University of South Carolina Libraries
^T^r T7 VI MTTT?"R?V Rr C^AT? . -~ " _. ^ , ^?-i^r ionr? TrrVT TTT\TT7 V\7TT_TCiTl /IX Appal" "tr Episode ot the Selge of ? rfburr-flattant Stand of the Hcvcn fjrete.rn'south Carolin? Regiment-The I mal Charse and tho Capture of the H ffo>r*? Slaml?"?* ?r . H*-n/?; Hampton Gibba, of Columbia, in Waj' Charleston Weekly News. I In fixing my memory to recall, at your fl Lotion, the events which occurred KffhUcn or twenty years ago, however I irrine tlioso eveuts and however vivid B e niaiu features, etill many of the Bninor occurrences connected therewith, Kt-o names of prominent actor?, andothei Liters of detail, havo BO passed from my S as to wake it. very doubtful If 1 tin make an interesting or even readable narrative. Then, too, my path in life ?ince bas been BO entirely separated from tue entire personnel of my comrades, hat m- refreshing of memory by con veraa':'jn bas been entirely impossible In this ^collection of mine it muBt ht remembered that of necessity tho occur rerjra of the day, after tho mine wat exploded, and until tho charge of Ma bone, which resulted in tho capturo o thc entire force of the enemy which hat cilectcd a lodgment in the crater, form?e two sep?rate and distinct stories. Wha occurred upon the left having been latel' graphically described by Col. F. W. Mc Master, of which I knew nothing, havinj been separnted from the left of our lint by a remorseless chasm, which ia it formation had swallowed up acores o bravo mon and which, for the time, wa a yawuing and impassable gulf indeed. AFTKR RELIEVING PETERSBURG from immediate danger by its tirael, arrival, when its capture waa but a quet tion of a few moments, the Army c Northern Virginia had a period of com parative rest from ita arduous marchin and constant fighting. First tho hatti of the Wilderness, then Spottsylvanii where it might be said that I had ?ny?n experience of thc glory and joy of batt! as those who have experienced it koo tbe feeling, then the North Anna, au then tho second Cold Harbor with i band to hand and desperate fighting, an now to Petersburg, after a lew days < rest which had almost proved fatal. O ! thc line at Petersburg we wero compan lively quiet, though for aorao days tl shelling and sharpshooting was qui jevere and never entirely ceased. i particular points if buta head appearc abovo our works fire was attracted ar many a poor fellow was killed or sever ly wounded, particularly in the vicinii of that part that was afterwards mine the liues here approaching very nea and ours being on the bow of a hill, tl enemy being below us, was even ve dangerous at night, our only backgroui from their position beim; the sky. & command here consisted of three batt ries of artillery which had been wi Gen. Breckinridge in the Valley and Western Virginia, but now attached Longstreet's Corps and given to me as command at Cold Harbor. On reach i Petursbtirg they were PLACED IN POSITION aloug the line, one battery to tho right and some four hundred yards from t point mined and commanding the slo of the hill in front. Here we har! pi session of the old lino of defensiv* wot of the city. More to the left a part that line had been captured on the fi assault, and a new position had be taken up by the home guard of Pete burg when relieved first by Beauregr and then Lee, which connecting with t old line waB being strengthened a Lrmed the defence until tho evncuatii The guns of ?his battery wero placed embrasure, rendered necessary by ' vicinity of the enemy's sharpshoot^ and only one of the guns could brought to bear upon tho hill slope. 1 other two batteries were to the right intervals of probably five hundred yar For a week or two after our arrival latter batteries had positions lo the li but before the fight had been relieved others and had taken up the last scribed positions. I had also two hi dreu yards in rear of tho two left bal ries three lillie Cochow mortata whicl placed under the command of Li( Laughoru, with a detachment of Ri mond Howitzers from Capt. Walk battery, which was central in posit and strongest in numbers. Thcao tr tars were dubbed "GIBBE'S LITTLE NIGGERS" by our infantry supporta, to whom t wero a marvel. Life along the line ! golton to be monotonous with its rout field's Division, our first support, been withdrawn as Grant's plan of we coing our line by extending bis < down the Weldon road began to deve and Wise's Brigade took ita place. ' monotony was occasionally enlive when a well-aimed mortar shell wc drop into tho enemy's liues, and, by confusion and movement of stretch ?c., show us that injury had been meted, or when one from the en? buried itself through the bomb-p among my ammunition cheats, blom ?hera up and scattering dismay and d< among my men," and that, too, in worst officered company, which wat the most exposed and important posit M was afterwards proved. Stray, sinf millets from tho sharpshooters were < ?antly flving about, finding an ob sectionally and reminding us of necessity of carefulness and prude uar commanding General, E. P. A ?Uder, was shot in tho arm by on "ese accidents, as ho was not in sigh oe enemy at tho time, aud in co luence was absent on leave when wno was exploded, much to his rej ?vnile ono portion of the line was c 'aratively quiet, and much attenui y continual drafts to follow tho e 'eveloping line of Graut to the Bout A VERITABLE DEEP GAME ras being played by the enemy. 1 ?nu shovel wero busy, and, uurror lown beneath us, an effort was b ?&*Je to effect a breach by mining on id not be done by direct assi -laewhera along the line assaults i eing made, but only to be repul im h?d whipped them ; then we xv< .ear that Mahone had whipped th wri Wilcox, then Heth, and the f ouid be tho long line of prise arching down the road, and the Jred gnn8 wjth lneJr aleek horae9| w ? coveted. Now we would bea lampton'ij raid and tho capture of s< [ 'at cattle, and so tho monotony -ucved by accident or news ali lways favorable. I had, for some >n not now remembered, slept for t. o?ut9 ln a """"H two-story h MI 00 YARDA LA R?AR OF Q?f llncs 00 here I was with young George ay courier, from near Richm ?w oi baltimore, when at earliest i e wero awakened by the shock oise of ? THE EXPLODING MINT.. at?We^?. up in a moment, having Iw? with only our ahoc? off. The ?Won WM followed by a perfect Li vUOU* ?hower of nhot and aholl ?" ?hot passing through our little I H?ir? *.e cou,d 8et ?at of it, whet ?ffi.?L&e arny's UM sterned t ?u- _ ---o-"?w IU geno mc line by tho nearest route, and I struck out at a double-quick, followed closely by Savace Before however, we had traversed but a short distance, the effort by a bee-line seemed foolhardy, ns it appeared tous that a sheet of falling shot and shell cu' us off. Turning back but a short dis tance, we entered a covered way made tor tue purpose, and then made our way to the lino PS rapidly as possible, reach ing it near my extreme right battery. I? Hiding all right there and leaving in structions, we made our way towards the lelt in the direction in which tho explo sion hr.d occurred. In reply lo my in quines I found that no ono knew moro than I, and all that was to bc done litre upon thc line was to lay low and await the attack which waa looked for as soon as tho tremendous Ore of the encmv wa? over, as at what exnc*. point to look for il no one knew. My business now was tc visit the retraining batteries as speedih ns possible, and to find out the situation in our progress to tho left aloug tho Hue Protected well by tho works, we onl\ found occasional damogo from the terrific fire. At ono point a mortar shell linc exploded in a traverse, killing outrigb seven men and wounding several others Passing the Richmond Howitzer Battery I found all in good order, ready am eager to repel any attack made there Passing on I reached the battery neares the mine and only 300 or 400 yards frou it, and found need for my presence. ONE CO Ri ORAL ONLY, with but scant assistance, had, I found worked the one gun that could be handlei with any effect, it covering tho alope o the hill in front of the mine, and as th enemy, having massed in their covorei way, would charge over this slope am into tho cover formed by tho Crater, tin gun, loaded with caunister and shell would make deadly havoc in their rankt tho ground being literally piled with lb slain. This hero, Corpl. Preston, ha not failed iu his duty. His Lieutenant indeed, had retired to the bomb-proo and, with his example, the men woul not fight. Routing out tho recreant, formed a gun detachment to aid the NOBLE CORPORAL PRESTO!-. and with renewed energy he fought hi gun, and with terrible effect* Thin! ing, now, that I could examine the liri still further to the left, I had hnidl turned my back when the Lieutenai was in his hole again. Another eifb: brought him out, where he would remai ns long as I could watch him, when bac again he would run like n rat to his hoi Now it was that the gun beenme disable from repeated firing, and it had to be ri moved and another substituted ; no ligl job, OB we had concentrated the who sharpshooting fire of the nearest of tl enemy upon us. Savage was sent I Capt. Walker for an officer and adetacl ment of men to aid in serving this gu They quickly arrived, but not before oi gallaut Corporal had fallen with a mo tal wound. How, my memory fails; cannot recall the Lieutenant's name charge of the Howitzer detachment. ? was, however, equal to his whole dut and nobly supplied the place of tl stricken hero Corporal. Being relieved of anxiety now in tl service of this guu and understaudii tho situation more thoroughly, I had i opportunity to approach the Crater, ai alter noting its extent, I sent instructio to Lieut. Langhorn to concentrate 1 mortars upon the Crater and coutin the slaughter of those of the enemy wi had oought eover thero, il being evidei ly the intention to form a line as soon sufficient force could be thrown into t Crater and make au advance support by one from the enemy's main line. C John C. Haskell had moved the mord that he had up tho covered way v( near, and now Lieut. Langhorn, who v quick to follow his instructions, soon h the range and soon that Crater must he been the very MOUTH OP HELL to those who occupied it, ourshell fall? in hot and fast, bavage was shot in I foot in carrying this order to Langlu and placed hors dc combat, and now ca my turn. Being along the line of < infantry supports encouraging them sharp-shoot and pick off the enemy they charged over the opeu space to cover in tho Crater, some ono cried o 1 look out, they are charging your bat ry." I raised up over the parapet look, but it was only for a second, be brought down by a shot through tho ( lar-bonc. Here my observation of mino fight euded. Later in the day 3 hor.o arrived, charged the minc, and battle was over. After leaving the field Capt. Ht Chamberlnyno was placed in charge the battery and, I uuders'ood, did ext lent service, which resulted in his \ manent command of the battery. ?Gen. Stevens, tho chief engineer of army, told thc writer soma months If that the destruction caused by onrgun v in'his belief, unequalled by thutofany I ?lo gun during tho war ; that tho line ol re could bo easily traced, and that no than five hundred ol tho enemy were kt outright by it, tho number of wounded ing unknown. THE FIGHT ON THE LEFT. Extracts from an Address by Cot. Mella I will, with some care, describo terrific battlo, for it seldom falls to lot of a regiment to act such a cons uous part in saving an army. The i: enteenth. with the assistance of a sn number of thc Twenty-Sixth Regina* with the co-operation of Wright's Ba ry prevented Grant from entering Pet burg that day and capturing the wi of Beaiir' gard's army. Pegram's nalient, where four gi under Capt. Pegrnm, of Richmond, io ing part of Major Colt's Battalion, in ibo centro of Eiliott's Brigade, brieado was arranged in the folio* order, from left to right : Twenty-si Seventeenth, Eighteenth, 1 wen ty sec aud Twenty-third Regiments. Grant h-.ul massed 65,000 men opp< this brigade. Beauregard's whole f in the lino was only three acd a brigades. The theory of tho assault stated by Gen. Meade, in tho coui iuquiry held by tho Federals soon a was for Gen. Burnside, with 15,000 i; to rush in the opening made by tho plosion and dash over to Cemetery j 60? or 600 yards to the rear ; this c te he followed by Gen. Ord with IC men He states that he hud 40,01 50 000 for the attack of the place, at: rush in thc rear of the Confederate I The mine was exploded one quart* 5 a. m., 30th July, 1864, with eight t aand pounds of powder. Itovenybel the battery, tho whole of tho Lightej three companies of the Twenty third part of Company A, Seventeenth 1 ment. For some minutes there was utmost consternation among our i Some scampered out of the lines; s paralyzed with fear, vaguely scratch tho couoter-scarp, aa if trying to est Smoke and dust filled tho air. A minutea afterwards Gen. Ledlie a L ion began to charge. This aroused officers; they began to cheer, and men bounded on thc banquette and menced firing on the ranks of the who vere rushing in without om gun. By this time FOUIC of the men of ; tho gallant Eighteenth, who extricated ' themselves from the bank which covered j them, came rushing down the trenches, ? and as many as could picked up guns j and began firing. For a cousidernblo ? time the firing was done en'.irely by the ; infautrj In a few minutes after the ex . plosion Major Coil, who commanded the j m -t efiective artillery on our side, came up to see if any uf his guns wera unin J?r i ^8 R00n M "? could reach j '""gut's Battery of four guns, in the , ravine to the rear of Ransom's Brigade, which was at least half an hour after the J explodion, he began to fire, and shot six j hundred balls into the divisions of Pot I ter, Wilcox and Ferrero, which succeed I ed Lcdlie's Division. These guns wcr> ' the only ones on our linea which, besides j enfilading the aiemv at close range, ?could also fire on the'Crater and part of j our linet. Major Gibber, who had only one gun on the right of the Confederate line capable of enfilading the enemy, began with this gun about ono hour afltr the explosion, and killed many of tho enemy. Ono or two hours later Major Gibbes und Major Haskell moved their morar batte ries and dropped a nut-iber of balls in the Crater and lines. In fifteen or twenty minees after the explosion Gen. Elliott came up through the crowded ditch, followed by Cul. Smith, cf the Twenty-sixth Regiment, with a few of his men, and ordered the Twenty-sixth and Seventeenth to form a line on the crest of the hill and charge tho Crater. He and a few me gallantly jumped up on the crest of the hill, about fifty y..ids of tho Crater ; he pointed out tho line and was in less than five minutes shot down and brought back. The com mand then devolved on your Colonel, who countermanded the order to form on thc crest of the hill, which was utterly impracticable, and formed some of the men in tho ditches, which went to the rear and commanded some yards in tho rear of the crater. Courier after courier was sent to the division commander, and one courier to the regiments on tho right of the Crater. I ordered Col. Smith to take his regiment, with three companies of the Seventeenth, under Capt. Craw ford, (which then were larger than the Twenty-sixth Regiment) to form in tho ravine in tho rear of the Crater, and cover up tho gap, there to lie down and to rise up and fire when necessary, so as to prevent the enemy from rushing down tho hill and getting in the rear of oui lines. This order waa promptly exe cuted, and gave tho remainder of the Seventeenth in the main trench more room to uso their guns. The damage done-let the enemy tell Gen. Meade says tho assault carno priu cipally from his right (our left) of tin Cruter. The enemy brought guns frou all points and threw shells into tlx Crater. Gen. Potter began his move meut towards the crest, and was met bj another force of the enemy, and wai compelled to full back. Gen. Potter 6ays : "The next fire Isav came from the right ; lhere was a baiter; behind some tim her, .vbich it was ver difficult for uur batteries to reach. I or dered my own batteries to turn thei whole attention to tbut one, but the; apparently produced no effect." ; .y otlicere testified that repeatei assaults were made to secure tho cret.t some say they saw them make two dis linet charges early in the morning, bu were repelle' by men who rose up in th ravine. One fixes the number of thea men at -00, some as high as 500. Thei men who repelled these charges were tb Seventeenth and part o? tho Twentj sixth. The negroes, numbering 4,300 musket under Gen. Ferrero, rushed to tho mic at S o'clock, and one distinct charge, ; alleged, occurred soon after. Some ( the officers allege their men gotliOOyarc towards the crest, which was 500 y arc to the rear, but this is a clear mistak None ever advanced 50 yards beyoud, fi I watched their efforts with greatanxiel up to about 9 o'clock, as A believed tl fate of Petersburg depended on it. Tl officers frequently attempted to urge the mon forward, and some would rush aero a few yards and then run back. Cc Smith informed me after the battle th; the enemy made a charge, and upon h meu rising and pouring in a volley thc did not make the attempt again. Caf Crawford, who commanded the detac! ment of tho Seventeenth, says the Fe eral officers succeeded in getting abo 200 men, three different times, outside the Crater, and they never advano more than SO yards before his men dro them back. We Baw at one time fourteen beautif banners waving in thc Crater, and galla officers trying to urge thoir men on int direction of Cemetery Hill. But i efforts to reach this point, from the re of the Crater, failed by 9 o'clock ; ni they then attempted to effect their pt poses by taking tho lines north of t Crater, which would secure them chanco to reach tho point of their des nation by the ravine, which pass through Ransom's lines. This, toge ti: with tho conformation of thc groui necessarily forced tho burden of thc b; tie on the Confederate lino north of t Crater and in close proximity to it ; a especially on Elliott's brigade, the rig of Ransom's brigade, aud tho artilh under the command of Maj. Coit. The enemy, thuB having changed th tactics, would occasionally rush on c. right flank. We made barricades to ? poso them. Then they .would run do the front of tho line and jump over a were met with the bayonet and cl ubi with tho musket. Generally they w repelled ; occasionally they succeei and captured sume men. Private Ho of Company A, was thus cut off, and fused to surrender, and struck down s eral of the enemy before he was bay? eted. Few battles could show more b onet wouuds than this. After a severe band to band fight, ? ?uting every inch, and losing the gall ,ieuts. Lowry, Pratt and McCorwell, ? Capt. Dunovant, whose arm was shot and many bravo men, wo wcro dri< down the hill to Ransom's brigs which nt this timo was pouring ia an filnding fire. The fourth division, in front of lines of Elliott's brigade, must hi numbered 10,000. Besides this, G Turner with 4,000 men charged Ranso brigade, on our left, and was dri biicV " , , .it A?v 10 o'clock I was ordered to thc Sade headquarters to seo Gen. Bush obnson, our division commander. Soi time after Mahone came up, the Sen teenth under Capt. Bteeie, the rank officer present, was turned over to I by order of Gen. Johnson. Mahoi troops wero formed in tho line aire there. It took probably two hours be Mahono's men all came, and thei splendid charge was made. Thc final charge which captured works was made about 1 o'clock p Tho testimony of tho enemy is that troops retreated at 2 o'clock, but this refers to the many who ran back be our men got tho prisoners out of Crater. Our dutiful Lleutenant-Ooh was on the brink of the Crater and c from the hospital, when ho was 111 lime to "??lii in loo"*charge when prisoneni surrendered, and had the op portunity of receiving a number of ban ners, hut cured not for such honors. Our Adjutant, moro ambitiously, received tvro of them, but subsequently allowed some of Mahon??'? men to spirit them away. Kl'iott's Brigado lost 677 men that day, according lo tho estimate made by Ad jutant Fant a few days after tho battle. Tbis was more tbj>.n naif tho Confederate loss on thia day : The 18th S. C. Volunterri U*t 205 men. " 2iad " ' " 216 " .i 23rd " " " 49 " ?' 26th '. " " 72 " H 17LH " ti 135 Total.677 The enemy's loss, according to Gen. Grant's est?malo a short timo afterwards, was above 5,000 men. including 23 com manders of r?giment?, and 2 commanders of brigades. These desperate trenches b?camo the abode of tho Seventeenth ior the rest of the war. The Fresbytcrlnu General Assembly. During this week and the next, four General Assemblies of tho Presbyterian Church of this country will be in session, representing an aggregate of . 900,186 members, 10,93b churches and 8.237 min isters. Of thia number the Northern Presbyterian Church, which meets at Springfield, illinois, in thc State-house, and is formally welcomed by tho State authorities, has 581,401 members, 5,598 churches, 5,086 ministers ; tho Southern Presbyterian Church, represented in tho General Assembly at Atlanta, Ga., has 121,915 members, 1,957 churches, 1,061 ministers; tho Cumberland Presbyterian Church, convened at Huntsville, Ala., furnishes 113,933 members, 2,570 churches, 1,386 ministers; and the Uni- | ted Presbyterian Church, whose Assembly will be held at Monmouth, Illinois next week, consists of 82,937 member.?, 814 churches. 704 miuisters. These bodies are the courts of final ap peal in the church which they represent -the supreme judicatures, where the de cisions of Church sessions, Presbyteries and Synods may be carried for review and authoritative decision, after having pass ed in turn through these subordinate courts. Tho General Assembly has full legislative authority in tho church, sub ject only to tho revealed will of God. Tho ratio of representation is numerical, aud the bnsis of enumeration is tho num ber of ministers in each Presbytery, al though the clerical and.lay elements are equally represented io the General As sembly. Presbyteries having not more than twenty-four ministers upon their roll are entitled to send one commissioner from the ministery and ono from the eldership of the church' The number of commissoners from a Presbytery in creases with the number of ministers be yond twenty-four. Each Presbytery defrays the expenses of its own commis sioners, who are required to givo formal reports ns to tho faithful dischargo of their duties. Upon tho floor of the Gen eral Assemblies of tho Presbyterian Church some of the mo?t eminent men of the country, jurists, statesmen and scholars, arc annually to bo heard, giv ing the counsel of their practical wisdom to the determination of poi ita of docen al statement und the decision of questions of ecclesiastical law. The Southern Gener tl Assembly, which convenes this week at Atlanta, Ga., was separated from its sisters of the North by the war. In full sympathy with what had been known as the "Old School Presby terianism," which had sternly eschewed all political or sectional questions up to the war, when that organization so far violated its conservative traditions as to make bitter deliverances upon the mat ters about which the country was divided, there wne seemingly no alternativo for the Southern Church but separation and independent existence. Every consider ation of principle and self-respect de manded that they should withdraw from a relatiou in which they were regarded as sinful and criminal. In 1861 the ministers and elders of the various Presbyteries in the then Confede rate States, organized at Augusta, Ga., "The General Assembly of the Presbyte rian Church in the Coufederate States of America," with constituency of 811 ministers and licentiates, and 72,677 communicants. Of this Assembly the Rev. Dr. 13. M. Palmer, of New Orleans, but a native of South Carolina, was mr "erator. Since Iben tho General As sembly has met annually as follows : Jn 1862, at Montgomery, Ala., Dr. J. L. Kirkpatrick, moderator, iu 1863, at Co lumbia, S. C., Dr. J. A.Lynon. moderator; in 1864, at Charlotte, N. C.} Dr. J. S. Wilson, moderator : in 1865, at Macon, Ga., Dr. George Howe, moderator ; in 1866, at Memphis, Dr. A. H. Kerr, mod erator ; in 1867, at Nashville, Dr. J. V. Moore, moderator ; in 1868, at Baltimore, Dr. J. N. Waddel, moderotor ; in 1869, at Mobile, Dr. Stuart Robinson, modera tor; in 1870, at Louisville, Dr. R. L. Deb ney, moderator ; in 1871, at Huntsville, Ala., Dr. W. S. Piumer, moderator; in 1872, at Richmond, Dr. T. R. Welch, moderator; in 1873, at Lillie Rock, Dr. H. M. Smith, moderator; in 1874; at Columbus, Dr. J. L. Girardeau, modera tor ; in 1875, ot St. Louis, M. D. H?ge, moderator ; in 1876, at Savannah, Dr. B. M. Smith, moderator ; in 1877, nt New Orleans, Dr. C. A. Stillman, moderator; in 1878, at Knoxville, Dr. Thomas E. Peck, moderator; in 1879, at Louisville, Dr. Joseph K. Wilson, moderator; in 1880, nt Charleston, S. C., Dr. Thomas A. Hoyt, moderator ; in 1881, ut Staunton, Va., Rev. Robert P. Farris, D. D., mod erator. Since its organization in 1861 tho Souther.? Presbyterian Church bas great ly incrensed in membership and influence, amid all adverse circumstances. Its 81! ministers are now 1,061 ; its 72,000 com municants, now 121,000. At the present session at Columbus, a Dumber of dis tinguished ministers and laymen will be present. There are no questions of spe cial interest expected, although tho mat ter of the revisiou of the "Directory of Worhip" will probably elicit warm dia sussion. WHAT CAN DE SOWN IN JUNE. Tho30 who have a time of "making gar den" in early spring, ond doing up the ?owing all at once, do not get the great est good from their gardens. There are many vegetables ot which the season can be greatly prolonged by making succes sive sowings. A (.triking example of this is Sweet Corn, which, by judicious ?owing?, may bo bad every day until frost Hops its gr 'vth. In many localities, thc most thoro- e\\y tropical plnuts, such us Lima Beans, Okra and the Melons, do better if put in now than if sown earlier. For succession, after thc first sowing, put in Bush Beans, Beets (allowing plenty to bo used as beet greens), Cucumbers, and sther pickle plants. Carrots, Kohl Rabi ind Salsify, aro among those that may itt 11 be sown and make a crop before frost arrives.-American Agriculturist for Tune. - Stocking with a separate compart ucnt for each too are tho latest freak of '.he fashion. THE REVENUE BOND SCRIP. A Sweeping Decree Sustaining fl>e Whole IMUS. The following highly Importai? decree waa filed in tho United States Circuit Court on Wednesday : The United States of America, South Caro lina District-John I\ Southern and oth er?, ntoigueos of the Blue Ridge Railroad Company, vs. Johnson Ha^ood. Comp troller-Ucnernl,ct al. Amos D. Williams vs. the saute. Them causes came on to bo heard be fore thc Hon. Hugh L. Bond, Circuit Judge in and for the Fourth Circuit, and the Jlon. George S. Brynn, District Judgo in and for thc District of South ? Carolina, both holding a Circuit Court in tho City of Charleston, in said circuit and district, and having been fully heard ; on the pleadings and proof?, n brief of which wa9 duly filed with the clerk of this Court at the time of said hearing ; and after hearing Dennis McMahon, Esq., James H. Rion, F-sq., and Thomas 8. Cavender, Esq., of counsel for tho complaint, and Edward B. Wesley, Esq., of New York, having appeared in opon court and consented to become a party complaint with said Amos D. Williams, aud having produced and exhibited to the Court tho revenue bond scrip referred to in tho pleadings in this action, to wit, $1,005,000, and the complaint, Amos D. Williams, having produced tho tovenue bond scrip in his possession, to wit, $165,- ' 000, ready then and there to be dealt with aa this Court should direct ; and after hearing tho Hon. Leroy F. You macs, attorney-general of tho State of South Carolina, nnd C. G. Mcmmingcr, Esq., associate counsel with the attorney general in opposition, and duo delibera tion being made in the premises, tho said Court doth hud the following facts and conclusions ot law, to wit : As matter of fact : 1. That tho Legislature of the State of I South Carolina, on tho 2d day of March, 1872, passed in due form an Act in which, among other things, after reciting that the Sute of South Carolina had before that time endorsed their auarnnty of I $4,000,000 of bonds of tho Blue Ridge Railroad Company, that moBt of said bonds wore under pledge in Wall ?treet. in tho City of New York, and that said State might be called upon nt inoppor tune times to pay the same, the said Leg islature did provide that the State treas urer of South Carolina, should device the form of a certificate to be issued, to be styled Revenue Bond Scrip, which scrip would entitle tho holder lo have the sam* received in payment of taxes levied by tho State except the special tax levied to pay the interest on tho public debt. Tho said act did further provide that tho Sta'.o treasurer should issno of said scrip not mero than $1,800,000 in all, aud the said scrip should only bo issued in proportion to tho amount of bonds of | said issuo redeemed and returned to the said State treasurer for cancellation. II. That under and pursuant to said Act tho said State treasurer diddevisc thc form of and did if sue said scrip, and in company with the president of the Blue Ridge Railroad Company, in the lutter part of March, 1872, came to the City of ] New York and saw Edward B Wesley, Esq., a banker in Wall street, and Amos D. Williams, Esq., the complainant herein, a member of theStock Exchange, the latter of whom had before that lime purchased in open market in Wall street tour hundred and seveutccn thousand dollars of said bonds guaranteed by tho State, the former of whom owned nono of said bonds. III. That relying upon the faith of the provisions of snid Act ol'2d March, 1872, and on the representation of the treasur er of South Carotina and of tho presi dent of the Blue Ridge Railroad Campa ny, the complaint., Amos D. Williams, was induced to surrender four hundred and seventeen thousand ot said bonds of the Blue Ridge Railroad Company and to tnke in payment therefor one hun dred and sixty-five thousaud dollars of | said Revenue bond scrip ; and said Ed ward B. Wenley was also induced by said representation of said State treas urer and of said president of the Blue Ridge Railroad Company to advance in cash, iu the City of New ?ork. three hundred and forty-four thousand niue hundred and twenty-five dollars in the latter part of March, 1872, and he re ceived as security for Buch advances revenue bond scrip to the amount of $1, 005,000. That with tue money thus ad vanced tho president of the Blue Ridge Railroad Companv was enabled to redeem $2,902,000 of bonds of the Blue Ridge Railroad Company then lying under pledge in Wall street, in the City of] N?w York, having tho guaranty of the State of Scuth Carolina thereon ; and this redemption enabled the said presi dent of the Bluo Ridge Railroad Compa to carry out to that estent the provisions of the Act of March 2d, 1872; and thereby tho complainant, Amos D. Will iams, wai? constituted a bona Jule holder of ono hundred and sixty-livo thousand dollars of said revenuo bond scrip, sub ject to tho lien of aaid Edward B. Wes ley, for thc sum of three hundred and forty-four thousand nnd nine hundred and twenty-five dollars, with interest thereon from March, 1872, upon tho payment of which sum and the discharge of which lien the equity of said rcvonue bond scrip is in tho assignees in bank ruptcy of said Blue Ridge Railroad Company. IV. That on the faith of said revenue bond scrip, in addition to Ibo surrender and cancellation of the aforesaid amount of bonds, tho Blue Ridge Railroad Com pany promised to be surrendered to tho aforesaid State treasurer tho remainder of tho aforesaid $4,000,000 of bonds, with tho exception of about $4,000. V. That tho L?gislature of South Carolina, on the 22<l day of October, 1879, passed an act wherein and whereby they repealed the fourth section of tho Act of March, 1872, and wherein and whereby they expressly forbade the comptroller-general of the State of I South Carolina to levy the tax for tbc ? redemption of said bond scrip. VI. That on the 22d day of December, 1873, the Legislature of said State of | South Carolina passed nu Act wherein they forbade any State or county officer to accept payment of taxea in said reve nue bond scrip. VII. That since the paasago of said two At;?, the Stale otficcrs of South Carolina have totally re wised to levy the tax provided to be levied under and by provisions of the Act of March 2d, 1872, and have also refused to take the neces sary steps for such purpose, although duo demand before the commor.cei.icnt of this suit bas been made on t>uch Stat6 officers by and on behalf of tho said complainant and the said Edward B. Wesley. VIII. That since tho passage of said two last mentioned Acts tho said State officers have refused to receivo from the Blue Ridge Railroad Company and from the assignees in bankruptcy of said corporation tne said revenuo bond scrip in payment of thc taxes, except special tax levied to pay interest on the public debt, due tho State by said corporation and said assignees in bankruptcy, al though said revonuc bond scrip has been duly tendered to said State officer* in payment ul said (asea by said Blue Kid};? Railroad Company aud said assign ees iu bankruptcy. As matter of law : I. That the Act of the Legislature ot thc State of South Carolina passed on thc 2d March. 1872, was n ia.vful and constitutional Act under the Constitution of tho United States, aud the revenue bond scrip therein directed to bo issued ' by the State treasurer of South Carolina was issued by a lawful exercise of au thority on tho part of said Legislature, and thc said revenue bond scrip is -so far as tho present holders of ibo said scrip, to wit, Edward B. Wc'.ley and Ames I). Williams, and such ot'icr par ties and corporations as appear by thc proofs on Pile in ibis cause to have law fully acquired tho same aro concerned lawful and constitutional securities in tho hands of tho holders thereof; and arc not bills of credit within tho provis ions of thc Constitution of tho United States. II. That the said Act of March, 1872, was A valid and bindi ni; contract between the State of South Carolina and tho dif ferent owners and holders of said reve nue boud scrip, and bound tho State of South Carolina and tho different State officers thereof to do and perform tho duties cast upon them by said Act, to bo performed in such manner as is by tho said Statute provided and directed. III. That, replying upou the faith of the provisions of the said Act of 2d March, 1872, and on tho representations of tho State treasurer of the State of South Carolina and also of thc president of thc Bluo Ridge Railroad Company, tho complainant, Amos 1). Williams, was induced to surrender $417,000 of bonds ol the Blue Ridgo Railroad Com pany, and to take in payment therefor ono hundred and sixty-five thousand dol lar? of said revenue bond scrip, and said Edward B. Wesley was nlso induced by said representations to advance in cash, in thc City ol' New York, in tho latter part of March, 1872, $344,925, and ho received ns security for such advances revenue bond scrip to tho amount of $1,005,000. That with the money thus advanced tho president of tho Bluo Ridge Railroad Company was enabled to redeem ?2,902.000 of bonds of Bluo Ridge Railroad Company, then being under pledge in Wall stree'., in the City of New \ork, having tho ?Miaranty of t'.io Stato of South Carolina thereon. That tho redemption enabled, the presi dent of the Blue Ridge Railroad Com pony to curry out to that extent tho pro visions of the Act of 2d March, 1872. That the said Amos !>. Williams was constituted a bona fide holder of $105,? 000 of said revenue bond scrip, and tho Blue Ridgo Railroad Company were con stituted bona fide holders of $1,005,000 of said revenue bond scrip, subject to the lien of said Edward B. Wesley, for the sum of $344,925, with interest there on from March, 1872, upon the payment of which sum and the dischargu of which lien thc equitable owneiship of said rov enuo bond serin is in tho assignees in bankruptcy of said Blue Ridge Railroad Company. IV. That tho Act of thc 22d of Octo ber, 1873, of tbs Legislature of the State of South Carolina wherein they repealed tho fourth section of thu Act of thc 2d of March, 1872, and wherein they ex pressly forbade the comptroller-general of thc State of South Carolina to levy tho tax provided for the redemption of the said revenue bond scrip; and also the provisious of thc Act of thc Legisla ture of the Stnto of South Carolina passed December 22, 1873, wherein tho said Legislature forbade any Stato or county officer to receive said revenuo bond scrip in payment of such taxes ns aforesaid, were each and every ono of them passed in violation of the contract entered into by aud between thc com plainants and the Stale of South Caroli na, and were and are respectively uncon stitutional and void. 1. It is therefore ordered, That it bo re ferred to Jos. E. Mogood, Esq., clerk of this court, as special master, to take proof of tho claims of all parties other than thc said Amos D. Williams nod Edwd. B. Wesley (whoso claims are here by adjusted and established) holding or claiming to hold any of said revenue bond scrip bona fido and for value, who may, on contributing pro rata to tho ex pense of such reference and this action, prove their claims. And that said spe cial master do ascertain and report the total outstanding amount of such treas ury certificates of indebtedusss. 2. That for the purpose of defending i'sclf the Stato of South Carolina may. at this option and in such manner as it may be advised to be proper, be allowed, upon tho application of tho attorney general of said State on itH behalf to be made a party to theBc proceeding!'. 3. That upon the ascertainment of tho amount of said treusury certificates of indebtedness outstanding, proper process do issue out of and under the Heal of this Court against the State treasurer of the State of South Carolina for tho time being and his successors in oifico, com pelling and requiring him and them to perform the duties enjoined upon thc in cumbent of that office by the 4lh Section of tho Act of 2d March, 1872, to wait to redeem tho said treasury certificates of indebtedness, and compelling and requir ing him and them to receive the same iu payment of all taxes and other dues to tho Slate, except tho special tax levied to pay inter?s. < the public debt. Thal proper process do issue out of and under the seal of this Court against the comp troller-general of the State of South Carolina for tho limo being and his suc cessors in oifico, compelling and requir ing him and them to perform the duties enjoined upon that officer by Mic differ ent sections of the Act of Mr .ch 2, 1872, and compelling and requiring him from time to limo to prepare and transmit to tho several county auditors nil such forms and instructions as may be proper and lawful for levying and collecting in tho same manner ns thc annual tuxes tho taxes required by tho 4th Section of the Act of March 2. 1874. And lhat proper process do issue out of and under the seal of this Court compelling and re quiring tho diflbrcnt county treasurets of the Stato of South Carolina for tho time Seing and their successors in office to receive such treasury certificates of in debtedness in payment of all taxes due | the Stale of hon iii Carolina, except the special tax levied to pay tho interest on the public debt. And in all cases where a tender of said treasury certificates of indebtedness is made and the same re fused, an injunction may issuo restrain ing tho county treasurer so refusing from selling property, or in any manner en forcing payment of said taxes. 4. Any party to th.'eo suits may apply at the foot of thir decree for further orders in the premises. Hum; L. Boxn, C. J. Moy 15, 1882. - L. L. (lu..in is mentioned as a pos sible Republican candidate for Congress in tho Fourth District. The result of my use of St. Jacobs Oil for rheumatism is: I have been recom mending it ever since, ?aya the Mayor o Chicago, lien. Carter H. Harri?oa, i tho Chicago Tint'*. AN AST?NTSIIIMJ ALLITEBATION. Adam Atwator's Achievement* mid Ad ventures-An AutheuUe Account. Almost an ago ago, abode ut Andover, Adam At water. Avocation, an artist. Able and accomplished, active and ambi tious, nil admired Adam. An adept at anything, Adam nlso acted as an assistant al un academy, afthrding aid at arithme tic, algebra, astronomy, nnd-so-fourth. Adam's aillucnt Aunt Almira also abode at Andover, and although austere and arbitrary, and an aristocrat, appreciated Adam's astonishing achievements, and abundantly administered aid, assigning! an annual allowance. Achsah Ashley, anxious and aimless, artful and auda cious, attending academy, and after awhilo attempted attracting and alluring Adam, appearing awfully affectionate, assuming ?fleeting attitudes, altogether acting nbom'nubly. Adam, already affi anced, avoided all Achsah's advances, and although annoyed, assiduously atteuded accustomed avocations. Again and again Achsah attempted alienating Adam's affections. Adam, always affable aud nminable, adverso at avenging an affront, nnd anxiously avoiding an altercation, asked au ahsonce, and about autumn abruptly absconded. Arriving at AUB. ti alia after awhile. Adam attompted agri culture. Also neted ns attorney, amica bly adjusting all annoyances and ?nimos ties among Australians. Achsah, ascer taining about Adam's absence, appeared abstracted and actually ato arsenic and awaited angel's apparel. Anon, acuto aguo and asthma attacked and almost annihilated Adam. Anxious Australians attended and administered alleviations and anodynes. Alas, athletic Adam ! An alien and alone, altered and aged amazingly, appetite abating, abject, actu ally asking alms, and anxious about affianced and Aunt Almira. Adam's as pect appeared alarming. Alter awhile, American atmosphere alluring, an ac commodating Australian accompanied Adam across Atlantic, arriving about April ut Aunt Almira's abode, attenuat ed and almost nu apparition. Able allopaths advised ale, alcohol and activo astringents, A rubella Allen, nu author ess and Adam's affinity, awe-struck and appalled, also attentively afforded aid. Auam acquiesced amiably. After awhilo, ate apples, apricots, asparagus and-so forth, albeit ate abstemiously. Afilcted and ailing, Adam assnyed annulling alli ances. Arabella, artless and amiable ns an angle, avowing allegiance, answered : "Away all absurd argumenta 1 Absence und nffiiclions nbnto affections? All apologies avaunt !" ''Angelic Arabella," answered Adam, "always admired and adored above nil, amid all ardent ad mirers accept Adam and Adam's aches and ails?" "Aye, nyel assuredly!" as sented Arabella. "Amen," amusingly answered Adam. Accordingly, another autumn, Aunt Almira aiding, abetting and accelerating arrangements, Adam and Arabella, at an altar, acknowledged allegiance, and afterwards, ailments ar rested and appetite augmented, art again absorbed all Adam's attention, ami al though r" amateur, after awhile attained an nppellatioj.---' another Angelo." Ara? bolla, ns an authoress, niuo acquired ap plause and approbation. As r.ge ad vanced, Aunt Almira, ailing and appre hending apoplexy, adopted Arabella and Adam, and nfiluence accumulating, au thorized Adam's acting ns agent ot ad justing niblin-, altogether an agreeablo ar rangement all around. Arabella, at ar ticles and anecdotes, amused Aunt Al mira, Adam also adding at times an Aus tralian adventure, and amid ndmirring associates nnd agreeable acquaintancs, aunt, artist and authoress nliko abode amicably and affectionately n long timo nt Andover. AN APPENDIX. All alliterate nu appear absurd and admit apologies. Adjectives nnd adverbs are abused atrociously. Anomalies abound and are allowable among all able authors. Adieu. [Ann Anthony, author, April, Anno-Domini, 'Ateeh-Aty. The Distance of tho Star*. It would take a ray ot light traveling nt the rato of 180,000 miles per second three years and eight months to go to tho nearest fixed star. In order that the mind may be leen confused in the midst of tbe.-e thousands of sparkling points it has been agreed from tho highest anti quity to clasH the stars according to their apparent bright ne-.:-. The brightest stars have been called utan; of tho first order or magnitude, although this term docs not imply anything relativo to thc uctual size or brightness of tho stars ; those which follow, still in the order of their apparent brightness, have been called stars of the second magnitude ; tbon comes thoao of tho third, fourth, and fifth magnitude, according as they appear smaller ; stars of thc sixth magnitude are the last stars visible to the naked eye. It is generally thought that the bright est arc the nearest, though ibis is not al way? so. There aro said to be between 0,000 and ?.OO0 stars visible to the naked eye. Hut when our feeble sight gives way, thc telescope, that giant eye wbich increases from century to century, pierc ing the depths of the heavens, constantly discovers new stars. After the sixth magnitude the first glasses revealed the seventh. Thoy reached tho eight, tbe ninth. It is thus that thousands, and that tens of thousand? have become hun dreds of thousands. More porfect in struments have cleared those distances, and have found stars of the tenth and eleventh magnitudes. From this period they began to count by millions. The number of the stars of tho twelfth mag nitude is 9,550,000 ; added to the eleven preceeding magnitudes, the total exceeds fourteen millions. By tho aid of still greater magnifying power these limits are again surpassed. At tho present time the total number of stars, from the first to tho thirteenth magnitude, inclusive, is calculated at 13, 000,000. The sky is truly transformed. In the field of thc telescope neither con stellation nor divisions are distinguish* ed ; but a fine dust shines in the place where the eye, lefl to its own power, only Srt-s darkness, on which stand out two or three stars. In proportion as the won derful discoveries in optics will increase the visual power, all regions of the sky will bo covered with this fino golden ; ami. - Queen Victoria is about to marry off her only unmarried daughter. Re ports say that a husbnud has been found for her in the person of the eldest son of tho Landgrave of Hesso. It was sta ted some time ago that the Princess Beatrica never intended to marry, but it seems Itu4 she has changed her mind or her mothar has cbauged it for her. - A decree has at last been made that tho crown jewels of Franco shall be sold, except those that have a scientific value, and tho proceeds devoted to works of public utility, and foe tho relief of sick and disabled workmen. It io estimated that $2.000,000 will bo realized from tho sale. It is likely that the great Regent di mond will bo sold, and nearly every th'n \ belonging to tbe later sovereigns Of france. _ , - - _A_ ^ >^,? IV? >'ews aud Gossip. - Mrs.tWilliam H. Vanderbilt pays h?r coo'? $7,000 a year. - James Vick, tho well-known seeds? man, of Rochester, N. Y., is dead, ngtrl 04 yean*. - 100,000 hales of cotton and 80.0CO hogsheads of sugar is the estimated loss of the receut flood in Louisiana. - The State Senate of Tennessee has agreed to fund the Stato debt at 60 cents on tho dollar by a vote of 14 to ll. - Atlanta, Ga., ls now employing six physicians all tho time, going from house to bouse, giving the people free vaccina tion. - A young Frenchman., of Hamilton, Ga., spends bis time catching butterflies, which he sells to parties in New York, Philadelphia and Boston nt Ave cents a piece. - A Columbia letter says : "It is ru mored that John McDow, who killed Revenue Officer Brayton in Pickens county about a year ago, was accidentally killed in Arkansas last week." - Tho poople of tho burnt du'rict in i Michigan have not been idle tinco tho fires. Thousands of neat, corafoi table houses are being built, and hundreds of acres which wore covered with thick un derbrush before tho fire are now green with wheat and other crops. - A new church is to bo built in New York, which will possess many novel features. lu the first place, it will be free from debt, for a gentleman who de clines to let bis name bo known pays the entire cost-$100,000. Attached to the church there will be a day school, a cooking school and a kitchen garden. - As he nears the time fixed for bis death, the assassin Guiteau is living more bountifully, albeif in jail, than ever be fore. His appoti< is capacious, since IUB daily bread is found to consist of from ono and a half to two pounds of beef, nine eggs, fifteen to eighteen si icen of bread, besides fried potatoes, coffee and fruit. - At the meeting of the General Con ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South on Tuesday tho Committee on R?visais submitted a report recom mending that a chapter be inserted in tbs Discipline to prohibit engaging in promiscuous dancing either in private or at public exhibitions or visiting a theatre, opera or circus. - A Chicago firm has hired Mason, the soldier who tried to assassinate Gui tenu, as a salesman in their store for one year, nt a salary of $1,800, after be is Sardoued from prison. As a salesman, lason being ?uoxpcricnccd, would evi dently not bo much of a Buccesa, but aa an advertising card he would probably be worth $1,800 for a year or two. - Several pulpits at Poughkeepsie on Sunday were filled by members of Ihe African Methodist Episcopal Zion Con ference, in session there. Bishop Mooro ??reached at tho Presbyterian Church, buring his remarks ho said that he bad Ereached for fifty years; that his mother ought him out of slavery ; that she tras a professor of religion for eighty-twr years, and died aged 112. - The largest stock raiser in tho Uni ted States is W. B. Todhunter, of Texns He branded 9,000 calves last spring, and has already marketed 6,000 beeves tbii season. He bas 20,000 head of stocl cattle, and owns moro than 100,000 acrei of land. Mr. Todhunter owna 1,000 bul! and 300 saddle-horses ; employs fifti men, and nuts up 2,0"0 tons of bay t guard against hard winters. - One Cincinnati saloon-keeper ba resorted to a novel scheme in order t evado tho Sunday liquor law. Sunda last bo had all his doors securely locket but customers were supplied with a ke to tho front door as they approached th place. Unlocking the door thoms ol vc they passed in and locked it after tbeu As the keys accumulated within the were pusseu buck to ibo man on the out side, and another lot of customers mad use of thom. - Between Thursday's sunset and Fr: day noon tho Fish Commissioner sei from Washington 1.000,000 shad an 2,000,000 herring to Austin, Texas, to t placed in tho Colorado River; 300,G( shad to Farmvilte, Va., to stock the A] pomattox ; 300,000 to the Rappahai nock, and 800,000 to Harper's Ferry f tho Upper Potomac. The work of tl entire season will probably embrace tl distribution of about 80,000,000 sba besides innumerable herring. - Notwithstanding tho fact that t President's Mansion at Washington is fi enough for a King to live in, a bill b been introduced in Congress by X Morrill appropriating $300,000 to en an extension which shall be of equal a similar exterior as the present structu and connected therewith by a corrid The bill created a commission, consist! of the President and Secretary of 1 Treasury and luterior, under win direction the expenditure is to be ma and the work conducted. - The "Titans," a New York sod to which only gentlemen of position a of a stature not below six feet two incl aro eligible, now numbers about 1 members, largely representative of < oldest and best known American famili Sovouty-threo Titans sat down toget: at the recent annual dinner of the so< ty. The tallest measured six feet inches. There were a dozen generals i colonels among them, as many pro nent physicians and a long list of < tinguiahed lawyers and business men. - The New York Tribune of the 1 Inst, says: "Ex-Govornor. D. H. Chi berlain and his wife will sail for Eur in the steamship "Servia" to-day. Tl will go almost directly to Paris for mi cal treatment. The Governor's raalad which have noy become so serious, t back to his anxious and exhausting p lie duties in South Carolina In If The nervous troubles which were t developed now threaten paralysis, bis physicians have prescribed a yea absolute rest and treatment, which bo spent within easy reach bf Paris ? medical resort. With due care and tr ment ho is promised complete restera of health." - The first day of May marked end of the first year's experiment liquor prohibition in Kansas. ? coi po'ndcnt of the Chicago Tribune a "AU candid men must admit that a trial of ono year has shown it to magnificent failure. The law bas only ont off immigration, but 1 ss dr capital out of the State. In sumo pl the prosecutions for violation of the have failed because of the very rige nature of the law. The open sal were a plain fact, but when the 1 carno ou i??y wore marked by. pa on one. side and a signal failure of ] on the other. There never was so t liquor sold in Kansas as at the pr , time." On tho other hand tb? adro of prohibition claim that it has ah teWmpRsbed great good io Kania*.