The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-23
BLOODY SAVANNA.
A Place IN Prlvateer Township
Where Torres are SAID to Have
Been Killed.

Mr.. Editor: To-day in company with
Messrs Eddie and Frank Pritchard, two of
Priyateer's farmers the writer walked about
on ground around which are clustered san
culinary memories of long ago. This place
is called "Bloody Savanna is situated in
Privateer Township ard according to tradi-
tiou, Tories we're slaiu here.
We have consulted number of people in
regard to this tradition, which we 6ud is now
vague ooe. Beyond the fact that Tories
were slain here, little DOW seems to be known.
According TO one version of the tradition,
the Tories had been engaged in dancing just
before being killed, another version represents
them as being engaged in playing cards, and
stiIl another version is "that band of Tories
were 10 biding near the old Savanna and we're
surrounded and killed." and this account
represents that they were probably killed by
citizens. One old citizen of the township,
Who gave fuller account than aoy one else,
said 'sI beard that crew Of Tories we're at
their devilmeot at Bloody Savanna, and
some troops came and killed shem The
Tories used 20 camp in either Privateer or
Jones, Bays, and they were run ost of that
aud killed at the sayauna." Another old
citizen says that be used to be told stthat the
Tories had taken up 10 house on the edge
of the Bloody Savanna" This old citizeu,S
confirming, said, s'I think they had some
kind of amusement" Among these diverse
accounts, oue thing seems clear, Tories were
killed az Bloody Savanna, and it seems evi-
dent that the name was derived from the
event.
The same old citizen who is mentioned
above as giving the fullest account. also
ofa afel St1a 1at fhapo ad No. of
talk about this savanna when ] was boy !;
seemed like something said woe, woe.' /
have passed this savanna many time when
Z was child, but never saw or beard any.
thing
Thesaboye is not the only time the writer
has beard about the Savanna being haunted,
and from what we can learn, it appears that
this belief probably still exis's among some
of our colored people.
Having spoken of the misty past, let us
now come to the present and give some &C.
count Of this bloody named place as it now
is.
Bloody Savanna is on lands belonging to
Mr. Sep W hiiden aud Miss Galley Wells. Ii
is about mile and half south
west Of Tindal depot 1t is now
dry and has thick growth of .cy.
press and small pines. 1t covers probably
forty acres and ia about twice as long as il Is
broad Beyond It's name and bloody memo
ries, the place has nothing 10 attract attention
spy more than any other place which is
ogergrown with cypress We walked about
it to-day with the intention of writing this
article, and we felt as though we we're walk
ing over ground conseerated by historical
memories.
Weare Informed that in the last few years
bullet was found in pine near the Savanna
Whether or not this was Revolutionary
bullet, We cannot say.
Priysteer and Jones' Bays are alluded TO
above. The Savsnna is situated between
them, about equally distant from both and
not far from either. Lately we were ehown
sn old plat Of land which was in the inn
mediate vicinity Of the Savanna. II was
surveyed Dec. %, 1929, by W. L. Brunson,
Dep Surveyor Oc it was "Tory Bay"
which unqnestionably appears to be the
ssJones Bay" of the present time. This
name would seem to bear ont the tradition
given by one Of the old citizens that ssthe
Tories used TO camp in either Privateer or
Jores' Bay"
As wesstood on the edge of Bloody S4-
vaunah to-day and locked across to Joues'
Bay, with It's thick growth, onr mind could
not help but wander back to the distant
times when the Tories probably camped in it's
bounds. As we stood there, ery,hing was
so calm aud peaceful, so different from the
stirring times in the long ago when tie
Tories met their death at the Bloody Sa-
wanna MCDONALD FURNAN
Ramsey, Privateer Township, March Is,
1898.