The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-04-24
A Brave Texan.

I ry, >. VI, covers tn0 REMAINS VI oue WIZ
has left an eternal monument to the
South's chivalry. His name is unknown.
| Immediately after the close of the war
the negro troops belonging to Sherlnan's
army were marched by different routes to
| Port Royal and Charleston, there to be
| disbanded. The night of which speak,
regiment of negro troops were encamp.
ed in Newberry, near the railroad depot
The town had been plundered, and her
| citizens subjected to all indignities that
a drunken negro mob could offer. A
government train was then running from
point twenty-five miles North of Co.
lumbia to Greenville to carry soldiers and
refugees as near their homes as possible.
The night as the train slowed up at the
depot it was Immediately surrounded by
q drunken, bowling crowd of negro SOL
diers. On board the train were two
| ladies. The negroes swarmed through
the cars like set of demons setfres from
| the internal regions, while white soldiers
on board we're helpless at their mercy.
What place for two helpless women
without friends or protectors!
In the coach with the ladies was
| soldier, and from his dress and demeanor,
one would Judge him to be from Texas.
he was tall and stately, piercing black
| eyes, while his massive head of hair well
became his brawny face. He plainly
| showed that he had been a determined
follower of the lost cause. In their wild
carousal one of the drunken negroes came
| to where the ladies sat, and commenced
to offer insults and indignities to the
younger, too revolving in its nature for
rehearsal. In trying to release herself
from his loathsome embrace, she cried
out in despair: "My God, have no
friend will no one protect me2 Ir
moment voice was heard in the rear
end Of the coach: eyes, / will protect
you, if I die for it." The tall form of
the unknown Texan was seen rapidly
approaching along the aisle. His eyes
shone in the dim light like those Of the
wild beast ready to spring upon its prey.
The keen blade OF q knife was seen to
glitter above his head and with mighty
blow was buried to its hilt in the breast
of the black rufiau. With wild yell
he leaped from the car and fell upon the
side.track.
The stranger quietly walked out Of the
coach at the other end, and stepped few
PAGES away, under cover of the darkness,
and waited developments. BE had not
long to wait. All the imps of darkness
tnrned loose could not have equalled the
urroar and tumult this deed created.
Word flew to camp that one of their
comrades had been murdered by aeon.
federate soldier. A wild rush was made
for the train, and for few moments it
looked IS if all on board would be put
to death. Search was made for the mur.
derer, declaring that if found he should
be shot at once. The stranger stood but
a feet away, quietly listening to his death
sentence, as the soldiers madly rushed
by. at last one declared he had found
the man he seized one Of the officials of
the railroad, and others coming UP, with
equal positiyeness swore to his identity.
Violent hands were lain upon the limo.
cent man, while the drunken mass that
crowded around him seemed as if they
would crush him to death. His vain
pleading of innocence were drowned by
the wild yells of the surgiDg crowd. he
was being carried away for execution.
Where was the unknown Texan? he
had shown his courage, now would he
wayer in the face of Immediate death ?
With his hand he had protected the
person of defenceless women, BY dying
it in the blood of her assailants, would
he stand by and see an innocent man die
in the stead?
With calm deliberaeion, without any
emotion whatever, he made his way to
the maddening crowd, and with loud
voice said: "Turn this man loose, he
is innocent am the one who did it
now. do your worstp' This gave new
impetus to the drunken crowd, and he
was hurried away to camp. A drumhead
court.martial WAS ccnbened, and he was
condemned to be Immediately shot.
While he was being tried, word flew like
tightening over the town that's white
man was to be shot, and every negro that
could possibly go came rushing into camp
and surrounded the brave Texan. offer
ing him every insult and indignity that
their wicked souls could invent. The
negro women outdid the men in rejoic-
ing over the fate of the prisoner. Even
the bloodthirsty and cruel Queen Esther
could not have rejoiced more over her
captives.
At half.pa twelve spade was given
the condemned and ordered to dig his
grave. Selecting spot near the brow
Of the hill, he commenced the heart
rending task of digging his own grave.
spadeful after spadeful was thrown up,
until three feet is reached. Then stand
ing erect and stretching out his arms,
he said: II am ready" A breathless
stiffness for a moment prevailed. The
command fire was given-a volley rings
out, and the brave Texan falls dead in
his grave, amid the deafening shouts of
the multitude, leaving behind linn the
grsndest tribute to Southern chiyalry:
that no other land under the sun rear
men who give their lives to protect the
honor OF unknown women.-D. Il. Dicket,
in atlanta Constitution.
IIow's This?
W. ofor Ono Hundrnd Do1toro rovvo ri