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

prove the Romantic
Story.
; Having received letter from Mr
A F Lever, who was recently nom
mated by the Democratic primary to
represent Lexington County IN the
| coming Legislature, telling me that
be proposes at the coming session to
introduce bill looking to the erect
ing by the State of monument TO
Emily Geiger, and inviting sugges
tions from me. have determined to
publish a few facts as to the campaign
in which Emily Geiger is alleged to
have played so conspicuous a part;
dislike to play the role OF an Idol
smasher, but as l have been appealed
10 10 this matter, and as the South
Carolina Historical Society, of which
l am the secretary, has for its object
the preservation and dissemination
of the true history of South Carolina,
l deem it IN order to give some facts
as they are shown by the records
The story Of Emily Geiger, as told
by Mr.. John A Chapman, in his
Annals of Newberry District, and by
other writer's, is that after Gen
Greene had abandoned the siege Of
Ninety-Six in June, 1881, be retreat
ed across the Sasuda River and was
pursued to the Eporee, by Lord Raw
don !; that Lord Rawdcn stopped at
the south bank of the Eaoree while
Greene moved on toward the Broad
River; that while encamped between
the Eooree and Broad rivers Gen.
Greene was anxious to send dis
patch to Gen Sumter, on the Wa1eree
River. bat that the couDtry between
was so infested with Tories that it
was impossible for man to go
through it as a courier; that at this
time Emily Geiget, who lived about
FIVE miles off, voluD:eeyed to take the
dispatch to Sumter; that Greene
sent her, and that she travelled a dis
tance Of over one hundred miles and
took the dispatch to Sumter, whom
she found on the Wateree, being Oh
the road three days, during which
time she was captured and searched
for the dispatch, which she had
swallowed, afte. which she was taken
before Lord Rawdon, who released
Ter; that as result Of her trip Sum
ter was induced to Join Gen Greene
aud appear before Rswdon at Orange.
burg; and finally that she did noi
get back home for two weeks there
after, because the country around
CRANKY was full CT 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 has some founda
ton in fact; but the story Of her
escapade. as told by the writings
above referred to, is entirely refuted
by The correspondence tha. passed
between Gems Greene and Sumter, and
their subordinate officers at that time
In fact there are many taiugs told
In these stories about Emily Geiger
that could not possibly have happen.
ed These letters to which ! have
referred, aud from wh,ch snail quote
in defence of my position. are to be
found priated in Gibbes' "Documen-
tary History of the American Revo;u
hon." series l78l aud 1882. publish
ed in 1858, and in the appendix OF
The Charleston Year Book for 1900
* =
Nov ! have quoted all of these dis
patches to show that from the dag,
May Is. 1881, that Gen Greene left
Gen Sumter at CRANKY to the day
tha, he abandoned Ninety Six June
20, 17Sl.) that Gen Sumter was at
Grapby. or iu its immediate vicinity,
on the south bank of the Congaree,
in the present county of Lexington,
that Greeue aud Sumter were in
almost daily communication with each
other, and that if Emily Geiger took
any dispatch from Greene to Sumter
during that time it was only one OF
many that Geo Greene sent through
during toe month that he besieged
Ninly Six, and that she die no, have
to go to the Wateree No troops of
the enemy were in the fork OF the
Saluda and Broad during that month,
aud if the counsry was SO infested
with Tories bow is it thss Greene.
Sumter, Marion and Others exchang
ed SO MANY dispatches by coariers