The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-02-22

Eplanderiog Of the olty, insulting the
women and adding fuol to tho aame. s
+ All night long did tho flames rage,
leap. and liok tho clouds az ono hlaek
Of buildings aftor another fell food for
tho dovouring elements. This drunk.
cn orgio WAS kept up till thoir craven
hoarts wero fully. satisfied. A few
squares In tho northeastern part Of tho
city woro loft, also several churches,
and into theso the women and obil:
dronw hauled and packed, and had
to remain for days and some for weeka,
almost on tho verge Of starvation. Tho
federal commander, through the bound.
loss diotetos Of his sy sympathetic hoart,
aftor destroying all that Ere and Iapine
could reaob, left tho starving thous-
ands q few rations each Of tho plundor
no had robbed Of tho planters in tho
country. s3
Distribution.
No vehicles or horses wero loft in tho
oity's limits--the bridges burned that
led across tho river to the west To
the cast, Blair's Corps was laying
waste everything in lis pathway, whilo
above and below the city, fora distance
Of 80 milcB, Sherman had swept tho
country az bare as If blight had fallon
upon 1t. How tho pecplo Of Columbia
tubsistod during tho time thcY were
pennod in tho city churches and the
few buildings loft, will cver remain a
mystery, and to mono 80 much as the
sufferers themselves.
Grains Of corn wero eagerly picked
up in Ito streets as they dropped from
the wagons, and tho women and ohil.
dron of tho lover GLASS and the negroes
fooked to tho dosortod camps TO gather
up the orumbs loft by tho soldiers or
the grains trampled under foot Of tho
horsuB.
Each house In slretoh Of SO milos
was onte1od and insults and indignitios
offered tho defercless women which
woulo have shamed tho savage Turk.
Ladies wero forced to disclose at the
point Of tho pistol or the sabre, the
hiding place of their little va.uables
Some were forood to cook meals aud
wait upon tho hell hounds, while they
regaled themsolvos upon tho CHOICE
viands or medicinal wines Of the plan
tors wives. But be it known to their
immortal honor, that it was only on
,ho most raro occasions that tho prond
danes Of the South could, eithor by
throat or brutal treatment, be forced to
yiold to their insolent demands. With
tho orders from the soldiers to ''prepare
a moal" or disclose tho whereabouts
Of their money or valuahles," came tho
threat, "Wo will burn your housoi il
you do not, But almost invariably
oamo tho quick response, Burn it
burn it, you oowardly wretohos, and
kill mo, If you wish, and all Of us, but
Twill never soil my hands by waiting
upon oowaIdly Yankee, nor tell you
the place Of noealmont-f find it If
you cam" Tho soldiers would question
the negroes to find il there were any
watches, silver plate, or money bolong
ing to tho household; if 80, they would
by a system OF iDquesition, attcmpt -
foroo the women TO give it Up, but in
vain.
A BRAyE woMAN.
A woman, Mrs. Miller, tho wife Of q
neighbor of mine, had her husbands
gold watch in hor bosom, and refused
10 give itup when demanded, even
whom cooked pistol was at her head
The yandal struck her stunning blow
with tho butt end Of tho pistol all in
vain. Tho brave heroine held to the
heirloom, and stoutly resisted ell on
.rOaties and throsts.. ,s
Two old people living near mo, broth.
,er and maiden sister, namod Lonor,
both past three SCORE, were asked to
give their money. Thoy had mono. But
ono of the rnflians threw a iro under
the bed, saying:
'I will put it out If you will tell me
whore you keep your money; you have
it, for I've been so Informed"
"Lot it burn, answered tho old wo
man "Do you think to frighton or
intimidato mo by bui ming my house
that will toll what I choose to con-
coal? Do you think / care 30 much for
my houso and it's belongir g? No,
no; you mistake the wome n Of the
South, you will never conquer her poo
pie by making war upon defenoeless
women. Lot tho house 60 up in flames,
and my ashos mingle with it's ashes,
but [ will remain true to my self, my
country Ind my God"
Soon all that was left Of tho onco
happy homo was heap Of ashes, Will
God, in His wisdom, ever have cause to
again create suoh women as those Of
the Southland2 Or were there evor cou.
ditions in the worlds history that ro.
qui1ed tho presence Of suoh noble mar
tyrdom as was displayed by the wo
men Of the South during the OWL
War?
But o Ncmosis In this case, as in
many others, was lurking noar. Bands
of ConfedorateB and scouts had. scat.
tered themselves on tho flanks and 70 ,r
Of tho onemy; old mon and boys aud
disablod veterans wero lying IN wait in
many thickets and out Of tho way
places, ready to pounce upon tho un-
suspeoting freebooters and give to them
their just deserts. Was it any wonder
that 80 many hundreds and thousands,
Of these Cloths failed to answer to Shine.
mans last roll oall2 Boforo the sun was
many hours Older, after tho burning OF
tho Loner homestead, the dreaded
"buRhwhaokers" were on tho trail Of
the vandsla.
For years afterwards people, from
curiosity, oamo 10 look at heap OF
bones in a thickot near, blcaohod by
winter Q rain and summers sun, while
some Of tho older mon, pointing to the
ghostly relios, would say, 'Those are
the romans Of 6horman,s houseburn.
ors. J" Ard suoh we're tho scenes from