The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-02-20

| eighty years afterwards with the
same indomtable spirit, the des-
truction of her absent soldier hus-
bands home and hearthatone in the
vain effort by ruthless soldiery TO
crush the spirit of those who could
not be conquered on the battlefield.
But she belonged to the some old
South Carolina stock that the Con-
federate women did, and amid the
ashes of her dearly cherished home
only learned 10 love South Carolina
all the more and thought her 50
| much the more needful Of her hus-
bands best and bravest efforts, and
she simply moved to another place,
owned by Gen. Sumter, which was
afterwards named the Home House.
She lived there until her death, aud
she and Gen. Sumter were both
buried there, and their grandson
lives there now. Even among Tarle-
tons men, as among Sherman's and
Potter's, some were found with
manly feelings OF compassion to-
wards women and children whose
houses were being burned and their
sustenance destroyed, and one OF
them seized moment when unseen
by his Comrades to so by Mrs. sum
ter and slip ham under her chair,
where it was hidden by her skirts.
An incident occurred that day which
went TO show how the English SOL
diers made enemies for their King,
instead of holding the people as his
subjects, by their overbearing con-
duct. There was white carpenter
working in the yard for Gen. sum-
ter. whom the General had often
tried to induce to join the army, but
he never could, and some Of the
British soldiers that day used him
very roughly, and in the struggle
with them he struck one Of them
and hurt him severely with his
chisel, and then managed to break
away from them and escape. He
Immediately joined Gen. Sumter's
command and made faithful SOL
dier to the end Of the war. DOUBTLESS
one Of many such enemies to British
rule in South Carolina. Young
Thomas Sumter told all Of this to his
children many wears Afterwards.
POTTER AND TARLEToN.
During the late civil war a young
Confederate soldier happened to be
at home on a furlough when Pot
ter's army came through this sec
ton of country, and riding along one
day by himself was chased from al
most the same spot as young, sum
ter was, and down the old borough
hil:, by a body Of soldiers in blue,
but also managed to escape them.
When the war was over Gen.
Sumter represented his county in
the Legislature and his State IN
Congress, but made no especial re-
cord either as q statesman or a poll
ticiau. He seems to have been
man plain and simple in his tastes,
and who liked to stay at home, and
very blunt and direct in the express
sion of his opinions, but very kind
hearted and generous.
GEN. SUMTER LIEN SYSTEM.
When he lived at Sumter's Mount
there were good many poor people
living around him, to whom he
would advance provisions all Of the
wear, and at the end Of the year,
thinking it would seem unbusiness-
like to give them the things, would
take his wagon and go around and
collect pay from them in corn, peas,
ETC., and at the beginning of the
next year his sympathies would be
aroused, and he would immediateiy y
give them all out again; thatwas his
way of giving liens.
He owned u great deal Of land,
and settled good many plantations,
and if there was anything OF a stream
on any Of his places he always built
a dam across 1t and had Il pond and
a mill. He evidently thought grlst
and flour mills very valuable prop
erty, as anyone can see now who
visits any Of the places ever owned
by him by the old mill dams still
standing as iuefaceable monuments
to his industry and faith in mills.
At the first meeting OF the congre-
CATION OF the Episcopal Church at
this place after the Revolution Gen.
Sumter was elected one Of the yes
trymen, and for years afterwards
served the church in that capacity.
Some OF the vestrylnen had been
Tories during the war just ended,
and / have heard a story from an
old man Of the Generals having
made his men take one of them from
home and carry him a prisoner to
his camp, but there is no eyIde' ce
i'm the church records Of hard feel
ings on account Of past differences OF
opinion.
THE CHURCH BOOK TELLS NO TALES.
Doubtless the General had paid
his men with some Of his neighbors
slaves. too; it was way he was said
to have had, but nothing was ever
said of this in the church book.
There was no church building here
at that time, for alta meeting held at
Statesburg July 23d, 1888, the follow
ing action was taken: The Rev. MIR.
Tate was appointed minister for ten
mouths, with the allowance OF a
salary of one hundred pounds ster.
ling, and recommended that he hold
divine services on Sundays in MIR.
Powell's long room until a more
suitable place of worship can be
fixed upon and u proper house for
r<al,