The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-06-21

rcctions for his wife, asking that she
be told that he was not coming home,
aud advising her about his farm and
about the children, just as if he were
going off on Il Journey to be absent for
time
MILLER LAST REQUESTS.
He then made some requests Of
those who wele about TO shoot him.
lie asked, in the first place, that he
be not bound either hand or foot, say
ing lie was not going to run, that he
was prepared, and not afraid to die.
lie then asked that he be not blind
folded saying he wished to look into
the eyes Of those who were to shoot
him. And lastly, he begged that he
be not shot in the face. declaring that
God had given him his face, and that
in all his life he had never done any
thing of which he was ashamed. His
last wishes were respected. lie was
marched on short distance, the tir-
ing squad drawn up, the guns dis
charged as one and James Miller lay
dead, as much hero as if he had died
at the cannon $ mouth at Gettysburg,
in the charge at Snodgrass Hill at
Chickamauge, or at the bloody angle
at Spottsylvania.
Don't shoot me in the face, for
God gave me that, and in all my life
l have done nothing to be ashamed
off,"
What a sentiment, what model!
MlLLERs HUMBLE GRAVE.
At Five Forks Meth odist Church,
in Chesterfield County, on the road
from Lancaster to Chesterfield Court
House, and half way between the two,
is the little mound that marks the last
resting place of James Miller. I
have passed there few times, but
never without dismounting and going
softly with uncovered head to the spot
and recalling the manner and cause Of
his death. Chesterfield County has
produced some Of the great men of
South Carolina, but she never gave
birth to purer patriot OF more unos-
tentatiously brave man than James
Miller.
But the Federal cavalryman, for
whose killing Mr.. Miller was shot, was
not killed by Confederate or bush
whacker at all. Mr.. Gillian Sowell,
of kershsw County, owned negro
man named Ephraim, and entrusted
him to hide his horses and mules from
the enemy while Sherman's army was
passing and he was found in Lynches
Greek Swamp by soldier, who seized
them and made the negro &c With him.
After they had gone some distance
the sun came out, the first time in
quite while, the trooper said he was
very tired and sleepy and suggested
that he would lie down and take a
nap, if the negro would keep watch
for him, and arouse him if any one
approached. He was soon asleep, and
Ephraim, not relishing that manner
of appropriating his master property
proceeded to repossess it by killing
the trooper with a lightwood knot.
He carried his masters horses and
mules, as we'll as the soldiers horse,
back into the swamp, and they were
all rescued. =
Mr.. Sowell, Ephraim' owner, was
the father cf Mr.. James NJ. Sowell,
the we'll kr ,wn supervisor'of Kershaw
County.
PATH OF THE AMERICAN ATILLA.
Sherman's march from Savannah to
Raleigh, and especially through South
Carolina, was belt Of absolute desc
lation, forty miles wide, where black
ened ruins and lone ohimneys stood
as silent witnesses to show where
peace and plenty and happy homes
had been. The inherent grit and self
reliance of the Southern character
have reclaimed the desolate fields and
largely made them blossom as the
rose. The ohimneys and blackened
ruins may be forgotten by those who
are to come after US, but the heroic
death Of James Miller and of others
who perished in the spring Of 1866,
will be remembered.
VIM. D. Tranthsm.
Camden, s. c., June I, 1905.