The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-11-16

= bloody drama were taken from eithe,
! snore to the island in one Of the Ions
| pole boats Of that day. Two shots wer(
exchanged. The result OF the second
, shot was the wounding Of Wigfnl
through both thighs, and the whzzing
of bullet into Brooks's hip, the
} bullet ranging round into his back and
lodging there. Both men were pain.
fully and very seriously wounded.
Both sank to the ground and soon be.
came almost unconscious from loss of
blood.
And now comes the dramatic and
somewhat weird part of my story.
Both wounds having been temporarily
dressed, both men were lifted tenderly
into the pole boat, and, lying almost
SIDE by side, were rOwed down the
nlght-mantled stream to the city. In
! this boat with the wounded men were
the seconds, Mr.. Barrett, Major Ham.
mand, the physicians and five negro
men. Imagine this funcreal barge,
Illuminated by lightwood torches, some.
times naring' bright, sometimes burn
| ing blue, as IL glided down the broad
still river In Sthe blackneSs of dark
ness, bearing in its bosom two noble.
brave and bleeding boys. whose i'm.
mortal souls, before the journeys end
might be called to stand before their
God.
Arriving at Augusta, Louis Wigfall
was taken to the residence of Mr..
Thomas Barrett, whose wife aud
mother-in-law, the late Mrs. Harriet
Glasscock, were family connections of
his, aud there nursed back into life |
witG tender care and motherly watch
1ulness. Preston Brooks was taken to |
Boards hotel in Hamb burg, whence after !
few days, he was taken to his home |
in Edge field.
Louis L. Wigfall married q brilliant
belle OF Providence, Rhode Island, and.
after living in Edgeiield few wears,
suost quent TO this duel, removed to
Marshall, Texas, which State be very
soon represented in the United States
Senate, where he achieved national
reputation as an orator and statesman.
The war, OF course, found him devotediv
and enthusiastically on the side OF his
native South. He became a hero in
the memorable and initial seigc of
Fort Sumter, a brigadier general in the
confederate army, Senator from Texas
In the Confederate Congress, and an
intimate friend and adviser of jefferson
Davis. He dieu in Galveston, Texas.
some ten or twelve years after the
close of the war
Preston >. Brooks married daugh-
'.i vi IoNcrnor means, Ol south Caro- |
Ina, and continued TO live in Edge-
field. He became so popular amopT the
people of Edgetield AMI the neig l. bor- /
ing "diStricts that they sent him to
represent them in Congress. Previous ,
10 this, however, he had led Company I
y. ol the Palmetto regiment, through.
)ut the Mexican war, and had reached I
,he highest rank as d wise and brave 5
soldier. While he was mem Der of
he lower House Of Congress his cous n, /
Judge Andrew Plckeus Butler, was 5
south Carolina's Senator. In the Sen !
.te about this time--it is a matter of
1aLional history-thc famous Masschu.
etts Senator, Charles Summer made a {
speech, rctl tcting in an insulting man a
Ter upon Senator Butler, who was a I
nan many years his senior. This in q
uit to his venerable kinsman so
lrouscd the ire OF the fiery Brooks I
hat he publicly caned Summer in the 5
senate Cnamber. The matter became c
Ilmost IL national issue and aroused in +
he Northern mind much Of that hatred L
II the South that led TO the war. Pres \
on s. Brooks, in his third term as Con- /
Pierce NJ. Butler became Governor a
II South Car olina then United States a
commissioner to the Indians and sub r
equently the devoted and illustrious Il
eader of the renowned Palmetto rcgi- I
nent Ia the Mexican war. He fell at the +
lead OF his regiment with d bullet
through his brain, at the memorable
lege OF Churubusco.
John Laurcns Manning married an n
unt of the present Gen. Wade Hamp- I
on. lie was at the time the wcalthiCst l
nd the handsomest man in South CalO- c
ina. He became Governor of his a
state, rs his father and grandfather
lad been before him. and proved him &
elf throughout all his years hero and q
patriot OF the highest type. He died !
light or ten years ago. |
There are Old men and women in q
augusta to-day who remember this =
amous duel. 1t took place long before |
was born, but inasm as Louis r. {
Nigfail was my uncle, it has become a J
tartling aud never-to be -forg often '
chapter OF family hstory-one to be {
landed down from generation to gen. {
ration. $