The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-03-17
A SOUTHERN WAR STORY.

In 1904 my wife and halt dozen
little children found refuge from the
invader at her fathers plantation on
the Upper Chattahooche river. There
was no white man there or near there
save her old father, Judge Hutchins.
There were about a hundred negroes.
more than half of them too old or too
young to work. Food for our sol
diers was getting scarcer every day,
and orders came that every farmer
should be tithed-that is to say, he
should give up to the government
agents portion of his corn and meat
and beef cattle.
A mounted detail from the home
guard was sent out with wagons to
enforce the order and gather in the
supplies. There was nobody to re-
sist them, for everybody was in the
army save old men and inVaIIdSs Enu
women and children. Late one even
ing a company of 80 men came to
Judge Hutchins' house and rudely in
formed him that they came for bacon
and beef cattle. The Judge very
calmly told them he had none to spare.
For awhile they parleyed with him,
but finally demanded the key to his
smokehouse. My wife and children
and two other little grandchildren
listened in fear and anxiety. They
knew that the Judge was fearless
man, but there were SO many well
armed men against him, the odds were
fearful, and when he refused to give
up the key they said they would arrest
him and break down the door.
Then he pleaded with them in a
trembling voice and said to the cap
tain: "Here is my daughter and her
little, helpless children, and here are
two others whose mother is dead and
their father is in the army. / have
but four sons, and they are in the
army. My two-sons-in-law are there.
Here on this place are so or 90 ne
groes who are too old or too young to
work, and it is struggle for us all to
live. I am alone and getting old. 1
have done my share for the Confeder-
acy and cannot do more. Now
know that you can overpower me or
kill me, and take away the little meat
1 have saved for these helpless ones,
but let me tell you, captain, the first
man who goes to that door to break
it down will be dead man before he
can do it."
His black eyes flashed as if lit by
sparks of fire and his voice no longer
trembled. He was desperate. Light
ly he ascended the stairs, where he
had two double-barreled guns we'll
loaded, and, planting himself at the
window that overlooked the smoke
house, he said "Now break that
door if you dare to" and the percus-
sion lock went click click The
f6F 9Qksa at tas d9Sr a1T vWe SRHe
and children had heard it ali and
trembled. Some fine Negroes had
gathered atthe cabin doors, and old
Sam dared to exclaim in low, husky
voice. Better not-better not-ole
massa kill yo'-kill yo', shore
The captain suddenly reconsidered.
"Ceme, boys" said he, cts getting
late, and there amt no use in fight
ing about little meat. We canSpE
port the case to headquarters, and if
we are ordered back we can try it
again, I reckon" Without saying
goodbye or farewell they left.
That night, about midnight, the
Judge called up old Jack and Virgil,
whom he knew he could trust, and
had the joints of the meat and part
of the sides carried quietly down to
the old blacksmith S shop on the bank
of the river. With pick and shovel
the cinders and earth in the old hearth
were soon excavated and a chamber
fashioned that would hold and hide a
thousand pounds. 1t was buried
there and the hearth was covered just
like it had been. Some scattered
charcoal filled in the spaces and some
was left on top and the black old
basket placed where it long had been.
With shovel and wheel-barrow the
surplus earth was taken down the
river bank and tumbled in, and then
all was quite on the Chattahoochee.
The burial of Sir John Moore was not
more silent.
In January, 1865, joined my fam
lily at the plantation, and not long
after the Judge furnished us good
mule team and wagon and we return
ed to our home in Rome. The day
before we left his hospitable mansion
he opened the cache and found the
meat all sweet and sound, and we
brought good portion of it with us,
and it was as precious as gold My
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