The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-05-15

the United States Army"
1t may be of interest to your readers to
know that only few steps from where
Potter alig hted from his horse at the front
| portico Of the mansion stands an anti
quated oak, under which Lord Corn
wallis tent was pitched for considerable
period during the revolutionary war; l
stood under its shadow with considerable
interest The Genera! said within the
hearing of all : There shall be no injury
done to Your estate. Governor, and the
ladies shall be protected" He was pre-
sented to the ladies IN the parlors and
| library. There WAS tue utmost quietneSs
and politenesS shown by the officers
Orders We're at once issued that every
thing upon the grounds should be pro-
tected. After short time the entire army
passed, leaving no Stragslers. There was
great commotlcn and excitement in the
neighborhood. Some Of the houses were
burned, pillaged and destroyed, but nothing
on the Governors grounds WAS injured.
The utmost quiet prevailed after General
Potter alightei at the front portico. He
was disposed to be social and to remove all
restraint from the Governor. his family and
his guests. The Governor remembers the
General taking him to the front portico.
and, admiring the grounds and house, say
ing, This is fine structure. Cts fouu
dation was laid npon 100000 brick and
great quantities of granite. He saw them
placed there.)
YES" replied the Governor. "it WAS
built by nan from New England by the
name of Potter, and l suppose !! man by
the name of Potter from New York w!iI
destroy it"
No, SIR" replied the General. that is
not my intention. Your place shall be
protected"
After the General and his officers had
been in the house short time two of his
soldiers came upon the grounds with
lasso in pursuit of favorite horse. Gen
eral Potter called at once, saying: "Orders
have been issued for the protection of this
place If You violate these orders IN any
respect have you banged tn The first tree
He inouired of the Governor If he had
received any news of the fall OF the Con
federate cause When answered in the
negative he replied 1T is imminent-.if 1t
is not already the case.
The Governor remarked 1T would
bring sorr to millions of hearts.
About this time his army was passing
and one of the officers asked one OF the
ladies to walk to the front portico and see
the army While looking at it passing he
said ':Does not this remind you of the
ISrae.ites escaping from the Egyptians"
Shs looked at him and said: That is not
lemark which should be made by ar Of
icer Of the conqNering army"
All of the officers went over tie mansion
as matter of curiosity, and for several
Il l-aSt General
topics as much as it was possible when
period of such disaster seemed so near at
| Land.
Governor Manning took the General soou
after the army had passed to the door and
pointed ont to him 4 column Of smoke
about four miles away and said General,
| there is The smoke of seven hundred bales
of cotton belonging to widow and her
children. The eldest is not u years old.
I don't think it justiGable in an invading
army. They can't take up arms against
YOU. The cotton belonged to the Hon.
Richard l. Manning, Senator of Clarendon
county, who died at the breaking out of
the war"
The General replied Il knew of the
cotton, and this destruction has been done
against my express orders.
There was much ravaging and destruc-
ton of property in the neighborhood- all
the men being in the army and these
homes only occupied by the ladies.
Everything that could be done was done
to protect these ladies in their homes by
Lieutenant Baldwin of the Generals staff.
All who saw him and his kindness retain
vivid recollection Of it all.
He left the Governors mansion and went
to several houses in their unprotected con-
dition, suppressinG violence and protecting
To cir property.
After the General hai remained thus
qnetly for six hours with his staff their
horses were ordered, and he bade him fare
We'll, expressing the Lope that II new aud
better condition of things would arise from
the trium phant march OF the Uuitel States
army.
The Governor replied "What might be
matter of pride and congratulation to you
would always be a source of bitter grief
mortifcatioX to me.
About o'clock IN the afternoon General
Potter mounted his horse at the front porch
and rode away.
He had not been gone twenty minutes
before Lieutenant Rhett, II nephew Of Hon.
Barn we'll Rhett, rode up hurriedly and in
formed the Governor that he had been sent
to inform him that eneralS Lee and John
ston had surrendered to the United States
government The Lieutenant was so
siearied and utterly exhausted that, throw
ing himself down upon divan in the hall,
he in moment-seemingly- in a
sound sleep.
When the Governor had reflected for a
few minutes OH the 'uomentousness Of this
message to him his conclusion was that it
Was too important 10 be kept IL moment
from General Potter. SO he aroused yonng
Rhett and urged him to overtake General
Potter at once and make this anuc1nce-
ment to him.
He overlook the General mile and,
fastening his white pocket handkerchief to
his sword, rode on, waving it.
Tue General received the message and mt
once sent back one of his aides to the Gov
ernor's mansion with his good wishes to
the Governor and his compliments to the
| ladies of the mansion on the close of the
war
When the aide reached the mansion he
found it crowded with Confederate soldiers
hungry and tired He delivered the Gen
erals message to the Governor, Sho re-
turned his respects the General. saying ::
''The Generals compliments to me and TO
the ladies of the mansion have been de-
livered in the presence Of sixty or more
Confederate soldiers, all of whom are sad
enough that the war has Terminated so dis
astrously."
General Potter's course was now toward
Wright's Bluff, on the Santec. He aincd
that day at Broushton's cross roadside
rectly on his route.
1t was hard for me to tear myself away
from this grand old gentleman ana refuse
his kind offer of tea or coffeee and some
refreshments.
'.You are wearied, and so is your friend.
and you should not retire before eating
But, Mr.. Mood, you must come ont on the
porch. This Is where General Potter
alighted with his staff.
Tie grounds were ample, and one could
| ces lonr 5iStunca r. VS. a charming