The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-03-05

General Sherman occupied Atlanta
September 2, 1864, but there was never
ceasing efforts to cut off supplies from
General Hoods army. When the
Federal force finally cut off the sup
plies at Jonesboro the city Of Atlanta
could not be defended. In July, 1864,
General Stoneman, with large cavalry
force, started out to capture Macon.
At that time we were living in four
miles of Macon, not far from the
wagon road leading to Clinton, Jones
county.
The house was unfinished, had no
ceiling or plastering and not pane Of
glass in the four rooms and hall. We
had rough shutters as big as doors,
and during the hot weather these
shutters were kept partly open because
we could not sleep or rest in comfort
in any other way. No matter how
uneasy we might be, or how insecure
we felt ourselves, our sleeping room
was kept open for fresh air.
There were rumors-grapevine re-
ports-every day, but we heard SO
much that was untrue that we ended
by believing very little that we heard.
We visited our ncighbors and they
visited US, went to church when we
could and read the newspapers, every
one that we could reach, and tried to
possess our souls in patience.
On a hot afternoon late in the month
of July we sent colorcd servant wo-
man to the city postofficc where we
received our mail. She had various
""G laintances in Macon, and was de-
seAicd TO 90 always. A number Of
our ncighbors dropped in to spend the
afternoon, and we had been very Jolly.
considering tho times we lived in, less
than hundred miles from the head
quarters of General Sherman's army,
and with the land full Of stragglcrs,
spies and army rig.raff of all sorts.
Much earlier than usual the colored
woman returned with the letters and
papers, and was suffering with excess
OF excitement. II met a soldier on
the bridge as was comm out, an he
sid the Yankees was comma per-
feet army comm to Macon. He sent
word to hide your money and send
your horses to the oanebrake. They
will shore be here tonight" were her
first words. We laughed at her, told
her it was somebody who was April
fooling her, for the newspapers just
brought in said everything was quiet
and getting along nicely.
"Go out and rest yourself and don't
allow teasing folks to run you out Of
your wits anymore" and she begun
to believe she had been made jest Of
by the soldier on tbe bridge after We
all assured her of the mistake of the
soldier and the folly of alarm.
Our visitors stayed until the "cool
of the evening" and the reported
Yankee raid gave US no concern at all.
To look back at that period of our
history it is impossible to understand
how easily we could be gulled by our
own wishes in matters of that sort.
1t was the most probable thing in the
world to expect cavalry raids under
the circumstances, but We pooh-pooh-
ed the idea out Of our own minds and
went to bed as usual with the window
shutters held apart by stick and
fastened with a cotton string for pur-
poses of ventilation, as stated.
1t was night of swcltering heat,
as it frequently happened at that time
OF the year. We tossed about, famed
the children and slept "cat maps"
until just before day when l went to
sleep soundly. Isuppose was awak-
ened by some one rushing through the
house crying "Yankeesl Yankees!"
A negro boy gave the alarm.
DR.. FELTON, had slept poorly also and
was getting breath of fresh air on
the front door steps. I sprang out of
bed and donncd q wrapper just in time
to hear colloquy between he and
Federal cavalryman, who asked the
nearest road to Macon BY the time
L could peep through the half opened
shutter the woods in front of the
dwelling were literally working with
blue coats mounted on horses.
The clatter of countless cantecns
and sabres is fresh in memory up to
, date.
Sure enough the Yankees did como
on US that night, had turned our COWS
and sheep out Of the big inclosurc
nearby and had loosensd saddles and