|
PREFACE - The following pages have grown into the
proportions of a book, without much design on the part of the author. His
purpose, at first, was merely to transcribe the journal of his "jail
experience," at the request of some particular friends. This, he found,
would be unsatisfactory, without some account of the condition of things
in Laurens County, at the time of his arrest. But the state of things in
Laurens was anomalous, resulting from causes which affected the whole
State alike. A resume of Reconstruction in South Carolina, therefore,
seemed necessary; and thus, step by step, he was led back to the deluge of
Secession. The narrative was begun in 1874, and continued, from time to
time, till the beginning of 1876. The writer then closed with the twelfth
chapter; and made efforts to publish in that centennial year As all these
efforts failed, the MS. was still on hand, when the wonderful campaign of
"Hampton and Home Rule brought about another Revolution. This rendered two
additional chapters necessary, to come down to the date of the
regeneration of the State. The author now sends forth these disjecta
membra with many misgivings. No one can see the defects of the work more
plainly than he does himself! but the remedy would be to re-write the
whole, and such a reconstruction might prove as complete a failure and
wreck as the one he has attempted to describe. Begging indulgence for
this, his first attempt at authorship, he earnestly requests a patient
perusal of all the facts herein recorded, with the assurance that "Nothing
extenuate. Not aught set down in malice."
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
FIRST - Introductory
South Carolina before and during Reconstruction;
Citizen of the old school—Scalawag of the new; Resume on Slavery; Moral
Mania; Driven to Secession; Dr. Thorn well on the Secession
Convention... pg. 11
CHAPTER
SECOND - After the War
Sherman's Track; Columbia, Beaufort, and the Sea
Islands,Charleston; State generally; Military Courts; Freedman's Bureau;
Massachusetts and her Colored Regiments...pg. 24
CHAPTER
THIRD - Reconstruction
President Johnson's Policy—First Reconstruction;
Congressional Policy—Second Reconstruction; Carpet-baggers come to the
front; The Secret of his Power, and a Theory of his Dynasty; Gov. Scott.
Hon. W. D. Porter Reform-Party; Constabulary Forces; Colored
Militia;...pg. 36
CHAPTER FOURTH - Reconstruction
in Laurens County
Joe Crews; Military Barbecues; Constabulary Force;
Counter Organization; Election Riot of 1870; Circuit Court and the Arms.
Outrages at Night... pg. 51
CHAPTER FIFTH - Joe
Crews
Escape from Riot; Counting the Ballots; Retreat
from Laurens; Senator Y. J. P. Owens; Joe's Power of Imagination ...pg.
65
CHAPTER SIXTH - Laurens—after
the Riot
Rumors Scott and Committee of Citizens Scott and
Joe Crews Parties Arrested by State Constabulary; Blackmailing; Release
under Habeas Corpus; Judge Vernon and Laurens Prisoners...pg. 75
CHAPTER SEVENTH - Martial Law
in Laurens
Ku-Klux, probable rise; Merrill, in York County;
Committee sent to Washington from Laurens; Martial Law proclaimed;
Wholesale Arrests in 1872; Journal of a reputed Ku-Klux for three
days...pg. 86
CHAPTER EIGHTH - Journal of a
Prisoner
Laurens to Union Union to Columbia; First night in
Columbia. Kindness of friends;. Mrs. Adger; Mrs. Woodrow.; Dr. Plumer
and his Tin Pails; Religious influence on Prisoners; Gen. Preston's "
spiritual comfort."; Ben Ballou; Sim Pearson... pg. 98
CHAPTER NINTH - Journal
Continued
First appearance before Commissioners; True
position of the Author; Farce in the Court Room On to Charleston;
Communion Scene; Letter to Judge Field; Treatment of " Mark " Colored
State Prisoners; Clinton Prisoners in handcuffs; Miss Gussie W.; Mrs.
Woodrow; Dr. Plumer... pg. 108
CHAPTER TENTH - Journal
Concluded
Clinton Prisoners in Charleston; Doggerel to Sim.
Pearson; Handcuffs and Capt. Mc's wrists' ; Laurens Prisoners taken to
Charleston; Kindness of Charleston friends; Jail in Charleston; House of
Correction; "True Bills" for "Conspiracy and Murder." Release under
bail. Return Home...pg. 121
CHAPTER ELEVENTH - Recent
Reconstruction
York County; Maj. Merrill; Death of Joe Crews;
Successive efforts at Reform; Carpenter; Tomlinson; Green; Chamberlain
Moses and Whipper; Indignation Meeting; Montgomery Moses....pg.
133
CHAPTER TWELFTH - Centennial
Sentiments
Low estate of South Carolina President Grant;
Revolutionary Reminiscences; Massachusetts and South Carolina; Tariff
Question; Slavery. Bunker Hill Centennial Washington Light Infantry;
Gens. Bartlett and Fitz Hugh Lee, Politicians....pg. 143
POSTSCRIPT CHAPTER FIRST -
Hampton's Campaign
Why "Postscript." Centennial Exposition ";
Counting in the President; Fort Moultrie's Centennial; " Bloody Shirt.";
Hamburg Horror; Ellenton Riots Chamberlain; First Democratic Convention
Second Democratic Convention; Nomination of Wade Hampton; Hampton's
Campaign; Women of the State; Rice-field Strikes; Disbanding "Rifle
Clubs."; Hampton's Peace Policy...pg. 152
POSTSCRIPT CHAPTER SECOND -
Redemption and Home Rule
Hampton elected; Returning Board and Supreme
Court; Judge Bend; State House garrisoned Legislature convenes; Two
Houses organized and sitting in one Hall; Starvation versus Stench;
Hampton and Chamberlain both inaugurated Washington's Birthday; Hampton
invited to visit the President; Senator Gordon comes to the rescue
Troops withdrawn and South Carolina free; Legislature again convenes;
Senate; House; Hamilton as an Exhorter; The Two "Investigating
Committees.; Speaker W. H. Wallace; Lieut.-Gov. W. D. Simpson; Col. A.
C. Haskell; Gen. James Conner; Gen. Johnson Hagood; Gen M. C. Butler.
Gen. M. W. Gary. Conculsion...pg. 166
APPENDIX
A partial Digest of the "Reports of the Joint
Investigating Committee on Public Frauds, and the Election of John J.
Patterson to the United States Senate, made to the General Assembly of
South Carolina, at the Regular Session, 1877-78 ; with occasional
comments on the Knaves and their and their"...pg. 185
| 
