The National tribune., 1891-06-11
WAY DOWN SOUTH.
ror,rlu. from Dig, In sOu,h CarO,lua.

Forging from Dsgo In South Carolisa.
EDITOR NATIONAL Tribune: The late I'M
pleasantness with the Dagos at New Orleans
brings to mind little incident that occurred
during the war Of the rebellion which Is per-
haps worthy Of mention.
During the month OF February, 1865, Just as
Uncle Billy had left Sayannsh with his victo-
riOus army, and had gone on toward Raleigh
to help Grant stamp out what there was left Of
the Confederate army, my regiment was at
tached 10 what was then known as Hatch's
Coast Division, and left TO occupy Charleston aud
any other towns that were sure to fall into our
hands, and keep the road open between Hilton
Head his base OF supplies. and the Charleston
& Savannah Railroad. Our camp was on the
Combaheo River, and any OF the boys who he
longed to that division will readily recall just
how scare anything eatab!e was except the
regulation bareback aud pork. Just at this
time. as Uncle Billy had neglected to revoke
the order 10 forage literally" the boys would
occas onally go outside for some little delcacy,
and one dark night i remember my servant
came in aud announced that supper was ready.
My Adjutant and / started for the mess-tent
and seated ourselves Oh a cTacker-bOX. and be-
fore Us was a tin cup full of tho most villain
ous-looking black tea, the usual number OF
bareback, and well-r roasted chicken.
The Adintant asked the contrabaud where
he raised that chicken, and he replied, Dem
boys in Co. ID raised EN-"
Just as we were in the midst Of our repast,
down came an Orderly from headquarters with
the Generals compliments, and ordered me 10
report ut once TO him. Excusing myself,
mounted my horse and galloped down the road
three miles to see what was wanted, and found
the General on the piazza of plantation house,
mad as a hornet, while with him was the
meanest- looking italian i ever saw, making
the letter ID and the figures 80 in the sand
/ s.l 4 - : fEuN
was burning in the yard, besides making all
| kinds OF signs aud gestieuatiOns, as he could
not speak word of English.
The General aud his staff had interpreted
\ his actions to mean that boys Of my regiment
| had paid visit TO his hen-rOOst, notwi withstand
| ing safeguard had been placed on the prem
ises Us his buildings had the Italian flag flying
| over them.
The General informed me that the advanced
| pickets had reported that there was a large
! plantation in our front, that appeared TO be-
| long 10 an Italian. and he had given an order
! for the placing Of a safeguard. aud had forbid
den sill soldiers from trespassing on the prem
! ises. 1t appeared from what the Italian had
tried 10 tell the General that my men bad been
ont and forced the safeguard, and taken his
chickens aud turkeys.
The Generals orders were for me 10 go 10
my regiment, find the men, arrest them, and
| bring them 20 him TO be punished as the law
! directed. IL did not take me long to find the
men. As / knew just where TO look, so | went
| and told the Captain Of Go. ID TO place the men
under arrest and send them under guard 70
| headquarters. Back We went with six men,
| who had been seen with chickens. and when
We reached headquarters the General began 10
ask the BOYS il they did not know that they
had most likely gotten the United States Gov
| eminent into very serious complications with a
neutral power, By disregarding the protection
which a safeguard afforded 10 tho property of 9
citizen of a country not at war with the United
States. aud that they had committed very
serious onensc. and that he would see they
were duly tried and punished. The spokesman
of the prisoners was one Billy Eddie, and be re-
| piled don't know nOttin bout any flag on y
| Uncle Sans Gag, and when i don't see any
stars on il throw IL right down and gone in. ,
The General ordered me to put them in tho
guard-tent, and when we got TO Charleston Il
prefer charges against them and have then
tried.
Next day an order came ordering me OF
Provost Marshal duty over that portion o
Carolina lying between the Combahee and
AshapOo Rivers, and the rest of the division
marched Oh toward Charleston. ] determined
10 investigate this safeguard business, anC
quite often used TO ride out TO see the place
aud soon became convinced that all was no
Jus: rs had been represented 20 Gen. Hatch
that the lady Of the plantation was a Taui
rebel, aud owned in her own right when thu
war broke ont, whole island on the coast o
South Carolina, together with all the cotton anC
rice which she could raise during the war.
About the time things began 10 look little
doubtful for tine suecess Of the Confederacy
she, fearing that IN the event Of the SOutl
being conquered, the United States Govern
ment would coDfiscatG her property, ran tn
blockade at Charleston, went abroad, and IL
Italy made love 20 and married an Italia
Count. with the understanding that be was &
get himself appointed Minister Plenipotentiar!
10 the C0nfcderacy, return to America, and liy
on her plantation, which was done. This j
the way in which this particular plantation
became covered with the Italian flag, and thi
is how the proprietor Of Fenwick Island cam
10 be known as the Countess Fs Aldo ID
Freida.
need not say that did not prefer charge
against the boys who gathered in a few Of thos
Italian turkeys aud chickens nor were the
ever punisheJ.-C. T. TROwBgIDGE. Lieuten
ant-Colonel. 33i u. S. C. T., $3.50 Colfax avenue
Minneapolis. MINI.