The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-02-01
NJ oseS Levi Dead.

| The deceased was born III boseH
bach, Bavaria, on August -, lS26
He came to America at the age OF u
wears and at the age of p moved tt
Sumter, where he engaged in the
mercantile business; later, ne mar
ried Miss Hannah Jacobs. in the city
of Charleston, and the pair, happy
in their mutual affection, began life
in Sumter. Having but limited
means, the undertaking was neces
sarily in the face of adverse circum
stances, but it became the founda
tion for successful career. Mr.
Lewis early career was a struggle anC
he met with conditions which
schooled him into the mastering OF
necessities. Often he contended with
conditions which would have made
an ordinary man heart-sick and give
up in despair; often the gloom Of dis
appointment settled about his busl
ness affairs, but as often would he,
by his indomitable spirit, dispel the
gloom and continue the fight. Many
of the older people remember how
Mr.. and Mrs. Levi toiled and strug.
| gled in their early married life, and
F.! how they mutually shared each
others burdens.
In 1856, when Clarendon was cut
off from Sumter, Mr.. Levi moved to
Manning, and still with limited
means, for in Sumter his efforts ac-
complished but little more than a
living for his young family. He
founded a business which year by
year grew better, and with it his
credit grew stronger and as he was
about to enjoy his accommodations
from his hard fought struggles, the
rumblings of war began, then the
black clouds hovered over the land.
He had at this time established his
business upon a firm footing and was
regarded by the business world safe
merchant, Then came the call to
arms and he responded for duty:
The Sprott Guards was formed and
he entered the army with 1t, leaving
his young wife with his little chill
dren to manage affairs while he was
at the front to fight for his adopted
country. His company was a part
of the 25rd Regiment commanded by
Colonel Harry L. Benbow, and with
it he shared the privations and hard
ships of true soldier, and no great
er mark of esteem can be won Dy
any man than the esteem of broth
ers in arms. All through the war
from the time Mr.. Levi entered the
army until the rumbljngs of cannon
died away did he stay with his com
rades, and often it is said, he exposed
himself unnecessarily to danger, ~:
Colonel relates an incident, which
showed the bravery and devotion o:
the man. Mr.. Levi had obtained
a turlough for a number of days tc
90 home on a visit, and he went, t,anc
| before the furlough was out. the
command, while in a very hot fight
death missiles were flying through
the air like rain, the shrieks of the
wounded and the groans of the dy
ing could be heard above the din q
battle, a hand was placed upon the
Coloners stirrup, and as he looked
to see the cause, there was Mr.. Lev
begging for q gun, that he might
Join the fray. The Colonel expressed
his surprise at seeing him there, anc
ordered him to the rear, where he
would be out of danger, but the or
der was disobeyed and the soldier
pleaded with his commander to lei
him fight. He was given gun ano
he entered the battle with a bound
ing heart. The writer wishes that
he could recall the many incidents
he has heard related by Mr.. Lewis
comrades, and he would go to the
trouble to gather them for this
sketch were he not pressed for time
with his Senatorial duties.
The soldiers of Co. l., 23rd Regi
ment, knew Moses Levi, and when
ever they spoke of him it was II
words of love and esteem. Levi was
a man, soldier, and comrade with
a heart that knew no selfshness
He was taken prisoner at the battle
of Five Forks and taken to Point
Lookout, where the material of his
composition showed itself. There II
that prison, deprived of his liberty
with some of his comrades, he sui
fered such as only those who had like
experience can appreciate. His ma
ture revolted at being idle and by
some means he caught the ear of al
official, and through him he man
aged to communicate with relatives
at the North ard in this way he
managed to procure some things
that he might employ the natural
trend of his mind and at the same
time contribute towards relieving the
suferings of his fellow-prisoners. He
opened a store in prison and EN-
employed as his clerks W. H. Ep
person and w. H. Cole, at a salary Of
a plug of tobacco per week, and IN
this way be made a sufficient amount
of money to buy things for himself
and comrades that prison regula
tions would not give, and he also
was enabled to send help to Colone
Benbow, who was prisoner and II
a hospital at Washington.
While Mr.. Levi was in service, hi:
folks at home, on account OF there
being no transportation, had accum
mulated a considerable quantity o.
cotton and when Potter's army
came through the cotton was de
Istroyed by the torches of the enemy
and when the Confederacy furled 1t!
flag, and General Lee sheathed hi!
sword, Mr.. Levi came home to inc
that his business was gone, propert!
destroyed and a new beginning O.
life was his task.
| The people were impoverished b!
the fatal struggle, fortunes hac
melted away and everything wa!
in a 6emoralized condition. He gath
cred himself together to face the
new conditions, and instead of sit
ting down to grieve of his losses, ht
brushed aside the past, as if it were
a dream, and re-entered that battle
}, where brain, pluck and energy, in
stead of powder and lead are the re
ouisites to master and accomplish
results. Was Moses Levi soldie'
in the battle of powder and lead
Then he proved himself to be a Gen
eral in the battle of brain, pluck anc
energy. In this battle he was wha
Napoleon and others were to thu