The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-09-27

received mortal wound in the thigh,
even after the surrender of Lee, and
had been left near Fayetteville, n.
e. in the hands Of strangers. de-
termlned to 60 at once 70 North Caro-
lima IN search of my lost brother,
hoping that might fud him still
living aud that l might administer
to his comfort and eventually bring
him home To delight the sorrow SC ar
red household With his presence.
The problem Of how l shou.d reach
Fayetteville at once suggested itself.
This wss distance Of 800 to 400
miles and through a country which
had been so recently devastated BY
the trebrand march of Sherman's
terrible army, leaving nothing but
destruction and ruin on every hand
Railroads and their trestles had been
demolished; wagon bridges had been
burned, along with nearly all of the
farm houses. Provisions for man. as
we'll as food for beast, could not be
had along this route for love or
money. And had it been possible to
purchase transportation or food, there
was not to be had the money with
which to buy it, so utterly depleted
were our resources, as we'll as those Of
our neighbors The entire Southern
country was L. the utmost confusion.
and marauding bands of raiders, rob-
bers and foragers were still busy
looting every farm house and robbins
every wayfarer.
| But Notwithstanding ell these
things, the thought of my broth er
lying there somewhere, wounded an
among strangera, nerved me to make
the journey or to die in the attempt.
Upon this resolution set out on the
following day, driving an old gray
mare to time.used, rafting old
buggy, from near what is now Seneca a
City, s. G., on my way into strange
country, under difficulties more trying
and disoouraging than anything
which had confronted me during
all the years Of battle ~hioh had
passed. Before leaving home, six
dollars and fifteen cents in silver.
representing oil the current money
that could be gathered togethe er
throughout the neighborhood, was
stitched inside Of my coat collar and
the waist band Of my trousers with
the exception Of few small pieces
which had been left in my pockets to
delude would-be robbers.
I experienced no extraordinary
trouble until I reached the Tiger
River, South Carolina, on the road to
Chester. The streams were much
sWollen from :he recent heavy rains,
and not, q bridge spanned the water
courses. But the old gray mare, as
we'll as her driver, was good swim !
mer, and the latter had learned we'll
IN the army the art Of swimming horse
through streams both turbulent and
pacific. So, when the dangerous
Tiger River was reached; I guided the
old mare in and well up the sire am
before striking the main current,
although the swift water was even
there more than ls inches over the
sest of the buggy. After heroic
struggle with the current, the old
mare reached . aat landing on the op.
| posite side OF the river, where few
citizens of the neighborhood greeted
me with cheers; and one man declared
that he would not have taken the
rick for the best plantation on Tiger
River. But such risks are not con-
adhered when one is going to help q
wounded, perhaps dying, brother. e
felt within me the rigid determination
TO overcome any and every obstacle
that oame in my way. ts
When near Chester the fsithfpl old
gray mare was forced to give mp The
trip, being no longer able to draw che;
buggy after her. Sc 7 lett me- With.
q good farmer, and set out upon the.
rest Of my journey afoot. When near;
the town limits Of Chester I came
upon o very suspicious, looking eom-
pany Of men who were husiiy engaged
in loading their guns. They eyed me.
u closely and their scrutiny vasnot very;
i comfortable TO me. Whether this
4 mixed company consisted Of friends
i or enemies had no means of kaoWing
/ nor did 4 stop to enquire, rather
choosing TO take chsnoes on 5develop.
mentss Bnt I was not long kept IN
\. doubt as 10 the nature Of the gather.
4 ing. I HaYing entered the towE and
reached i position Just ID front d! the
door az what ya3 then know ~ na fhs