Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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WAR Si Private Soldier Tells c Sole George C. Tanner, ii To the Kditorof the Chronicle-Sir: The Daughters of the Confederacy at Waynesboro came in possession of some of the facts of my two escapes from Yankee durance; and after read ing the paper the narrativo was pub lished in the True Citizen. 1 have never thought it worth giv nj to the public, but, sine?: it has appeared, I beg space in your valu able columns to give the true details as they are retained in my memory after a lapse of forty years. I was bom 12th of March, 1817, hence at the breaking out of the war 1 was not yet Iii years old. Yet I was fired by all that intense t.rdor that pervaded thc South, and by a tight squeeze I managed to wriggle into Capt. Sam Crump's compmy, the Walker Light infantry, which was soon after incorporated into the First licgimcnt Georgia volunteers. lt is the opinion tfof many that this was thc finest regiment in thc Con federate service. If true it was thc ?nest ID any service. It was compos ed mostly of old perfectly drilled and well equipped companies scattered throughout the State wheo thc war broke out. Many of tho best fami lle? in the Stato belonged toit, and a firmer body of men could not bo found. I cannot forget thc vigorous protest my mention of enlistment made in the soapaay, and at my home, and how I liad t? bo attired in a uniform much loo for mo because "they had none ?n- ) thies," and how on a march I was chucked away in a wagon or as tride of a cannon, my gun and ?quip aient weighing nearly as much as I did. My reply to all this biting criti cism was that "I could shoot strong as any of them" piovcd true, and I was nearly always where tho shooting iras going on, and believe I did my share of it. The experience of tho First Georgia in the one year from which wo enlist ed was terrific, in the extreme, and was just about UR much aa the human anatomy could enduro. After that ono year when wo were assombled at Petersburg to bo mustered out of ser vice, we had lost our i inner solves, and were all ohanged as human beings never were before. But we were full of tho fiery ardor for tho oauso wo had espoused, and Buffering was not con sidered when compared with it. Every man of us deemed it our duty to re-enlist and we did so almost to a man. Having three brothers in Cobb's Legion and that being cavalry, and having onough of "footing it" I lost no time in joining that regiment. General Wade Hampton on all oc casions nover for one momont hesita ted to say that "Cobb's Legion was the best regiment cf cavalry that ever ontorcd any service." I have heard bim say that any number of times. To have belonged to two suoh regiments is a matter of great pride to mc. CAPTURED AT GETTYSBURG. 1 was captured at Gettysburg on the last day of the fighting, ?s I was being conducted back to the rear a squad of nine prisoners appeared and I was "turned over" to that squad. Threo out of the nine prisoners were badly and one slightly wounded. I was astonished that these men should not have been put in ambu lances and sent to the hospital. We were, however, all marohing forward and reaohing a bend in the road, came foll and direot under a ire from our own lines. Two of our wounded were killed outright by this fire and two others wounded. It was terrific in the extreme and might have Abeen avoided. We were conducted to an old stable in. tfatear of Gettysburg, where we founnrtroay more prisoners awaiting ns, and there wero squads constantly arriving all containing wounded men, as was the case with the squad I came with. I was aooosted by a fellow prisoner who was remarkably striking in his handsome appearance and rino .physique. His name was Worthing ton and he was from Baltimore. He stood nearly seven feet and his appear itioe woixM ?iavo remarked in any as semblage of men. "I can't understand," said he, **how it is these wounded men of ocrs aye placed in with the ordinary pris? oeexe. Why are they not sent to the fcwpi\al?" "That ' same question had occurred io,jne." "It looks to me as if all the Yankee Hospitals are fall of Yankee wound ad," said a lank fellow, with bis head bandaged, and a bloody faoe, evident ly from North Carolina. ?-M?% "But cool mon humanity wovld at least give these mena place-to He down and bo* q Viet. They are forced 'ORIES. >?* Cruelties o?' Yankee Liers. ) Augusta Chronicle. t ) march." "1 saw one man who besought some one to shoot him to relievo him of his sufferings," said another. No one understood tho situation. I had been paroled or! the field by the parties who captured me and was told I would bc cent out for exchange. The exchange of prisoners had gone on uninterruptedly up to this time and everybody thought it would con tinue. .My parole was torn to a thousand pieces by the Yankee officer, who came mound to examine us, und there was a severity of demeanor and a ritrid ity of discipline wc had never seen before and could not understand. For thc least offense a prisoner was buck ed and gaged, or tied up to the limb of a tree, so that his toes would just barely touch tho ground, and the prison was made hideous by thc yells of those poor fellows. "I have never seen'such monsters as those guards are," said Worthing ton. "They arc mor.tly German regulars and wc are in rough hands," said Lindsey, another prisoner. It was ovident there would be no humanity in thc case. All that night prisoners continued to arrive until thc stable yard and every crovice was packed. Above the din and cry of thc wounded was the yell of tho German guard. Tho curse of the Irish was followed frequently by the dull thug of a lick from a musket dealt by the fiery tempered guard. Sleep was out of tho question. Worthington, Lindsey ?\nd myself made ourselves as little conspicuous as possible by huddling up in a oorner and escaped tho barbarity that seem ed to reign around. About (> a. m. a line was formed; even the wounded gladly falling in to escape tho horrors of the stable, hoping vaguely that things would be better. But, alas! A few "hard tacks" were handed to us, and the guards were ordered to load their guns by a beardless boy with lieutenant's uni form on and mounted on a fine horse. Soon tho command was given, "For ward, march!" and wo started forth. Tho roads were in an indescribable and inunderstandiblo oondition of mud. Artillery und tho army wagon had ground them deep so that every step wo were up to our knees. Tho little fellow on thc ho:so never turned his head, and seemed to me I utterly indifferent to everything but his own fine self. It was difficult for the guard to keep up at the pace his horse was going and for our wounded! God in Heaven, what heartless cruelty was shown by the guard ! A German guard knocked one of these wounded men down with the butt of his gun and was stamping him in tho faoo with his foot when Lind sey could stand it no longer, and in a fit of uncontrollable rage, gave him a lick in tho pit of the stomach that drow him double. This would have cost him dearly but for the presence of mind of Worthington, who disguis ed Lindsey so in a second ho could not bo detected. "There is another ono of them I'll fix this very night," said Lindsey.. Thia was a German sergeant who had been vory brutal. "Don't do it Lindsey," urged Worthington and I in ono breath. Wo talked to him and depioted the terrible fate that awaited any attempt at rovenge. We urged him to wait until we were exchanged and we would report the treatment to our govern ment, but in spite of all our persua sive powers we oould see a wicked light in Lindsey's eyes. That night a German sergeant was killed with a stone, by whom no one knew--exoept Worthington, Lindsey and myself. "Tanner," said Worthington to me, "It is dangerous for us to be with that fellow Lindsey. He will be de tected in this sort of thing and we will come in for our share of blame by being his intimates." "Yes, Worthington, I thought of that, too, but I like the fellow for bis grit, and would take any risk t j be with such ?man." "So would I, but there is trouble ahead for him and us. They will de* teot him iu this affair. Some one must havo econ him do it, aud these follows would tell on him just to ourry favor with tho guard, and ? large re ward will be offered to find the man who did it. I think we had better shake him." "No, Worthiugton, lets stand by him to the last, and do the best for him we eau, and wo eau do much if We will act together." "What, for example, eau we do?" ? \ "Wo oan say ho was asleep with us, and establish an alibi." "Heavens! ' said Worthington, "but ?suppose it is found out!" "It i H worth the risk for such a fel low. Let's stand by him." And so we did. Io spite of the greatest possible effort* to find out who killed "the Dutch sergeant" it wa? all unavailing. To our utter dis may when we had a quiet talk with Lindsey and remonstrated with him and tried to point out the risk to all of us of his conduot, he almost para lyzed us with the same gleam in the eyes and the quiet announcement that he meant to kill tho little lieutenant in eharge of thc guard uni the Irish third lieutenant under him. "These men are monsters," he said with a Htiake of his Sst, and a hideous gleam in his eyes. "They beat our wounded and they are as cruel as ?nnds." No persuasion could have the slight est effect upon him and Worthington and I had another quiet conference. It resulted as before. We were to Htaud by Lindsey, come what would, and do *.he beet wc could for him, but we wero to talk to him once nore uid try to diss lade him. That evening, after a killing day's march, at least a dozen of our men were .swung up by their thumbs, and their cries . wero heartrending. We were asleep when tho camp was sud denly turned topsy-turvy by shots aid the whiz and hiss of thc minnie balta flying around us. "It's Lindsey," said Worthington; "bo perfectly quiet. Don't get up, you'll be shot; lie down," said he, tugging at mc as I was tryiag to get up. "Where is he? I want to help him. Where is he?" I asked still half asleep. The hiss of tho minnie balls commingled with the cry of the wound ed and tho beating of drums and a general alarm, tho commands of tho officers and tho terror of some of the prisoners mado up a wild and wie-d scene. Confusion reigned supremo. Finally order sufficient was estab lished for the prisoners to bo formed, tho guards wero even more brutal and thc prisoners were in terror. Such a soene! Lieutenant Kelly had been assault ed by a Federal soldier, who had at tempted also to assassinate the lieu tenant of the guard. Failing in that he had mounted the horse of the com mandant and had fled. This was what Worthington and I could gleam from one of the guards who was a little more civil than his comrades. "Was it one of your own men, then?" quired Worthington of tuc guard. "He was dressed in our uniform and it is supposed so," was the reply. Wo walked apart and eaoh asked at the samo time: "Where's Lindsey?" That was the question, and to Wor thington -nd myself a very important one. "He did it," Worthington said oloso ic my ear; "do you think they'll catch him?" "He has a good horse and may get away." "I hope so." And so I did, and to this day I do not know if Lindsey was ever captured. How he got the Yan kee uniform or how he ever oarried out his plan to kill Lieutenant Kelly I do not know. There was any amount of carefully suppressed satisfaction at thc death of that monster among the prisoners; and the guards themselves shed no tears for him. There wac ono very strong circumstantial inci dent whioh invited our suspicion tc Lindsey apart from his telling Worth* ington and mo of his determination tc kill those two officers. I overheard one of tho prisoners tell another that he had exchanged "a brand new Yan kee overcoat to one of our men for s Confederate ooat and got a good rub ber blanket to boot and a ping of to bacco. " Lindsey had a rubber blan ket, and a Confederate ooat. To our dismay the guards were re inforced and the barbarity and cruel ty went on. We, after two days ol terror, roached Frederick, Maryland, where we were to take the ears foi Baltimore. Worthington was well known ii Baltimore and stood in great dread ol his people (who sympathised witt the Yankees) seeing him io his woef al plight. We were being marched along th< street when a scream from a femalt voioe pierced the air and looking vu saw a beautiful young woman en deavoring to make her way throng! the throng of idle gasers. She seem ed to come straight toward Worthing ton and myself. Looking at Worthington A saw a tre mondous chango in his faoo. He wai as white as ehalk and seemed puzzle* what to do. When the young lady came to th* guard he levelled his bayonet at he: in order perhaps to stop her progress but in a moment Worthington spraoj upon him, wrenohed his gua from hi grasp and would have annihilated hit with his own weapon but for a rush o the polioe who seised both parties The young lady was abruptly hastens away by the polioe and popr Worth ington was taken. Threo minutes would bavo covere this ontire transaction., I was in ci and stunned at what had happenec Ae Worthington was tnarohed away my first thought was: "Oh, for Lind sey." I had a vague idea of what even he could do in such a case, but I would have rejoiced to have had him on hand at ihat time. I was only a boy and though I would have freely made any sacrifice for Worthington, seeing thc noble part he had acted and how deeply wronged he was yet my wits were dull and I did not know what to do. But I was resolved to make some effort. At this moment a Yankee officer on horseback rode up and I placed myself with my hand up to my cap in military salute directly in front of his horse, so that he could not proceed without liding over me. "General," I said, "let mo as a hu man being say one word to you." "What do you want, sir?" ho snap ped oui. In a moment a crowd was packed around on the outside of thc pavement eagerly trying to catch what was going on. "I want to speak in behalf of the man who was just hand-ou?ed and marched off to bejseverely dealt with for doing nothing moro than a man with the slightest spark of manhood would have done." "What do you knowjsir, and how do you know this?" said he, in a very austere voice. "Know it!" I exclaimed; "I saw everything that? has just happened to my friend!" "Who is the man you speak of, and where is he?" "He is Worthington, a prisoner wljo has been hand-ou?ed and marohed away because he tried to defend a young lady from tho barbarity of your men." There were murmurs of approval at what I had said by the throng paoked like sardines around. "I know nothing of this matter,0 said General Patrick, for it was the general, and he commanded the pro vost guard. Then continuing, he said: "These are severe words of yours, young man, and must be verified." Then turning to the guard he oom maded them to take charge of me and report with Worthington at hit headquarters within an hour. He 7Gu6 on. Whatever effeot my oourse had hac on Geueral Patriok, the greater pan of the crowd in the streets of Balti more was unquestionably almost nolie for Worthington, and I believe thingf could have been wrought up in f.i ugly mood for the guard if the sam tyranny Had been shown there that w had endured on the march. When we were brought to Genera Patriok's headquarters Worthington without hand-cuffs, v-.3 there, and a we entered we saw a young lady V our right seated near General Patriols Worthington exchanged glances wit her and seemed embarrassed. I wa not in speaking distance of Worthing ton. Soon a tall, commanding figui entered and was admitted to a plac near the general, and they soon ei gaged in a whispered conversador whioh lasted about twenty minute: Then the tall gentleman beckoned j Worthington and he advanced to oorner of the room and had a vei earnest conversation. I oould seo resemblance between this man an Worthington, and guessed it migl be his father. Worthington turned so that I coul see his face, and he looked pale ar troubled. Soon he returned to n and the tall gentleman, pale, trei bling and much agitated, returned i General Patriok and said somethii to him and then the general, in an e: cited manner, rose and command? the guard "take these two rebels bat to the guard and turn tuarn over wit the other prisoners." Here was a puzzling oituatio Worthington, when he was maroh< out, soon made it olear by taking rr arm and saying: "Tanner, that gentleman you saw there is my father. He wanted me to renounce the Southern cause, take the oath of allegiance and be free, and threatened me that unless I did he would no longer own or recognise me asasen. Of course, I refused. The young lady-the only woman I have ever loved, or can or will ever love whom you saw, oame on the same mis sion; and I have given up father, moth er, sister, brothers, every earthly thing for the South." "What noble words these are Worthington. When wo succeed you will be rewarded for all this." T ?aid seeing what ? great sacri?oe he had made. Noble fellow, how I worship that man. His family saved Worthington from thc most severe punishment by the guards. Had it only been any cf the rest of us we would have perhaps been ball and ohained until thc war ended. That march from Gettysburg to FrederioWtiburg, Md,, was a memor able one marked by all tho savage ferocity and barbarity of man's na ture. Things would have been serious for me but for Worthington's family in fluence. This caused the whole affair to be dropped. Washington, D. C. Uncle Billy's Definition. Col. Evan P. Howeii, mayor of At lanta, Ga., tells a story of one "Uncle Billy," the autocrat and L-owall of the country setlement in whi-oh he lived. Unole Billy had to live up to the reputation of never having been stumped by a question. One day at the oountry store, where Uncle Billy and his olan were wont to gather, the question was sprung as to the meaning of "eleemosynary," the word being encountered in a news paper one of the men was reading. Unole Billy was finally appealed to. The old man took the paper, scrutiniz ed the word, reflected a full minute and then said, with his usual senten tiousness: "Waal, boys, I can't say adzaekly what this word means, bur its some part of the innards of a bog." -New York Times. - Money isn't the root of al) vvil. What's the matter with tba', hog in your garden? - Bumor has caused many a good name to stick in the mud. Tho Burdens of Modern OMUxaOon, Normally a woman should have no dis comfort so far as feelings of discomfort are concerned, at each recurring period. But mod era civilization has added its con ditions of ever present suffering to a large propor tion of American women. The great bulk of such cases is due to inflammatory cr congested con ditions within limited territor ies which can be overcome by the right treatment. Of co?t?e, this local irritation is followed by headaches, back aches, nervous ness, irritability, and, indeed, often results in nervous prostra tion or collapse which might have been aovid ed by proper treatment. $500 REWARD FOR W&VaBg WHO CANNOT BB CURED., Backed up by over a third of a cent?n* of remarkable and uniform corea, a recorci aoch as no other remedy for the diseases and weakneaaea peculiar to women ever attained, the proprietors and makero of Dr. Pierce's Favorit* Prescription now feel folly warranted in offering to pay fsoo in legal money of the United Mates, for any case otXeucoxrham, Female Weakneaa, Pro lapsus, or Fallit? of womb wfcleh. they cannot cure. Ali they ask is u fair and reasonable trial of their otana of core. WOH?D'8 DlSPPKBARY MEDICAASSO CIATION, Proprietors, Buffalo, N. Y. THE BE: Tis None To? 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All Counterfeits, Imitations and "Just-as-good" are but Experiments that trifle with aud endanger tho health of Infants and Children-Experience against Experiment? What is CASTORIA Castoria is ? harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare? goric, Drops aud Soothing Syrups. It is Pleasant. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic .substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea and Wind Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep* The Cliihtren's Panacea-The Mother's Friend. GENUINE CASTORIA ALWAYS SJ Bears tho Signature of /Tr * *??S^? " The Kind You Have Always Bought In Use For Over SO Years. THC OBNTAUft COMPAflV. Tl MU H AAV STREET, fl CW TOUR CITY. We have added to our line a /all Stock of Buck's Stoves AND THE GREAT WHITE ENAMEL LINE. 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' - .V'^'i All the very highest quality, at pri?es we have nsver boen able to give.v Cowt and see our Stock ^ we may have just wost you have been hunting, TES C. A. ?ffiE?? MUSIC S0?JSE. m ii A .' A 1'' ; A ison thinks it is when tbs mat*? of lilli insurance suggests itself-hut clrcamstan eea pf late have .bonn bois lifo hangs by s thread when war, flood, hurricane and fixe suddenly overtakes you, end the onjy way to be sure that your family ? protected m case of csla'&itY overtaking you ?to la aura hi a eohd Company like TheMutaalBei^atLifefcs.Oo. : I>rop in and soe us about it Hi. MC. m?om&4>lN9 STATE A3EKT? : F<tople?\Bftnk;BnUdl?g, ANDERSON 8 C.