The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-08-28

and cross the Nottoway River at the
Cypress Bridge, three miles below Je-
rusalem. and attack that place in the
rear, as | expected they would look for
me on the other road, and had a
great desire to get there to procure
arms and ammunition.
"After going short distance in this
private way, accompanied by about
twenty men. I overlook two or three
who told me the others were dispersed
in every direction. After trying in
vain to collect a sufficient force to pro-
ceed to Jeru salem, | determined to re-
turn, as was sure they would make
back to their old neighborhood, where
they would rejoin me, make new re-
cruits and come down again. On my
way back called at Mrs. Thomas's,
Mrs. Spencer's, and several other
places, the white families having fled,
we found no more victims to crafty
our thirst for blood We stopped at
Major Ridley's quarters Tor the night,
and being Joined by four of his men,
with the recruits made since my defeat,
we mustered now about forty strong.
After placing out sentinels | laid
down to sleep, but was quickly reused
by a great racket. Starting up. l
found some mounted and others in
great confusion, one OF the sentinels
having given the alarm that we
were about to be attacked. | ordered
some to ride around and reconnoitre,
and on their return the others being
more alarmed, not knowing who they
were, fled in different ways, so that |
was reduced to about twenty again.
With these / determined to attempt to
recruit, and proceed on to rally in the
neighborhood had left Dr. Blunt's
was the nearest house, which we
reached just before day. On riding up
to the yard Hark fired gun Week
pected Dr. Blunt and his family were
at Major Ridleys, as knew there was
company of men there; the gun was
tiredto ascertain if any Of the family
We're at home; we were Immediately
fred upon and retreated, leaving sew
eral Of my men. do not known what
became of them as | never saw them
afterward
Pursuing our course back and COM
ing in sight of Captain Harriss, where
we had been the day before, we dis
covered party of white men at the
house, on which all deserted me but
two Jacob and Nat. We concealed
ourselves in the woods till near night
when sent them in search of Henry,
Nelson. Sam and Hark and directed
them to rally all they could, at the
place we had our dinner the Sun
day before, where he would find me,
and I accordingly returned there as
soon as it was dark and remained until
Wednesday evening when discovering
white men riding around the place as
if they were looking for some one, and
none OF my men joining me, 1 con-
Fcluded Jacob and Nat had been taken
and compelled to betray me.
Con this I gave up all hope for the
present, and on Thursday night, after
having applied myself with provisions
from Mr.. Travis's, I scratched a hole
undera pile of fence rails in field,
where concealed myself forsix weeks,
never leaving my hiding place but for
few minutes in the dead Of night to
get water, which was very near.
Thinking by this time could venture
out, l began to go about in the night
and eavesdrop the houses in the neigh
borhood, pursuing the course for about
a fortnight, and gatheing little or no
intelligence, afraid of speaking to any
human being, and returning every
morning to my cave before the dawn
of day
Il know not how long / might have
led this life if accident had not betray
ed me. \ dog in the neighborhood
passing by my hiding place one night
while I was out, was attracted by
some meat I had in my cave, and
crawled in and stole it, and was COM
ing out just as I returned. A few
nights after, two negroes having started
to 60 hunting with the same dog,
passed that way, the dog came again
to the place, and having just gone out
to walk about, discovered me and
barked, on which, thinking myself
discovered, | spoke to them to beg con-
cealment. On making myself known
they fled from me.
Knowing then they would betray
me, I Immediately left my hiding
place, and was pursued almost inces-
sanity, until I was taken fortnight
afterward by Mr.. Benjamin Phipps,
in little hole l had dug out with my
sword, for the purpose of concealment,
under the top of fallen tree. On
Mr.. Phipps,s discovering the place of
my concealment, he cooked his gun
and aimed at me. requested him not
to shoot and would give up, upon
which he demanded my sword. | de-
livered it to him and he brought me
to prison. During the time | was
pursued l had many hair breadth es-
capes, which your time will not per-
nit me to relate l am here loaded
with chains, and willing to suffer the
fate that awaits me- "