The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-03-08


War, and that is the terrible fratrical
strife that was waged bet Tcen the
people Of the North and South from
1861 to 1863.
The events and incidents which are
hereinafter Sc, forth are true, and
therefore for reasons of n modest and
delicate nature the names Of the real
persons in interest are not used, only
their initials being given--wlth one
exception, and that is the name of the
young Federal captain. lnasmuch as
he knows nothing Of my purpose to
write this article there can be no i'm
propricty in the use Of his name.
And moreover, l desire that his name
be given to the world that he may
receive the honor which his gentle
deeds Of courtesy merit.
Is it true that, "Therc is Divinity
that shapes our ends, Rough hew
them how we will" although we may
not always be able to fathom the pur-
pose Of this Divinity? 1t would be
difficult to conjecture what special
object this ruling power had in view
in shaping the destinics Of the people
who appear in this story. Ncverthe-
less, it must be true that there was a
purpose, for it is incomprchensible
that the lines Of the lives Of the
dramats personae, herein, should
cross and rccross SO often, and at such
long intervals of time through the in
fuence Of blind chance.
In the last days Of January, or the
first days Of February, 1868, the vic
torious army Of Gen. w. T. Sherman,
having accomplished its fea. Of
Marching through Georgia" crossed
over the Savannah River into South
Carolina and took its destroying way
toward Columbia, the doomed Capitol
city of the Palmetto State, which the
people Of the North then, in bitter
ness, denominated the "Hotbed of
Secession A brigade Of this Grand
Army of Invasion. found in the way
ef its march the quiet little village Of
Barnwell, which was the seat of Gov
asamen. Of The County, as we'll, in
middle South Carolina.
1t was.a peaceful hamlet, inhabited
at that time almost exclusively by
noneombatantB, consisting Of old men,
women, children and slaves. On the
outskirts Of the village was the resi-
denoe Of Col. A., man prominent in
the eounsels Of the Government of che
State and high in the confidence Of the
people. The house was typical old
Southern home, belonging to NO
especial school Of architecture, aud
made up OF the main body, and nu.
merous additions, which ifthey did not
contribute anything to the symmetry
Of the building,ss added much to its
comfort and .home-like atvraotiveness
The large white columns, which sup.
ported the piazza, the indispensable
adjunct to every Southern house,
gave it an imposing appearance. just
in front Of the house stood three large
oak trees, whose boushs gave crate.
sful shade TO the occupants Of the
piazza. Those trees gave to the place
it's name, ''The Oaks" name sy.-
/, onymous throughout the State, with
refined hospitality and intellectual
culture. The mansion, with it's ap-
partenances Of slaves quarters, barns,
stables and other outhouses, stood
back more than quarter Of mile
from the main public highway 10 Ak
en-, and an avenue Of beautiful water
oaks lined the driveway from this
highway to the house. In the spa
cious lawn in front Of the house, Gen.
Hunter, commanding . brigade Of the
Federal Army, fixed his headquarters,
and his troops found excellent camp
ing grounds in the lovely woods and
spreading fields Of the estate.
There are vandals in every army. 1t
seems to be an incident OF the organi-
cation Of armies mat wicked and bru-
tai men must fern !. part Of the force.
But We people Of the South, and es-
pecially of South Carolina, may we'll
be pardoned if We believe that there
were more men of this bad character
50 sherman'a Army, which invaded
the South, than have been gathered to-
I gether in one body since their proto-
types overrany and sacked Rome. That
they bad a total disregrrd of the rules
of civilized swarfare, and that they
persecuted, insuited and robbed de-
Yenoaless women and children, and
Futhlessly and wantonly destroyed
private property is no longer matter