The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-08-14
Dur 6anlilp Story.
NANCE JOLLEY.
W. B. cfreli in Ausu ia Chronicle.
4 GRuE STORY.

Abot a month ago l was on o north
boun'train out from Augusta, Ca. In
consequence OF u heavy rainfall the
tpei was delayed for some time on ac-
Ielas OF u washOut, and while waiting
for the repairs to be made to the track
| was drawn into conversation with
two excellent gentlemen from South
Carolina. One was DIR. w. B. Millwee,
from Greenwood, and the other gentle
man was from Ridge Spring, and /
have forgotten his name. 1t was while
carrying on o general conversation that
the subject of this sketch. Nance Jol-
ley, was brought up. DIR. Millwee
asked me If / had ever heard of
Nance Jolley, the celebrated bush
whacker, of Anderson County. After
assuring him in the negative and ok
pressing q great desire to hear some
thing OF his exploits, the genial Doctor
proceeded to give q synopsis OF some OF
the important events in the life Of
Nance Jolley, and the causes that led
up TO his being outlawed by the FEEDER
al Government and a price of ten
Thousand dollars set upon his head.
When the late war broke out Nance
Jolley WAS one of the first to volun-
teer, and spent the four dreadful years
In fighting for the Lost Cause. He
was O high-toned, educated gentleman,
~was-noted for his bravery and daring,
and from the fact that he and his
c~ream-white charger, sold Ironsides,"
went through the fiery ordeal together
and neither received q scratch or lost
o,i, single day from any cause.
When hostilities ceased Jolley rode
his faithful old mount from Virginia
back to his farm in Anderson County,
and proceeded to make the best of a
bad bargain, and to bring order out OF
chaos, for his farm had been neglect
ed, and everything was in o bad way.
Being an Industrious and thrifty man
he soon had everything all right once
more.
Now, there was u regiment OF negro
soldiers stationed at Anderson Court
House, and this regiment was some
what of q stickler for Jolley. He
could not reconcile himself to this, but
he attended to his business and said
nothing.
About the time .Jolley got settled
down to-eEefy day life he was sent for
by an old and intimate friend, and told
that all his silver ware n money had
been stolen by some OF tho recently
freed slaves, and he requested Jolley
to help him recover his property. Hav-
ing had the ring leader of the robbery
pointed out to him Jolley braced him
single handed, took him into a piece
of woods, buckled him face in to q tree
and with the aid of a rawhide soon
made the negro squeal and tell where
all the stuff could be found. The goods
were returned to their owner, and
Jolley went back to his farm. But the
regiment and charged Jolley with as
sault with intent to murder. The col
onel sent two mounted sons of Ham to
the Jolley farm with instructions to
bring the owner of said farm back to
headquarters to answer the preferred
charge. What became of the coons
has never been known. At any rate
Jolley had the two horses they rode
hitched to q pillow next day, working
right along as il nothing had hap
pened.
men to effect the capture of Jolley,
but Nance had friends, and the four
soldiers went the way OF the previous
two and. Nance confiscated their
horses.
When the fate of the last four be-
came known o price vas set upon JOl-
ley's head, but the colonel did not depu-
tie any mora men to go to Jolley's
home to arrest him: he chose other
tactics to get Jolley within his clutch
es. Several months thereafter an en-
tire company rode up to a little coun-
try church where Nance was attend
ing divine worship. They first secur-
ed his horse, and then all advanced to
the church door. But Jolley got wind
of the movement, bolted for the pulpit
and jumped from Il window just as q
vOl1ey was fired at him over the heads
of the worshippers. Jolley had to go
without his beloved horse, but it is
said he dropped a man Or two before he
got out of rifle range.
Jolley was sore over the loss of his
horse, and forthwith made up his
mind to recover him, and that at@once.
He did recover him, and this feat is al
most beyond belief, and Is the most re-
markable thing in the career of this
remarkable man. Jolley went back to
his farm, mounted one of his contra
band plugs, and rode into Anderson
next day, went right through the lines,
and dismounted in front of the hotel,
the colonel's headquarters, and asked
to be shown to the %colonel's room,
which was done. The hotel people
knew Jolley to be a brave man, but his
actions now d~umbfounded them. Jolley
said: "Col. Whitehead, / presume?
My name is Nance Jolley. | vas at
tackled while at church yesterday by a
company of your mon and my horse
stolen. I want a written order
from you for the return of my horse at
once. If you do not accede to my re-
quest I'll kill you right whore you're
sitting, and q good many of your SOL
diers will bite the dust before shutdown
to-day.
All this time Jolley was fondling @
huge and murderous looking revolver.
The Mayor of Anderson, who hap |
pened to be in the room at the time,
told DIR. Millwee that Col. Whitehead
was almost paralyzed with fear, and
had to take a good stiff drink of cog
nae before he could recover his speech.
He soon regained himself, however,
and assured Mr.. Jolley that nothing
would give him more pleasure than to
see that he recovered his horse. A
messenger was dispatched, and while
he was gone Col. Whitehead granted
Jolley unconditional amnesty, and gave
orders that he was o to be molested
I'm the future.
Everything went along ell right for
q while, but Nance got mixed up in
another negro beating scrape, was re-
ported, refused to be arrested, killed
one or two soldiers, was again outlaw
ed, and a reward of ten thousand dol
lars was offered for his capture.
JOlley then took Il confederate in
with him and together they went to
bushwhacking right. One of their
pet schemes was to waylay big army
foraging wagons when they could
catch one returning to camp loaded
with provisions. Some times there
xvo,,ld he aa nfany as ten hOrses taken