The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-11-14
EMILY GEIGER'S
FAMOUS RIDE.
Published Letters Which Dis.
prove the Romantic
Story.

Il
Having received a letter from Mr.
A r Lever. who was recently nom
mated by the Democratic primary to
represent Lexington County in the
coming Legislature, telling me that
oe proposes at the coming session to
introduce bill looking to the erect
ing by the State Of monument 10
Emily Geiger, and inviting sugges.
tions from me. have determined to
publish 9 few facts ss to the campaigu o
in which Emily Geiger is alleged to
have played 90 conspicuous a part
/ dislike to play the role OF an idol
smasher, but as l have.b been appealed
10 10 this matter, and as the South
, Carolins Historical Society, of which
] an the secretary. has for its object
che preservation aud dissemination
Of the true history Of South Carolina,
Deem II IN order to give some facts
90 they ere shown by the records
The story Of Emily Geiger. az told
By Mr.. John A Che pnssu. in bis
Annals of Newberry District. and BY
other writer's. 10 that siter Gen
Greene had abandoned the siege of
Ninety.Six in June, 1881, he retreat.
cd scross the Ssluda River and was
pursued to the Enoree. by Lord Raw
don that Lord Rswdon stopped At
tho south bank of the Enoree while
Greene moved on toward the Broad
River that while encamped between
the Eooree and Broad rivers Gen.
Greene was ANTIQUE to. send q dis
patch to Gen Sumter, on the Wa.eree
River hut that the country between
wss 80 infested with Tories that it
Was impossible for Q man TO 20
through il as courier that at this
time Emily Geiger. who lived about
dve miles of, volunseped to take the
dispatch to Sumter; that Greene
sent her, and that she travelled dis
tsnce Of over one hundred miles and
took the dispatch to Sumter, whom
she found % the Wateree, being on
the ROAD three days, during which
time che was captured and searched
for the dispatch. which che had
swallowed. after which she vse taken
before Lord Rswdon, who rv.eased
her; that as . result of her trip Sum
ter was induced to join Gen Greene
and appear before Rswdon at Orange.
burg; and finally that che did no,
get back home for two weeks there.
after. because the country around
CRANKY was foil of the enemy.
Now that Emily Geiger carried a
dispatch from Greene to Sumter dur
ing that campaign against Ninety
Six cannot doubt. for nearly every
imperfect tradition hss come founds
tioa in fact but the story of her
escapado as told By the writings
above referred to, is entirely refuted
by the correspondence that passed
between Gems Greene aud Sumter, and
their subordinate officers st that time
In fact there are many thugs told
IN these stories about Emily Geiger
that could not possibly have happen.
ed These letters to which l have
referred. aud from wh,ch I shall quote
10 defence Of my position. are to be
found priHted in Gibbes' "Documen.
tary History Of the American Revoiu
tion." series 1871 sud 1882. publish
ed in 1858. and 10 the appendix of
the Charleston Year Book for 1900
Now ! have quoted all Of these die
pstcbes to chow that from the day,
(May l8. 1871, } that Gen Greene left
Gen Sumter at CRANKY to the day
that he abandoned Ninety Six iJuue
20. l78l.) that Gen Sumter was ut
GrsBby. or IN ito immediate vicinity,
on the south bank of the Congaree,
10 the present county of Lexington,
thst Greeue Rnd Sumter we're in
almost daily communication with each
other. and that IL Emily Geiger took
sny dispatch from Greene to Sumter
during that time it was only one of
many that Geo Greene sent through
during the month that he besieged
Ninty Six, and that she did no, have
to go to the Wateree No troops of
the enemy were in ibe fork of the
Saluda and Broad during that month.
aud IL the country was 90 infested
with Tories how is it that Greene,
Sumter. Marion and others exchang
ed 90 many dispatches by couriers
through that country ?
When Lord Rswdoo marched from