The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-04-24
ReceIlectlons OF Potter's Raid.
BY REV. VA. W. MOOD.

The visit of Lieutenant Waterman OF the
Engineer Corps of General potters army
to the parsonage at Manning, S. c., on the
afternoon of the Sth April, 1865, was a
benedlction to me and mine He spoke
very cautiously and seemingly under re-
straint as he sat upon a trunk at the foot
of nv bed. He was so situated as lay in bed
with fever that could not see his face all
the time but when 1 could be was study
ing me- As he admitted afterward, his
visit was TO assure himself and the General
in command that was not playing the part
of deceptive in remaining in the town
when every other white man had left at
their approach. was charged with having
surrendered to the advanced guard of this
this army, composed largely of negroes,
and then suddenly shooting down from
his saddle my capturer, and of escaping
down the back street and then slippius In
to bed sick. In the interview with this
officer he probed NE closely with questions,
and finally told me that all the darkies
upon the street gave me good name. I
am persuaded that he was fully satisfied
that this shooting down of the guard was
the act OF Confederate &C. H. JoneS) sent
down from Sumter. cannot repeat in this
paper tho kindness of this officer. He did
all in his power to relieve me and mine of
our alarm and terror, even insisting oa us
if it were possible, getting away from the
town, assuring me that the entire armv was
enraged. was to be severely punished.
and that the General had caught
the contagion. had several questions to
ask him after the interview had proceeded,
all of which be readily answered bat one,
and to this he said: You know, Mr.. NJ,
l am your enemy, and you could not ex-
pect me to tell you" 4 can't tell my read
ers what this question was. It will tell too
plainly how simple 1 was in asking it,
During this memorable interview, 1 remem-
bered he said his name was Waterman;
that he was Of the Engineer Corps; that his
people were Methodists, and something
about California And now that the army
was marching (early Sunday, April 8, 1865,
ont of the town We remembered his kind
ness and regretted that we had not asked
him his address. The desire 20 find him.
to communicate with him, to know more of
him, increased as the years rolled on. II
could not think, with all my thinking, how
to begin to find him. But he was certain
ly upon my mind.
In August. 1871, my train Wilmington,
Columbia and Augusta) switched off at
Sumter for the mail train to pass. There
were three fnely-dresseG gentlemen ana
nlyselfas passengers, and we all walked to
the rear of the coach. Then we saw very
neatly dressed coiored girl making rapid
strides to where We stood. 10 my surprise,
when within speaking distance, she said:
'Ah, 1lr. NJ, am so glad to see you.
The colored people at the depot told nae it
was you" II don't know you" u am
Mary's sister" Not Mary Harvin who
nursed for us in Manning?" eyes, sir;
and Mary will be so glad to know 1 saw
you" had much to say to her and but
little time to say it in. But shaking her
hand, T sent messages to Mary that she had
n9ver been forgotten by Us, and her kind
ness during the night of "Potters raid"
was often referred to; that if at any time
I could serve her to inform me in Columbia, |
and with many more words our train moved |
off, leaving her in tears. The three strang-
ers had heard every word had said, and
they had had something to say, of which |
took no notice.
When reseated in the coach one o them
came to me and said: You are a religious
man?" You'd so suppose from what I said
w
remark made; We are gentlemen, and it
was made thoushtlessly.' "The least said
about it the better" I remarked 1T has
not annoyed me, though regret you said
it. ;" You are minister of the Gospel"
Suppose am?" $50 we have all conclud
ed; and she seemed to be much affected at
what you said to her." He then sat down,
II don't wish to intrude myself
h,,{ IL fo t,l1 ~, ~
replied: Il have.no objection, and will
give you any information can
You are South Carolinan, and there IS
great interest to me in every word you
have said to that young women" (He
need not have told me; this was very evil
ient.) ''You don't seem to know her, but
you do her sister you call Mary; who is
Mary? told him she had nursed for me
IN tanning town some twenty miles be-
ow. But you were very particular in
banking her for her kindness the night
of Potter's raid. What was Potter's raid?"
Have you ever seen Sherman's sentinels?"
'Oh, Yes, often" "Well, SIR the lonely
standing near the depot at sum
er are Potter's sentineis He ralded
trough the lower part of the State and
With his well appointed army Of negroes
le reached this point and was destroying
before him when flag of truce
cached him on Santea River, 10Th April,
S5,) telling Potter that General Lee had
ten days ago." He asked me
or my address. Iwrote it in his memoir
andum book; his interest evidently incre-
sing in all I told him. I can't in this give
Il this interview. He had many, very I
nany questions to ask. It vas warm and j
cry dusty, and being wearied, I wished to '
ease my conversation, and remarked: "Id f
e so pleased to find General Patters ad-
ress. "Why? What interest can you L
ave IN him? He injured you all be, could" L
l only want to find him. so as in this way t
may find the address of one Of his officers 4
'ho was friend to me and mine during o
aat fearful night" ''Yes. have written
, Washington and in every other direction I
here thought there was the least pros @
ect of finding him. General Potters ad- t
ress may tell me all want" And thus we Q
liked. he certainty greatly interested, and n
ow, can't tell why. but I felt sure l Was t
liking to General Potter, and, leaning to- #
ards him and shaking my finger in his f
ice, I said with emphasis: You are Gen c.
raj Potter" He was silent as he looked Il
ito my eyes, and I repeated, "You are u
:eneral Potter" "Do you really believe Il
am General Potter" and looking more i,
'riously than before said: You have .
,me very near finding him. You could V
ardly have come nearer and t have S,
'und him. I am not General Potter, but a
am his next door neighbor; only our f
noes separate our homes and it is re-
arkable that you should have taken me d
u Potter. Come, take out you note book, c.
n. NJ, and write Il did so) General Ed Ii
Potter, Madison, New jersey" Now, e,
Ike my address, B. W. Burnett Now, S;
r. NJ, when you write tell him exactly b
ow you obtained his address. Tell him D
| of this interview, but don't refer to any Il
the shadows of that raid Give him al o,
10 light. If he wants the shadows he'll II
4 for them" "Will he reply to the re- II.
1est?" '.Oh, yes; there is no reason why b