The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-07-07
NANCE JOLLY,
The Exploits OF n Daring Guerrilla who
Operated I'm Georgia and Carolina.

she exploits OF Daring Guerrilla who
Operated I'm Georgia and Carolina.
(From the Athens. Ga, BaDner)
Many af our readers remember
"Mance" Jolly, who operated in South
Carolina and Georgia soon after the
war, and was a terror to those that
wore the blue. jolly had a terrible
account to settle with the Yankees,
and he paid the debt with interest.
Five Of his brothers had been killed
during the war, and he swore that he
would kill five Yankees for each one
of his brothers that were slain. After
a truce was declared between jolly
and the Yankees, he went to Texas
and married. His fathcr-in-law gave
him a plantation on the opposite side
of the river, and jolly commenced
building II house, and would swim his
raids in Georgia over to where he was
building. lilo was returning TO his
father-in-law's for dinner, and while
about midway the stream, "Dixie,"
the name of Jolly's horse, gave out
and they went down together, to rise
no more. Jolly has n relation now
living in Athens, who has given us
some interesting accounts of his hair
breadth escapes.
Nance Jolly was q very restless fell
low, and could sec u Yankee a mile
OIL. Ills relative says he was in church
with him once in Hart county, and all
at once jolly became very nervous and
walked out of the church, closely fol-
lowed by his relation, who saw from
Jolly's action that something was
wrong. CHANGING through the woods
he saw q regiment of negro soldiers
coming through the woods. Jolly saw
that it was too late for him to get his
horse, as the black troops were nearly
TO where tho animal was hitchcd, and
hey had begun firing at Jolly. lie
ran through the woods, the soldiers
shooting at him all the time. His
mother was i'll the church and Sfaintcd
when she heard the report of the guns.
The soldiers, after capturing Jolly'S
horse, left and had not been gone
many minutes before jolly had called
together a few of his followers, who
were desperate men, and followed
after the soldiers. Jolly's mother and
the preacher all tried TO stop him, but
it was no use. His blood was up and
he intended te pay them back for
shooting at him and stealing his horse.
They had Il skirmish with the negro
soldiers and several of them bit the
dust. Next morning Jolly rode. into
Anderson, S. O., and Informed the
commanding officer that unless his
horse was sent TO his house the next
day that he would kill him and five OF
his men. The officer knew the mar he
had to deal with and sent the horse to
his house. Five thousand dollars was
offered for Jolly, and squads of cavalry
were continually scouriHg.thc country,
but they always came back minus ono
or two or theirmcn, who were marked
"killcd' on the muster roll. The
horse, "DiXic," that he rode on all of
his raids, was q thoroughbred racer,
and it was foolishncss for any common
stccd to try and catch him. The horse
was well trained, and Jolly could make
him como by a shrill whistle. The
horse would not allow any one to ap-
proach him after dark except jolly.
If a stranger came near, he would get
perfectly frantic and kick and bite as
long as they were in reach. Nance
Jolly has several relatives still living
iii Franklin and Ebert counties. His
history was written and published in
Harpcr's magazine, and is said to be
very thrilling and interesting.