The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1902-04-25

son y army SWas & rtsstng tho Cape Ieenrl
rlyer a Hleslyettoyil lle, N 0fth8 lnrolina. |
'Eho infantry, artillery aud 81 wagon
trains had nearly affected u crossing,
while thegcayalry we're across, Sher-
mans forces In parrellel columns were
presslngEup # ten. hampton W;ls near
the hotel III the town when one OF his
bestsconts, Iingh Scott by name, gtl,
lOped up and told him that the cllemy
were close by In the parrellel streets,
u company of them having come
through II byro;At that had not been
.plckctcd, and that more were bchind
.thcm. Tho situation was critical. III
tho enemy succeeded In wcdging iii be-
tween the retreating army and It's
cavalry, tile rear guard Ii would
entail disaster. Tho cavalry would
thus bo cut oif from covering the re-
trcat and the bridge across the river
which it was essential to burn after
the crossing was completed, il left In
TACT would aifOrd the Nedcrals the
opportunity Of swift pursuit. Not u
moment was to be lost. Tho cavalry
leader must bo able to both think and
act with the rnpidity Of d flash of
this occasion. IS lie realized thnt an
ounce Of prevention is worth q pound
or cure In war as wcll as in disease and
that one mans services In the nick Of
time may be more valuable than that
Of q thousand q fcw minutes later. So
calling to tho scout and two members
Of his STAFF to follow him and picking
up three priyatcs from Company Il,
Fourth S. CO. Charleston Light
Drag0ons) Nand aIso one man said To
be from Whcelcr's command Y the
general dashed around tho corner and
gave the order Charge Ills seven
followers thcrc were no Others In the
charge obcycd with alacrity and all,
the general leading dung themselves
upon the Fcdcrals, who were drawn5up
In tho street. These fired u volcy
with their carbncs but BY that time
the Confcdcratcs had struck them and
confused by the suddcnncss Of the at
attack, the fierce assaults and the
powder smoke they did not reallze tho
small number OF their assailantS SO
they tried to wheel about 10 run, but
among them were pistol balls at
close quarters, and the hack and thrust
or sabrcs. Less than q hundred yards
down the street was Il turn at right
angles to the left into the byroad BY
which they had entered the town and
by which they were cndcavoring now
to escape. Hero they became jnmmcl
togcthcrln confuson all organization
lost and their pursucrs cut and thrust
like devils incarnatc, rs the fugatvcs
probably thought. eleven fcdcralS
were killed and IL captured and the
rest, many Of them wounded, fed in
wild panic carrying CONSERVATION to
their friends with excited tales Of hun
drcds Of men In bucliram, as The best
will do In such circumstances. The
only Confederate casualty was The KILL
inE Nf q fine mare. Thus Was the cross
inElof tho river secured Ia the Con-
'fcdcratcs. Hampton had graspcd the
situation and solved the problem.
After the close Of the war Gen.
Hampton resumed Ills Gotton planting
operations but was not generally sue
ccsSfnl. lie spent q good portion Of
bis time looking aftcr his Mississippi
plantation and this gave rise to the
charge, made by his political enemies
some years later, that he was an alien.
Just here IL may be well To tell how.
itWas that Gen. IIamptom camc to
head the movements that led to the re-
dcmpti0n Of South Carolina from liadi-.
cal}rule.s is # 81 3ss$ is
h In December. 1876, he came To tie
distinguished South Carollnian who
was at the head OF the white incipicnt
organizations, lie was then on his way
to Mississippi. lie asked what was
going 10 be done and aSkcd specifically
could the people of the State be arous-
cd To do anything. lie was answered
yes that they had determined TO
made 4 straightout tigll. aud win or
die. lie said, Tint Is tlc only hope
for tho State He was then asked
IF wc nominate sou Will you lead
tic tight?' 'On TINT PLATFORM lie
answered, II will make (hc fight to
finish, not FOR the olicc but for the
principle" Gen. Hampton went on
to his Mississippi plantation and In
tho meantime Col lIoyt's paper in
the up-country and Il few Others began
to help the white leaders. Ihc State
convention was called for May, but
Chanlbcrlains fuSionists were so
strong that all that could bc done vas
TO adjourn Tie convention without &C
tion. The fusionsts cOntcndcd IN
that convention that Hampton was n
Gen. Hampton came back
To south Carolina in Juno and wcntt To
his home IN The Sandhills. when he
got back he was in had health and It
looked as II there was but little hope
FOR the State. lie was sent To The
mountains togct his health back again
and the convention WAS postponed un-
III August. Early In luly he went to
Walhalla and or IN the mountains.
early IN August 4 letter was sent him
urging him 80 come to Columbia and
be present In person at the convention.
ilo was Off IN tho mountains hunting
but he got here the night before the
and the next day was on
the floor. After Il hard fight his nom.
lnatlon was won and then men who
had been lighting the white leaders
all day came over that night, while
ont huSioSp, ,rn On inI i,,s f,nIpn,I,to