The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-06-21
DRAWING LOTS TO DIE.

DRAWING LOTS TO DIE.
O2e or more OF the participants said
it came as great surprise to all who
were made to cast lots, and one Of
them declared that he never before or
after found it such task to stretch
forth his right haad to draw little
piece Of paper out OF a hat. James
Miller drew the fatal lot. he '~as a
man between forty-fve and fifty years
OF age and had been captured Gay or
two before some distance west Of Che
raw, while on bis way home on fur.
Tough from Florence, S. c., where be
had been engaged in guarding prison
erS. he protested that, while he sym
pathized with his State in her strug-
gle. and had given OF bis means for
the support Of the Cause, he was over
age for active service, and had not fir
ed gun in the war. But be was told
that the order was imperative. He beg
ged to be allowed to communicate with
his wife and children, but this privi-
lege was denied him. he then asked
to confer with such OF his neighbors
and friends as were captives with him
sell. To those he gave directions for
his wife, asking that she be told he
was not coming home, and advising
her about his farm and about the chill
dren, just as if be we're going cff on a
journey to be absent for time.
MILLER'S LAST REQUESTS.
He then made some requests OF those
who were about to shoot him. He
asked, in the first place, that be be not
bound either hand or foot, saying be
was lot goirg to run, that be was pre-
pared, and not afraid to die. He then
asked that he be not blindfolded, say
ing 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 anything Of
which he was ashamed. His last wish.
es were respected. He was marched
off short distance, the firing squad
drawn up, the guns discharged as one
and James Miller lay dead, as much
hero as if he had died at the cannon's
mouth at Gettysburg, in the charge
up Snodgress Hill at Chickamauga, o.
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
Of"
What a sentiment, what model!
M1LLEE's HUMBLE GRAVE.
At Five Forks Methodist 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. l havt
passed there few times, but never
without dismounting and going softly
with uncovered head to the spot and
recalling the manner and cause OF bis
death. Chesterfield County has pro
duced some Of the great men OF Soutf
Carolina, but she never gave birth to g
purer patriot or more unoStenta tiouSly
brave man than James Miller.
HOW A NEGRO SERVED HIS MASTER.
But the Federal caValryman. fol
whose killing Mr.. Miller was shot, wa:
not killed by Confederate or 3ush
Whacker at all. Mr.. Gillian Sowell, ot
Kershaw County, owned q negro mar
named E2hraim, and entrusted him tt
hide his horses and mules from the en-
emy while Sherman's army was pass
ing and he was found 10 Lynche;
Creek Swamp by soldier, who seizet
them and made the negro go with him
After they had gone some distance th'