The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-04-10
RecOllectlors OF POtter's Raid. "a
BY REV. WI. VI. MOOD.

|
and black of Potter's army,who were in my
room the night Of the April, 1865, as I lay
there with considerable fever, was no :
table black Sergeant. This officer in uni
form, with fearfully large sabre dangling
at his side, was very black. Never was
an officer or private more intent on busi-
ceremony, no knock at the door. He be-
haved as one in authority at this unusual
hour Of night (mornirg, for it was about
o'clock OF the 9Th ApriD. He was in
haste. From his rapid breathing one
would have supposed he had run for sew
eral miles to Teach my bed side. As be
stood very near my bed side he breathed
heavily; he painted, and in his excited
conditlon I understood him to say that he
had been sent by General Potter for de
pistol which is at de head Of yuner bed.
Come; he say, te quick
/ Was then IN that condition of mind
and body as not to be interested in any
thing; being sick and having had no noar-
ishment for some fifteen hoars, l heard ulI
he said with the most perfect in difference
1 quietly looked at the black creature pant
ing for breath. I asked: What is it!"
why de pistol under yuner heutl-de Gen
eral Lab sent me fer am. General Potter
never spoke to you in this life, and l doubt
II he ever does III the world 10 cume l
have no pistol, aud General Potter has not
sent you. wish you'd 60 out OF my room
;lad let me Ue quiet. But you hab do.
It's under Suner head Is come ter um.
l has da authority" Shaking his iron sword
scabburd With his LETT hand. Il never
owned Il pistol. bave no use TOR /, pistol;
II lad one Iii Lot know how to load il;
please iet Inc Ie qpietaud 50 away" We'll,
dc Geu / h:5 sent lie fer UNI. It's under
yuner ne;sG, and If you don't gee it TO me,
Il burn yunrr house up ober yer he'd. :"
ny ual! burn UP lhis house for a pistol?"
''1cs, s;sr: IS not ewluc away widout un.
OATS all l hab " say abont 1t. well, 60
unrad, burn away" "Den take dat cnil
out OF dc bed, Tor lse gwine to set fire to
de bed. Go ahead; ne can't move the
babe; Dr.n. III your ire; so to work; we'll
ali o= Lufued up together" You Is -
TOOL An'tyou Swine to git up? is you
gwiue 10 be burn up?' Yes; 1 have been
up enough Tonight. Just 20 ahead, and
got through. We want quiet; we huve had
nole durlug the llvelong night" I pre-
sumo he saw that did not intend to obey
hun, and he changed his manner instantly;
brct;ned more quietly, aud said: "Dere Is
pistol Under yuuer Lead. and if you'll gee
it to me LII go away" why, there is no
pistol here, and I'll prove this to you, I"
raising myself on my rig ht elbow. To my
surprise, there was my F:ench seinguc in
its Inohogany case. Fortunately it was not
locked On seeing it his eyes dllated; then
- showed his irony, and left, saying:
"Da; uint &c kind OF pistol 1 is hunting
fur, AID l listened (amused at his disap-
pointmen) to the rafting of his sword
down the back steps.
Our hired servaut girl had told me that
she was from Waiterboro, and that she had
heard that her father had goue with Sher-
mans army Dunng tie night she came to
my bed side CRY ing bitterly, followed by sew
eral negro soldiers. She suld: ''Du tell me if
1 90 wld um I'll see my puppy. Viii see
him Mass Williun?" At This. one of these
creatures flew at herin rage. as il he was
going to tear her ,o pieces. You! you
call him MASTER" "You's US free us hs ls;
he Amt you master" We'll, Pse hot
gwine :. fut; must l 20 Mass William l
repiel Il can't advise you. You sald
your father hal gone with Sherman. L
don I suppose you'll See hlI, for these peo-
pie will Ue scattered to the tour winds Of
heaven luis greatly euraSed Linn, and
pointing towards M bed side, be let his
ponierous musket fall upon the loUr Il
startled Us all, ana pushing his list ihto my
face, said: Scattered! Scattered! This
army? - you, We'll never w lcatie.ed. .
Said l: There is Lo use for this profanity.
| did cot ne;ln your ARMY, but these peo-
pie who are following you; ''"nd, o., sup
pose this army between here nnd Sumter
meet another army and they hight, your
brotber-ln-law, as you call th!s soldier,
>aut help you. Of course you can do US
you please" Shes got to go; that's the
whole OF it." She did 90, but not before
she very cunninsly .contrived to put ahto
Mrs. MS. hands several articles OF value,
which had been given her To protect for
US.
WAS ROW looking for daylight. 1t Lad
been u lon,. anxious night; once the curtain
beii.g drawn aside, there were the streaks
OF day. How cheering they We're to us all.
There were persons walking up the back
steps, and III they came, siandlug before
my bed room door. They We're two white
soldiers With their kuap sacks strapped
upon them; their guns in their bands.
They appeared rca y to march. They look
ed to be twins--tuey were brothers. youths.
They looked pale and slcky. They asked
in l Very quiet way If We could spare them
some lnolassee: something sweet, and
rattliny thsir pants pocket, said: We
have the gold to pay y1u for it." tolc
them there was so,ue sorghum in the closet;
it WAS in jug; they were welcome to it, to
ueIp themselves I'VE don't want to tuke
all you have. Ii you could give Us some
in bottie. We can't carry Jug" re-
grrtted not having bottle handy, such
lniuSs We're scarce With Us. felt very sor-
ry lor them asking: Where are you
irv.u!" 1--WE are blolherS from Illinois"
| 'WLea have you seen your PARENTS we
have uut seen mother III three years. she
Is L widow. Ne are drafted, Sir" They
IMPRESSED Us rs having been well-ralsed,
AID for their aakes and for their mothers,
we regretted they could no; tind II bottle.
These We're our last visitors from Potter's
army. Aud how the day had fully dswned,
and the faint beams Of the Sun, this 9th OF
April, 1865, We're to b. seen. We heard the
tramp Of horses, aud, on having the cIr-
tain tTawh aside, we Saw the calvary force
passing out. Then the s:X brightly polish
ed brass cannon; then several p.toors u!
white lutautry. then the co!or guard.
There Was sufficient air to unfold the u
$. haS" which they bore. Then the nrgro
infantry; they seemed to us to largely pre-
dominate. The army n the most perfect
order now had passed. aud with it every
one else. NJ one seemed to be left to follow
When L detachment of calvary from down
the street rode up TO DR.. II. H. Huggins's
gate, Soou tue General appeared, erd as he
goS into the street, be wa suluted by the
others. He was quickly IN his saddle. and
they rode away in a pretty hard gullop.
And uow thry were gonewe knew they
were to meet opposition from our forces