The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-02-20
ing hand to the ruined and distressed

plunderiog Of the city, insulting the
| women and adding fuel to the Asme.
Ali night lorg did the fsmes rage,
leap, and lick the clouds as one block
| Of buildings after another fell-food for
the devouring elements. This drunk
en crgis was kept up till their craven
hearts we're fully satisfied. A few
squares 10 the northeastern part Of the
city were left, also several churches,
and into these the women and chill.
dren were hauled and packed. and had
to remain for days and some for weeks,
almost on the verge Of starvation. The
federal commander, through the boued-
less dictates Of his sympathetic heart,
alter destroying all that Gre aud Ispine
could reach, left the starving thous-
ands few rations each oil the plundeT
he had robbed Of the PLANTERS in the
country.
DEsTITUTIoN.
No vehicles OF horses we're left in the
city's limits-the bridges burned that
led across the river to the west. To
the east, Blair's Corps was laying
waste everything in its pathway, while
above and below the city, for distance
Of so miles, Sherman lad swept the
country as bare as if blight had fallen
upon it. How the people of Columbia
sub listed during the time they were
penned in the city churches and the
few buildings left, will ever remain
mystery, and to none 80 much as the
sufferers themselves.
Grains Of ccrn were eagerly picked
up in tie streets as they dropped from
| the wagons, and the women and chill
dren of the lover class and the negroes
| accked to the deserted camps to gather
up the crumbs left by the soldiers OF
the grains traupled under foot Of the
| horses.
Each house in stretch OF so miles
| was entered aud insults and indignities
| cfsr"d the defercless women which
woulo have shamed the savage Turk.
Ladies we're forced to disclose at the
point of the pistol CT the sabre, the
| hiding place Of their little va!uables.
S,ule were forced to cook meals and
wait upon the hell hounds, while they
regalsd themselves upon the choice
7iands or medicinal wines Of the plan
tezs' wives. But be it known to their
immortal honor, that it was only on
the mcst rare occasions that the pTond
DANES of the South could. either by
threat or brutal treatment, be forced to
yield to their insolens demands. With
the orders from the soldiers to prepare
a meal" or disclose the whereabouts
of their money OF 7aluahles," came the
threat, I'VE will burn your house if
you! do not, But almost invariably
came the quick response, Burn it
bum it, you covardly Wretohes, and
kill me, if you wish, and all Of us, but
I will never soil my hands By waiting
upon 9 cowardly Yankee, nor tell you
the place Of ooncealuens-f6d it if
you can" The soldiers would question
the negroes to fed if there were any
watches, silver plate, or money belong
ing 10 the household: ifso, they would
by q system Of inauesitioD, attempt e.
force the women to give it up, but IN
vain.
| A BaAyE W0NAN.
A woman, Mrs. Miller, the wife Of a
neTghbor of mine, had her husbands
gold watch in Eer bosom, and refused
10 give itup when dema1ded, even
when cooked pistol was at her bead
The vaudal struck her a stun aing blow
vi h the butt end OF the pistol in
vain. The brave heroine held to the
heirloom, and stoutly resisted all en-
treaties aud threats.
Two cid people living near me, broth
er aud maiden sister, named Loner,
both past three score, were asked to
give their money. They had noae. But
one Of the rufians threw fire under
the bed, saying:
Il will put it cut if you will tell me
where you keep your money; you have
it, for I've been 50 Informed.
"Lst it burn answered d the old no
man. "Do you Think to frighten or
iatiui1a,e me by burning ny house
that I will tell what l choose to con-
ceal? Do you think l care 50 much for
my house and its belongir g.? No,
no; you mistake the Women OF the
South, you will never conquer her peo
ple by making war upon. defepcelesS
women, Let the house 20 up in flames,
and my ashes mingle with its ashes,
but I will remain true to myself, my
country and my God"
S:on all that was left Of the on,e
happy home was heap Of ashes. Will
God, in His wisdom, ever have cause to
again create such women as those OF
the Soutblsn92 Or were there ever con-
ditions in the worlds history that re-
qui1ed the presence Of such noble mar
tyrdon as was displayed by the Wo
men Of the South during the Civil
War?
But Nemesis in this case, as in
| many others, was lurking near. Bands
| of Confederates and scouts had scat
tered themselves on the Hsnks and rear
Of the enemy; old men and boys aud
di,abled veterans were lying IN wait IN
many thickets aud out Of the way
places, ready to pounce upon the un-
suspecting freebooters and give TO them
their just deserts. Was it any wonder
that SO many hundreds and thousands,
of these Goths failed to answer toShne-
mans last roll call2 Before the sun was
many hours older. after the burning Of
| the Loner homestead, the dreaded
"bushwhackers" we're On the trai! OF
the Vandals.
For years afterwards people, from
curiosity, came to lcok at heap OF
| bones in . thickst near, bleached By
winter rain and summers SUP, while
some of the older asn, poirsiDg to the
ghostly relics, would say, Those arc
! the remains Of Sbermsn,s houseburn'
ers." Asd such were the scenes from
III A1o N,nn