The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-25
SECESSION HILL.
THE SPOT UPON WHICH SECESSION WAS
INAUGURATED---THE PLACE WHERE
THE EFFORT COLLAPSED.
Side Lights Illuminating Subjects
Which will Never Cease 10 be Nm
tercstin- History for tho People
Of Ahheyi{le.

which will Never Cease 10 be Nm
terestinG History for the People
OF AbbevilIe.
4 citizen of II distant State sends the follow
ing ciipping from the Nr,O York Sun, and asks
if the statements therein made arc correct,
th. reply To which will follow below
together with various interesting sketch
es in reference to the ground which has be-
como histories:
ON Il cold drizzly day in February, 1860,
train drew up at the depot here with myStc-
rious car attached. With it came several
agents, who busted themselves in hiring teams
for the transportation of the contents OF this
car. Abbcvillc is about twenty miles from
the Savannah River, which divides South
Carolina from Georgia, ana Is the terminus Oh
Railroad that runs off about twelve miles
from Hodges Depot TO this village. Consc-
qucntly the only way TO reach the Georgia
frontier is by horse power.
By ~ o'clock that night enough horse teams
were secured, and they began loading from
the mysterious car. The goods rolled out
were in stout little kegs of phcnomennl
weight, and though the packages were small,
thcy taxed the strength OF the able-bodicd nc
rrocs detailed for the work. At length the
loading was accomplished, and amid the flash
of lanterns and the cracks of wnirS and ,,,nG tnG
out of the muddy railroad yard up the sloppy
hill. through the village streets where curious
crowds had gathered to watch them pass, and
disappeared in the darkness on the winding
"snake road" that leads to Georgia.
When the teams had gone about ten miles,
forty or fifty masked men rushed upon Ill"
aslonithed drivers and carol takers: held lhcm
mute tfpdcr the muZzlcS of pistols, ana pro-
ccedrd to unload the wagons ni their stout NJ
tie kegs. \ cloth was spread upon the ground,
and around il assembled the ring, with lick
crinr torches held aloft, while def hands stove
Ia, DO nf n l. their
tents into single heap. 1t was gold-bri@ht,
yellow, glittering gold pieces by the thousand!
The hungry eyes behind the masks cleaned
with reflected avaricc. 1T was weird, mys-
tic scene, like Il page from some Arabian ro.
nance. The abysmal silence of the forest,
broken only by the rearing and nlnnglnS OF
the altI tIightcd mules, the shrivellng rlES OF
light varying as the torches were moved 10
and fro, the surrounding gloom, the anxious
faces OF the negro drivers, gazing with startled
eyes and gaping lips upon this fantastic spec
tacle, tho eager circle OF mas ks, and last, tho
solid pile Of sovcrcignS, the centre of the
whole-all formed u panorama when those
who saw VIII never forget.
With all possible haste inc money was a.,
fifteen minutes they were gone. so was Tie
gold Nothing remained but the empty kegs
and empty wagons. and the cafc-takerS of this
last remnant of the Confederate treasury sent
thc teams back to Abbcv!lc, while they coll
tinund on their way towards Georgia. What
became of the money and VINO got ~ remains
to-day Il profound secret, and Will probably
never be learned. My information about TIC
forest scene vas derived from one CT the nc.
rro drivers of the teams to whom mask had
thrown tin bucket full of gold in exchange
for connections carpet bag, ana nc showed
the gold in confirmation OF the story.
4 few days after this, stray squads OF wheel
cr's cavalry began to wander through the
town. Sherman's army had passed through
:, little lower down than Abbcrillc, and was
now saclling and burning Columbia. The
broken forces which opposed sherman, were
taking The back track a little hi2hcr up: and
seeking tn reach the pine lands of Georgia.
one evening about sun down, Jefferson lla-
Wis reached Abbcvilic. Judah L. Benjamin
was with him and two other members OF his
Cabinet, ! think, but who they were do not
now remember. Abbcvillc is q long, strag-
qling town. of one street, being built on the
crest of hill, until it reaches Il point where it
branches Off into the upper or western part.
lust in this fork IS situated what used TO bc
the residence of ArmiStcad Burt, who was be-
fore the war Il Congressman from South Caro-
lima Mr. Burt is dead now, and the house =
in strange hands. The house Itself Is Il square,
stolid unpicturcs4uc thrce-Story building,
surrounded by what used TO be lovely grounds
and gardens and orchards. Jefferson Davis
and his Cabinet proceeded TO the house OF Mr..
Burt where they were hospitality received.
No public demonstration was male on Tie
arrival at the depot or on the Public Square
OF Abbrvillr, except that which was made ny
some half dozen furloughcd soldiers or clti'
IcnS WHO IllDpI'llCtl 10 Dp StilDulllS lO1clutI
the Marshall House corner. AS the Prcsl-
dent was driven near 10 them they raiScd
their hats and gave single cheer for thc
Confederate chiefain, whose only rccoSni-
ton of the salute was the raising of his own
hat His face betrayed the deep feeling and
extreme anxiety which he felt for the safety
OF the Government on which lie had plHcra
his heart and for the success OF which hc hal
so earnestly devoted all the powerful cncr-
giCS of his great mind.
\ strange coincidence! II IS it ever been
noted bccorC" believe not. Here was about
10 be performed tie last official act OF tho
C0ntcdcracy, while hardly stones throw
from the spot was Secession Hill, the grove
which gave birth 10 the war. Just four years
previously, this amphithcatrlcai NIL, snauca
by oaks and other giant trees, was tlled WIN
a sea of excited faces, all looking towards Il
stand constructed against three tree trunkSaL
It's foot, and containing the leading men OF
Tic State. 1t was the hrst o., the secession ,i
meetings. Speaker after speaker dilatcI IN
glowing terms on the necessity ot SeHcrlns lhe
relations of the State with the Union, ana cV-
cry word was cheercd to the echo. AZ lcnStli
the venerable Judge Wardlaw;a n man whose
decisions had been quoted throughout NE
land, and who held a place in the 'front.' ranks
of jurlSts, rose and solclnnly warned the nco-
pie against the rash step they were taxing.
crushed, that they had not single chance,
and that, aside from arguments about thcir
political rights, it would he better for thcm 10
remain In the Union. with disadvantages,
than to fight and be forced back at the point
of the bayonct, with all the evils that war ana
defeat would entail. Judge Wardlaw was
Missed of the platform. Tie people were de-
terlnined on their course. But such of them
as now survive are convinced of the wisdom
OF his counSclS. go
The almost deserted condition Of AbbcvIlc,
on that bleak February day, when Jefferson
Davis sought the hOSpitahlc shelter ol MT.
Burt'S residence, bore mute but eloquent Wit
ness to the prophetic words OF Judge Wnr!l-
law. In gloomy loneliness Davis and his Cab
inct assembled in one OF the sitting rooms.
They held their last consultation, discussed
plans that were discussed only to he abandon
cd, and finally decided that the end had come
and that they had better try 10 escape. Then
they examined such papers rs they had WIN
them, AMI when the hour of twelve struck
tic ashes OF nearly I'LL of !hOs" papers were
snIou!dcring in The glowing c"aiS OF the big
wood fire. The question th"n came up as 10
the disposal of the seal Of the Southern Con-
tCdcratC States. 1T was pain that 1t ought 10
be destroyed: but how could they do it: Time
pressed They should he on their weary flight
for safety even now. There was an old cover
cd well in Mr.. Durt'S yard, and into this Mr..
BENJAMIN threw the seal. ii has since cavct
in and filled up, and now the seal Of the late
Con fvdcncy is safe under fifty feet OF ground,
and exactly in what spot there probably lives
no man who can tell.
The sequel is known. \ week or SO after
this meeting Mr.. Davis WAS captured In Gear
gia. Mr.. benjamin escaped to England.-NcW
York San.