The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-05-29
Local Tales Of a Hundred Years Ago.

promised to speak of local matters as
they occurred in our section at this
period of the war. This section OF
country was the home Of Jasper and
Mcdonald, the Irish heroes who were
so famous in the service Of their coun-
try at this time, and We have now in
this and adjoining counties many
people who are related to Mcdonald,
but Jasper seems to have been alone.
The only trace I can find Of him, be
had a brother who occupied the same
position in the British army that be
occupied in our army.
In nay first article I mentioned the
escape of Abin Bagnal from the Brit
ish at Statesburg, and his eating sup
per with his sister, Mrs. Rafield, on
Bear creek that night. This man had
four sisters who married Raheld, To-
bias, Martin, and Montgomery. The
descendants Of these four sisters fill
our county now, and have always
been good citizens in time Of war and
peace. Thos. Tobias, one of the four
mentioned above, lived to good old
age, and was buried at Junky yard
near Foreston in 1882, with a bullet
in his leg received in battle.
In this section there were two COM
panies, one commanded by Capt.
Jimsy Davis, and the other by Capt.
Joe West. These two patriots carried
swords made from the saws taken
from the mills Of the country, and
with their own hands made many a
Red Coat bite the dust. Captains
Davis and West had a regular line OF
couriers to and from Marion, and al
ways kept posted about the move
ments Of the enemy. A battle was
fought just half a mile below the
Court House of Manning, on an island
in Ok Swamp, some time in 1871, be.
tween our local forces and the British,
in which our side was victorious. The
British fed but were brought to bay,
and second engagement the same
day took place across Ok Swamp at
the late residence of Hicory Holiday
near Oak Grove Church. In this en-
gagement the British were handled so
roughly that they never got together
again, and the only escapes made
were one by one. For a time after
this our people were allowed some
rest from the invaders. In this fight
Capt. Jimsy Davis took down the
British commander with his own hand,
and with his trusted Lieutenant Jesse
Hilton by his side with bold dashes
made this victory complete.
Capt. Davis had trusted friend in
Fred Carter, the great grandfather Of
the Carter's in our county, who were
free negroes. This bleekk nan offered
his services to bis country, and at
ttac6ed himself to Capt Dsvis's COM
pany and did good service until the
close of the war. He was a great
faVorite with the white people and
was honored by them as long as he
lived.
Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox,
was opposed to strong drink lbis
drink being vinegar sna~ ."asef),
re6ssruended to his followers toy
the accursed thing alonGe. 1t was on Oh
occasion, I believe, wheh his men ha
captured some Of the crittssg and We1
little tipsy when he decided to a
tack the enemy and he hadto ca
them of, that he turned poet an
produced those immortal words:
BfanoSY- -hrsaSs@l;h bone Of al;ses>~sA>
Spring of tumult, source Of strife,
Could I but half thy curses tell,
The wise would wish the safe in hell.
OLD CITIZEN.