The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-05-08
ANDERSON S. THURSDAY MORNING. MAY s, 1884,

handed over his money, complete the
picture. Threats, however, failed to
make my husband tell anything. Our
KEYS were demanded, and if not instant.
ly given trunks, drawers, wardrobes were
broken open, and beds tumbled on the
floor, and carpets ripped up, in fact every
portion of the house was searched where
they thought treasure might be hid. A
Yankee stood guard over us while this
search vas made. :,
Meantime crowd of negroes and
Yankees were under the house digging
for the hidden s'cold" and failing in their
search the Yankees assembled on the
piazza and, after consultation, ordered
my husband to be brought out: l knew
what they now intended to do if he went
alone. They had determined to hang
him until he did tell. gave the order
to move to the piazza and all went, my
husband surrounded by five females who
were willing and determined to suffer
with him.
Reaching the gallery, we seated our.
selves together and waited the Yankees
movements: The moon was shining IN
all her beauty full upon us, and | have
often thought our white garments in that
moonlight made us such "phantom
party" that the raiders were overawed
and conscious stricken. At length our
"spectre brigade" was marched back to
my room.
Grandma Traywood, old and feeble,
sank into a chair, and her watch fell
from its hiding place. instantly seized
it and put it back, but the keen eye OF
Yankee saw me and he demanded that
the watch be given to him. Grandma
Traywood refused. Calling other Yam.
KEGS to his assistance, three Bluecoats
surrounded grandma, while one of them
proposed to search the "old woman"
A NOBLE AND FEARLESS GIRL.
At this moment Miss Lizzie Tradewell
sprang to her graudmother's side. Her
eyes flashed defiance, while her attitude
and gestures plainly showed she was in
sensible to fear. With witberiDg words
of contempt for the wretches before her,
she dared them to touch grandmother.
The appearance of this noble girl, so
grand in the defence of her aged relative
sent a thrill through every heart and
awed the ruf6ans into silence. With
bowed heads they walked out of the
room. Day was dawning when the
raiders left US for their camps.
1t is impossible at this day for those
who did not suffer such things to under
stand our true condition. We were q
party of five females and one old man,
several miles from any neighbors, with.
out a firearm of any kind on the place.
completely at the mercy of a band OF
desperadoes, who could have murdered
US without being punished by their
officers.
After this experience we determined
to send our daughters to Munroe, fearing
another visit, when we might not get Oft
so easily. Some friends offered to assist
US in moving; but this was impossible,
as we had cattle in the swamps, and there
were no wagons to haul our furniture;
so we decided to remain.
My husband left in few weeks with
his cattle for the West, leaving me alone
with the little negro girl that / have
mentioned; and one morning while
busily engaged in my work three burly
negroes forced themselves into the house
and demanded this little girl. / refused
to give her up and they cursed me, and
moving away said they would 60 across
the lake for some Yankees, and would
return and burn my house. An Irish.
man, hermit, lived back in the swamp
one and half miles, aud ! decided to
carry the girl to him. Hand in hand we
went through fields covered with weeds
about six feet high until the hut was
reached, when leaving the girl returned
home alone.
As.I neared the house I peeped eau.
tiously around, looking for the Yankees.
I crept behind the outhouses, every mo-
ment expecting to be shot; still deter
mined to enter my house and boldly
walked in. Nothing had been molested
in nv absence. I remained alone that
night, feeling secure in Gods protection.
MOVING AGAIN.
Unable to bear the loneliness of my
situation I decided to move again, al
though my husband had not returned
and there was not human being or a
horse to help me. Taking large sheet
I emptied the contents of several trunks
into it until it was 80 full 1 could scarcely
tie the corners. Taking it on my head
and then on one side, then the other, !.
carried this huge bundle two miles
through fields and woods to the house of
a neighbor who had taken the oath, and
who had not been molested by the Yam
KEGS. This neighbor stated that while
his oath forbade him assisting Rebels,
still he would care for my goods if |
would bring them to his house. He
loaned me an old horse, which l noun
ted without a saddle, and returned home,
determined now to move in earnest. All
day long l went backward and forward,
like Crusoe to his ship, and by night |
had carried my clothing and feather beds
to my Union neighbors. Next day two
Yankee deserters came to my Union
neighbor, riding some of the poorest
mules that could be found in the parish.
A gentleman friend learning my condi-
ton, kindly procured wagon and with
the deserters' mules hitched to it we
loaded what had brought on my pack
horse the day before, and, seated on the
top with my little negro girl, we bade
adieu to my home and drove towards
Delhi. All of my furniture, which was
valuable, was left behind.
Nearing Delhi, I met my husband in
the road, returning from the West. I
shall never forget how he looked. Stop.
ping his horse by the wagon, he looked
up in my face without speaking word.
Great tears were rolling down his fur
rowed cheeks, and extending his hand,
his voice trembling with emotion, ne
spoke: i,
"Thauk God!" be said, "we are out of
the Yankees clutches" Mounting the
Wagon we went along telling each other
all our troubles. We grew merry after
few miles ride, for we were now once
more breathing freedom. At Delhi we
+oloxro od In fr;on1s in hfunroa of orr