University of South Carolina Libraries
A CONFEDERATE'S STORY How a German Musician Was Honored by His Comrades. WRITES REMINISCENCED FROM FATHERLAND. Seventy-Six Years Old and His Penmanship is Faultless. The following lottere will afford a great do.il of Interest to tho veterans of McGowan's brigade and to old soldiers generally, who will read tho story of a German musician with added /. 'st when they know that he cherishes warm and tondor recollections of ills Confederate experience, although he has boot! ah-ent from tl is country for so many years. His penmanship is very boautiful, equal to the Qnest writing masters of ibis d;iy : ABBEVILLE^. ?. C.,Supt. 21st, l^'.'T. The writer of the letter below is John Gabriel Christopher Kruse, who was born Aug- 26th, 1821, in tho city of Wis mar, in Mecklenburg Schwerin, In Ger many. Lie came to America in 1853, &?id lived at Walhalla until 1801, and from that date until 1805 be was in the Confed erate army. After that lie lived In Charleston until 1878, and then in Sa vannah for a Dumber of years. Ho is now interpret1:; for tho Spanish consu late in Hamburg, Germany. After the surrender, he was lost to the sight of his old comrades, who had tho impres sion that he died thirty years ago. Some months ago tho editor of the Midium wrote an incidont about the Second Mauassas, aud brought in the name of Prof. Kruse. That issue of the paper was mailed to him by his friend, iMaj. Franz Mclchers, of Charleston. Upon this Prof. Kruse s. nt us a message, and we wrote an other article about tho Second Manas sas incident. Then came tho letter ho wrote us. Wo have read it to several veterans who were so much pleased with it that we give it to tho public. Prof. Kruse is a man of learning and his old comrades were delighted to hear about him. When wo told, at the Greenville Confederate reunion a few weeks ago, that lie was still living, scores of tho survivors, including ollicers and men, expressed the greatest do light to hear of his good health and prosperity. Prof. Kruse has a remarkable mem ory as will appear from the letter. The parties named are well known to many of .our people. Rothschild at Second Mauassas told tho boys that he would show them that lie was not afraid and then want into the battle and came out mortally wounded. He was known all over this section as a great musi cian and his death was much regretted. Every Old soldier will enj'?y this let ter. It is written In excellent style, and ?h0W8 that the nu n and ev nts of war times are fresh in Iiis mind. Prof. Kruse lias an elder brother who lives in Kiel, in Schleswig Holstein, or which place ho is an honorary citizen. A younger brother, aged 74 years, lives in Australia. His only sUtur lives iu Hamburg, at tho age of 71 years. Tho combined ago of the four amounts to 300 years, and no one of them lias over been sick. ROBERT K H KM PH ILL. Editor Abbeville Medium. Hamburg, August i. 18(jt. Gen. H. R. Homphill, Abbeville, S. C. Dear Sir: With a hearty greeting from an old participant in tho memor able war lStii-'ii.-), the undersigned now takes the liberty to ask you to accept his photograph, which was taken a few days ago. My sincere friend and well-wisher, Maj Pranst Mclchers, had the kindness to send me your interesting ' Medium," in which you mentioned an incident of "tho little old German, of Walhalla, running the scalo on a clarionet, etc., etc." I am Indeed happy to state, it will surprise you and also my surviving friends when I assure you, that I d'-. not feel this day much older than I 'ad at the time alluded to in tho "Medium." I pride myself in tho thought that so much interest is evinced in my behalf by my old comrades. ' It will please them to learn from these lines, that I havo enjoyed almost uninterrupted good health since the last fifty years less than ten doiiars would defray all my expenses for drugs, medicines, cos metics, etc. 1 devoutly thank the Lord for His Divine blessing and pro tection. I havo met with many ?111 lo tions in my long and chequered life, but 1 overcame all its vicissitudes by an implicit hope that ull would bo for my best. Slnco several weeks I am in posses s'on of another copy of your valuable gazette of June 2Ith, mailed to me from Abbovillo, for which f am grateful to tho kind sender. 1 bog t?tender you my warmest thanks for your kindness in having, by tho mention of the "little incident,'' caused my friends and "com rades in war" to receive tho informa tion that I am still on tho list of the quick, and I expect to hear from them. Remembering vividly the incidonts touched upon in your "Medium," I beg to say a few words concerning ono of them. At the time when the late Lioutonant-Colonel Led hotter and my friend, tho violinist and virtuoso Roth? child, both wounded mortally, were borne to tho rear, I met them on my way es I was returning from the bouse that was utilized for a field-hospital, whither I had boon assisting the then Sorgeant-Major Wm. Marshall and another soldier to carry our wounded Colonel Marshall. Whilst wo were transporting tho dying colonel, Sor goant-Major Wm. M. wept and ex claimed. "1 thank God, my father dies a Christian !" Oh, this noblo expros 8lon of tho bravo and dovout yountr Chriatlan-soldior, who beheld for tho i a t tlmo on earth tho pale courttcnanco of his dying father ! Aa said words of lament were uttered by tho dying hero's son, I said to tho distressed Wm. M.: "Oh, Mr. Marshall ' Kiss him, kifs him for your mother!" If tho then Sergeant-Major Wm. Marshall should be alivo now, be could toll you that ho did kiss bis dying fatbor, for ho would undoubtedly romomber lt. I should liko to bo Informed whether Mr. Win. Marshal.' has passed through tho war unhurt; and, if so, whero ho resides. It may &eem strango that I aek this in format'on, because I returned, after tic capitulation of our so called robol ar-ay at Appomattox on April 10, 1805, With General McGowan to his houso in Abbeville, whero was also tho homo of tho lato Colonel Marshall; but having (for about thirty-two yoars) boon with out any communication with my old comrades in war, it seoms to mo liko ono that has read history, and In tho turmoil of lifo has forgotten somo part of it. It is a marvel to me, that I should be in doubt about tho existence or non-exletenoo of Sergeant-Major Wm. Marshall. I now beg to say a few words about tho late Lieutenant-Colonel Ledbetter, whom I have known at Walhalla. Whon I was returning from the Impro vised hospital, In order to rejoin my I regiment, I met Lieutenant-Colonel L, who was being borne on a litter by ! some of our soldiers. He eald to me: 'My dear Kruse, at you are returning to our reg'.oient, plonso get my sword and also my leather pouch with two Ironona in if. these things must lie near the spot whore I foil.1 I answered. "Yea sir, I shall tri my best to g(.?t What you Wish." lot served no marks or signs that might indicate how and in what part, of his body he had been wounded. A'usi I did notknow whither to wend my way, in order to fulfill my glvon prom's <. I pursued a path, which I thought WOUld carry me to t he desired spot, it was an unlucky hour for us. In le^s than thirty minutes liiere were killed more than thirty men and officers. I did not. lind my regiment at the place where 1 had left it: for having received reinforcements, our (rOODS were forcing h.iek the enemy. I went in a direction that I guessed would lead me to our brigade. As it was gro?vinr dark and I felt muoh fatigued 1 I .lid myself down and soon fell asleep. When I had awoke very early on tue next morning, 1 found that l bad coiled mysi if down !u the. midst of many dead. Within a few step; of me there wer,.- lying about ten or more corpses in blue uniforms, which how ever did not frighten mo In any way; for around me all was serene, no deto nation or oraok lag of guns ami reports of cannon could be heard. 1 thanked Almighty (Jod for His Divine protec tion. Being, like my many comrades, deprived of the luxury of soap, towel, hair brush and other toilotte-Btuffj and being minus water to moisten my parching lips, and uothing in si^ht to bite or chew for breakfast, the thought that I was not able to find Ltouteuunt Oolonol Ledbettor's sword, pouch and lemons troubled my mind. Whilst I was thus cogitating and walking in a direction unknown to me, 1 was at last surprised to find my way to my oom radi s, who hailed my return into their midst svith great joy, as 1 was consid ered by them one of the j ollioat of the j >liy boys in gray. it may be that 1 was now on the iden tical spot described by the "Abbeville Medium" as the place whore a littie wren (known In the German language as /. inn konig, which, translated liter ally into English, means king of the fence, or fence king), and where across tho way the ''little old German man, of Walhalla, was running through the scales on a clarionet, etc., etc." It may be, that 1 then played the, ta that time in our regiment, favorite tune, "Let me kiss him for his m it her" or some kindred plaintive air. I 'Was well acquainted with Mr. Rothohlld (pronounced Rote-shilt). It was generally mispronounced Ros ehild. Said unfortunate musician was | a great favorite with Col. IVrrin and likewise with Co'.. Marshall, Col. Coth- i ran, and our first Col. James L. Orr, ! later Judge Orr, and then ambassador or minister, who died in St. Peters- i burg, Bu88la. Col. Cothran said of my j friend K. (who was an Israelite), that ! he (H.) was a very intelligent man and that he (!i.) was the noblest of his race. May he rest in peace ! I have for many years not heard from Gun. S. McGowan, at whose bri-1 gado headquarters I acted as clerk under Adjutant-General A. C. Baskell. and Inspector-General L.C.HaskeU was also in McGowan's brigade. Said adjutant-general was later colonel of cavalry, and '.n an encounter with the Union cavalry he lost one of his eyes. 1 met this gentleman after the war once ic the Charleston Hotel, and lat'jr in Sa 'annah wnero a relative of his is livii.*?, from whom I heard in the year 1801 o. '2 that Major L C. Haskell had ! died on u!* plantation at or near Little Kock, Arkansas. I enolose a letter, ' dated Abbeville C. IL, S. C. 20th Nov., 1866. You may see how kindly I was ! remembered by this noble soldier, that ho sont money to his old comrade at a j timo when funds were scarce in the] Southern States, that ho would entrust mo with business, etc. Said letter is dear to inc, but 1 am quite willing to lot you have it. Col. A. C. Haskell al so made mo a kind offer when he met mo in Savannah. Hut the first who made mo a kind oiler when we returned to our homes after tho war, was my beloved Gen. S. McGowan, who took meto his residence, took mo with him to the Episcopal church in Abbeville, introduced mo to Mrs. (Jen. McGowan, as also toh's daughter, Miss McGowan, who declaimed before me a poem, "Hingen on the Rhine." Before I left the general's bouso to go to my old home, Walhalla, he olTored mo a posi tion in bis law otlico, complimenting mo on my punctuality and the keeping of his papers. (Jen. McGowan wished that I should livo at his residence and bb a permanent guest at his table. Thus you see how kindly I was trcatod by the86 noblo families. I Mm i also mention tho late Ool. Marshall, Col. Colhran, Lieutenant Colonol J. Towncs Robertson, who sub scribed my parole (as paroled pi isoner of tho army of Northern Virginia, hav ing permission to go to his homo and thero remain undleturbou). This was after our capitulation at Appomattox Court House, Va., April 10, 1865. I then wont with Cen. McCowan to Ab beville, where I delivered to him at his bouso all the brigade papers and book.-, and also a piece of tho colors of tho I I Mi regiment, of which Conorai MoGowan had heen colonel (if I do not err) boforo ho was brigade general. Tho day on which tho agreements ant,' tho terms of tho capitulation were slgnod (I. e,, effected) sovcral of our soldiers and "non-commissioned otlicers bogan to dostroy their regimental colors, Iliitf-BtftfiH, etc. I snatched from tho hands of a soldier (who was tearing Into pieces and cutting up tho beauti ful bluo silken lUg. with a beautiful wreath, or palmetto-tree, embroidered on said Hag in white silk) a pieeo of said ilag and hid it under my uniform, and as soon as I saw a chance I hid It undor my shirt, and aftor having ar rivod at General McGowan's house, I delivered, together with all our archives, this remnant of the. said bluo flag of the Ulli regimont. I should like to know if tho gonoral is still In possession of this rolle of tho ?rar What i Iso could ho do with it than to keep it? To surrender I*, to the State of s ut?> Oarolinu was shameful, as it would I ive br? tight lolight tin nds'ir able conduct ol too destroyers of the beautiful colors. Lt was a s tameful attof tho sold lor to commit suoh au outrageous deed of Insubordination. It was against all usages of warfare. As I keep on writing i remember a oertillcato whlohwp.s written by C. Mel). Miller, Captain commanding Orr's Uealment it 11 b, s. c. v. it was in oamp on the Ruppahunnook, in Vir? glulu, on January 12th. 1803, soon after the battle of tYederloksburg. 1 was, at iny rcquoat and endorsed by the dif ferent comm dlngoflleorsof regiment, brigade, division, ariny-oorps, trans ferred from the army of the Confeder ate States to -be navy of tho Confed erate 8'atea by command of Con. Hob ort 13 Leo, anu signed: "By command of c< n. Leo. W. ii. Taylor, A. A. Gen oral." 1 took this transfer, because I considered mysolf utterly uu?t for fur ther 8< pvice ir the Held i?n account of Irroduolblo double hernia. I foit una ble to staud tho marching, ami be lieved 1 would be butter able to serve on a Confederate gunboat or some other ve880l stationed O0 one of the rivers or on the coast of tho Confeder ate state-, as 1 bad been in service of 1 the German, Belgian and United states merchants' navy or marine until the year 1S.*>U. and bad been chief.nato of uurumn, uuigiao ana u. *->. merchant ships for at least 10 years, of which 1 couid show tho best certificates us a practical soainau and navigator. After having received my paper of transfer, I loft the Confederate army and re ported at Confederate navy tioadquar tors to Commodore Forrest, In Rich mond. After an examination by a sur geon I wus declare 1 unfit for any ser vice, and ordered to go home to Wal halla, there to remain. I opened a school In Walhalla, and did well. After a few months, it was claimed by the enrolling olllcer that I bad to go hack to tho Confodorato army to my regi ment, and that I had not been dis charged from service by General Lee, hut only transferred, and that Commo dore Forrest could not discharge mo*, hut only refuse me, anil that I could only he discharged by tho Secretary of War. Tlius 1 hail to report hack to my command, Orr's Rille regiment. As ; 1 declared myself unable to march, Col. A. C. Haskell kindly caused mo to be employed as clerk in the ord nance service. A few months later, Gen. MeOowan's olerk, Mr. Norman, dii d and Gen. McGowan then took me in Mr. Norman's place us clerk of headquarters of McGowan'a brigade, under my kind protector. Aujutant General, Capt. A. C. Haskell, under whom I i Ululated until Capt. A. C. Haskell became col oho 1 ?l caval y. The last live or six months I olliei atcd under Adjutant Genoral W. Rid dlok, of Kettle Springs, N. C. and also under Major and Inspector-General Langdon C. Haskell, whoso letter I have mention- d already. There are some other gentlemen of Abbeville whose names I remember at times and then forget them. I romombor a nice young man named Houser, who Ioo'j a 1 ?g In the li'st year of the war. After the war he lived in a little house on tho promises of Col. j Cothran, whore 1 visited him. lie was then a manufacturer of cigars, On this oconslou, C< 1. Cot brau invited mo Into his house, where I was Introduced by him to his family, and treated very kindly. I have also bei n at Due West, at Capt. and later Col. G. Mo. 1). Miller's bouse, who kindly went with me to Mnj. Melton's otlloo in Columbiaaod there claimed me as a soldier of hi:- (Orr's) Regiment Through his Intercession 1 was al lowed, before, going hack to my regi ment, to remain about a month in Walhalla, and then on the first of Julv, 1863, to report at Due West, Abbovllle District, S.C., to the said Col. C Mo. ?. .Miller, who took me along to Virginia. I was very kindly treated and provided for by the said gentl ?man, and had a Very agreeable journey to my Ol 1 regi ment. Here i must state that Col. M'a slay at home was on account of u wound received in some battle, and that 1 met him accidentally in the streets of Columbia, where tie then stayed until he recovered from the of focts of his wound. Now, I ask to mention a few names of our regimental hand, of which I was a member before 1 was at McGowan's brigade headquarters. There was a Mr. Vandiver, Mr. Wru. Trlbble, Silas Clinkncalcs, little Johnny Ansel, of Walhalla, Sorgt. Hulwiukle, of Me Gowan's brigade wagon guard, and others. I have now penned down more than 1 thought I would ho able when 1 began this letter. After reading your first pap';r sent ir o by Mr. Melchers, 1 in tended to write, to you at once. I de layed my writing a few days and studied about my intended letter. Later on 1 began to write and kept on writing until I saw a very voluminous letter before me. After scanning the contents of it, tho tenor did displease mo very much. I put it aside add wanted to compose a more sensible one, because there seemed to me such a confusion anil so many repetitions of the same occurrences, so that I con eluded to make several changes in ex pressing facts. Instead of doing bet ter, I did worse. 1 almost lost all con fidence in myself, it seemed to mo that my honest efforts to write some what like reminiscences of my soldier life were not crowned with the expect ed success, and thus 1 became d isheart ened. I forgot altogether, or lost sight of the fact, that wi Iting a letter about one's daily business and composing something like a novel, resting upon facts or fiotlon, are different tasks, it seemed to mo that I had better leave "writing like an editor" alone, ami thatb.-Hof all would bo to thank vou kindly for having saved my numo and tho irsignilioant doings of your old comrade from oblivion ; then to reque st yon to be 80 kind us tOOXtend my greet ing to till friends that may remember Old John tho piper, and oommunioat Ing, by means of printer's ink, to all tho world that I ain't dead yet. To-day I mado a new attempt and 1 now assure you that 1 havo dono faith fully all I was able to Uo In ray ardent desire to give you a sign of life. In conclusion, I would ask you to send mo tho pieoe of paper with tho order written on it by me for Gen. MoGowan. It will bo pleasant to mo to show it to mv brother and sistor. With kindest regards, Your obedient servant, John G. C. KRUSE. ?Tho gonoral passenger agent of one of tho Chicago trunk linos received a letter from a Kansas man tho other day r(questing a pass for himself to Chicago and return. There was noth ing about tho lottor t> Indicate that the writoi had any c aim to tho cour tesy ho requested,, but tho railway man thought perhaps the Kansas had eoino connection with tho road, possi ble as a local freight agent. So ho wroto baok: "I 'lease state explicitly I on what account you request transpor I tat ion." By return mall eamo this reply. "I'vo got to go to OhloaKOBomo way, and I don't want to walk." IA MOST DARING EPISODE OF THE WAR. UOI.' (?UltSUlT OK A STOLEN lot OMOTIVB. Tho Capture <>i un Hnglne ai El!g Shaiiiy Station?Devices ol 111 ? fugitives and Disastrous I'Jtkll ? t tho llald. Bridgeport (Conn) Partner. On a day in April, 1803, a passenger train front Marlott a, Oa., stopped at the station of Big Shanty, eight miles north und tho welcome word passed through tho ears, " ten minute's for breakfast." Out swarmed th * pas* SOng< rs, many of then soldlors of tho Confederacy, and with tho conductor, engineer and brakt Bman eagerly sought tho lunch oounter. But among tho pu'jseogers was a group of civilian.-. BOmo twenty in number, who seemed less hungry, and loitered on the plat* form after the others had vanished lu the refreshment room. Near the station was a Confederate ootnp, well (Hied with new recruits, ono of whom was pacing his heat as sentinel scare a eh /, m steps from the engine. Had ho been an old sol Hot* luo sen try would doubtless have paid more attention to tho movements of the civilian.--, one of whom climbed into the locomotive, a group of others Into tho empty box-ear, while another slipped betwoen two cars und quietly pulled out tho coupling pin. Too last of the. group im v walked quickly up the platform, nodded to the man in tho engine and tho cars next behind it began to move. Tho sentinel, now lirst convinced that something was wrong, fired an alarm shot und the conduoior, whose ears had caught the griud'of tlie wheel on tho track, rushed hastily out, to lind to Iiis astonishment and dismay that half the train was running away. Out poured passengers and trainmen, full of helpless auger. Their locomo tive had been stolen, there was no other engine withwi miles, what wa to he done ? The conductor, ovidontly not s.ieing anything hotter to do, started at full speed up.the track, accompanied by a railroad uieobanlo uaoied Murphy. The effort seemed a ludicrous one ? two men chasing *a locomotive.?but fortune help those who help tbom solvcs and fortune came to Conductors Puller's aid. Toe two men bad not gone far b( fore they espied a band ear, standing beside tho truck. Her* was hope. Lifting it by main strength on the rails,.they applied themselves to the levers and s ,on wcro living up the track much faster than their feet OOUld have carried them. But misfortune succeeded. The car straiek a broken rail and was burled from the. track, Hinging its occupants iuto a muddy ditch. Up sprang th conductor, nothing the worse, but much the more unsightly, from his b ith of mud. Up sprang Murphy be side him. They sprang to the cur, righted it, tugged it again to the track, and wore soon underway again, now with eves wide open for further legacies of broken rails. Conduotor Fuller was proving himself a man f.d. of grit, lie was bound to ran down that locomotive, even if ho bad to crawl on its tract:. At length the station of K .owuh was reached, lie ro to bis delight Fuller found an engine with steam up, ready for tho road. Ho found Boldlors bore ui-..>, to whom he hurriedly told bis tale of what he was sure was a daring Yankee trick and asked for volunteers. 11 i got them in abundance!: the engine and tender wore qukkly lilled with eager allies, and away went the pursuers now with Directive speed. An e IT ort had also been made to telegraph tho news ahead, but this bad failed : the wires hail evidently b< en cut. Fuller was right In saying that the piratical party were Yankees. They wero a baud of daring icouts who had stealthily mado their ? ay South, their intention being to stea. 11 looomottvo, burn the bridges b hind them us they lied, and thus make useli ss the only railroad by which the Confederate forces could bo hastened to Chattanoo ga, then threatened bv tho Union force under General Mitchell. So far they had been strikingly suc cessful. Tbey bad torn up the rail where Fuller and Murphy got their somersault, cut the telegraph wire, and run past station after B tat ion, stopping hero and Iber?! for wood and water. To all questions, the. com mander of tho expedition, .lames .1. Andrews by name, had but one answer. " I am taking a train load of powder to General Beanrogard": pointing at tho same time to tho closed box cars, in which lay his concealed compan ions. Yet ill-fortune awaited them. They had hit upon the wrong day. Yester day they would havo found a clear track. To-day the road abend was blocked with trn'irhV hurrying south' ward. Mitchell had taken Huntsville. Chatlanooga was in danger of capture. Everything movable was being rushed quickly south. Trouble lirst eamo at Winston, a station thirteen miles from Big Shanty. Andrews drew his car on a siding, to let pass an expected locai train, hoping after it bad passed to find a cbuir track to Chattanooga. It came, halted, and on its lust car waved a red ling, tho signal that an other train was following. '? How is this ?" Andrews asked tho conduotor, in sharp tones. "My Orders are to take this powder Nortli without delay. Why lo tho road blocked ? "Mitchell is coming to Chattanooga," was tho reply. " \Yu aro getting everything wo can out of it." Tiiis lookod sor'ous. How many trains mignt there be in the rear? Tho expected train came. To their dismay the fatal red (lag lloated on its rear. Another truin ; still tho rod (lag. An hour of intense anxiety passed before the blockade was broken. Then a train passed without tho danger signal, and tho fugitives with renewed hope, drew out from thoir plaoo of peril. Yot their delay hud been long. Pursuit might bo near at hand. Slopping tho train tiiey sprang out, and began hurriedly to tjar up a rail. As they worked a sound of fatoful owmen eamo to thoir ears, tho shrill whistle of a locomotive. Like giants the alarmed scouts worked. The rail yielded ; it bent; in a few minutes moro it would bo loose ; but those? minutes woro not to bo had. Again eamo tho whistle, now near by ; tho rattlo of wheels followed ; around a curve came Conductor Puller's loco motivo, tilled with armed men who shouted In triumph at sight of tho fugitives. Tho work had to be aban doned half dono. Tho raiders spraug to their places and took to hasty M ight. Tho partly raised r\\\ proved no obstacle to tho pursuors. A jolt and a jump and It lay behind thorn, and away thoy sped over tho level track ahoad. Tho cbaso now became florcc. Moth locomotives rushed madly onward, one filled with doubting fugitives and tho other with hopeful pursuors. Some thing must bo dono and quickly, or tho well-devised schomo would oud In I Iii letter. Andrews was not long in devising a plan. Ho could easily spare ?li of tho care behind hltn. uncoupl? the rear cur, it waa left on the ' ick, with hope tin t the pursuer* .Id rush into it and DO wrecked by I i ) collision. Luckily, for Fuller and . hi men they saw it In time, slowed up, ' uut/ght It, and pushod it onward. A second oar was dropped, but wu? pick id up In t' e Bame fashion. U aeh ^ a siding, Puller switched off those i ars, and ran on Ugttlu, .'roe fruui their tbstruotlon. Not far ahead was a bridge which the raiders had intend ed to destroy. But th? chase aas too ? arp for the noco?aury delay, Mid 1 ro was nothing to be done but to push forward. The engines proves closely matched In speed, and for miles ihoj ruShed forward at a rate that ihrcatoned ruin for both. Andrews ? ? ? tried a now expedient. He knocked out the end of the box car, PUd dropped tho ties it held, one by <? ?, on the track. Tlio delay caused i . enabled him to step and take on o di fresh fuel. His next plan wua to ' >p und lay a looso rail on the track. It was just beyond a curve, and Fuller's engine ran 00 .t at full 6p d Disaster was imminent: then Oarao a terrific jolt : the engine leaped Into the air, but by marvelous good luck it alighted again on the track and the el.line went on. The position of the fugitives was now desperate. They were nearly out of water. Only one hope rcinulned. A eovorod bridge lay some distance uin.i l!. ir this could bo 11 red, safety ??light still be bad. Andrews oado his men to heap WOOd OU the Hour uf the remaining box car, kindled it wltb live coals fr.Mii tho engine, und the men c'Hin bored into tho tender. Tho wlud of (light BOOQ blew the lire into llerce Harnes. Tue bridge was reached hy the bhtalog car. Slowing up, the i ar v us uueoupb d on the bridge and the 'u 'it ves halted just boyoud to gaze on Lbe work of tin. Uamofl. Unluckily the bridge bad boon soaked by recent rains. Tue Haines w?e uselessly licking the wet timbers when l'uilei's engine dasbod up. With the quick decision of a Napob on he drove into the blinking moke, caugbt tho blazing car, and push id it forward into the open air. The hridgo was saved. Tu ) fugitives bad played their last card and lost the game. Their .-team was running down. Flight by ran was at an end. Springing from the angine they rushed over tue Heids, holly pursued. The story of this par suit may be told in a Word. Kvery man of them was captured. The attemi I had boon so daring ami so nearly succoibf.il that a severe warn ing to future raider.-, seemed unneces sary. Andrews and seven of his fol lowers were condemned to death and hang. The others were imprisoned. And thus in disaster end id one of t io mosi daring episodes of tho war. ? ? ? ? -- line coitN-riuiji) I'l.A. A Dainty Dish Pit lor lbe (fable of ti Kiii? -.1 I'lea Tor More Kvtensive Cull tiro. liuta Uonstitulioni b'i'Ost ij no1 yet In sigh', fur tho cockiehurrs are as green us grass, and some of them are in an immaturi I iiite. The-:;; harbingers (U they may bo called so) will got brown aud ripe- be fore frost fa..-, lu tho meantime, there are some very substantial symp toms of fall. I'or instance, the morn ing glories that have been running not over the aftormath in the hay patch, are now 'jloom till aftor 1U o'clock in tho morning, and they make a radiantly beautiful spectacle which the humhl HC may enjoy. Mut the moot substantial symptom is to bo found between the corn-rows where the uorntlold pea is growing. Too pods, or peascods, as the old Klizabethans were fond of calling them, are turning yellow und boginnlog to bhrlvol a little. This a sign, not only of the progress of autumn, hut of the ripening of a very line article of food. In its present state tho cornlield pea is a dainty tit for tho table of a king. It is at all seasons a staple food with those whose taste has not boon vitiated hy the dry and odorless style \ of northern cooking, but, juat now, wiien the pods still have a tinge ol I green in their yellow, it is a delicacy highly esteemed hy all people of la^te. lathis state tue peas are not dry hut juicy and sweet and yield gracefully tc the soothing and simmering influence of the dinner-pot. Tin y should he boiled with a piece of smoked middling, not the sticky pork that conies from tho west?though rather than miss the peas, we'd accept tho western meal?and tilt, cooking should proceed until one of the largC6t peas may he rubhed to tho thinness of writing paper between tho thumb and fore-linger. Then they should he served as tho tu to dictates?plenty of salt, a sprinkling of red pepper, with a dash of vinegar?and they should ho eaten with cornhread, though this is' not necessary, for tho cornlield pea is oolh bread and meat. In tho coast region and elsewhere the peas are mixed with rico alter coining to table, and called "hopping* john." llopping-john is all very weil (Or those who like it, hut, as good wine needs no bush, so the cornlield pea needs no addition to its lino, delicate Mavor. Wo uro told that thousands of bushels of these peas are shi, ped into Georgia from the states to tho north of us. If this bo true, our farmers deserve to be scored for Choir lack of energy. The cornlield pea needs no cultivation whatever in this climate. All that is necessary is to plant them between the corn-rows or 1:1 a Held hv themselves. They will grow ranker Ihiiii tho woods on good hind, und will llouribh on land too poor to support weeds. They may bo plowed under in the green ?tute to enrich the land, though that is really a waste of the raw mate rial, or thoy may be cut for forage when tho pea is in tho " milk btt.ge,' or tho peas may be allowed to mature. No matter whut course is taken, the land is better for their presence. The roots go deep down into the soil, ami Ihc .feeders permeate the ground near the surface, and tl)is is tho real benefit, for tho land becomes porous and re-' mains so until'the next spring. Tho productiveness of tho cornlield pea is almost boundless. If left to I ripen in tho Hold before they are gathered, enough debris is left to fatten live hogs to the uere and keep them in that eondition till hog-killing .time. Wo trust our farmers will do I veto moro attention to this remarkable i annual. It is a beltjr fertilizer than i elovor, a moro nutritious forage than j timothy, and a hotter food for hungry ' people than can he bought in tho ' stores. And you may call it by what name I you ploaso, cornlield pea, cow p.-a, whipporwill pea, or anything clso. ; It is always on hand )f you givo it a chance. llollod without muut, and fod to tho milch cows, it is the greatest butter maker known to dairymen. And it you don't boliovo all this, or don't know it by oxporlonoo, we'll s^ud you a moss tho first ohanco wo got. A NEW FEATURE KOK OL1EM8ON. Tho Suggestion Ib Made by a I'ractl' oal Manuffeclui*or*to Make a Textile Department Iti'tho Fai'iucr's Col lege. The following communication hau been sent to tho board of trustees of Cl< inson College, and it was considered at the recent meeting. Mr. I). A. Tompkins is a praotioal machinist*und Cotton manufacturer, and is 000 of the chief factors in the development of this industry in anil around Charlotte, whip! lie. has aided to a large BXtOOt in promoting the maoufaoturing loterosts of South Carolina. Ho is a native of KJgel'm'.d County, and naturally feels an abiding interest in tho success and pro iporlty of his native Statt;, especi ally in whatever inoars will best ad vance tho training and education of yOUOg men for future usefulness. The trustees of Clcmsoo were great ly imprcts d with the argument of Mr, Tompkins in behalf of hi. proposition, and a committee was appointed to look Into the feasibility and advisability of establishing a branch for textile teach ing at Clorasoo College, The commit too consists of 1). K. Norris, B. it. Till man and M. Ii. Donaldson, and their report will bo awaited with interest. Bvory citizen of South Carolina is intorei tod In the movement, and no one sh >uld fail 'o read the lettero' Mr. Tompkins, which is as follows: (.'IIA I; I.OTT K, N. 0., Aug. 24, l-'.iT. To tho Hod. II. W. Simpson, Chair raun, and tho Hoard of Trustees, 0 urn son College, S. C. Gentlemen: Pursuant to your re quest mado when I discussed before your board the subject of a textile de partment at Clennon College, l submit tho following suggestions. 1 conceive Clcunson College to have boon ustabli-jbeJ in deferonoe to the wishes of tho people of the State to have a school where the youth of tho State could, in getting an ordinary eollego education, do it in a way that would qualify them to Und an cash r entrance into some profitable occupa tion than it was found could be done from the ordinary literary institutions. Tho education and training given at moh an institution ought to be of a kind thai is calculated to be most us< - ful to the graduate and also of tin great'.-.-1 advantage t<> the other people of the State, and of the State at large.. For the aooompllshm >nt of these ad vantage, It seems upparent that the coursei of study and training should relate to those pursuits Into which students could at once outer in Iba State. Two industries which have dovelopoe more rapidly and more i xtccslveij perhaps than any other in the Stati are the manufacture of cotton oil and the manufacture of cotton. The yoi th of the State have found cni| oymc nt to a very great extent in oil mil.- . "I cot ton mills. What they know ol llu so subjects has been necessarily pickod up i>y tbo rulo of thumb method. Hu h these industries furnish the most u i I'mltcd opportunities for the work of I very graduate of Clomson inside the State, in cotton oil, besides the pro cess of manufacture, thoro are great posaibillti s in re tin log, in making SOap, in the production of feed BtUlTs by mixing the hulls and meal, In mak ing fertilizers and In other ways. With a hotter kuowlodgG of the sub ject, many collateral Industries might be established. Ulycorlno, candles, fancy soaps, table oils and many other articles of great eomiuerei.il value lire already made from cotton oil in other sections of this country, and with a proper exposition of t?ic knowledge relating to these subjects, all these products might be made in South Carolina, furnishing lucrative employ ment to tho young men of the State and keeping in the State a resource which com )s from a product of the' Stute. In the manufacture of cotton, the Held is probably still greater and tbo importance of extending, among the ' youth of the State, knowledge of the ' *t< xtile art. could hardly be properly estimated. Up to the present time the product of the factories of your State has been chielly plain white cloth. Simple as the manufacture of this clotli is, it has been necessary to employ many men from other sections of the country to conduct those opera tions in South Carolina, while in many casus the young graduates of your State institutions, being untaught and unskilled in tbo textile art, havo been compelled to go North or West to Htd employment in lines where their edu cation and training in your schools Is more applicable. It is notable also, that those young men who want to go into some line of textile manufacture ! do not consider any Southern school, but go North either to a school or into the shops, or in sonic engineer's ollloo. Some people think that the develop ment of cotton manufacture in the South in tile line of toarsd white goods has neurly roAObod its profitable limit. If this is true, it is all Important that tho youth of the present generation should be educated to extend it into other lines. Tho tendency will natur ally be towards liner goods and towards colored uress goods, which is a licld of i.ilinito variety. Your Statu was foremost in toe de velopment of cotton production. On plans that wero formulated and exe cuted lirst in South Carolina, the cot ton area of the South is furnishing the great bulk of tho cotton supply of the world. This was all original work. No other people had done such work. There were no methods to copy. Docs it seem proper that in the manufacture of cotton, tho people of tho State should content themselves with dupli eating the .simplest prooeaaos of cotton manufucturo In other sections, and be further content to curry on these pro cesses largely under the direction of men brought from other sections, when a great many of the youth of ! your Stute uro seeking profitable em ployment, in some euses leaving the Stute to und It? This subject of textile schools 1ms received tho most careful thought and attention in Kuropo. Some years ago it wus noted in Knglund, that some of tho continental countries, notably Ger many und Switzerland, were making an increasing progress in capturing lOnglisi) trade. Kvon in Kngland, edu cated young Germans wore being em ployed as superintendents of dye work.-, for their ohemlcal knowledge and their practical training in making beautiful colors at cheap cost : also, for design ing now and stylish patterns in various fabrics. It came to oass that not only Knglish trade was Buffering, but also tho practical Knglish dyer and the pructlcul Hnglish weavers found Ger man and Swiss young men taking their places. A commission was uppointcd to go to tho continent und inako a re port of tho eauao of tho growing con ! tinental trado. This commission found magnificent schools at Zurich, Chcm \ nit/, and at othor placos. Steps wero ' at onco taken to found similar schools ; In lOngland. To-day, Manchester has a textilo institution to furolsh instrue I tion cay or ovoning, thui making it available not only to young men who car pare tho tlmo and monoy to take a tegular course, but also to young iiH'tj v. o nave to work during tho day Alld can only devote some time in the ? evenings to study. Many of tho Bo? ; i lieh mau . urlngcontros havo estab lished similar schools. Some of tho textile maublno builders in Knglaud bavu found d sohoyU of Instruction in their works, 't is astonishing to learn how much money has bam spout on oven these schools which arc praeti ually departments of tho business of private linns. As to the value of all this oxpendituro, it is sulllolottl to say, nobody in lOagland doubts tho wisdom of tho oxponiturcs, baton the contrary, the disposition is to Still furnier in oroase and cheapen the facilities for teohuicul. and especially textile cdu outlon. In tho United States tho Now lilug* land and the Philadelphia textile dis trict-; have both made Splendid pro gress in providing for the collection and dissemination of knowledgo lo textiio SUbj ids. The. llrst textile School of Importance in tho United states was established in i *hilad< Iphia some years a,.:). This ichool lias boon doing ex* fallout work and promises to he of great advantage to the Philadelphia district. At Lowell, atoxlllosoboohhas lately been established by state ami city aid. To is school h is been well equipped and Is doing well. With facilities already at Clomson, 1 think that ben to Iifteen thousand dollars would bo sulll?lent to make a very good start. E3omo of tho machine men would willingly loan much of the necessary equipment. Oue teacher or professor would* bo ouougb to start with, but if ;v technical man could be employed as professor and a uraotical assistant provided lor also, it would he bettor. t Such adcpartmoi t would undoubted* ly contribute to diversify the manu* fact uro of cotton goods in tllO Stito, and would probably :it an early date bring about tho establishment o( one or more bleuuhortes and ilnlshing works, ?usldi a boing of advautago to tho youth of tho state In qualifying theiu fur protltablo employment, it should bo of groat value in Btimilatlng the development of the resources of the Stale in the lino of textile manu factures. Education to be of value must not be entirely pedagogic. If an educational system is applicable and successful in on a section, an Imitation uftuat sys tem Is not ucccssarlly tile best nr even { suitable for another section. What" I i say relates, of course, to tcobtdoal edu* cation in relation to its application to ?miimf. ?Hirers. There lore, in the light ol South (Jarollna's interests, i should put tbo study oi cotton manu* faoturo ahead of that of electric engi ne ring, for ? Kam pie. lioth are im portant und neither should bo nogL ct ed, but if the study of one must he omitted, i should .-ay, teach textiles and lot e?!?. citrielty go. If I can jorVe you in .mv way what* over in > ouneetion with this matter. I h :? I ,v\i to command mo, Yours v< ry truly, 1). a. Tompkins. AUTUMN I.l'.AVi;; What I't'oduoON tile Change III Color Why i lie LCRYCS I all in Am limn. The October number of Harper's Magti/.ln i bus an Instructive article from Prof. \) T. MeDougul, In which be explains sciuntlQiially tho changos in coior which produce our brilliant autumn leaves, and point- out tliotr function in the economy e?I plant life. We make the following extracts I The casting of I he le af is uot a sud den and quick response to any single cbaugo in environmental conditions, but i.- brought about with a complex intcrpl -j of prooi 8803 begun days or perhaps weeks before any external changes arc to bo seen. The leaf is I loll in two classes of substance.-, one of which is of no further be Ii c lit to it. and another w hich It has constructed at great cxpouso of i ne-rgy. and which i is in a form of the highest possible usefulness to the plant. To this class belong itho compounds In the proto* i platiu, tho green color bodies, and what* I over surplus food may not have been , previously conveyed away. Tlie .-ub bttincca which the plant must needs discard arc in -the form ol nearly In soluble crystals, and by roinuining In position in the leaf, drop with it to the ground, and pass Into that great com* ! plox laboratory of the soil w here by ! flow methods of disintegration useful j elements are >et free, and once again maj be taken up by the tree and travel tin ir devious eour*- ! through root j hairs along the sinuous root-*, and up '. through million-celled columns of the , trunk, out through the twigs to the leaves once more. The plastic substances within tho i leaf, which would boa loss to the plant i if thrown away, undergo quite a dif ferent scries of changes. ThOt>C sub ! Stances are. in the extremi st parts of ' the leaf, and to pass Into the plant body must ponotrate many hundreds oi membranes by diffusion into the long conducting colls around tho ribs or nerves, and then down Into tho twigs anil stems. The successful re treat of this great mass of valuable matter is uot a simple problem. Those substances contain nltt'Ogon as a part of their compounds, and as a conse quence are very readily broken down I when exposed to the sunlight. In the I living normal loaf IhO green color j forms a most ctTcotual Bhlold from the action of the sun, but when tho retreat ] is begun, one Ol the first steps results in too disintegration ol the ohloro 1 phyll. This would allow the tierce rays of the September aim to Btriko I directly through the broad exoanses of the leaf, destroying nil within woro not other means provided for protec tion. In tin; Ilrst plaoo, when the Chlorophyll hreaks down, among tho resulting substances formed in oyano phyll (blue), which Absorbs the sun's rays in the same general manner as the 'chlorophyll. In addition, the OUtt r lay01 H of colls of the leaf contain other pigments, some of which have been ma kod by the chlorophyll, and others which are formed as decomposi tion products, so that the leaf exhibits outwardly a gorgOOUS panoply of colors in reds, yellows, and bronzes that make up the autumnal display. From the Wild riot of tints bI)0Wu by a clump of trees or shruhs, the erroneous Impression might bo gained that the colors are accidental in their oecur icnce. This is far from the case, how ever. The key note of color in any species is constant, with minor and locttl variations. Tho birches are a golden yellow : oaks vary through ycl iow orange to roddlsh-brown : tlu; red maple becomes a dark red ; the. tulip tree u light yollow : hawthorn and poison-oak become violet; while the sumac- and vines take on a tlaming icarlct. These colors oxhihit some Variation ll accord with the. character i of tie; soil On which the plants stand, j The plant is a most delicately seif? regulating organism. It cannot in crease the water-supply, but it may and does decrease tin: evaporating sur face by casting or shedding the loaves, a reaction which it exhibits to other conditions as well. Mko the true, sea man, however, tho plant doer not shorton sa-ll by cutting away its can vas, but, by a deliberate und well timed surlos of processes, withdraws ull of tlio Bubstaneoe from the leaf which may bo useful to ii baok into its body before it discards tbo empty b.t>(d cellsttnd woody llbrosofthe potiole mid lamina. It may bo well to call attention to tbo popular and erroneous idea that tbo coloring and casting of autumnal loaves are due to the action of frost. it i.s true that tho phenomena of autumnal leaf-fall are due to low tem peratures, but, as may bo seen from tbo above, the defoliation of the plant is not a reac tion to the cold, but is an adjustment to l he limited water supply furnibhed by tho chilled roots. Tho reduction of tbo water-supply and the beginning of the processes leading to defoliation oeeur a long time before tho temperature of tin! air is depressed to the frc*zing-point or tho formation of frost. Tho Inlluonco of low torn* peratUt'cs upon tho plant is illustrated by tho mannt r In which leaves of to bacco and im Km plants bluokcu and dio us the ^result ol cool nights bofore the occurrence of frost. These plant1 transpire a relatively largo amounto water from the broud leaves, and if tho temperature of the soil descends to forty degrees Fahrenheit, the roots arc unable to lake up the necessary supply of wator, and tho loaves are literally dried out, though they are in correctly described as frozen Ol" frosten by gardm rs. T1IK W1CAT1IKK AM) CROPS. "aluabie Information to Those inter ested in Parininy Operations! The following la tho weekly bulletin issued by the weather, buroau in Co lunibio?as to tho condition of the oroos in this State: COLUMUIA, S. C., Sept. 21, 1807. Kxcessively high temperature pre vailed during tlu- entire week ending tin the 10th, with maximum* <>f bo tween 'an uiri lee on several days in succession over a largo poi tlon of tho State. The maximum reported was 101 at Hodges on the 15th und the minimum .v.i on tlu; I lib at Suntuu and on tin; Ibth at Walhalla. Tho weekly moan t< mporaturo averaged 78 for the State and the normal for the same pc riod in approximately 71. Over the greater portion of the State no rain tell. There were scattered and generally lieht showers on the I'1th and 18th over the siate generally but they were extremely local in their character, und except in a few In stances, did no appreciable good in re lieving the severe drought that now prevails. Twenty-four plaui s reported some rain, hut only live measurements xo< cded half an inch, with a maxi mum fall of:! In at Clllisonvillc. Tho uverugi of a I measurements was o.'J7 and the normal for the week is about 1.18. The sunshine was klightly in excess of the normal, but varied greatly in dilleront portions of the State. Hall foil in Uiohland and Nowborry counties, and local wind storms were report d from a number of places hut uo material injury to crops re BUlled. The continued absence of rain has resulted In a drought and i-11 growing crops suffered severely. The dry, sun shiny weather was very favorable for harvesting, and gathering matured crops, but prevented fall plowing ex cept in the track raising districts where much ground was prepared for winter vegetables. Pastures failed rapidly and streams are very low and In many localities good stock water is scarce. The hot, goncrally dry weather caused cotton to open very fast, some prematurely, and two thirds of all 00', ton is now open with about half of the crop picked. This applies to the whole State I iii tho ca-tei n counties tan pro portion ..,.^.:'5tl and picked is 60U30 what greater. Pub reports from ovory county Indicate that there has been a steady decline in condition since the first of the month, and that during the par.'- week the decline was due tOCX oessive hi atai d drought, which caused the plant to shed young, Immature bolls. The reports also indicate that there w I'l be practically 00 top crop. That is to say, that cotton has cither stopped taking tin fruit since the mid dle ol August, on that where it did fruit the hails and squares dropped o!T. .No blooms v ere. seen during tho week except on moist bottom lands. Over about one-third of tho state the estimated yield of lint per acre will equal an average, and over two-thirds it wilt fall short, so that, making due allowance for the increased acreage, correspondents estimate that the yield will he smaller than last year, and gonorally, the worst reports come from tho localities of usually heaviest production. In places where the plant is still green, rust Is very prevalent, but many Holds proeootthc appearance td having been Killed by frost. Sea Island cotton picking progres sing rapidly; the crop, much of which is not yet matured, is looking remark ably tine, notwithstanding tho existing moderate drought whoi'O this crop is I cultivated. I Kxccpt, ivcr the extreme northwest ern counties where corn was plantet! late, it was not adversely UlTeutcd by the lack of rain and not weather. The corn crop is now entirely safe and much of it has heim gathered. Corres pondents generally speak of it as a fair crop, in places, a largo one. Fho weather continued favorable for ; harvesting rice, and now there re mains only late May and June plant J int's tt> bo cut. LatO rice is not as promising as too early rice, und in por tion.-- of Oolloton tho orop is very poor. Thrashing rice Is well under way. I'otts Soom to he fruiting heavily notwithstanding that t he leaves nearly all droppod OlT t ho vines (luring the past two weeks. I'ea vine hay is nearly all gathered. It was too dry 'or sweet potatoes and over some of tho western coun ties the yield will he short. Fairly varieties are yielding well. Kain is needed for turnips and nus turcs, and to raplonlsh the streams for -toek water. Also for ItttO sitgarj eane. I'Vom tho national bulletin of Septem bor 13th : "Cotton ha-generally sullered fur thor injury during tho past wook and its gonoral condition is loss favorable than reported In the preceding bul letin. Mat'kod deterioration is reported from tho Carolina-, 0 lorgia, Teunes see, Arkansas and Oklahoma! Scat tered heavy rain- havo also interfered with picking in Texas and caused slight damage b> washing out open cotton in places, hu', improved tho crop where still growing." t _ .1. VV. BaUKR, Director. >? ?Tho surgeon general ctf the Fnitjd i States army lays claim to having hton the Qrst dlscovoror of the yellow fovor germ. The famous South Amorioan bacteriologist, Sanarolli, also claims the discovery, and ha- been awarded a prize of $10,000, Tho surgeon general allogos that several years ago he found the germ, which he called the baccll lus X. Ifo was then in liavaan during a yellow fever plaguo.