The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-24
Sherman at Camden.


the cadets on the ground that II I
was TO be in actual service anyway
he preferred me to be with or near
him I'm Virginia. 1 got my discharge
and went home. where i was to re-
main until the expected spring cam
paign should open in Virginia. Sher-
man. meantime. had begun his cele-
brated march from Savannah. and
about the middle OF February Char
lesion was evacuated and the troops
from all along the South Carolina
coast took up their march to Che
raw. Sherman reached the vicinity
OF Columbia about the same time.
The enrolment officer at Camden or
ganlzed n scouting party. consisting
OF rren at home on furlough, with the
object In view OF notifying the people
OF Camden OF the approach Of Sher-
man. / Joined this little party, hav-
ing secured a horse. and for several
and Camden. until Columbia was
burned and Sherman's army made a
detour northward. crossing the Water
90 River near Liberty Hill and COM
Ing southeasterly from that point to
Camden. On the day he entered
Camden two OF US had been sent
across the river to scout there, while
the others proceeded northward. My
friend and 1 went to his plantation,
ate a good dinner. and about three
O'Clock set out for Camden, having
seen no signs of an enemy. On a
hill near the river bridge, when
picket had been stationed as we passed
that morning. we noticed a canteen
hung on fence post, and supposing
Il had been accidently left, we took 1t
In charge. intending TO restore 1t TO
the owner. When we got to the
bridgekeeper's house it was empty.
The Home Guards had left.
We thought this was suspicious, but
pressed on across the long bridge un-
til we were on the side nearest the
town. Here we met caravan of
wagons and buggies going post-haste
towards Colurnoia, and as they passed
q man sang out; YOU had better
hurry up: Camden Is full of Kill
patrick's cavalry" We put spurs to
our horses and galloped into town,
passing we drew rein. having noticed
a big blue column of cavalry coming
down over the hill rear the "Lafay-
ette Hall, ESQ called because the
Marquis de Lafayette had been en-
tertained there when he came to
Camden in 1924 to lay the corner
stone OF the monument erected to
Baron De Kalb. who was killed at the
battle OF Hobkirk Hill during the
Revolution.) Between them and us
we saw two men dash hurriedly out
OF an allway and ride rapidly down
the street. At first we did not recog-
ntze them. but as they drew nearer
we saw that they belonged to the
party Of scouts that had ridden north
ward that morning TO spy out the
land. II seems that after going some
distance they had run into a crowd
OF the "bummers" that preceded and
Followed Sherman's army. and had
captured several OF them. These two
men OF whom am speaking were de-
tailed to take these prisoners to town
and put them In a place of safe keep
ing. This they had done, and were
riding back 20 rejoin their party,
when one proposed to the other that
they should stop at certain saloon
and get something TO drink. They
rode TO the side door-the front being
ciosed-dismounted entered, ordered
drinks, and were i'm the act Of
smiling" at one another when a col
ored man, whose trade was that of
tailor and who afterwards became a
State Legislator dashed in. shouting:
Run. Marse Tom! Run. Marse Will
liam! The Yankees is comm, >" They
emptied their glasses and. vaulting
Into their saddles, rode from the alley
into the street saw the boys in blue
coming over the hill as we had, and
came dying down the street in our di-
rection.
Some Of the cavalry unslung their
carbines and opened fire. the bullets
whistling round our heads and cut
ting up the dust in the street. One Of
our friends was riding an immense
dark bay horse that was very fast,
while the other rode a clay-colored
mare that was broken winded. He
was soon distanced. but we could hear
him saying In beseeching tones: "Tom
don't leave me" and the response OF