The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-06-02


clafes mat There ID no Good Au.
shority fov the story OF Marion's
Sweet Potato Dinner.
10 the Editor of The News and
Courier: Az keep the record
straieht'' ID one OF the principal bat
tls cries Of The News and Courier.
win quote your sioGan on you. In
yeur editorial OF wednesday (for the
complimentary references therein
contained regarding myself take this
occasion TO thank your you suggest
HthAt have been "unnecsssarily annoy
~ ~ the criticisms which have been
simsd as" me by the various writ
(n and poetasters In recent num-
lsrs'' Of The News AID Courier. AZ
I wrote my reply to those critics who
Lad their fines previously to last SUM-
day. I aid not answer the shots from
tdrs. Rsbecca Notes bow and arrows
which Mr.. George 8. Holmes deliver
"a last Sunday. the Cooslerian verses
with which "a. T." overwhelmed me
'ruesdsy and the dreams OF action
thicn Mr.. J. q Hartseli. OF cheraw.
eercastieally waited at me wednes-
day.
That Mr.. Holmes did not fully un-
Dc rstand the point I made In my let
ter published Maya Is attested by the
fact that ne has tried to correct me
on . phoss OF the Motto incident that
did not discuss therein. The same
charge n applicable to "A. e." That
sfr. Holmes memory Is not so good al
rssalnfng conversations on historical
subjects ~ at retaining spring poetry
nnd Latin maxims. ID shown by sew
eral evidences. Mrs. Motto was moi
tue grandmother of the late Rev.
Charles cotssworth Pinckney, but the
grsat-srandmother and she could not
havs "often told him of the settina
ere Of her house with arrows shot
from bow furnished by herself" be-
Osnse, according to the mural tablet
In 0rsce Church 70 DR.. Pinckney. he
was born July 81. ts12. and. accord
i7g to that which formerly stood m
- Phiiip's to- Mrs. Motto (see Dali
cho's Church History.) she died jan
vary 10. 1915. " submit that boy Of
tVo years. nvs months and ten days,
h0wsvsr prscocious he might be.
c<old hardly carry on many animated
tcovefpations on historical matters.
mt why depend upon recollection
4 a oonversation that necessarily
pok place over ten years aso2 Dr.
I'inckney has left In print in his own
.seok hi vsrsion Of the Incident OF
M Motto and the arrows. It ac-
eor6o PERFECTLY with everything that
! have written or spoken Pn the sub
len. believe Il to be substantially
correct; therefore repeat that with
an Of the evidence TO show that Mrs.
Motts's house was not burned, Y ID
vltiating history TO engrave . picture
tnat tells the world that tho house was
burned. Here n what DIR. Pinckncy
said on page 81 OF his Life Of Gen.
Thomas Pinckney."
'T,sluctantly they informed Mrs
Motto OF the necessity Of destroying
her home. Her patriotism was equal
10 the emergency. She not only gave
cordial consent to the sacrifice. but
furnished the means Of erecting It
She had with her CULVER Of East In
disn arrows which ignited on percus.
sion Armed with these novel weap-
ons. the two commanders returned to
their work. The arrows were fred
from q rife. and set the roof on fire
The garrison endeavored TO put out
the names. but the American rifiemer
picked OF every man who ventured or
the roof. The powder magazine was
under the house. and as the fire was
saining way. there was no alternative
Lut destruction or surrender.
The white flag was hung out; the
v.ctors rushed in and united with the
sarrison IN the grateful task OF savins
tae house. But history has done JUS
tee 90 Mrs. Notes generous purpose
ad accorded TO the intentional sacri.
flce the full credit of an accomplished
fact"
To Mr.. Hartzell let me say in the
lsindiiest spirit that he Is altogether
mistaken. Gen. Peter Horny did not
write the so-called life OF Marion
wherein Mr.. Hartzell read the swee,
potato story. Let me quote the little
page TO the first edition OF that lit
rary curiosity: