The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-06-18
ELLIOTT'S RECORD.
In War, in Congress and in Fighting
the Negro.
HIS SERVICES QUITE NOTABLE
He Is Now :: Candidate for the
United States Senate. What
= Friend Has to say
About Him.
About Him


= Friend Has to say
About Him.
The following article was published
in the Barnwell Sentinel a few weeks
ago. and is published at the request
of Col. Elliott's friends:
Among the candidates for the Uni
ted States senate there is no one who
has such high claims upon the State
as Col. William Elliott. His career
began with the war, and he was never
absent but once from his post, and
then because incapacitated from duty.
In 1884 he was chosen as the Dem
ocratic candidate for congress in the
"Black District to redeem the lower
section of the State from negro rule.
and after IS years of constant lighting
he has redeemed it. During his SER
vice in congress he has fought perSls-
tently to get for his district and State
q fair share of public appropriations.
and the money he has brought to his
district from the national treasury
amounts to many millions OF dollars:
and all of it for purposes most bene-
ticial to the people.
HIS WAR RECORD.
Immediately upon the secession Of
South Carolina he was appointed upon
the staff of Gov. Pickcns. and served
actively for several months fortl1ylng
the coast Of the State. In the at
tack on Fort Sumter in April, 1861.
he served with the Palmetto Guard IN
the Iron Clad battery on Morris IS
land. and with them occupied Fort
Sumter on the night of its surrender.
Immediately afterwards Col. Elliott
Joined Kershaw:s regiment in Nlr-
ginia, as first lieutenant of the BROOKS
Guards of Charleston, and took part
in the first battle of Manassas, the
campaign on the peninsula and all
the other service of that splendid reg
iment during the first year OF the
war. In 1862 with the Brooks artll-
lery or Rhett's battery. and with it be
went through the seven days, light,
second Manassas, SharpSburg and the
first battle of Fredericksburg.
He was promoted captain and order
ed to Vicksburg as assistant adjutant
general to Gen. Stephen D. Lee OF
South Carolina; participated in the
Vicksburg campaign, in the battle
of Bakers creek, in which his horse
was killed, and in the 43 days siege
of Vicksburg was specially assigned
as artillery officer to dislodge the en-.
emy by hand grenades, improvisec
from artillery shells. from the
ditch of a fort which had been cap
tured during Gen. Grants assault or
our lines on the 22d of May; wa!
promoted major for gallantry; was as
sistant adjutant general Of the depart
ment of Alabama, Mississippi ant
east Louisiana: took part in the bat
, tie of Harrisburg, Miss: was trans
| ferred to the army Of Atlanta and wa
present in the battles Of 2Sth Jul,
and Jonesboro, went with Hood int
Tennessee and was in the fight a
, Florence. Ala, and the battles o
, Franklin and Nashville. On the da,
: after the battle Of Nashville h
| fought with the rear guard a
. Franklin and the other desperat
) lighting of that terrible day, includ
ing a hand-to-hand encounter will
the enemy's cavalry: was transferret
to North Carolina and was in the bat
ties of kinston and Bentonville, il
which latter he was severely wounded
This is a record which speaks for it
self.
FIGHTING TIE NEGRO.
From 1876 to 1884 Col. Elliott wa
county chairman of Beaufort county
In 1884 it became necessary to max
a fight in the Seventh congressional
!. district against the negroes, but wa
defeated. IN 1886 he was again op
posed in the election Robert Smalls
and Col. Elliott was elected. Riotln;
, occurred constantly in the election
, and the precinct managers at Hilto
Head and St. Helena were mobbed b
, the negroes, who had become mos
insolent. Smalls contested the cleo
tion. This meant that testimony a
TO the fairness of the election had t.
be taken during three months in ever
county of the district at the sam
, time. Then printed arguments, com
piled from the 1000 or more prlnte
, pages of testimony, had to be lille
+ with the committee on elections. thel
argued before them, and tindll
: fought out on the floor Of the house
+ Col. Elliott won the contest.
, Then Tom Miller opposed him an
! Col. Elliot was elected only to har
. another contested election before th
; house of representatives. In lSS
+ Tom Miller again fought him and !
the contest Miller was seated. /
:, 1890 Col. Elliott was elected and wo
the contest, but was not candldat
in 1892, when Murray was elected.
But the negro success was SNORT
o In 1894 Col. Elliott was elected, an
p had a contested election again. Mul
q ray was seated and given $4,000 b
! Reeds congress, which he used in IN
!, approaching compaign. But Col. F.
f lott was once more elected, and force
a Republican house to recognize tn
{ fairness and business Of his election
Nn
and again contested the seat in cor
+ gress.
h In 1900 a negro named Beckett wa
the Republican candidate and, afte
! bringing a contest. abandoned 1t.
. Thus. after. is years Of relentless
! laborious and expensive fighting, Co
o Elliott reclaimed the district con
). posed of the coast counties from NJ
=, GRO rule, and now has an unc0nteSte