Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-09-17
ODDS AND ENDS.
Sketch.s of Sumter County History
withAdumbrations OF Ancient Ameri-

1S41 In which the history Oh Amerlcus Is
shr,uded in oblivion, or existing only in
the form of personal memories and family
traditions. There are few of the older
citizens living, consequently the personal
"reminiscences are few. The official rec
Crds were destroyed in lS4l, thus blotting
cut the first ten years OF sumter county
history. There was much dissatisfaction
IN regard TO the sale OF some lands
that were advertised for public cutlery at
a certain date. There was strong party
arraved against the authorities, and the
Sheriff smelt the battle afar of and spent
the day in the woods. The deputy was a
pluckv fellow and he was on the ground
at the proper time, and was intending to
proceed with the sale. The crowd grew
larger and more menacing as the hour
approached, and finally 1t grew into an
angry mob of brawny backwoods-
men. The deputy was seized and
carried to Town creek, near the
spot where the Central railroad depot
now stands, and WAS there held in Gus
tody until the legal hours of sale had
passed. Meanwhile another portion of
the mob broke into the county offices and
secured the records, Of which they pro-
eeeded to make II bonfire. Thus were
many valuable documents sacrificed to
the fury of an angry and unreasoning
mob, ana the history OF Jne Log ChDlnN
age was totally DESTROYED.
Along about this time-in 1871, think
occurred the great political riot. Sturdy
Wings and fiery Democrats were about
equallyidivided, and so strong were the
local, State and national prejudioes and
preferences developed that they finally
eliminated in a pitched battle. At an
early hour on that memorable day men
came pouring In from every direction.
The little log hotels we're crowded, and the
liquor shops we're alternately invaded by
little knots of either political faction. As
the day advanced the angry discussions
became more frequent. At length they
began to mass themselves in the court
house ward. Each faction began to gather
around its leader like swarm of bees
around she queen. Then fisticuff began
between two champions, and in twink
ling the great crowd was mass OF yell
ing, cursing, biting and gouging hui
manity. Every other man was armed
with a stout hickory cudgel, and these
were used with such effect that the ma
jority Of the combatants left the CORY field
with cuts and bruises about their heads
and bodies, with now and then a veteran
minus an ear, an eye, or section OF nose.
Men of Pondtown, men OF Danville, men
Of Starkesville, and men OF Americas found
themselves with battered noses, bleeding
heads and blackened eyes-hatless, shirt
less, tattered and torn. TWAS day long
to be remembered by both combatants and
spectators.
Mcneil and McNeely were both from
the bonnie braes of Aud Scotland. Nc
Nelly got overcome with alcohol, ran
amuck in the streets, and at lay down
across the road with his knife clasped in
his hand. Mcneil and Ben Wheeler came
along on their way home, and lust as they
reached the place where Lamar and
Forsyth streets now cross, they spied Nc
Neely in the road. Mcneil had torch in
his hand, as the scrub oaks grew
thick along the road, and be was afraid Of
snakes. Ben said, NC, we ought to try
to get him up outof the road Rouse him
up ana III take him homo with me-"
Mcneil walked up an.toalled out, "HellO,
McNeely, old boss; get up from here and
let's go to bed" MoNeeIy jumped up
like crippled deer, and made at the two
intruders, swearing he'd "cut their id
heads off, Ben lodged aside in
the dark, and allowed McNeely TO
chase his fellow-countryman around in
the thickest of scrub oaks. At length
Mcneil threw his torch away, exclaim-
ing: 'There now, follow me il you can.
you cussed fool, but / won't hold you a
light any more" McNeely soon tumbled
over in a drunken stupOr, and the two
rescuers left him alone. Mcneil cursed
Wheeler all the way home because he
wouldn't assist him In the fray.
The last grand act of the log cabin
decade occurred at the time of the heated
presidential race between Martin Van
Buren, and William Henry Harrison.
"TippecAnoe and Tyler too" was the
watchword among the hardy settlers Of
the backwOods of Georgia. At last this
remarkable enthusiasm eliminated in that
grand demonstration at Macon. A log
cabin was built on wheels, with poles cut
from the pine forests around Americus. 1t
was finished off in the most approved
style, and a grand procession took up its
triulnphal march toward Macon. Gourds
scraped and boiled till they were white as
snow, long festoons OF red pepper, and
coon skins and other homely emblems OF
the log cabin. The procession at length
reached Macon after traversing 100
miles Of rather sparsely settled
country. They entered the princi-
pal street and marched into the
town with music playing and banners
flying. A wild huzza from q thousand
throats greeted their entrance. Fine la
dies in silks and costly laoes rushed out
into the street and smeared themselves
with the fresh turpentine in their needless
and oyerpowering enthusiasm. Gray
headed men leaned on their canes, waved
their hats, and feebly cheered, while tears
ran down their withered cheeks. The
vast congregation shouted themselves
hoarse when Bob To0mbs, then In the
prime OF his manhood, mounted the ros-
trum, and began a thrilling address, the
like Of which was never heard in Macon
before, and hardly since. The ideal OF a
Southern baron, OF noble line was he,
and, grand old man that he is, his name
will 20 down to future ages as among the
noblest OF GeOrgians. Another young
man, whose name the negligence Of CON-
temporaneous history has suffered to
drop into oblivion, followed In a
speech which caused the vast multitude
10 grow frantic with enthusiasm. One
good old Georgian cried out "Glory be 10
Godp as though he were In q camp
meeting. Noble danes embraced each
other, and one was heard 70 cry out, while
the tears streamed from her eyes, "My
God what would / give for such boy as
that to call me mother" IL was a memo
rable occasion, and men whose locks are
bleached by the frOsts OF many winters
tell OF that day as the most remarkable OF
their lives. They had a song that was
worded TO suit the occasion. One stanza
ran thus:
Old Martin Van, he's a man Of doubt.
he wires IN ans he wires out:
And you never know that you're on his
track,
Till he's coming on or going back"
Thus ended the log cabin days OF Amer
icus. Alas few who witnessed that day
e.N