Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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e t?atcbm 1 n Tas SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. "Be Xast and Fear not-Let all the Ends thon Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jene. I2ft6 SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20.1899 New Series-Toi. XIX. No. 21 Cfc ?atc|nuni w? Soutjjroit Published Errary Wednesday, -Bf JN". G-, Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : $1.50 per annum-io advance. ADVBSTISKMEKT: ' Ose Square first insertion.$1 00 Every subsequent iosertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or. longer wil ba made at reduced rates. All comcjQnicatioD8 which subserve private interests will be charged for as ad versements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. British Defeated Again. Mowed Down by Plank Fire Before They Could Form For Defense. North cf Modder Rifer, Monday, Dec ll -Early yesterday evening the Guards of the Highland brigade moved from che Modder river camp, marching io the eight, io a north westerly direction. The objective of the Highlanders was the eastern spar of the Boer position, the Guards follow? ing the bank of the river, while the Yorkshire Light Infantry moved along the riverside. Just before daybreak she Highlanders arrived with within 200 yards of the Boer entrenchments at the foot of a hill. Ucsaspeo ?ag that the Boers were io the vicinity, the British were still marching quarter column in close order, when they met a terrible fire from the flanks and were forced to retire with heavy loss. The troops reformed under the shelter of some rising ground and gaiianty held their position. Later the Gordons arrived and the troops g rad aal ly worked their way until within 300 yards of the Boer position, displaying the greatest gallantry. Io the meaowhile, a naval gun at thc Modder river, the Howitzer batteries and the Horse Artillery open?d a terrific lire, enfilading the tren ones and searching every portion of the Boer position The Boers were entirely silent. Io the meanwhile the Boers, on the open ground directly in front, moved with the object of making a flank attack. But this was fustrated by the Guards and artillery The Boera recommenced shelling in the evening bot no damage was done. The British slept on their position It is expected there wiii be a renewal of the fighting tomorrow The losses on both sides were very heavy REPORTED BY METHUEN. L2odoo, Dec 13.-Tee war effise has received tbe following dispatch from Geo Methuen, dated Tuesday, Dec 12 : "Oar artillery shelled a very strong position held by the etemy in a loog. high kopje from 4 until dusk Sunday. Ic rained bard last night. The High? land brigade attacked at daybreak Monday the south end of the kopje The attack was properly timed but failed. The Guards were ordered to proteo' the Highland's right and rear The cavalry and mounted infantry, with a Howitzer artillery battery, attacked the enemy on the lett and the Guards on the right, supported by field a*tii!ery and Howitzer artillery They shelled the position :rom daybreak, and at 1 15 I sent the Gordons to support the Highland brigade The troops / held their own io front of the enemy's entrenchments until dusk, the position extending, including the kopje, for a distant of six miles toward the Modder river. Today I am holding my posi? tion and entrenching myself. I had to face at least 12 000 men. Our loss was great." Geo Forestier-Walker, telegraphing from Cape Town at 3 30 p m. today, sends the following dispatch from Ljrd Methuen, dated Modder river, Tuesday, Dec 12, 7.30 p. m "As the Boers occupied their trench? es strongly this morning, I retired in perfect order here, where I am in security. "I have gathered from eome of the prisoners and from our men with the ambulances who taiked with the Boers, that the enemy's losses were terrible, some corps bein* completely wiped out "Tho Boer-? have been most kind to my wounded " GEN WAUCHOPE KILLED London, Deo 13 -The war <-ffice has received the following dispatch from Get) Forestier Walker : "Cape Town, Tuesday, Dec 12 - Methuen wires that GC? Wouchope W3s kilted in action yesterday " G^n Wauchope of the Black Watch commanded tiie Highland brigade wi'.h Gen Methuen's column. lie served ir) Ashanti, Egypt, and the Soudan. He was frequently men tioned ir? dispatches }?tnl twicf? con tested Midlothian, OUCH against Mr Gladstone Li? wan a grrat favorite in the army. Modder River, Dec 12.-The Brit iso casnalties included the Marquess of Winchester, major of the second battalion Coldstream. Guards, who was killed, and Col Downham of the First battaliou Gordon Highlanders, who was mortally wounded. When the Highlanders met the murderous point-blank fire of the Boers about 200 were mown down, The Black watch regiment on reform iog was able to moster only 160 men. The Boers lost heavily in the trenches and also in the wire en? tanglements when they came into the open in an attempt to make a flank attack on the British The terrific British artillery fire provoked no response except from the Boer rifles nntil nearly 4 oclock in the afternoon when the Gordan Highlanders formed to renew the attack on the entrenched kopje They advanced with the utmost gallantry to attack the Boers, close to the plac? where lay their dead and wounded comrades of the Highland brigade The enemy opened with a heavy shrapnel fire as the British advanced and it was found physically imposai ble to take the Boer trenches The The British got within 200 yards but could not get nearer lt was here that Col Downham felh DETAILS OP THE BAT? TLE. I London, Dec 15, 4 45 a. tn -The j war office is 6riii without news from i Ladysmith other iban that already j published The general belief was that the large Boer forces Lord Methuen encountered at Magersfootein were partly drawn from Natal and that Gen eral Balier will strike a blow before these have time to return. Modder River, Cape Colony, Tues? day, Dec 12 -Details gathered here by a representative of The Assoaiated Press among the wouoded British and Boers give some idea of the desperate nature of the fight at Magersfootein. The Highlanders did ali that che most gallant troops in the world could do, bat it was impossible to face the terri? ble fire of the Boers. The Britith artillery again saved the situation aod divided tbe honors of the day with the Soots. The batteries worked for boars aoder galling rifle fire. According to? the Boer atones it was impossible for the burghers to have escaped fearful loss. One Boer prison? er ?aid a SID g ie lyddite shell kil led cr wounded over 70 and tbat two other shells burst over two bodies of Boers ensconced behind the raoge, doing fearful damage. All agree that the Boer fought throughout with the utmost gallantry. Their sharpshooters seldom missed the mark j A Seaforth Highlander says that j while he was lying wounded on the I field be saw a Boer of tynjjal German j appearance, faultlessly dressed, wirh j polished tcp boots, a shirt with silk I ruffles and a cigar in bis mouth, waik i mg among thc ant bilis picking off the I British He was quite alone and it j wa? apDaren* from toe frequent use he . mace of field glasses t?at he was j singling oat officers. Another woaod I ed Boer says that a lyddite shell, fired j Sunday, fell io the middle of an open j air prayer meetiog held to o5"?r suppli j cation fer the success of the Boer j arms. All the wounded are fail of praise for the treatment they received from the medical department on the battle? field. While the Guards were advancing on the plain which the Boers were shelling from the adjoining ridges, they encoun? tered aod cut up a stronger Boer picket ? posted on a hill, for purposes of obser ! vtttioo. All of the members of the . pieket were either kiiied, woucd.-d or I taken prisoners. DEAD NEAR THE TRENCHES. j Modder River, Wednesday, Dsc 13. I -Ambulances started early yesterday morning, under a flag of truce, to col? lect the wounded aod bury tbe dead who fell at Maeerefooteio. Brig Gen Wauobcpe, who ied the Highland brigade, was found dead near j tbe trenches, shot io the chest and i thigh A few wouoded were found j near the trenches. Several wounded ' I^ers were taken to ?he British hos I j pi Ul The side of the hill and the imrnedi- ! ! ate nei -hborhood of toe Boer trenches i j showed dead bc dir e all abwar (Jn? j wounded B ier informed a correspoo-j j dent, of Thc Associated Press thar ? . their losses wa?? terrible The wh (ie j Scandinavian contingent was destroyed. . ; Judging from information n\o:>.^>:(l frcm j tbe B ?er wounded and from prisoners : taken io different parts ot *hf> h* hi, . the B <er losses mest exceed 700 rho ! aestruc?oo wrought by the Dava! gun.15 j ws? eoormoos. W r i W-..S passed along tho B r lines to prepare to retreat at nightfall. : Ali confess fhat ir r.T.s their gr at< '. ?os* dering the w~.r. Th'.- l>ri;i.^h ir->^j have returee? >'< Modder river, owing to rho lack <i i water near tne position bold yesterday - A COMPLETE SURPRISE LoDdoo, Deo 15.-The corretpood- I ent of The Standard at Modder river, describing the fight at Magersfontein, says : "Six miles bad to be covered before the Highlanders brigade could reach thc Boer stronghold. I: is not yet clear through what mischance the force, which was led bv guides, came upon the Boer trenches so unexpectedly and PO suddenly. "Beyond question the Boers were aware of the approach of the British and bad prepared to receive them. According to one version two Highland ers, through nervousness or clumsiness, discharged their rifles prematurely ; but it is equally probable that the advance Boer ecouts conveyed the intelligence. "Oar men were totally unprepared. They had not even fixed bayonets. The disaster was all the more exaspera? ting because of the consciousness that, had the brigade been extended and with fixed bayonets, the trenches might have been successfully rushed with far less sacrifice of life.'' SEVES HUNDRED CASUALTIES. London, Des 14 -A revised list of the total casualties to the British troops of all arms at Magersfontein places the number at 832 There were fifteen officers killed and four (?) wounded and in addition five are missing and one is known to have been made prisoner. The war office has received a message stating that there were 650 casualties among the non commission? ed officers and men of the Highland brigade at Magersfontein The brigade lost 10 officers killed, 38 wounded and 4 missing GEN FRENCH HAS SKIRMISH London, Dec 14-The war office has received the following dispatch from Gen Forestier-Waiker at Cape Town : "Gen French wires, under date of Dec 12, reporting a skirmish at 4 o'clock in the morning with 1,800 Boers who were advancing south toward Naauwpoort. The sbirmish ing continued all the morning, the Boers fighting on a front of 14 miles. The enemy retired with a loss of 40 killed and wounded. - Onr casualties were one killed, seven bounded, in eluding one officer, and two miss iog" BULLER LOSES ll FIELD PIECES, MANY MULES AND MORE MEN. London. Dec 16, 12 47 a. m -The war office has reoeiven a dispatch announcing that Gen Buller has met with a serious reverse, losing ten guns. Gen Baller was attempting to cross the Tugeia river. Finding it impos? sible to effect bis object, be ordered a retirement, to order to avoid greater losses. He left ll guns behiod The following is the text of Geo Baller's dispatch announcing his re? verse : 4 Buller to L^nsdowse : Chievely Camp, Dec 15, 6 20 p. ci.-I regret to report a serious reverse. I moved in full strength from our camp near Chievely at 4 o'clock this morning. There are two fordable places in the Tugeia river, and it was my intention tc force a passage through at ooc of them They are about two miles apart "My intention was to force one or the other with one brigade. sapDorted by a central brigade. Gen Hart was to attack the left drift. Gen Hiidyard the right road and Gen Lyttleton was *o take the centre and to sopport either. Early in the day I saw that Gen Hart would not be able to force a passage, aod L directed bim to withdraw He had, however, attacked with great gallantry and bis leading battalion, the Connaught Rangers, I fsar, suffered a great deal. Col I. G. Brooke was seriously woucded "I then ordered Geo Hiidyard to advanoe, which he did. and bis leading rcgimect, the East Surrey, occupied Colenso station and the houses oear the bridge At that moment I heard the whole artillery I bad sent to support the attack-the Fourteenth and Sixfy six^h Field batteries and pix naval 12 pounder quick-fires-under Col Lon?, had advanoed clo?e to the river in Lang's desire to be within effective range ir. proved to be full of the enemy, who opened a glancing fire at close rsnge, killing all their horses, and the gur.ners were compelled to praod to ti.cir ?runc. Some of the wagon teams got shelter for troops in a donga, and desperate efforts v.cro made io bring oat 'I;-4 field gun** '*Tbe fire, however, rra-* f.'.o severe, an i only two were saved by Captain Scb< field and seme drivers whore names i W?ii ?U' r: i- h . "Auo-?h'cr mO"3t galten! at?erap? '.?? h three teri;:;; wis made by an cScer wbi>*e oame I *v-? obr^io (); rb? 18 ly. ?< 13 were killed ?nd as --everaij drivers wer..' wounded I u ? ?.: aoo-ber >."empr, a- ir s- >med j t ?-i they would be a shell mark, s ?erifi ?ing lifo t ) a gailant atrern; * to f.irce thc passage unsupported by j artillery. I directed the troops toi withdraw, which they did in good j order j CAPT G. W. SHELL DIES SUDDENLY. Had Represented His District in Congress Pour Years. Special to The State Laurens, Dec 15 -Capt George Washington Shell died suddenly at 2 o'clock this afternoon at bis home three miles from this city He was here a while yesterday on his wsy home from Greenville, where he had been on business pertaining to his office, district census supervisor, and while there had an attack of some? thing like cramps, but soon recover ed sufficiently to travel and immedi ateiy came home ? second attack today, which probably affected the heart, proved too much for bis then weakened condition to witstaod and he expired almost suddenly. Capt Shell retired from public life in 1895 and has since devoted his time to farming on a modern and extensive scale. Hi*6 appointment as district census supervisor was con? firmed only a few days ago and he was in the discharge cf his new office when the summons came Capt Shell was 70 years old, a man of pleasing address and marked ability. The funeral will be held tomorrow I afternoon at 3 o'clock from Chestnut Ridge Baptist church, of which he was a lifelong member Everybody here was shocked and pained at the suddenness of bis de? mise and general sorrow is felt W. L T. SKETCH OF HIS LIFE George Washington Shell, the au thor of the famous shell manifesto that marked the inauguration of the Tillman revolution, was born in Laurens county Nov 13, 1831 He obtained his eariy education in the common schools and the Laurens academy, attending the latter one year At 16 years of age he came to Columbia, and fer two years was a clerk to Andrew Crawford He re turned to Laurens and farmed for a year, losing bis wife at the end of that year-1855 The next two years he engaged in mercantile busi? ness in the town of Laurens Then he became superintendent of the Laurens railroad and held it for a year and a half, resigning and going to New York He took a position as a collector and remained for about six months, returning to his home just prior to the breaking out of the W3r Ile was among the first to enter the Confederate army, enlisting as a private in Co A of the Third South Carolina The first year of h\sKser? vice he was private secretary to Gen Bonham, who commanded the bri - j gade. Then he became second lieu ! tenant of his company. The day after his promotion he wa* made quartermaster of his regiment, then commanded by Coi Nance He was in this position for a year and (hen became division quartermaster, serv ing about the same length of time Then he was assigned to duty with the chief quartermaster of the Armv i of Northern Virginia, at Gen R E ? Lee's headquarters, serving lhere j from September. 1864, until the sur j render He was entitled to the rank of major, but never received that rank. After the war Capt Shell returned to Laurens aud went on the farm which has always been hi*3 home. In 1882 he was elected clerk of the court of his county, hold ing the office for eight years Then came along the political revolution of 1890 in South Carolina Capt Shell was B R Tillman's chief lieutenant io the fight, and he it was who penned the famous "She!! Manifesto" of 1890, a document that wili ever remain prominent in the po? litical history of the State Prior to issuing this document Capt, Shell had been a member of the State Democratic executive committee 1886 87. In 18S8 he was chosen president of the farmers' Association of South Carolina, and a later fired the opening gua of the Tiliraan cam? paign in the shape of the manifesto The political revolution landed Capt shell in congress from the Fourth dis? trict in 1890, and when his term ended he was given another, after which he retired to private lifo. Capt Shell was twice married, firs?, in 1851, Miss Mary Dial of Laurens county They had one son, who died. " Mrs Shell died in 18?9, his second wife being Miss Ellen W'ntts li:!! of Abbeville count j The fruit ot this marriage was IU children, two of who::) died this fal i Mr Shel i was the eldest child of his parents Lie ieavj s ? sister, Mrs W .] Oath- ! cart of Columbia, :?;< i a crother, . IV ar:cn. who is now vt ry i:i The ! v. . t. ? ? tili" rs have l-'eo instructed io repc/t r r trial a l mer? chants who fail to caDcei ?ramp?* ea empty cigar boxes. Tho fino in ?5U Thia is frequently forgotten by a dealer. Brumby's Ancestors Were Carolinians. Descended From the Hayos-j worths of Sumter County. ? To the Editor of The State : Lieutenant Thomas M. Brumby is Georgia's ranking hero of the Span? ish American war, and last October be was paid a high, but deserved compliment in the city of Atlanta by being presented with u handsome sword of honor by Georgia's govern? or on behalf of that commonwealth. The day was marked by other fea tures of an interesting and striking character, an account of which ap peared in the press dispatches at the time It was a pfoud occasion for the progressive city of Atlanta. In The State of September 24, There appeared a chatty, bright little article about the lieutenant and his parents. As a supplimenit to that article I will give a sketch of Lieu tenent Brumby's ancestry and will begin by eaying that he is descended from the old and weil know Hayns worth family of South Carolina Richard Haynsworth (or Hains worth, as the name appears to have been originally spelled) was the founder of this family in our State. We find his name mentioned in the old records, where we learned that he was paid by the colonial govern for "entertainments of Indians 99 One of Richard Haynsworth's daughters-Margaret by uame-was married twice-first to Mason Green? ing, afterwards to Peter Meilett. Mr Greening came from Virginia, and we are informed that he was "a gentleman of influence*" By her fir6t husband, Mrs Greening was the mother of two children* a son and daughter. This daughter, Susannah Greening born in December 1774, just at the time the storm of the revolution was preparing to break forth, was married to Thomas Brumby in 1791 He was an Eng? lishman, who left that country at an early sge for America Richard T Brumby was a son of Thomas and Susannah Brumby For many years he was connected with the University of Alabama, and was afterwards connected with the South Carolina College. That emi neat English geologist, Sir Charles Lyell, entertained a high opinion of Prof Brumby's scientific attainments In his "Travels in the United States. Second Visit.'* he gives a very read able account of an examination of the Alabama coal fields, which he made ia company with Prof Brumby in February, 1846 In this examina tion. a considerable scope of country was passed through, and Sir Charles formed a poor opinion cf the Alabama roads, as the foliowing extracts from his writings will show : "We traveled in a carriage with two horses, and could advance but a' few milos a day, so execrable and often dangerous was the state cf the roads " An appreciable notice of Professor Brumby wili be found in Mr Wiliis Clark's "History of Education in Alabama" and a full shetch in Dr M LaBorde's '-History of the South Carolina College." I would advise any one who has a copy of this latter work to carefully peruse this excel lent sketch From it I gather the fol? lowing facts about the gifted man : Prof ll T Brumby was born in Sumter district in 1804 He was an earnest student when a young mat?, and graduated at the South Carolina College in i824, with first honor. He became a lawyer and finally settled in Tuscaloosa, Ala , where he edited a newspaper. The very month in which he attained the age of 30 years, "be was" (to use the language of LaBorde) "most unexpectedly elected to the chair of chemistry, mineralogy and geology, in the University of Alabama ''- This wa? in August, 1834 He continued with this university until January, 1849, when he removed to Columbia, where he was professor in the South Carolina College His health finally broke down, and he was unable to discharge his duties, but the trustees were unwilling to give him up, so he remained with the college a year longer, hut a?? he did not regain his health, his resignation was accepted in December. 1850 To show Prof Brumby's attainments wc cannot do better thar: to quote the following from LaBrodc : "Prof Brumby's labe.? in the University of Alabama were cf the mest, valuable character. and reflected the highes! honor upon him.'*' Speaking of his connection with the South Carolina College, LaBorde says : "He was always to be found in the laboratory. There he toiled with laborious, persevering industry, amid chemicals, shells and fossils " Col A. V. Brumby, brother of the preceding, was the father of Lieu? tenant Brumby As a pretty full notice of bim has already appeared in your columns, 1 will only make a passing allusion to him here. Through the influence of John C. Calhoun, Arnoidas V. Brumby was placed at West Point, where he graduated, and like his distinguished brother, be became an educator. He was connected with the University of Alabama, and afterwards founded the Georgia Military Institute. Such is a sketch of the ancestry of Thomas M. Brumby, the brave flag lieutenant of Admiral George Dew? ey. McDonald Forman Ramsey, Privateer Township, Dec 12, 1899. An Historic Building. The Sons of the R?volution io Charleston celebrated the coe hundredth anniversary of Washington's death Thursday by unvieliog a tablet in the oid postoffice building io Charleston, to the memory of the patriots executed there by order of the British govern? ment. The tablet recites tbe history of the building and tbe site on which it is looated. In 1650 it was the guard pest of the coiony. Io 17.18 the pirates were imprisoned there.. Ia 1767 taxed tea was stored there and forcibly detained. Io 1774 the first provincial ooagress met there, forming the first independent government in America. In 1781 Isaac Hayns was led from that building to execution. In 1791 a grand ball was given there to Washington oo bis eouthero tour. It was then said to the finest building in the colooies and the bal) given there the grandest of that age. The building was need as a custom bouse for many years, then as a post office. It is now used as an exebaoge. It will be preserved for its historical associations. Orangeburg's Extra Court. In accordance witt, the recommenda? tion of the state supreme co.urt.publish ed a few days ago. Gov McSweeney ! yesterday commissioned ex Circuit I Jadge J II Hudson to hold tho special ! term of court in Barnwell County ; commencing on the third Monday io i Febraarv This will be welcome i uews to the member* of the Barnwell j bar. who have cases pending -The j Slate, Dc>c 16 -mmMm> 1 ??' I timm - Tho Seaboard Air Lice hu jast bought the Bennett mil? property in Charleston to use tor depots This j makes ?70,000 that this road bas paid ! for real estate in Charleston already. j The price of cotton justifies the I belief tba: the cotton acreage text i next yev.r will be greater than ever : before. It is the very general under? standing that the present crop will oe a .-hort one-not more than 9.500.000 j baies certainly not more than 10,000, j U00 bales ? crop next year therefore j will not necessarily mean 5 cents co'ton j agaia, though if the farmers are wise 1 they will keep the acreage, within j reasonable limits by diversifyiog their crops-by giving a part of (heir rime to such food crops as they need for their families and stock. They are con? fronted, however, with the statement that the fertilizer combine intends to demand muob higher prices for fertil? izers than the fertilizer manufacturers obtained iast y*ar. It looks therefore as if the actual set profit in cotton oext year would not be so great, even if the price should hold op and the yield be good If there should be a crop failure, or if the price cf cotton should fall below 6 cents a pound, the farmers would be in a very 6orry pligbs. The fertilizer combine is statiog through its agents that thc reason the price of fertilizer is so much higher this season than it was last, is that tho prices of the ma'erials used in their manufacture bare ad? vanced greatly 'Po what extent this is true we do not k?ow, but it seems to us that the commissioners of agriculture of the various citron stares could render the farmers a great service by investigating this statement, it is net a cifncult matter to find out whether tho advance io the price of fertilizers is largely ab;tr3ry or is doe wholly io the advance in the prices of the raw material-Aiken Ree rder. ABSOLUTELY ?HJRE POWDER Makes the food more delicious and wholesome ROYAL BAKING POWDER CO., NEW YORK.