The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-11
A Few Recollections of Events That
Occurred During the Civil War
and Some Parts Borne by
The Women.

"cI"cen the states, vet some, or,
most OF the scenes are so indcllbly
impressed upon my memory, that T
avail myself of the privilege of dot
ting down few scattered rcmnis-
ccnccs of that cruel war.
In 1850 when South Carolina was in
blaze for secession the excitement
and enthusiasm Of the men were great,
but that Of the women knew no
bounds. Like Spartan mothers, sis
ters and wives. they urged the men
to volunteer to defend our native state
and went to work lcroically to do
everything" they could to aid the
cause. Ivy maxim" and presenting
na"> t" tn" companies. and later on.
forming" Soldiers Md societies. and
WHEN II became necessary. knitting
socks. maxim" uniforms. etc.. and
Srndln% boxes Of nice rdiblc> such aS
were not provided by the government.
Will" tn" battles were raging. we
w"r" often clatcd by the iclc"rams
that the victory was ours. then again
w"uld come the depressing news that
our army had h"rn defeated. bnt
nothing" ha,utrd tn" courage Of the
women. they worked on aS faithful
~ ~ ever. l""kiu4 after the business
affairs of husbands and brothers.
" hen our government began t. find
il difficult 10 purchase iron for Yun-
boats. treat many "i our women
pledged their private jewels to aid in
pr"crjin" it.
Nearly all of the cloth worn in the
South was spun and woven at home.
mostly by c"l"rcd women and some Of
the white women too. 1t WAS woven
int" jeans for men and boys. and
cloth of every description used for
all purposes. Some "f tn" ladies'
dress goods were very pretty They
w"r" mad" up pr"t;ily and ''worn
with much grace.
~ the early part Of $50. when tn"
clouds beam t." hover over ",lr p"li,i-
cal horizon. Il few prr~"n~ br~nn to-
faltcr in their hopes for til" success
Of our rauS". hnl a lar"" majority be-
llcvin- IN lis Iu~lirc. and tru>lin. thar
18th" race was not I" tn" swift. nor
the ha,tl" t" the >tr"n~. still held to
their faith that victory /" u> would
be achieved in the end. until Sherman
started his march through our dear
old ~oatr
.\> was Not in the Immediate
y y.
messed tn" burning. If h"mrS in New
berry and Fairfield counties. dis
linclly saw thirteen residences. GIN
houses and stores ON fire at one time.
and only from one to tiv" miles dis
tanl. and when night came on. tho
whole heavens wrr" illuminated with
the GLOW from the burning Of the city
of Columbia and NSi"n bridge. The
Siyhl WAS awtullv sublime.
\ portion Of Shrman : army NOV
cl MP Broad river until ii reached
l.arhiM = Ferry. ,it hav" been right
~ ini'"rmrdl ami "Mr win. crossed
over "n the l.rNiN"lrn sid" ri!la"iM~
and hurnin" rv"ry,hiM" in lis reach
They came up "n the Nrwhrrry side
rs far a> Mr.. Jabrz Lake only, but
the other part continued their rava-
nr~ on the Fairfield side whrr" their
conduct was Wnr>r than ever.
One Of tine >ullr~l cases that came
m,lrr my "h>crvAli"n was that IF Gel.
Al>,"n. Il tine old gentleman wh" liv-
cd i'm the lower part "t' Fairfield. He
WAS II member "t the Srrr>~irn Con-
vrn,i"n. II fact that caU>rd him /" he
"nr Of the rMrlnv'> targets nf ven
"raMrr. iiu"Win" that. lhrrr was
nuthinM left for him IT, do. but escape
fur his life. So when he saw them com
in" he left his house. went ont through
his back premises int" an orchard.
where he took leave Of his wife and
tw" little children. Phillip and JOS
cph. and mounted an old family horse
without even Il saddle and made his
escape. not knuwin" what would be
the fate of his family. He was
scarcely ont "i >i"ht when the whole
ward and house was nvcrrm with tho
demons demanding of Mrs. Al>t"n ~"
whereabouts of her husband After
setting fire /" their handsome stone
residence. burning the Gin house. cot
ton. in fact. stealing all valablcS.
they took the oldest little boy and
carried him to their camp. holding
him as hostage for his father. I'm