The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1909-02-03
lin POT ALLEY WAR
hd'tor wallace of Newbcrry Observe
Writes OF His Escapade in 1870
Outrlyals Roosevelt or Miles,

with flaming headlines, evidently
thinking the fcat was most wonder
iul, that President Roosevelt recent
~ rode ninety miles on horseback in
one day, between $3.50 in the morning
ana $40 in the evening. And Gen
Nelson a. Miles, retired, the noted
lhdlan tighter, and prosecutor of the
lale President Jefferson Davis, Just
returned from Europe, declares that
nc once rode on horseback ninety
miles in nine hours, and threatens to
40 1t again if anybody doubt his word
Roosevelt used Il relay of four horses
IN his ride; Miles does not say how
many he uScd--probably half q dozen
me fresh horses at intervals in the
ride very materially refreshed and
rested the rider.
can tell of ride that, in some re-
spects, especially III tho manner Of
foolhardiness and physical endur-
ance, surpassed both the above-men-
TONED feats. 1t took place a good
many years ago but did not get into
the papers. In fact. the partici-
pants were not anxious for public at
tention just at that time. for il the
ride had got into the papers they
might have got into Jail
1t was on tho 29th day OF Octo-
ber 1870. Two young men from
i.aurenS county, who had been mixed
up With the "kukluycS" more or less
during thGIr summer vacation. Wcre
at Wo1lord college, when news came
OF the war in Tin Pot Alley" in the
town OF LaurenS. The news was
vague, but OF the most sensational
character, and alarming reports soon
spread among the students from that
county. They were aegcr TO go TO
the assistance of their fellow citz.
ems, who were supposed TO be at the
mercy of the negroes.
Spartanburg was then only a one
horse town. with little provision in
The way of livery. After persistent
efforts, David c. Humhert from
"Tumbling Shoals" and another stu
dent from Belfast" succeeded in hir-
ing two beaSts-one a horse, the
other a mule. The horse, which
they named "Rosinanto." was about
as graceful! ana as feet as q giraffe
and was built after the same general
style of architecture with gait
called a rack" that threatened tc
shake his rider 10 pieces. The mule
called 'H&laam' was small and tough
and phenomenally lazy Nothing
would make him 20 out of n slow
walk except a long hickory switch
that could reach clear under his
belly and come up on the other side:
and numbers Of that kind were worn
out on the trip. The horse was
only little less lazy, but could make
longer strides and more speed
The boys left Spartanburg about 10
o'clock at night. without leave OF
the faculty. taking care not to ask it.
for they knew it would be refused
Such a ride on such beasts may be
family imagined. but can never be de-
scribcd. The riders changed horses
several times; not from tired to fresh
ones, as did Roosevelt and Miles;
they only changed from horse to
mule and then back again, whenever
tn" right arm Of the rider OF "Baaam"
had given ont and when "ROsinantc'S"
ride could stand the 'racking" and
the wracking no longer. And SO
the thirty seven miles were made.
Tie young warriors rode into the
town OF Laurens-d the long
Watts hill, across Little river, up by
the cemetery, on to the public square.
not knowing what danger they We're
about to face. There was an omin-
Gus Silcncc--lilic the silence that pre-
codes the storm. The sun was Just
rising.
Not a drum was heard. nor n fun
cral note"
''illl-N NlStScu NdI lIuu SIlOOlneu
his wrinlilcd front. The carnage OF
battle that had waNcd so hotly the
evening before had ceased. The
fighters had gone. over on the long
hill that leads out Of town ON the
east side lay two or three dead mig
gers" Down by the Milam's branch.
three miles further on, lay the dead
body Of Probate Judge Powell, the
only white man killed. There were
other casualties; not many, for when
Inc whites opened on the armed no
gror5 I'm Tin Pot Alley in such un
expected number ana so much yiRoT
of shot guns and rifles and pistols the
negroes and their few white allies
the radicals" and "scalawags" Of
that day, who led them into trouble
made prccipitate retreat and fed
in terror for safety.
The disappointed studenta--d disap-
pointed bccauEc they had not arrived
in tim" to take part in the fray rode
OH a mile through town to a friends
house. ate breakfast and fed their
beasts In an hour after arriving
they had rcmUuntcd. with faces turn
ed towards Spartanburg and the col
lcgC; no longer apprchensivc about
"l'uclc Sam" and his minions but
fearing if their CSCapade now seeming
10 them, so very fiat and unheroiC
should come to the ears Of the Pres
idcnt they might be ANONYMOUSLY
Shipped" They arrived in Spart-
anburg somewhere about dinner; at
least IT must have been not far from
that for the two most prominent
features that stand out in the rccol-
lection Of the ride are the breakfast
at one end and the dinner at the
other.
The would-De warriors paid a dol
lar and n half apiece for the beasts;
which was certainly high enough,