The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-02-13
Recollections of the Manning Circuit.
BY REV. wM. n. MOOD.

Messages from Bishopville made 1t II
cumbent on me, if at all possible, to visi
there. Shermans invading hosts hat
swept through Camden, and campln'
above B., where he remained several days
His "bummers" had taken advantage o
his delay Ito have corn ground before pro
ceeding) and visited 3. Their frequen
visits had caused much distress; they lie
stroyed vast deal besides.
With DR.. G. Allen Higgins as my com
panion, We visited B. On the third day
when we were to return to Manning, was
sick, had considerable fever. The Docto
and DR.. Holleyman were very positive
that 1 should not attempt this trip of fort!
miles; but I was just as positive that
ought to 90 hons, and it seemed out o
my power to resist this purpose. wal
'bent on going home" and We made The
start. At Mt. Zion church, ten miles away
I found it necessary to stop, and l lalo
down in the portico of the church. The
Doctor insisted that return, but though
if travelled it should be in the direction
of home, and so proceeded. 1t was 6
wearisome ride. When within eight o.
ten miles of Manning We were overtaken
by Confederate soldier--a courier-Col
onel SLingler's-from Sumter, riding hard.
| He gave US "news"-IMPoRTAST news
That a we'll equipped army Of cavalry
artillery, and infantry, these largely ol
NEGRO TROOPS. under command OF Genera
Potter, had left Georgetown and were max
ing their way through Williamsburg coun-
ty. 1t was their purpose to destroy al
farming utensils. provisions, cotton. cot
ton gins in fact. EVERYTHING, and thus
prevent q crop being made; that his orders
were to notify the people CT their approach,
and that every man should at once report
20 Colonel Connors in Manning" I no"
felt better satisfied at my seeming stub
bornness and persistency in returning
home.
I WAS utterly prostrated on reaching
home, and was borne to my bed. Drs. In,
gram and Higgins both visited me that
night. The next day. April 9th, Thursday,
the alarming news reached US that the Of.
6cers and a part of the crew of one Of the
enemv's cunboats, which had made its way
up the Santee river as far as "Wri9ht's
Bluff, had ridden across the country and
had late in the night raide3 on Mrs. VI. u.
Davis's home, three miles away; that they
had been accompanied by q rabble of De.
groes and the premises had been searched
and robbed of yaluables aud horses" This
was all confirmed the next day in q note
from Mrs. Davis, and with it box con.
tanning her husbands elegant uniform as
Colonel of - regiment in the couRty
He had passed away several years before.
Accompanying the box was life-size oil
painting Dust of Colonel Davis. She bad
learned that the Methods, parsonage in
Rome, Georgia, had been protected by
Sherman's order and she hoped in my pos.
session these yaluableS would be unmoleSt-
ed. had my doubts about this; but was
willing to do almost anything to serve this
unselfsh and devoted friend of ours.
had the box placed under my bed and the
portrait conspicuously in the psrlor. where
could see il as lay in bed A soldier al
home from Virginia reported in the town
that he had ridden around this negro army
now approaching; that ut was complete
organization, and there we're 10 stragglers.
|
ming to and fro as the fact was confirmed
THAT IT WAS A NEGRO Army. What we're
We to expect at their hands?
Friday, April 7th, after night, my broth
er-in-iaw. E. r. Plowden, and his brothe,
Edgar came into my room. They carefully
leaned their dou ble-barrel guns il the cor.
ner and then expressed their regret at find
ing me with fever, insisting that I must
leave the town; that the emergency re-
quired this effort on my part They in
formed Us that their orders had been that
when Potter's movements we're positiuel,
known in any attempt to cross 'Brewington
Bridge Ia considerable lake of water con-
nected with Black River) that they must
destroy the bridge and thus prevent them
crossing into Salem, where there we're
very large cotton plantations; that being
assured of this by his advanced guard,
they had, unassisted, burned edectuslly
this well-constructed structure, and we
have forced Potter to come this way; he'll
unouestionably come directly through tie
town" But never in the llsast entered
into their prese..ccse urgency to leave the
..ccN.n. thought it best from the begin
ming to remain in the parsonage. On
looking around they discovered the DO,
containing the very elegant silrer-mounted
uniform with it was the helmet. epaulets
red silk sash, and some other valuables)
They expressed great surprise at these
things being in the house. assuring me
that If found by the enemy it would sub
Iject Us all to severe treatment And 1t Will
be all the worse for you if you are in bed
In fact they were proceeding to burn the
box and its contents in the fireplace, as
suring me that they knew Mrs. D. had moi
thought of all this or she would not have
sent them TO me to protect, and that rather
than have US subjected to injury, shed
thank Us for destroying them But
could not consent TO their destruction
They had exhausted every argument, anG
evidently under great apprehensions as tc
what was before US, they carefully took uE
their guns and parted with as
When they left US alone, we re
allied the anxiety for FOR us. 1t was no
long after they left US that a young mar
(W. H.) came rushing in and assured u:
tEat Potter was not far off, and if l wantec
him to save my horse and buggy" 90
course, and this box" and with some val
uables of our own he hurriedly drove to
wards Sumter It was relief to us tha
these valuables were gone, but dreaded
, tie resclts upon my horse from his HARI
driving over that sandy road of twenty
miles, and ho,o mach further could not tell
We were now alone, thera had been nc
tire allowed to prepare nour!shment fol
ne, and was suffering; how lon9ed tol
che of the doctors to come in and prescribe
for me. There was a continued rumbllne
in the street and voices. What it all mean
We could not learn 1t was now getting
late, and We heard calls at the door,
recognized the voice of MAJ. P. G. Benbow
hoped he'd come in. we wanted company
we wanted to know what was going on ou
Of doors; if Potters hosts would reach the
town before day, &c, &c.
Mrs N. received Brother B's message
Colonel Conuors has sent his kind re
CARDS, and Informs you that Potter i:
steadily advancing; that he is retreatine
before him to unite his small force witt
others at Sumter, where they propose tc
raeict his rrourass He sends to ask if It il