The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-08-28
War Time In Columbia in 1858.
BY w. ID. s.

. . .
Maj. Jenkins was in command of
Co. A and the cadet company of the
9Th s. c. cavalry. who were In camp
on the Bohicet Creek on Johns Island.
Capt. Sullivan sent home Henderson
Lindley of his company for supplies
Lindley had so many boxes that he
asked me to help him get them down
to camp. The neighbors found out
that 1 was going to Columbia, and
they brought In their Mower and Lud-
digs Confederate bills TO get them ex-
changed for new money. This issue
was called In as so much Of 1t was
counterfeited. On our arrival in Co
lumbia, we were told that we could
not get our boxes through to Charles
ton until the next night. The S. c..
railroad was crowded with the SOL
dier's baggage and provisions. We
were the first callers at the bank the
next morning, when the door was op-
ened. L presentend my checks and
bills and the teller SOFA counted out
my money. 1 stepped to side table
and ran over the bills and found there
was mistake in the count l said
to Henderson. Let us go to our room
in the hotel" l spread out the bills
on the table and counted them over
carefully, and discovered there was
an overpayment Of two thousand dol
lars. We will go back and return the
overplus to the the bank! Henderson
said, II would not do it. This same
bank refused to make good a short
age to my captain, when we were en-
camped in Columbia" But Hense. this
is too big mistake not to rectify it,"
We called at Fridays store and bought
some boxes of tobacco. noticed a
man walked by me several times and
sweat was running off of him freely.
AT last he approached me and asked
IL was up at the State Bank this
morning. / told him yes. How much
of mistake did | make with you this
morning. A pretty big one! Let me
see the roll Of bills. I would not let
him see them as I wished to annoy
him for while. J. am coming up to
the bank soon. Mister, don't trouble
yourself to walk up there. just hand
me the money and 1 will recount it.
How did you happen to make such a
large mistake? l picked up a bundle
OF twenties and counted them out for
tens. Please, Mister, let me see how
much is coming back to me? If don't
get 1t, 1t will be charged up to me to-
night. After havinA as much fun as
we could get out Of the teller, let
him count over the bills He pocket
ed his pile, and went up the street
on run. While we were counting
over the money in our hotel room, q
negro man brought pitcher of wa
ter. l saw the white OF his eyes roll
up at the big pile of money on the
table. There was no lock or thumb.
bolt on our door. In the night I heard
the door slowly opening. l looked or
and saw black head peeping around
the door. / exclaimed, "Hense! Shoot
the black rascal" Well, that negro rar
down the long hallway, like his heels
would go through the flooring. We
got up and put the table and chairs
against the door, and slept calmly the
balance of the night. The next might
we went through to Charleston, then
down to Rantowle Station, then by
wagon to Church Fiat, over the Iohr
Island bridge, by the half way house
down to the cavalry camp, where we
safely delivered our clothing and eat.
ables to our soldiers.