The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-09-01
STORIES OF OUR SOUTHLAND.
zen. Robert Toombs, the Unrecon.
structed Rebel.
(By T. Larry CAN'T \

/ Men VINO are most blatant in ad-
Vocacy OF involving their country in
war, when the hour of danger arrives.
are invariably found holding some
bomb-proof position and have also
taken care to keep their own sons
outside the danger zone, and REQUIRE
men who had no hand whatever in
provoking hostilities to do the fight
ing.
! But there are exceptions to all
rules, and Gen. Robert Toombs of
Georgia, was an exception to the
above named class of skulkers. Long
before even South Carolina seeded
ne was rampant secessionist, and
while in congress nothing delighted
MN more than to defy and enrage
the members from New England
Ihey never forgave Toombs for de-
caring that he intended some day to
stand on the summit of Bunker Hill
monument and call the roll of his
slaves; and after the surrender he
was hated by the North next to JEFF
1erson Davis, and great efforts made
to capture him.
And the father of Mr.. Davis and
BOD Toombs are Of the same county.
| wilkes. This is one of the most in
teresting spots in Georgia or the
South and rich in historic interest In
wilkes was fought the battle of Ket-
tie Creek and which turned the tide
IN favor OF the struggling colonists.
here the wagon train, following Mr..
Davis and carrying the gold and sill
yer belonging to the Confederacy and
the Richmond banks, while encamped
at night, near the town of Danburg.
was raided and looted by disbanded
Confederate soldiers as the Federal
troops were In close pursuit and
would have captured it, And in Wash
lngton, the county town of Wilkes,
Jefferson Davis and his cabinet held
their last meeting, the Southern Con.
federacy was disbanded and Mr.. Day-
, Is, with his family and a few tried
and true friends. begin his journey
TO the seaboard, to be captured while
, encamped at night in a pine fores,
, near Irwinton, Ca So 1t was almost
within stones throw of Tombs
whose overpowering eloquence did sc
much to bring on the war, that the sur
or our Lost Cause set and that stain
less banner, the Stars and Bars. sane
e tified with the blood Of the chivalr,
e or our southland was furled forever
I'll Gen. Ben Heard, who owned thai
s historic house (since demolished) and
was present at that last meeting
showed me this room and had marked
the spot where Mr.. Davis chair stood
IL was handsome. old style, three
story brick building. and that last sac
< meeting was held on the upper floor
have also visited the scene of Mr.
n Davis capture and noted the bullet
$ scarrerd pines. These spots to me
, seemed hallowed ground. There i.
a not one word OF truth in the publish
e ed story that Mr.. Davis had on q
, woman's dress when captured. He
mad retired and had donned his night
robe as had always been his custom.
But 1 am wandering from my sub.
1ect. When war was declared, Bot
= Toombs was among the first to enlist
and fought valiantly until the sur.
render of Lee at Appomattox.
( / did not know Gen. Toombs per.
/ sonally until he was in the decline OF
I LIE, but he was then a remarkably
handsome man, and would be singled
out in any assembly. We lived IN
adjoining counties, and Gen. Toombs
lbeing an eminent lawyer attended
lcourt twice every year, besides being
la frequent visitor to my town of Lex
'lington.
] In his younger days Toombs is