The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-20
BURNING OF THE "ELIZA BATTLE"
ON THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER IN 1857
Beautiful Romance the
/ How Gallant After o Struggle

Samuel Taylor, descendant of revolu-
tienary fame, early in the forties emf
grated from Pendleton. S. c., to south
Alabama and settled on the Bigbee river,
where his rich and fertile plantation
fronted the river for miles, and in the
harvesting season broad fields of corn
and cotton, white for gathering, covered
the, river levels and hundreds of slaves.
both men and women, were employed
s in gathering the fleecy staple.
on one hand, as far as the eye could
reach, these black farms could be seen
thickly dotting the fields, and their merry
voices breaking through the air as they
laughed, chatted and gave jest for jest;
and the melody of the distant song and
cheerful whistle proclaimed the happy
southern darkey. On the other hand
swelled grassy upland pastures and
wooded hills, where the Indian had chased
not many years before the still plentiful
deer
On gentle slope from the river stood
the stately Taylor mansion. a typical old
fashioned southern house with flaring
wings, many rooms, wide hall running
through with broad stairways on either
side, wide verandas extended around and
unique porticos. supported by immense
colonnades. To the rear of the house
were immense barns, sheds, and out
buildings and still beyond were the ne
gro quarters.
There hundreds of small whitewashed
cabins of uniform size fronted each other
for half mile, and piccaninnies of va
rious sizes could be seen sporting and
gamboling upon the green sward
Day for the Nuptials
AS the story opens, February 80, 1851,
the nuptials of the beautiful and accom-
plished Mary Taylor were being cele-
brated. the only child and heiress of this
vast estate.
The grand old mansion was ablaze with
splendor; carriages and horses lined the
broad avenues, grand danes with their
lovely debutantes and ehivalous southern
knights We're mingling with the throng.
And the lovely bridel How proud she
looked in her far trailing robes of moon
light silk and diamonds glittering on the
foam white hand that rested lightly on
the arm of the happy groom. On they
sped to the volumptuous strains of the
music. and fair forms flashed by whirl-
ing like brilliant blossoms in the mad
malstrom of melody and "all went merry
as marriage Dell with all save Phillip
Saunders. the rejected sutor of the happy
bride.
The consent of her parents had been
given, and their troth had been plghted
In early youth, and he loved her with an
ardor seldom seen, but there came be-
tween them handsome, fascinating
stranger, who had won her affection
from her chldhoods lover, and she was
now the happy bride Of the fortunate
rival
Bitter Sorrow to Phillip Saunders
This was to Phillip Saunders a bitter
sorrow, but he accepted his defeat with
seeming grace and nobleness of spirit.
His was an undying love, however, and
his heart was crushed beneath the blow
There was an unmistalIable sadness un-
cerlying his gay manner.
At early dawn the bride and groom
with numerous friends and relatives and
representatives from almost every family
ip the surrounding country assembled on
the river wharf at Warsaw and boarded
The steamer Eliza Battle, destined for Mo-
bile to attend the carnival festivities AS
the tender farewels were said the old
fortune teller shook her head meaningly,
and said before many hours the whole
country would be in mourning but her