The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, August 10, 1899, Image 1

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OL- XXII- BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 10,189Q. / NO. 49. — BUTX^SR’a NARRATIYR J, OF HI# I<A8T MARCH. ' '' FROM OOIjUMBIA TO THB 8UR- RRNDBK AT ORBBN8BOKO. • S r _ Row the Confederate Cavalry Har- raaaed Sherman’s Force in r Its Mtrm<»rable Devastations. At the Chester reunion Gsn. M. C. Bu'.ltr was the annual orator. Instead of indulging in a speech filled with customary platitudes he recited a nar rative oi the retreat of Joe Johnston Irom Columbia in the face of Sher man’s overwhelming army. Gen. But ler is known to have'been a sagacious, as well as dashing .cavalry leader and his observations of that famous march are well worth reading and remember ing. Gen. Butler said: Comrades, Ladles and Gentlemen 'J Your committee has done me the honor to request me to deliver an ad dress bJore you to-day. I will, with your permission, appropriate the time • .t apart for the purpose with a simple narrative of the operations of the troops under my command-from the evacuation of Columbia to Johnson's •umaU.r. It has seemed to me we have no*, devoted enough of the time of our annual reunions to historical purposes. Possibly such subjects fere not so entertaining for the time being, out I am quite sure they would bo useful to those who oome after us. Besides, we have with us, I am pleased to say, our younger brethren, the Sons of Veterans, many of them endowed with the gift of eloquence and oratory, ( who will gratify and entertain us with their worthy enthusiasm in the cause \ of their fathers. The period of which ^I shall speak will embrace the last days.of that constitutional republic, the Southern Confediracy, that came into being by the spontaneous action of Its citizens, and fleshed its brief ex istence among the nations of the earth with a brilliancy and grandeur of ac hievement In military and civic ac complishment never before equalled in the annals of all history. It was a sad day when this great light of constitu tional government was put out, by superior force and overwhelming num hers, its record will’survlve through the ages among the grandest and greatest 1 (Torts of mankind to establish and perpetuate a form of government best suited to the happiness and wel fare of lie iohabltante. Its clvi,! history is no less brilliant then its military, and the two combined make a record unsurpassed in human effort Tne buraiag of Columbia by Sher man was among the last acts of the geeal tragedy of 1061 65 This act was wholly unnecessary, and a clear, fla- graat violation of all ruiae of clvilliSd eevfere. Hut the city bad been mnrked as the capital of the “Crhdie of Secession,” and fell a victim to the vroo*n and hatred of her eoomlea. Charleston, the splendid old city by the sea, was really the “Cradleof Se cession,” but for days, and weeks and months, end years she bed' rests leu and rvpcited combined assaults by lend and weier with n tenacity and skill and pluck that challenged the adml- reftoa of the world and made a oe* epoch in the science of military de fense. Be it said lo her glory, she never surrendered. Uolumbla,' fair and beautiful Colum bie, suffered vicariously for the bull dog obstinacy of HOullrlc, Sumter and Wegener, but, thanks to the energy, S ilence end confidence o! her Inhab mu, she has literally rleen from her ashes and again put on the garb of a new life, ana le today a monument to the baffled vengeance of her enemies, and tbe undismayed pluck of her peo pie. Tbe city waa evacuated by tbe laat of the Confederate forces oa tbe moro- infof the Htb of February. 1865. It waa my fortune to command adlvlalon of oevalry, computed of Butler's and Young’s brigades, which constituted tbe rear guard of # Beauregard’s relit*: Ing army, and It waa my duty to super intend tbe withdrawal of our % troops In such a manner as not to give excuse to Sherman’s Incoming forces for a violation of the agreement made by the mayor, that veneraWe and honor able gentleman, Dr. Goodwyn, and General Sherman, that If the Confed erates should withdraw- without re actance the city should have immuni ty from aaeault and violence. The compact waa strictly carried out on our part. Let thsebarred remnanU of this beautiful, dlaarmad and help less city speak for tbe good faith and honorable conduct of tbe other side. General Hampton retired with Young's brigade, then commanded by CoHj. G. Wright, early that-mornlng the Wlnnsboro road, and later I to other brigade, H. Rutledge, hy i motyed out with the commanded by Col. B the Camden road. Reaching Taylor's lane, east of the old Chhrlotta depot,' I baited for an hour or more to witness the movement of a column of Sher- 'man’s army down the main street to the State House. The city was free from Incendiarism at that time, but that night the inhabitants of tbe doomed city ware engulfed ia walls of Darning tire, tbe demon of bate bav- iag been let looee on Its helpless vic tims. It is not In the best taste that the pronoun “ I” ybould be frequently used in a narrative like this, but it is al most impossible to be impersoaal in giving details so essential to a clear understanding of the operations. Be good enough, therefore, my comrades, to bear In mind that In alluding to my- *elM embrace the officers and men of that gallaat ^ division of Confederate horsemen who had illustrated their splendid valor and dashing courage so long and so faithfully. It was slmi my good fortune' to be associated with them Add participate in the glo^y of their achievements. * r Resuming the march about 0 or 10 o'clock in tbe forenoon, we moved out to Dent’s mill oa tbe Camden r&td, thence through the pioe woods to Kil lian's mill, where we joined the other brigade and bivouacked for tbe night. Exhausted by anxiety and loes of sleep of the two days and nights be fore* we slop* so soundly that we were not aware until next mornlnr, at least 1 was not, that Colambia had been de strayed by fire, although only eight ■tlee away. Daring the next day, the 18th of Feb ruary, Blair’s corps, the seventeenth, was pushed out along the Charlotte and Columbia railroad and appeared across Killian’s mill poad an 1'creek, and we'bad a sharp encounter with It In tbe afternoon. 1 bad the dam of tbe pond cut so as to flood the low ground and 3beck Btal r’s ‘advAnde. WrWT ployed along the ridge in front of the railroad station and kept up the fight until dark, losing two men killed and several wounded. Tbe loss inflicted on- the enemy I bad no means of ascer taining, except some prisoners cap tured by mr scouts. N^xt morning w6 marched toward Wlnnsboro, via Doko (now Blythewood) and Rlageway. I suppose General Beauregard, and, as for that matter, all jpf us, assumed that Sherman’s next objective point was Charlotte, N. C. Consequently, af ter a halt of a day at Wlnnsboro, where LW,became my.painful duty to have destroyed eighty dozen of Gov ernor Aiken’s fine old wine (sent up from Charleston for sa'ety), to pre vent its falling into the bands of the enemy and tickling their thirsty pal ates. I was ordered out to Gladden’s grove for convenience In getting for age, watching Sherman’s right flank, while tbe remnant of Hood’s army, with Wheeler’s division of cavalry, continued up the railroad. General Hampton directed me to rid myself of wheels, move around Sherman’s right flank and join him at Land’s ferry on the.CaUW'pa river. - I accordingly ordered my wagons and artillery towards Charlotte, and with the mounted column started from Gladden’s grove in tbe early morning of my second day there, by tbe near est road leading towards Columbia, In tending to pass between Sherman’s army and that city. We bad not ad vanced far before running Into tbe Fifteenth corps. This corps and the Seventeenth composed Sherman’s right flank, sod the Fourteenth and Twen tieth bis left. After a sharp fight with the Fifteenth corps, continued long enough to develop tbe strength of tne euemy in my front, and finding I could not overcome so strong a force on that road, 1 moved to my left so as to get Into tbe river road, the only one left open between m> column and tbe Wateree river. Tuts, too, tbe enemy had occupied In force. Late that af ternoon an Incident occurred wbicb satisfied methaiSberman had changed direction to tbe right qnd was not moving on Charlotte. A prisoner wet brought to me who said he was an arti ficer of the reserve ordnance train of tbe Twentieth corps, and tbat bis train bad been ordered to camp tbat night at Rocky Mount, on tbe t ateree river. This would throw the Twentieth corps entirely out of tbe direction of Coer- Idle, and convinced me for the first time that Sherman would move acroe* tbe State toward Cneraw, at right aa gles with the x>urse be bad Men marching, and 1 sent n dispatch, at once, to Generals Beauregard and Hampton notifying them of bis ubaege of route. This necessitated a ebauge lo my contemplated movement, as i could not get nrouod between Shet man and ihw river, ktherefore moved up through Ueckhamville ioiecdtng to pass the river at some convenient crossing higher up. Dr. Cloud, a ven erable old gentleman of 82 years of age, residt.d'al Ueckhamville, and the only two members of his family with him were two youcg ladles, his grand daughters He requested me to have our animals all fed from hts well stored barns of forage, and notified me where be bad concealed his valuables. 1 afterwards learned he bad Men strung up by the neck twice by Sherman s soldiers to coerce him Into disclosing tbe whereabouts of his silver anu valuables, lo this they failed, as I alto learntd, but bis negroes betrayed the places of concealment, and tbe silver and jewelry fell Into the bands of Sherman’s officers acd mqo. We moved from Beckhamvllle to Fish- i/ig creek, and bivouacked fortbenigbt at Anderson's mill. Tbat night we oould trace tbe line of Sherman’s camps by the glare of Incendiary fires, lighting up tbe horizon for miles above and below’ us. I had been ordered to drive ahead of us all the work animals posslblewfrom the country, to prevent their falling Into the hands of the ene my. Wo carried away with us nine or ten very tine mules of Dr. Cloud’s and three or four of Dr. Anderson’s, and after the surrender at Greensboro I directed tnem lo be returned to their Owners, but whether any, of them reached their destinations I cannot say. I learned tbat 1 was soundly abused for taking the animals away If their owners bad been aware tbat 1 was acting under orders, and bow much trouble they caused me, they would doubtless have spared me. Next morning we moved from Fish ing creek towards Goucbe’s ferry, on the Catawba river, and as tbe people living on our line of nYarcb cduld give me no information of a ford, I deter mined to ferry over tbe men and equip ments in tbe ferry boat at Couches, and swim the horses. The Twentieth and Fourteenth corps were closing In on us above, and the Fifteenth and Seventeenth below, so tbe chances of getting out on the west side of the riv er were out off. 1 had one tquadron unsaddled and started a man on a strung horse ahdad with tbe loose horses following to swim across. The mounted man bad almost reached the opposite bank with the loose horses following cloeely on his heels, when, for some unaccountable reason, the looee horses turned and swam back to our side of tne river They drifted with the current some distance down, and struck the bank below the landing, and It was only by prompt and bard work we managed to draw them up the muddy, steep bank and s^ve them. * / Tbe situation looked lather squally. Fortunately I had sent scouts up and down the river, as we oould learn noth Ing from the citizens of the neighbor hood, with Instructions to examine all tbe croeslngs within reach. Those from beiow reported a ford at Wades, Wades’ ford. It'was. the work of very few minutes to mount and make for this ford, which was crossed late In the afternoon, and the Federal com manders were disappointed la bagging their game, as we learned from a pris oner takes dlxt morning, who was clerk at Logan’s be*’.quarters, tbat they expected to do. After passing Lancaster court bouse, where tbe home guard had been dis banded by General Gar ling ton the day before, we moved east, or south-east. On the old Hanging Rock battle ground of the revolution, the Cobb Le gion of Young’s brigade bad an en counter with a regiment of Sherman’s bummers, aud drove it pell mell for somifi^dUtance, killing and capturing quite a number. Thence we marched towards Caotey’s plantation on little Lynches creek, we were constantly engaged with flankers and bummers of the enemy, and the night before we reached- Camay’s. I bad intended to make a night attack on the Fifteenth corps, but a terrific rain storm came up before we could get in striking dis tance. Tbe night was tbe darkest and the rain tbe hardest that I have ever cnown before or since, and so inter fered with cur plans as to make an at tack at daylight Impossible. When we reached Cantey’s, about 9 o'clock next morning, we discovered the enemy loading eight or ten wagons from Mr. Cantey’s barns. 1 sent Col onel Rutledge forward with tbe Fourth South Carolina regiment to charge amtiakd the wagons and escort. This was done In handsome style, captur ing tbe loaded wagons,. and several prisoners. We hurried them to the bridge near by over Little Lynches creek, and just as our rear, tbe Phlllfp's legion cl Young’s brigade, was clearing the bridge, a regiment or brigade of Fed eral infantry swung suddenly out and opened fire, but they were too late to do much damage. Here it waa that Sherman's troops caotured and carried off Mr. Thomas Puryear’s celeb-ated race horse “ Censor" and others. They were racing them below Cantey’s farm, as we learned, when we came upon them. Tbe swamp on the east or north side of Lynches creek was covered with water from tbe heavy rains, in some places up to tbe saddle skirts. As we were moving Into tbe water neces sarily at a slow pace a squad of mount ed bummers followed u* and fired on our rear. Tbe audacity of tbe thing took us somewhat bv surprise, but the rear guard, the Phillips legion, alwa, ays ned began to dictate aloud an order to bis adjutant general, Maj. Roy r for tbe withdrawal of the troops. \ Tbe first paragraph directed tbe chiefs of tbe quartermaster, ordinance and subsistence departments to begin|l7Qtethlng ; as I draw my remarks to fe the moving of their trains next moru- ag Ing at daylight. When the paragraph was finished I suggested that the order be changed to take effec effect at once that f the 'A if prepared for any emergency, tfir upon them and killed, captured or wounded the entire party.’ seventeen In number, before tiey could retrace their steps to the bridge. We moved Into the pine woods to 3ig-Lynche* creek, now Lynches river, end crossed at Pierce’s bridge, turned down the stream to Kollytown, a ham let near Tiller’s ferry. As Sherman appeared to have halted on the south side of tbe river, it occurred to me be might determine to turn the head of his oOlumn towards Georgetown, on account of tbe scarcity of supplies, but U turned out be was delayed by high water. I halted for two days at Kelly- town and sent Coljnel Hugh Aiken lib a strong detachment down the river on a recon nolle ring expedition, and Maj >r Brown, of tbe Cjbb legion, up the stream on a similar errand. Late on t e afternoon of tbe second day 1 beard from Major Brown that Blair’s corps, the Seventeenth, had crossed at Pierce's bridge, where we bad crossed, and from the detachment under Colonel Allen thet the enemy had crossed below. This gallant offi cer waa killed tbe night before In a fight with a detachment of Sherman's army, near Mt. Eron church. Tnl# de lacbment had been sent toward Flor ence to release the Federal prisoners mprlsooed there. Aiken’s encounter turned them back. Becoming satisfied from these re mits that Sherman was moving 00 Cberaw we started about dark for that point, marching all that night, and next day reacned the Confedsrate out posts just before sunset. 1 reported to General Hardee, who had moved the garrison from Charles ton,.Moslstlng of about 14,000 men, as reported at tbat time. Tbe advance of Blair’s corps reached within a few miles of Cheraw the same evening that we did. I Informed General Hardee that Blair's corps, consisting, as I wso in formed, of 17,000 or 20,000 iqenr must have been at least 12 hours qiarch ahead o^the other corps of Sherman’s army, and suggested .that he attack Blair next morning with his 14.C00 men reinforced by my division, and that if hs would do so I was satisfied we oould administer a severe blow and check Sherman’s advance, but he did not ap- ear to think It advisable, and, per- ape, he was right. General Hardee directed me to picket Thompson’s creek and to go In person to Chester field court house with such of my command as I could spare and watch tbe movements of tbe enemy from that direction. He ordered a brigade^of..in fantry on duty on the Chesterfield road to report to me with this small force. vVe retired fighting at every point from Chestei field court house toward Kershaw. At nightfall the enemy had not crossed Thompson’s creek, which is about eight miles distant from Che raw by the Chesterfield road and four miles by the road to Camden. We bad to guard the crossings of the creek covering the entire front of Cheraw. A short time after dark a courier brought me a message from General HarJco directing me to report to him at once. I reacned bis headquarters about 9 p. m., and as there have been, a gooi many romances about what oc curred that night and next day, I will ask you to excuse me for entering rather minutely Into the details of what I know of the incidents, and shall only speak of what comes within my own knowledge. I found at General Hardee’s bead quarters General McLtws, General Ranse Wright, General Talafeiro and General Stephen Elliott. They had evi dently been holding a council cf war, for soon after I entered and exchanged salutations General Hardee said to me In aubstanoe, the following : '^‘General after your^exberlence in today's opera tions, what do you advite in regard to the evacuation of Cheraw?” My prompt reply was, “ tbat he ought to get his army across the Pee Dee at the earliest possible moment ” Some oi the other officers, notably'General Me Laws, advanced the opinion that there was no occasion for haste. I said " Well, gentlemen* you have asked my opinion and I have given It frankly, and have heard nothing to induce me to change It.” I had had no intimation of what had been discussed' before my arrival, but my opinion Appeared to settlo whatever doubt that existed, la General Hardee’s mind, as he at once night, and the ohanfce was accordingly made. The last paragraph of the order directed tbat my division should bring up the rear, destroy what public stores tbat might be left and burn the cov ered bridge over the Pee Dee. * My reason for suggesting the change in General Hardee's order was based on the fact that great quartltles of stores, public and private, had been sent up from the low-country to Che raw for safety, and I felt quite sure it would require more time for their re moval In view of the rapid advance of tbe enemy, red the event proved the correctness of this opinion. By daylight next morning the in fantry. artillery and wagon trains had been pretty well cleared out of the towo/leavlng only my division. I scarcely time to get in one of my gades from' up tbe Chesterfield before the enemy reached the skirts of Cheraw on the Camden roi I halted a Georgia battalion of Infantry at the fork of tbe two roads to hold tbe enemy In check until Young’s could get In on the Chesterfield road. As it was, 46 men were cut off, but they managed to make their way across tbe river higher up and escaped. As soon as the origade got in l relieved the in fantry battalion, which, In the mean time, had had rather a fierce skirmish with the advance of the enemy at the fork of the roads. I then deployed everything I had across the different streets and retired to the bridge in the face of a sharp fire, returned shot for shot, exoep*. that we had no ariillery, while the enemy brought a battery and fired down the main street. The horse of one of my couriers, Eiward Wells, of tne Cnar- leston Light Dragoons, waa killed, un der him before reaching the bridge. So cloee was tbe call at the bridge that.a* my rear guard passed out at the east end the enemy was entering tbe west end. Tbe rear guard constated of a squadron from Young's brigade, commanded by Capt. Baugh. Happen ing to be witb the rear guard 1 directed Capt. Baugh to dismount bis men, send his horses behind the abutment of the bridge, drive the eoemy out and set fire to tbe bridge. As horse flesh waa very valuable at that time, 1 sent my own out of danger, and together w« drove tbe eoemy out acd set fire to the piles of rosin deposited et Intervals along the fljor of the bridge hy Gen eral Hardee's engineer i (fleers We •non bad It In flames and gave General ilardee time to start bis heavy trains. Col. Alfred Rhett was ordered that evening to report to me for duty with his brigade as a part of the rear guard. The brigade consisted of the First South Carolina regular infantry com manded by Col. Wm. Butler, the First South Carolina regular artillery com mended by Lleut.,Coi. Joe Yet** end the South Carollea heavy artillery whose commander 1 do not now it call. This brigade was deployed along the east bank of tbe river and kept up a lively sharp shooting with the enemy until 9 or 10o'clock During the firing Lieut. Col. Warren Adams, First South Carolina Infantry, was wounded near me by a shot In the chest whicn I sup posed would be fatal, butf tbe force of the bullet had been broken In some way and only Inflicted a alight wound. Col. Rhett was soon afterwards taken prisoner at Averyaboro and tbe com mand of tbe brigade devolved upon Col. Wm. Butler. In this narrative 1 have-not attempted as much as a re ference to the almost daily oonfliqtewe had with some portion of Sherman’s army. With only a handful of mco we could only got an occasional blow at delachm nta foraging and plundering the helpless Inhabitants. Soon after the evacuation of Cheraw General Joseph £. Johnston assumed command of the army. General Har dee, however, commanded In person at the battle of Averysboro in which my division did not participate. General E< M. Law was assigned to the temporary command of Butler’s brigade, and before the battle of Ben- tonvllle, he was relieved hy Brigadier General T. M. Logan, who had recently been promoted to the vacancy occa sioned hy tbe death of Brigadier Gen eral John Dunovant. This gallant and distinguished officer led the brigade at the fight at McDowell’s farm below Petersburg, and was killed on the fighting line the 1st day of October, 1864. I rejoined General Hampton who had been with Wheeler's division near the old fair ground* in North Carolioa. after a separation of two weeks or more, operating on my own hook. Just before we reached the junction we had a tilt rfth Kilpat rick’s cavalry, the first time we had met, and recaptured some Catasrba wine he had sent put to seize from a citizen and took a number of prison ers. We had also had quite a heavy engagement with a portion - of the 17th corps at the crossing of Black river, where we killed and captured a num ber of prisoners loaded down with plunder. I wish time permitted and your pa tlence could further endure a descrip tion of the attack on Kilpatrick’s camp at daylight, his fligni in his night clothes, Wheeler’s Inability to carry out his part of the programme because of an unforeseen obstacle, in a boggy swamp and the severe losse-i we suffered by reason oi the samo. Among others killed on that eveotful morning was Lieut. Col. King, of the Cobb legion, while gallantly Ttadlug a dismounted charge; also my friond and collegi classmate, Sergt. Sam Cothran of thi Sixth South Carol na cavalry, who was shot down and instantly killed near me, with 60 otherr, In an inconceivably short space of tlm j. It a sad fate eo near the end, after so many years of such splendid service, I am not sure, however, that they were not more fortuea > than those -of us who survived to scffsr the humiliation of defeat and the i< rors of reconstruo tlon. They died as a I gallant sold icra prefer to die, fightUg on the front line of battle for their convictions and love of country. Our fight in the streets of Fayette ville, tha battle of Bentoovlila, the ar- — ' _ _ __ __ ' mlstlcs, the final terms of surrender, were the ringing down 6t tbe ojftaln after the last acts of one of the most gigantic struggles In the annals^ of war. It may Interest you to learn dug, as I draw my 0 ose, of the closing scenes which led to the surrender and disbanding of JohnetM’s army at Greensboro, N. 0. With scarce 28,000 men he nad met Sherman’s 80,000 or 90,000 at Benton- vllle and fought one of the fiercest bat tles of the war. Lee having surrendered soon after wards at Appomatox, Va., .a cessation of hostilities was arranged between Johnston and Sherman, aa I now re member for 30 days. Before the ex- S iratlon pf the armistice Generals [ampton and Wheeler had left John- tf a’* army to proiesd, aa it was under stood at the time, to the trfns-Mississ ippi department to join that army and continue the war. This left mC the ranking cavalry offi cer of Johnston's army with headquar ters at Hillsboro, N. C. Gen. Kilpat rick covered Sherman’s front, and through his and my headquarters all messages between Johnson and Sher man passed. The day before the ter- mlnatloa of the armlst<ce Gen. Johnston telegraphed me from Greensboro to meet him at the railroad with an es cort and led horse and accompany him to Gen. Sherman’s headquarters Ac- qordtnglv we were at the railroad to meet him on the down train, with a souadron of cavalry and extra horse. When we were within a mile or so of Sherman’s headquarters we were met hr a detachment of Kilpatrick’s cav alry and escorted to the small farm house where Gen. Sherman was await ing us. He and Gen. Johnston entered the house, while I, accompanied by Gen. T. M Logan, Mai. John 8. Pres ton and Capt. James N. Lipscomb, of my staff, remained In the yard. In a short time we were joined by Gsn. O. O. Howard and later by Geos. Schofield, Blair and Kilpatrick, with whom we engaged in conversation un til Invited Into the bouse to join tbe two commendlg generals, after they had made their final terms of capitula tion. It is contended, 1 believe, tnat these terms were drawn up by Maj. Gen. J no. M. Schofield. Gen. Johnston concentrated hL army at Greensboro, where it was paroled. Maj. Geo. Hartsuff of Sherman’s armv and myself, representing John stoo • army, were appointed a joint commission to sign tbe muster rolls of the Confederate cavalry. When my signature waa attached to those rolls I performed one of the most painful du ties of my life, and I never recur to it without fe feeling "of sadness and gloom. Goo. Johnston directed me before dis charging the division that I should su perintend tbe distributing of about 117,000 In sliver to the officers and men. Tnls was done and my share of the fund was 1175, which wss about the amount of my worldly assets with which to begin life anew. We separated about the 1st day of May, 1865, and marched to our homes with the full consciousness of duty wall performed. We made no apologies and have made none since, tbe only re grets felt or (xprosssed were tbat we had not triumphed in our cause and woo tbe final victory after so much hard fighting and so many sacrifices. In parting after this reunion who knows to how many it will he the laet. grqpt you, my old Confederate friends, with the sincere affection of a devoted comrade who has shared with you tbe glories of successful beetle der the Burry Cross and the jorrqpt and gloom of undeserved defeat. And BBYAH DUCUMtt TOR WAR. fundamental Principles Involved In the Qnestlon—A Republic Oanuoc Enter Upon n Colonial Policy. Wm. J. Bryan discusses the Philip pine question in the New York Inde pendent as follows: * “ The Philippine question* Is Impor tant because fundamenUl principles are involved In its discussion. There are two sources of government), force and consent. Monarchies are founded upon force, republics upon consent. ‘‘The Declaration of Independence asserts that governmenU derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and this Is the doctrine to which wt have adhered for more that a century. It is tbe doctrine which has distinguished us from European countries, and has made our ngtion the hope of humanity. The statue in New York harbor typifies tbe nation’s mission. “Jf tne doctrine Set forth In'the De claration of Independence Is sound, how can we rightfully acquire sove- retgnty over the Filipinos by a war of conquest. If the doctrine set forth in the Declaration of Independence is sound; how can we rightfully purchase aovereignty from a Spanish sovereign whose title we disputed In Cuba and whose rebellious subjects we armed in the Philippines. ’In the resolution of Intervention Congress declared that the Cubans were and of right ought to be free. Whv? Because governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and Spain had refused t the wishes of the Cubans, f the Cubans were and of right ought to be free, why not the Filipinos V "In the beginning of the Spanish war Congress denied that our nation lad any thought of extending He terri tory by war. If we then had ao thought of securing by conquest new territory In the western hemisphere, why should we bow talk of securing in the eastern hemisphere new race* for subjugation ? An individual may live a double fe when only one llfu la known. When both lives are known he oan lead only one life apd that the worst. A republic cannot enter upon a colo nial policy. It cannot advocate gov ernment by consent at home and gov ernment by force abroad. The decla ration of Independence will lose lie value when we proclaim the doctrine familiar In Europe, but dttestable here, that governments are round la shape, about thirteen Inches in diame ter and fired out of oaenoa. " For more than a oentury thi try has been traveling along the way which leads from the low domain of might to the lofty realm of right, and it* history has been without a allel In thn annals of recorded What will be our fate If we tare, hack- vhe ■!e«c»-nl toward PERILS OF EATERM OONQUm A Republican leuaiot ■aye tbe War m the Only Hope lor the . publican Party. Senator Burrow*, of Michigan, ia aa interview with a reporter for the Weshingtoe Pont, said: “It Is my judgment thet if the war ia the Philippines In still ia program next year, end the end le aot then ia sight, the situation will be to the dis advantage of the Republican The only hope for the country, I might odd,' is of oooditU P*rty. change pines. Unless ( lines speedily mportant polit V 7 . epmdy [itlona in the pElll|P the war in thn PhlUp- ends it will become net important political factor, and ilacoo* tinuanoe will make the outlook for Re publican success uncertain, to aay tha least. If I oould would have elm tlon or a base oi of Luzon, have my way, we 1 iply token aooeling ste- Y supplies in the lelend of Luzon, we would not hove peid a penny to Spain, nad wo would nave our foothold la the East wltlamt Ike to to the Sons of Veterans, porthy sons of wo.'thy ilres, I congratulate you on the heritage you have in the prestige of your fathers, and commend their splendid records as soldiers and Citi zens to your jealous guardianship. A few years more and there will be Both ing of them left except the sacred memorloa of their lives and the lofty example of their unselfish patriotism Total Deaths in Otis’ Army.— The Seattle Times prints what pur ports to be a full list of deaths la the American army in the Philippines up to June 1. The list was furnished by Fred Eitell, a representative of tbe the Manila Freedom, who claims to have obtained It from the records of the surgeon general’s office at Manila. The total number of deaths Is 736, of eblch 23 are officers, 699 privates, aac 14 civilians attached to the army. A remarkable feature of the record is found In the statement that the num her of officers killed in battle is out of all proportion to the* number of prl vates killed. On the other hand fewer officers died from disease pro portionately than privates. Out of the 23 dead officers, 16 were killed in ac tlon, 2 were drowned and 6 died of dis ease. Of the 699 privates. 294 died of wounds received In’ action, 9 were killed accidentally, 23 were drownei and 7 committed suicide, 106 died 0 typhoid fever, 89 of smallpox, 47 0 dysentery, 28 of pneumonia, 19 of and 14 of meningitis died from various dls- 14 deaths among clvl and 3 from n action. malarial fever The remainder eases. Of the llanr, 7 were from smallpox gunshot wounds received in —Miss Phoebe Ann West, of Nan tucket, is the possessor of the most remarkable twelve dozen spoons this country. They were brought America by Mis* Wot’s father, who was a sea captain, several years ago. They were of East Indian workmanship and their minute dimensions may be realized wheu It Is stated that the twelve dozen perfectly formed spoons are kept In an ordinary cherry stone The carved cherry stone which holds them is one of the most wonderfu examples of skilled handiwork in ex istence. It is exoulsltely carved and mounted on a tiny silver and stand. ^ -ivonry a par- time. ward and begin force and conquest. “It is not sufficient to say that the annexation of tbe Phlllpplee islands Is benevolent undertaking entered upon for the good of the Filipinos. Lincoln pointed out tbat this ha* always been the argument of klngt. To nse his words: * Tbny n ways bestrode tbe necks of the people, not that they wanted to do it, bnt because tbe peo ple were bitter off for being ridden.’ “ It is surprising tbnt nay believer in self-government abouid favor forci ble annnxntlon, hut still more surprls- ng tbat any one who bell*van U tha Christian religion should favor the substitution 0! force for reason in thn extension of our nation's Influence. “ if we adopt the gun powder gospel nthe Philippines, how long will It be before that principle will be trans planted In American soil. So long as our arguments are addressed to the reason and The heart our progress la sure, but can we, without danger to Christianity, resort to the ancient plan of injecting religion Into the body through bullet hole# ? “ The question Is frequently asked, what can we do? Nearly two months elapsed between tbe signing of the treaty and tbe beginning of hostilities In the Philippines. During that time tbe President and congress might have given to tbe Fillplnoe the same as surance* of independence that waa give to the Cubans. Such assurance would have prevented bloodshed. If the doctrine of self government la soufld, the Fillplnoe are entitled to govern themselves and the President oan now promise them Independence as soon as a stable government oan be established. If the President is not willing to take the reeponelbilitv of enforcing the doctrine Mt forth In the declara tion of independence, he can call Con gress together and let them take the responsibility. A special session would be lees expensive than the war, not to speak of the principles involved. “Our nation la protecting the re publics of South America Irom out ward Interference while they work out their destiny. We (Mu extend tbe same doctrine to the Philippines, and, having, reacued the inhabitants from n foreign yoke, we oan guard them from molestation while they develop a re public In the Orient. They will be our friends Instead of our enemies ; we oan send school teacher* to Manila In stead of soldiers and the world will know that there Is a reality la the theory of government promulgated at ladependence hall and defended by the blood of the Revolutionary fatben.” About ten days ago Secretary Al ger cabled General Otis, saying tbnt there wm some criticism of him In the American press, but assuring him thkt he bad the entire oonfldenoe of the sacrifice of Ufa and money. I believe In finding new ihfcrkete for our people, who are the great—t producers the world hM ever known, aed the (Meat doubtleee offers a greet opportnnlty. No one yet knows whet po—ibUltlee are to be afforded hf China, whieh. seems bow to ha staggering to her tell. If there Is to be a greet aevsiop—eat In that direction l certainly want thn United Stet— to have a share. At the same time we most not overlook Ike fact that we may rna counter et aay moment to Englaed, Fraaos or Ger many, and I bnllev* that Eegleed, eew apparently no friendly, will strike — at the moment w* crow her thresh old. More than this, I nap frankly thnt If our participation la tne Eentnrn trade la to be purchased et the one! of an indefinite war la tha Philippines we will pay a very large pries for what we reoelve." “How would you moot the praseat situation ?*’ “Tbe President le aeting wisely, le my opinion, In endeavoring to r—torn paeea and order In the Philippine* by tending an 1 no tanned army to —elei Gee. Oils. It is to be ninoorely hoped thnt the fresh troops will bo eblo to establish the authority of the United States. Ws must remember, bower—, that although wa her* bow teon fight ing some time, we here conquered e territory only about 60 mil— to south, a mere bagatelle < the Immense area of 1 If the additional troops seal to Otis cannot r—tor* order, will here to deal with the aught to here, by the first o( her, some deficits which to act. For the pr—eat I the Pr—ideal will eoetiaae ia hie 1 to end the troubi* end that his 1 will be crowned with seooees. Victory for the RepuMloda party next year will be made more eertele by the wmcsss of our arms ia the rhlllp- plnee." “You would not now Philippines?*’ eugg—ted the “I do not see how we eeaget now,” said thn Senator. “We a surrender our ihlps to Agulueldo end say to him that be eaa murder our sol dier*. Now that we hare 1 the oaly thing we one do is to 1 oonfilet as boos — possible. Aft— thet is does, the qn—tioa of the disposition of the islands — their permanent re tention r—ts with the people end with Congra-.’* rtth hold back your cotton. An Appeal to the the South—A Made le M—fcaaieg the Thn Natchez (Mias.) Issued the following appeal to the cot ton farmers: Tha time will sooa arrive for rketlag of the next ootton crop end unless a change is made — to the mode of doing It the name low level ef prio— thgt wee current last ye— will inevit ably be the mult. It is a well estab lished fact that Urge port and Uteri— receipt* during the month of Septem ber, October aed Noremb—, ere the E reet factor* U making prio—, aed It 1 In your powtr to prareat thin — you here the remedy U your own beads, which U to hold book oa your one-third of your gUalnp until December or January. The two-thirds will bring no—ly pa much money 1 keted la this way m the whole marketed la the usual way. in doing thin you will not bo depriv ing the merchants — the banks to whom you ere under obilgatio— of what they are justly entitled to, bet on the other hand, protecting aim—t their salvation — well as your own. The government says the acreage U ootton lands la night per cent, lam thee 1—t year and that the July condition is 3.4 (three four-tenths) per oeat. Ians, — a total depreciation of U.4 (eleven four-tenths) per cent. Estimating tbe ourreat cron et 11,- 200,0(0 bales it means a shrinkage of 1.277,000 bal—, or e crop of 2,923,000 balw for 1899-1900. Notwithstanding all this, end the further fact thet the ootton mills throughout the country are mekiaf profits ranging from 20 per oeat. to 40 percent., mighty efforts—e being made to create the impreeeioe that the crop will be an enormous one, with the view of gettUg your cotton oheep and it is for you determine whether the greedy spinner will succeed. Yon will be assailed by the wily speoulstor with ail kinds of arguments to prevent you from bolding your oot ton, but it Is your own weapon financial salvation depends ^ '« -- a —D. W. Krider, of Wharton, Ohio, a member of the 3d regular artillery who wm 4 shot twenty-six tlmM In tbe Filipino outbreak lo February, and who received tbe most terrible wouedl in the Manila campaign, still surviv—. He wm shot at 1.30 o'clock in the afternoon, and beeauM he wm thought to have been killed, wm not treated by the surgeoa until 9 o’clock thet night. Hie escape from death on the field is one of the most secretary of war and the administra- fETnirtment wU1 ***? ^ IPP 0 *! prOmi—et- rSEtTiSl* *""* laoor oolaua Hi dnot. were those which have b—n made pun- lie, and consisted of commendatory «ords of the general and troops in tbe field for what they had accomplished. —When a watch ticking on a table In St. Louis can be heard at the ead of a telephone wire la Cincinnati it la time to congratulate ourselves upon 1 _p our wonderful progress in communion- j v M tlon. , -New Orleans has street care city hee a part of each Issue la eating It, ead we ask our the preM, merchants and beakers, who •re equally interested with uajn build- iag up tbe prosperity of our ~ country, efforte. to Wheel—, aid us ia qpr