The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-09-01

I and imposing stature. To Lee and
nus army as a cavalry commander
[ Toombs was what Prince Rupert was
10 Charles l and Murat to Bonaparte
,-undaunted courage combined with
, dash and a most picturesque bearing.
He was one of the most eloquent
and convincing speakers his state
ever produced, and in defense of a
. cause he believed to be right and
racing an antagonist his words were
charged with vitriol and fairly blis-
: tered the party assailed. The sever
est arraignment of a public man was
!, at what is known as the Brush Ar
) Dor Meeting" in Atlanta where
Toombs denounced Gov. Joesph E.
Brown, who had Joined the Republi-
can party and was rewarded with
high office. He closed his denuncia-
tion with the words, He rots as he
rises and he rises as he rots"
Gen. Toombs was intensely South
, ern and his devotion to his country
and IFS cause amounted almost to ia
naticism. His spirit was unyielding,
iuncompromising and unconquerable.
Had Toombs the power he would have
lcontinued the war so long as a man
was left to pull trigger and he
would have died i'm the last ditch with
them. He refused to take the oath OF
allegiance and died as he had lived an
unreconstructed rebel. He refused
TO accept a pardon when rendered by
President Grant who was at West
Point with Bob Toombs and was his
friend and admirer. He told Grant
he had done nothing to be pardoned
for and was ready to try 1t over the
first chance.
After Gen. Toombs' visit to Wash
ington. he was asked il he met the
president?
Certainly" replied Toombs, "I
always call on the chief of police
when l hit a town. for I don't know
when I'll get in trouble. Gran.
tried to get me to take the oath of
allegiance" continued the general.
but l told him that I'd boil down
hell to pint and drink it before I'd
swallow the ID thing"
When Gen. Toombs visited Lex
ington chair was always placed fo1
him on the sidewalk in front of the
Roane house, which he took and was
surrounded by every one on the
street to ask the general questions
on current matters and hear him talk.
- INC oiS IRE In CnlcaSO
Toombs was occupying that seat. A
newcomer. after shaking hands with
Toombs, asked. well, general, whats
the latest news?"
Glorious news!" replied Gen.
Toombs. Chicago is burning like
hell and the wind is still in our ia
vor!"
Because H. l. Kimball with Repub-
lican money began rebuilding At
lanta, he spent a good part of his
time denouncing the town as a pest
hole OF radicalism, and did not modi-
fy his language even when on q visit
to that city. But when the Kimball
house was burned Gen. ToOnbs was
incnced to go on note to rebuild it !
and was left with the bag II hold. {.
This stripped him of Il considerable
part of his wealth.
Gen. Toombs would go to any
length to assist a man he liked, but
they had to toe the political line he :
had chalked. He furnished Henry
Grady, Bob Aston and St Clair
Abrams money to start the Atlanta
Herald, but when Grady wrote an
article eulogistic of Jos. E. Brown,
Gen. Toombs made the sheriff fore
close his mortgage and so cleared the
way for the Constitution The only
bitter article Grady ever penned was
in denunciation of Gen. Toombs on
this occasion, which concluded with,
He loans his money like a prince
and collects it like Shylock"
After Lees surrender small
army OF Federal troops were securing
the country after Davis and Toombs,
who were, looked upon by the Wash
ington authorities as the chief insti-
gators of the war. My family had re-
fugeed from Charleston, S. c., and
my father had traded seven negroes
for farm in Elbert county, Georgia,
as temporary home. The war had
ended and squads of Yankee cavalry
were seen on every road In search for
Davis and Toombs.
Late one afternoon, Mr. James M.
Carter. another of Toombs' old SOL
diers. rode up to>our gate and asked
II my father was at home replied
that he had gone to a neighbors. Mr..
Carter then told me to say to my
father to be without fail at the home
OF Col. L. H. o. Martin that night at
IL o'clock sharp; and as Mr. Carter
stuck spurs in his horse and dashed
Off. he turned in his saddle and add
cd. and tell him SAet 1t ds not be-
yond his cable tow.r"
My father reached home a little
after dark. 1 gave him the first part
OF the message he said he was tired
and had no idea Of taking such a long
ride that night, but when 1 added
about the cable tow" he had a ser