The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-17
|OUR VOHEN IN THE WAR.
BETWEEN TWO ARMIES.
,yomAN'S PERILoUs JOURNEY I'm
n TENNESSEE.
Mrs. c M., of Memphis, Tenn, in Gasle,ton
Weekly Netps.

Mrs. c NJ, Of Memplis, Tenn, IN Caarleston
Weekly NetPs.
Persons living remote from the seat OF
war can have but O faint idea Of the hard.
sbips to which these were subjected
whom fate threw between the two armies
The town of Holly Springs was situated
6fty miles Southeast of Memphis and di.
sIectly on the line of every expedition
lent out after the occupation of the lattel
city by the Federal troops. Holly
Springs was entered more than Sfty times
sSby bodies ranging from marauding par.
Nv of few hundreds to an occupation by
lirant's army, fifty thousand strong. In
81 $50 every foot of the way between Mem
phis and Holly Springs was in the high.
est state of cultivation. Cotton and corn
fields and lovely wooded pastures followed
each other in graceful succession, and
stbe traveller was rarely out of sight of a
sspug farmhouse. In 1868 the country
was worse than q wilderness. On the
desert or in the midst of the ocean the
s9trayeller is alone with his God; but here
las he iournered on he constantly met
nothing but blackened chimneys which
isstood the monuments of dead hopes, and
Jhe fel: himself surrounded by, the ghostl
eof happy past. Within the fifty miles
:Ethere was hardly even fence standing
snot COW nor 6 horse, nor anything.
8 III the town of Holly SprinEs wa5s
about two thousand old men, women and
cbildren, with 40 visible means of sup.
Sport. There was not an able.bodied man
lin the town, and if there had been he
4would have been entirely without occu.
pstion. There was not store in the
town, nor fenced field in all the sur.
Grounding country. Every mouthful OF
& food had to be hauled fifty miles in O
Awagon, over badly washed dirt roads.
(which had not, been worked for years,
land which were, in some places almost
simpassible. Provisions were sold in
memphis at enormous prices, aud for
"greenbacks," which ths Southern peo-
sSpIe had no means of procuring.
& These were the circumstances under
(which was undertaken the journey which
q am about to describe, the only excuse
for which was stern necessity. Late one
afternoon in October of 1864 1 was startled
by the sight 0f horse and wagon. Il
$Yas the first ] had seen for many months.
and proved to be that of a friend, who.
Tith his wife and two babies, had driven
Through the county from his farm, fif.
q teen miles below Memphis. He told me the
object of his journey was TO buy some
cottol which was hidden away in the
Country; that on his return to Memphis
he would send out large government
aagon with six mules to haul the cotton.
1T would be empty, and if I would 90
with him to Memphis he offered to let
me fill it with supplies. I accepted his
Aofer joyfully, for We had been paying
Must one hundred per cent. for the haul.
ling of goods. After few days epent in
mutual sympathy and consolation I'VE
knew nothing of enjoyment in those days.
1--WE set out one afternoon at three O'Clock.
intending to spend the night at Mount
pheasant, village fifteen miles off. and
TO reach Memphisth the next day. There
swere six of US, the gentleman, his wife
*and two babies, and !, with my year.oid
4urchin, as big, heavy, restless q child as
ever belabored delicate mother. Twas
Sj;usa g.
i We had gone but O few miles when
suddenly and without warning it began
10 rain; gently at first, but az night came
on it poured steadily and heavily. Being
pm an open wagon aud having but
zone umbrella among Us, we despaired Of
Preaching our destination, and began look.
8ing about for . refuge from the storm.
lAfter to what seemed to us an intermina-
pie time we saw large frame house some
sdlstance back from the road. AS it was
snot yet dark we made our: r:Way through
The woods to the place, and were over.
joyed to learn that we could be taken in
for the night. s0,e 81. Mr.
8 We were shown into a large, comfort.
able room with big wood Ere, and we
Smothers began with eager hands to In-
aroll our drenched babies, and to lay them,
warm and dry once more, in the softest
4embraces OF snug feather bed. Oh,
now good 1t was TO be- under sheltsr. to;
relax the tired grasp and unbend the
sweary knees : g I
8 AN EXCITING ADVENTURE.
j After half hour Of delightful rest my
9iady companion was standing at the win.
dow, when she ioyfully exclaimed: !:
There comes q Confederate soldierin
I'm another instant ahe turned as pale 40
death, and running towards me, cried ont,
Oh, he's drunk, 6e's drunk !''
tried to comfort her, and assured her
that be would not be allowed to come
unto onf room but it was q vain assur-
4ance, for ia moment we heard him in
the hall making directly for our room,
cnrsing and yelling ut every step. He
9urat In, accompanied by his mother and
ais poor young wife, who tried In vain 10
restrain him. He had largo knife in
his hand, and his one thought was 20 kill
something or somebody. a
In the Wildest Consideration We moth.
,icf6 SQatclnf 0it hnt tsna t1bn SrynrIH