The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-20
NJ THE REV JOHN KERsuAw.

n THE REV JOHN KERsHAw.
IT wac now drawing on towards the
close OF January. 1855. Father had
tho cadets on the ground that IL
was TO be in active service anyway he
preferred me to DO with or near him
In Virginia. I got my discharge and
went home. whore i WAS to remain
until the expected spring campaign
should open in Virginia. Sherman.
meantime. had begun his celebrated
march from Savannah, and about the
middle OF February Charleston was
evacuated and tho troops from all
along the South Carolina cosst took
up their march to cheraw. sherman
reached the vicinity OF Columbia about
the Same time The enrolling officer
ut Camden organized a scouting party,
consisting OF men at homo on fur
Tough. with the object In view OF
notifying the people OF Camden OF the
approach OF Sherman. ! Joined this
little party, having secured horse.
and for several days wo secuted be-
tween Columbia and Camden. until
Columbia was burned and Sherman's
army made a detour nofthward, cross-
ing tho Wateree River near Liberty
Hi and coming southeasterly from
that point to Camden. On the day
he entered Camden two OF us had
been sent across the river 10 scout
there, while the others proceeded
northward. My friend and went to
his plantation, ate good dinner and
about o'clock SGT out for Camden,
having seen no signs of the enemy.
On hill near tho river bridge, where
q picket had been stationed as we
passed that morning, we noticed
canteen hung on fence post, and
supposing IL had been accidentally
loft, we took 1t in charge, intending
to restore II to the owner. When we
got the bridge keepers house 1t was
empty. The Homo Guards had left.
We thought this was suspicious, but
pressed on across the long bridge UNI
I'll we were on the aide nearest the
town Here VIC met a caravan OF wag-
ons and buggies going post-hasto to-
wards Columbia and as they passed a
man sang out: "You had better hurry
up. Camden is full OF Kilpatrick's
cavalry" We put spurs to our horses
and gallopcd into town. passing up its
main street. About half way up we
drew rein. having noticed big blue
column of cavalry coming down over
the hill near tho Lafayette Hall Csc
called because the Marquis do Lafay
stte had bean entertained there when
he came TO Camden In 1924 to lay the
cornerstone OF the monument erected
10 Baron Dc Kalb. who was killed at
the battle OF Hobkirk ELL during the
revolution. Between them and us
we saw two men dash hurriedly out OF
an alleyway and ride rapidly down the
street. AT frat We did not recognize
them. but as they drew nearer we
Baw that they belonged to tho party OF
scouts that had ridden northward that
morning to spy out tho land. 1t seems
that after going sonio distance they
had run into a crowd OF the bum
ners'' that preceded and followed sher-
mans army and had captured several
of them These two men of whom j
am speaking were detailed to take
these prisoners to town and put them
in a place OF safekeehing. This they
had done. and were riding back to re-
join their party, when one proposed to
the other that they should stop at n
certain saloon and get something to
drink. They rode to the side door, the
front being closed; dismounted. en-
tered, ordered drinks, and were in tho
act OF Smiling al one another when
a colored man. whose trade wasthat Of
tailor. and who afterwards became a
State legislator, dashed in, shouting:
IuH, N4dTbo 1AHTSS w IL
liam! The Yankees Is COMMIT They
emptied their glasses. and. vaultins
into their saddles rode from the alley
into the street. cav the boys III blue
coming over the hill. as we had, and
came flying down the street In our
direction
Some OF the cavalry unslung their
carbines and opened fire, tho bullets
whistling around our heads and cut
ting up the dust In the street. One
of our friends was riding an in,menae
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
don't leave me-" and the response OF
the other. looking over his shoulder:
4 Come on, William; no time to swap
horses now we wheeled as tney
came up and rode down the street
with them, getting faster and faster
as we went. On reaching the next
corner we were much surprlsed to
zoe a squadron OF cavalry coming to-
wards us from Both directions. while
the follows from up, the street were
behind US AS may be supposed, this
FASTENED our movements, and soon,
with a whoop and a yell. tho blue
coats dashed around the corner, ana
then began as pretty race as one
would care to see. Being light OF
weight and my mare a llne one, was
soon very near leading tho retreat,
which continued undated until we had
crossed a bridge over a large and deep
stream and reached causeway, with
swamp on either side, when our pun
suers let up.
AS we thus left the town I noticed
two incidents--one the capture Of one
Of our friends from the post at the
river bridge. who. pursued by q caval-
ryman, made ineffsctual effort to get
away. 1t did not seen, to occur to him
TO use the gun he carried on his shout
der, but he ran In q sort OF aimless way
until the cayalryman hit him with
the fiat OF his gabrs and rolled him
over. This was the laetEI saw at that