The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-09-02


lima, the Union soldiers had much
difficulty in crossing the many rivers
and the almost impenetrable swamps.
The forces Of the enemy in advance
OF them were sufficiently large to de-
stroy roads and bridges and lay torpe-
does in the swamps. "After destroy
ing a bridge over any considerable
stream" writes Richie, "the enemy
would fortify the opposite bank and
try to prevent our laying our pom
aoons. Then we would cross above or
below them, outfank them and drive
ahem from their position. In this
way some portions of Sherman's grand
army were fighting and marching night
and day, through swamps and rivers,
III rain and mud, in sunshine and
storm, sometimes we'll fed and some
simcs with nothing to eat for days."
The feeling of the Yankees and Of
Abe people Of South Carolina toward
eac.. other seemed to be intense and
more vengeful than in any other State
through which Sherman marched.
TIE army experienced more difficulty
in securing what they needed to eat.
The citizens were more shrcwd in
securing their movable property. And
abe Union soldiers, feeling that the
State Of Calhoun had been the real
leader Of the rebellion, executed
vengeance upon them that was in many
cases actually cruel.
Eitehie speaks of some of his expert
ene"5n hunting for concealed food and
elo, hing. Gone day I was in detail
e. mad to forage for corn" he says,
''AuL had gone considerable distance
without meeting with any success.
Az length we came upon an old darky
whom we asked where he had hid his
com. Done got none, massa, was
his reply. Iplaced revolver to his
ear with the assurance that if he did
not show us the hiding place his wool
would be raised. He then said there
was some down in the swamp aud he
showed US where there was q pen 10
which had been slowed away corn,
women's dresses, cloth in tho piece.
lard, bacon, preserves and beans. We
anscrupulously appropriated all to our
own use.
Another cunning device resorted to
in the hiding Of things from the Yam
KEGS is mentioned by Ritchie. The
people would build box in the
shape of one in which a coffin is placed
for the burial Of the dead, place in it
:he clothing and valuable articles that
had been in the family for centuries
perhaps, and bury it among the graves
Of their ancestors. And at the head
OF shis grave they would erect a tenn
Dorary wooden slab, with an inscrip-
eion upon it, reciting the virtues of
she deceased buried beneath. "The
Yankee curiosity" writes Ritchie,
"went often below the surface and
was oeten we'll paid for examining the
remains" But the Yankee curiosity
@est as times have led the soldiers
astHay. We can hsrdly imagine the
feeling Of the Southern women when
aAsy beheid the desecratiou Of the
grave Of husband or son or brother by
ahe invaders Of their State.
Ritehie gives many instances of the
znth}sss destruction Of property by
ahe soldiers. 'When house or a
village was descried in the distance,
he writes, there was grand rush
and the battle cry was Every man for
aimsef.' By the time the army
passes ehere is not as much as a tea
saucer left. In many instances the
houses are burned" After this gen.
eaal description he gives few specific
Instances of cruelty that came under
his observation. "Our boys became
very unmeroifur {these are his own
Tords1 howard the dear Southern
ladies chat entertained such high opin-
Sons Of US. On one occasion I saw
shem lug out very 6ne piano and
smash it up and cook their dinner
With it, very much to the distastc Of
She high-born, aristocratic young lady
that, on former occasions. had dis
eoursed with it her favoritc airs, The
Bonnie Blue Flag and II Will Live
and Die in Dixie. ."
dn another South Carolina Mansion
there were many daguerreotypes on
the mantel in the parlor, which at.
sracted the attention Of the men.
'They began the Wholesale smashing
Of them," writes Ritchie, "when one
Of the ladies urged that one Of the
pictures in particular be spared, for it
s1nu &ba 1skooous ~ har on1y am ar