everything from them as we'll as from us.
Their master had given them months
rations, thinking they would be able to
save it, but alas they had provisions,
clothing and everything taken from
them; even their shoes were taken from
their feet. Their chickens had all been
killed and their beds and bedding all
carried off. Poor creatures! They looked
disconsolate, and when they saw their
master the older ones burst out crying.
"Marster," they asked piteously, what
we all gwine to do now? Everything
gone-nothing left for us to eat"
II can't tell" he answered sadly. ut
looks as if we would all have to starve
together. never saw starvation staring
me in the face before"
He seemed almost in despair, and be-.
gan to calculate as to how long we could
sabsist on what little food We had left.
I tried to encourage him and told him !
did not believe the good Lord would
allow him to starye. He had fed too
many poor people and had befriended
the needy too often, and I believed it
would be paid back to him now, in his
extremity, and that friends would be
raised up to him.
I remember we'll 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, q
kind of moaning, 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 ?" he asked.
"You know my chile what / bury last
week? Dey take EN- up and left em on
top of de groun for de hog 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 the little
coffin containing dead baby, no doubt
supposing treasure had been buried 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 off or wantonly de-
stroyed. All around the grove were car
casses 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 bad been
killed and left without being touched!
The negroes went to work and saved q
great deal of meat. They could have
saved enough to have lasted them through
the winter if the weather had been cold
enough, but it was UNUSUAL y warm for
the season, and the most of the meat was
lost. The hams that were burned in the
smokehouse were not discovered by the
plunderers, and ne were rejoiced to know
we had enough meat to keep us from
suffering for some time, if we could get
bread. The question of getting anything
to eat was a very serious one. The stores
were all burned, not one being left with:
in thirty. FIVE miles. The mills were all
destroyed, or partially so, railroads were
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 indelibly impressed
upon my mind. We had more than o
hundred negroes to feed and clothe, and
to all appearance there was nothing to
do it with. We almost wished all bad
gone with the army, as there seemed
nothing but starvation left for those who
remained.
BREAD CAST ON THE WATER RETURN