USA > Georgia > Wilkinson County > History of Wilkinson County > Part 20
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up twenty-three cavalry guns, a number of overcoats, knapsacks, etc., capturing one man. Wheeler's loss in killed was two men, while the Yankees had ten killed, the number of wounded unknown. ( Julius in Constitutionalist, Nov. 24, 1864. )
Other portions of Sherman's Army approaching from Milledgeville and threatening Wheeler's rear made it im- possible to hold the Oconee line of battle any longer and an orderly retreat was made. The Yankee soldiers pent up in Wilkinson now crossed the river and the county was freed of their presence.
WAR HEROINES OF WILKINSON
Not alone on the fields of battle were deeds of patriot- ism and bravery of sacrifice displayed. From the open- ing of the war the women of Wilkinson threw their all into the titanic struggle and to their untiring devotion, their deeds of love, and that determination to win with which they inspired their gray clad husbands, brothers, sweethearts and friends were largely responsible for the unexcelled feats performed by the Soldiers of Wilkinson.
No sooner had the companies begun to assemble than the women started their work. Hundreds of uniforms must be made with the least possible delay. Hands that ยท heretofore were never known to labor now soon were en- gaged in the patriotic work necessary to equip the soldiers for the campaigns.
With the departure to the front of the several com- panies and the expected short duration of the war length- ening into months and then into years, the horrors of the war began to break upon the brave women in Wilkinson. The management of the slaves, the cultivation of the crops now fell upon the shoulders of the women. The poorer families whose only means of support was now in the war began to feel the pangs of hunger. In addition to the pro- viding of the necessities of life for the children at home
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there was the ever-growing need of sending supplies, cloth- ing, and bandages for the wounded, to the battle fronts. The looms were kept busy, the knitting of socks, and every- thing else woman could do was done.
Soon the great battles were taking their toll of the Wilkinson county soldiers, and the pangs of grief were added to the other troubles of the women back home. The rude army hospitals were overflowing with the wound- ed and when someone conceived the idea of the Wayside Homes the women of Wilkinson quickly adopted the idea. One was provided in Toomsboro, another in Gordon, and whether from Wilkinson or other locality the wounded or sick soldier in gray found no "lack of woman's nurs- ing" in these homes.
Every position that a woman could fill was now filled by them. The schools, many vacant by reason of the men teachers being in the army, were now filled by the women. And it shall ever be to their credit that throughout the four years war, even during the darkest days, so strongly did they desire that their children should possess an educa- tion that the schools were kept open and were well at- tended.
At McIntyre the efforts of a woman to save her home from burning at the hands of the Federal Officer, so impressed the people of the county that it is yet told. It was none other than the Mrs. McIntyre, heretofore mentioned in this history who was still serving as depot agent, now married again, this time to H. E. Hyman, her last husband serving in the southern army. When Sher- man's forces were destroying all the property of the Central of Georgia Railroad, the detachment sent to burn that in and about McIntyre was informed that the house where the depot agent lived belonged to the railroad. The house and yard were filled with soldiers and the torch was about to be applied when Mrs. Hyman, whose husband was a Mason, recalled that her husband
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had once told her that if she was ever in great danger to make a certain Masonic sign. In a despairing effort she made this sign. The Captain commanding the detachment who had already mounted his horse and was riding down the hill towards the depot which under his orders had al- ready been fired, paused, and being a member of the fra- ternity, turned his horse and rode back up the hill. Ques- tioning her concerning her husband and also as to the title to the house which she explained belonged to her and not to the railroad company, the Captain ordered the soldiers out, countermanding the order to burn the house and placed a guard about the premises for her protection. (Letter of Stephen F. McIntyre to compiler. )
The destruction by Sherman's army, and the mounting toll of death in the bloody battles were sufficient to dis- courage anyone possessing less courage than the women of Wilkinson. But instead of murmuring, instead of discour- aging the men who were fighting the battles by recounting their woes, the women set about repairing the work of the destroying northern army.
And, thus, the men of Wilkinson at the end of the war came back to find their slaves freed, their property de- stroyed, all lost save honor. Yet, with the aid of noble womanhood of Wilkinson they set about restoring the county to its own. None of their former foemen have proved their loyalty to the flag of the nation more than have these heroes and heroines of the Sixties.
CHAPTER XXXVII THE ESCAPE OF BOB TOOMBS
0 F all the people of Georgia, Bob Toombs had no more loyal friends than those of Wilkinson County. This loyalty remained steadfast not only while he was such a power in the legislature prior to the war but throughout the war, during his escape, and also when he returned from his exile. Especially did they prove their love for him after the Yankee soldiers went to his home at Louisville and failed to catch him, thanks to the presence of mind of his wife. He immediately fled towards his friends in Wilkinson County. Joel Deese got word of his coming and went to meet him on the way. Finding him, he returned to his home, the large two-story house, known as the Deese Old Place, with his noted guest. They arrived at night and Toombs was given one of the rooms up stairs. The curio- sity of the negroes on the place was aroused at the mys- terious visitor, and it is probable that Mr. Deese gave them such information as to cause a superstitious fear, since there is story among the negroes to the effect that the nocturnal visitor so haunted this house that to this day he can be heard to go up the stair steps dragging his saddle bags. Deese kept him at his home for several days and then as Toombs was planning to make his way to the coast one day started with him towards the home of Wesley King, a former Senator from Wilkinson who was another loyal friend of Toombs. Taking by-roads and avoiding the town of Irwinton where there might be detachments of Federal soldiers, they, by some means, took the wrong road and when they discovered their where- abouts they were at Bethel church. Services were being conducted by Rev. Green B. Hughes and the sermon was in progress. Mr. Deese, however, not being well-acquainted with the way, was in a quandary and knowing that the
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greatest of secrecy was necessary, went into the church to see if there was any one in whom absolute dependence could be placed to keep silent. He recognized Rev. Mr. Hughes as the most likely man and calling him from the pulpit to one side stated the predicament. The preacher realizing the danger, lost no time in deciding that the "ox was in the ditch," and possibly without even a benediction, mounted his horse and proceeded to direct Deese and Toombs through plantation roads to Mr. King's. Toombs spent the remainder of the day at King's and was escorted from there to the home of Hon. Dan Hughes at the present town of Danville.
The abrupt closing of the services at Bethel caused somewhat of a commotion among the congregation and the community and everybody was asking who was the man with Mr. Deese. Dr. R. J. Cochran, a former mem- ber of the legislature was then living close to Bethel church, where Mr. Barlow now lives, and seeing the horse- men thought he recognized Mr. Toombs, having known him while in the legislature. A few hours later, seeing Mr. I. S. King, son of Mr. Wesley King, he inquired of him if this was not Toombs but it seems that Mr.King did not give him a very satisfactory answer. As soon as Mr. King could do so he returned home and told his father of the occurrence. Immediately it was thought imperative that Toombs be notified that he had been recognized and I. S. King was sent to find Mr. Toombs and acquaint him with this information. He was overtaken at Mr. Hughes" at Danville and when Mr. King arrived and told Mr. Hughes his business he was sent to the General's room. Gen. Toombs after inquiring closely of Mr. King and learning who the man was that recognized him with all the particulars seemed satisfied and thanked him for coming.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
RECONSTRUCTION DAYS IN WILKINSON
THOUGH crushed by the disasters occasioned by the war, the people of Wilkinson went to work with a will. As they reached their homes from the battlefields, they set about planting their crops. This was a year of privation. The path of Sherman's army was as if a cyclone had swept away the foodstuffs, but the more favored sections sent succor out of their meager supplies.
With the harvest, however, conditions improved. The high prices paid for cotton helped. Soon the necessities of life were supplied and the people were no longer in danger of actual suffering.
Nevertheless, there were other factors which were proving very disturbing. The slaves freed from their for- mer masters, untrained in managing their own affairs, were falling into idleness and crime. The carpet bagger and scalawag began their exploiting of the negro vote.
The effect of this was to fuse the Whig faction of Wil- kinson with the Democrat and from thence through fear of "black heels on white necks" presented a united front against the threat of negro domination. This was intensi- fied by the disfranchisement of numbers of white voters.
Federal troops were stationed at Irwinton and took charge of the elections. Negroes in lines near a quarter of a mile long were marched to the polls and voted. The Re- publican carpet baggers aided by the scalawags were then soon able to elect some of the county officers. Then occurred an orgy of misrule which can never be forgotten.
Criminals, both white and black, apparently freed from restraint burst forth in a series of crimes throughout the length and breadth of the county such as never had been heard of before, murders, assaults, robberies, homes burned, and whether in the fields at work, or at the home
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no man, no woman felt safe. Some of the officers of the law whose duty it was to protect the homes and arrest offenders were flagrantly refusing to perform their duties and openly violating the laws, themselves. Though the court records show by far the greatest number of criminal cases ever before or since docketed in the length of time, yet, justice had broken down.
So alarmed were the citizens of the outlying districts in many cases whole communities gathered their families together at night and posted sentries for protection. In one instance one of the frightened women's heart be- gan throbbing so violently that she thought it was a negro army's drum beating,-a near panic ensued.
Not only did the people of the rural districts sense the impending dangers but Irwinton, especially, was chafing under the situation. Several cases occurred where insolent blacks jostled white persons off the sidewalks and one or two instances white ladies were insulted.
The county government was paralyzed, but the State government was if possible in worse hands. Deveaux, a negro from Jones County, had been elected to represent Wilkinson, Twiggs and Jones in the Senate.
Conditions continued to grow worse and all Wilkinson was thrown into a panic such as was never known even during the years when Indian massacres were threatened. On all tongues were rumors of negro uprisings. Notes were intercepted near Toomsboro that showed unmistak- ably that the negroes, incited by the Republican carpet- baggers and scalawags were on the verge of rising against the whites and all the horrors of a racial war seemed im- minent.
Under stress of the dangerous situation there suddenly rose the "Invisible Empire." It is said that Dr. T. A. Simmons was the head of the Wilkinson County Klans- men. Many, both white and black, were warned to change their manner of living. Those who refused were punished.
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In the meantime, however, Congress had enacted a law which interfered with the Klan's activities and which gave Federal courts jurisdiction to try cases charged to the Klan.
In 1872, a very serious offense having been committed near Irwinton by a negro, he was punished by a delegation sent by the Klan. A report was made to the Federal dis- trict court then sitting in Savannah and unknown to the citizens of the county, warrants were issued for a large number of prominent men of the county alleged to have been recognized by the negro.
Quickly and without warning a detachment of Federal troops disembarked from the midnight train at McIntyre one night and took up the line of march towards Irwinton, Harry Louther and two other negroes guiding them.
The negroes knew exactly where the men lived they were seeking. First, they went to the home of Dr. T. A. Simmons, whom they arrested, then to H. E. Hyman, Mil- ton Lindsey, Eli Peacock, Charley Peacock, W. C. D. Carlisle and G. G. Gilbert in succession. Other detach- ments were sent for Buck Dixon, Jethro VanLandingham and Bob Hyman who lived at and near Toomsboro. By nine o'clock the next day ten had been arrested and were enroute to Savannah, while many others named in the warrants were unable to be found.
For some unknown reason the forces of soldiers or- dered to arrest some of the citizens of Gordon failed to reach their destination until the night following the arrests at Irwinton. With the necessary information they went from house to house until they had arrested a large number, estimated by some as about twenty-five men, a portion of whom were B. I. Stevens, later sheriff of the county, Frank Jones, Dock Sanders, Bill Bridgers, Lawrence Butts, Tom Whitehurst, Jim Fountain, Frank Kenning- ton, Cicero Dennard, Charley Solomon and Jim Kirkpat- rick.
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Having arrested the above named men, the soldiers ad- vanced to the home of "Shoog" Smith and invited him to come out and surrender. His reply, however, was to con- sign the whole of yankeedom to the fiery flames. Where- upon, they started to batter down his door and take him by force. "Shoog" waxed more eloquent with epithets growing in venom and swore that the first one to. cross the threshold would die. He soon succeeded in convincing the soldiers that a resumption of the war was imminent and they departed for Savannah, leaving "Shoog" in triumph- ant possession of the scene of hostilities.
At Savannah every possible courtesy was shown them by the citizens of that city. They were met at the train by a delegation of friends and upon their arrival at the jail, the jailer, Warren Russell, treated them more like guests than prisoners.
The greatest excitement was rife in the county as the crowds gathered at Irwinton to send aid to their friends. No man knew but what if he showed much inter- est in the defense of the men he would be arrested as a member of the Klan. The ruin of their fortunes by the war had left the county so badly impoverished that only a small number were acceptable on bonds. But few flinched from their duty to their imprisoned countrymen. Every road to Irwinton was soon crowded by men from all sec- tions of the county as the news spread that these men were arrested and soon the trains were crowded by citizens bent on gaining the release of these men on bond. It is said that no man was exerting himself more than John W. Lindsey, later Pension Commissioner of Georgia and Alexander Baum, a Polish Jew, who twenty-five years be- fore had come from Poland, settled at Irwinton and opened a store, and whose memory is revered to this day by the people of Wilkinson for what he did in this crisis.
Immediately after their arrival at the Savannah jail motion was made for the bonds for the defendants to be
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fixed. The exorbitant amount of $10,000 was fixed on each one except Dr. Simmons and Bob Hyman, and theirs was assessed at $100,000 each. The months in jails await- ing trial seemed the only alternative for the prisoners.
But no sooner had Baum arrived than things began to happen. Undauntedly he got busy and from one wealthy Jew to another he went and made an appeal for them to rally to his aid. Thanks to the help of the Jews, the wealthy merchants, and cotton-buyers of Savannah, bonds were arranged after eight days of effort.
In the meantime, the Federal grand jury was called into session to take up this case, whose foreman was the well known Macon negro, Jeff Long, later postmaster of Ma- con, and on the grand jury was one lone white man, all the others being negroes. This was not an encouraging pros- pect for the Wilkinson County men who were facing the indictments, especially in view of the fact that the negro witnesses were swearing positively as to the identity of the accused, the majority of whom were innocent of the charges. To add to the trouble of the defendants it was learned that every traverse juror was a negro.
However, to the astonishment of everyone, interest began to lag in the prosecution of the case. Though with positive evidence from the negro witnesses, the grand jury refused to indict any except Dr. Simmons, H. E. Hyman, and Robert Hyman. Even these indictments were never brought to trial, but were nol-prossed at a later term of court.
About this time the Democrats regained control of the management of the county affairs, as well as of the state government, and there was a general disbanding of the Klux Klan.
THE KLAN'S LAST MEETING
However, there was an after effect of the activities of this organization. In the lower section of the county a
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crowd of irresponsible younger men determined upon imi- tating the Klan and formed one of their own. A fancied grievance of a member against a prominent citizen of the section arising it was decided that the offender should suf- fer the Klan penalty. The meeting of the pseudo Klan was to be near Walnut Creek Church at a fixed hour one night. The secret leaked out, and the members of the old Klan notified. Quickly a peremptory summons was sent out to every available member of the disbanded Klan to meet. The discarded hoods were resurrected and that night the roads were filled with white clad horsemen has- tening to the point of rendezvous. In the meantime, the clandestine Klan had met and arranged their plans. Just before they were ready to start there came a clatter of horse feet from every direction and before a man could escape, the real Klan had completely surrounded the band and made prisoners of every one. Then followed the dis- robing of the prisoners who were dressed in the Klan robes and hoods. A warning was deemed sufficient and upon their promises no further action was taken.
The following may help in showing how the Demo- cratic ticket carried the election of 1872 :
A candidate for one office had as his opponent a negro. In recounting the story to the writer he said, "This nigger had me beat to a frazzle and I knew it, so I went to him the day before the election and said to him, 'Nigger, when me and you started in this race, this county was a mighty big county, but it has been getting smaller and smaller. It is now so small that it is too little for me and you, too. One of us has just got to move. My business is so arranged that it is inconvenient for me to move, so it is just up to you. Well, do you know, the next day that nigger was gone, and I didn't have any opposition, Ki! Yi !"
PROHIBITION IN WILKINSON
Wilkinson County from its earliest days had numerous
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citizens who recognized the pernicious effects of whiskey and were always ready to do all in their power to stop its sale. It was in 188 1 before an Act of the Legislature was passed prohibiting the sale of it here. During all these years many of the stores sold whiskey as a drawing card for trade. "Penny Row," the row of stores in front of the courthouse, was notorious for its open bars. On public days considerable drunkenness was in evidence. Especially on election days, during the time the negro vote was such a factor in the county administration, the town was filled with drunken men, both white and black. On such occa- sions bloody brawls were frequent occurrences.
These, perhaps, did more than anything else to bring to pass the efforts of such men as Charles Culpepper, Wil- liam I. Chambers, Charles Hooks and other prohibi- tionists.
NEWSPAPERS OF WILKINSON
The county depended on others for its newspapers un- til about 1870 when the "Appeal" began its publication at Toomsboro. A little later the "Southerner" was begun at Irwinton. Soon after this these two were consolidated and until 1889 this was The "Southerner-Appeal" and was the official organ of the county. In that year it was moved to Gordon and became known as the "Gordon Press." For a short while "The Blade" was published at Gordon. Later the "World" was published at Irwinton. In 1894 the "Bulletin" was started at Irwinton and this was the only paper of the county until a few years ago the "Wilkinson County News" was begun at Gordon.
APPENDIX
Documents, abstracts from records, lists of County officers, rosters of Wilkinson County companies in the War Between the States, etc.
TREATY AT FORT WILKINSON IN 1802
A Treaty of Limits Between the United States of America and the Creek Nation of Indians.
Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States of America, by James Wilkinson, of the State of Maryland, brigadier general in the army of the United States; Benjamin Hawkins, of North Carolina, and Andrew Pickens, of South Carolina, commissioners plenipo- tentiary of the United States on the one part, and the Kings, Chiefs, Head Men and Warriors of the Creek Nation, in council assembled, on the other part, have entered into the following articles and con- ditions, viz :
ARTICLE 1. The Kings, Chiefs, Head Men and Warriors of the Creek Nation in behalf of the said Nation, do by these presents cede to the United States of America, all that tract and tracts of land, situate, lying and being within and between the following bounds, and the lines and limits of the extinguished claims of the said nation heretofore ascertained and established by treaty. That is to say : beginning at the upper extremity of the high shoals of the Appalachee river, the same being a branch of the Oconee river, and on the southern bank of the same; running thence a direct course to a noted ford of the south branch of Little river, called by the In- dians Chat-to-chuc-co-hat-chee; thence a direct line to the main branch of Commissioners creek, where the same is intersected by the path leading from the Rock landing to the Ocmulgee Old Towns; thence a direct line to Palmetto creek, where the same is intersected by the Uchee path, leading from the Oconee to the Ocmulgee river; thence down the middle waters of the said creek to the Oconee river, and with the western bank of the same to its junction with the Ocmulgee river; thence across the Ocmulgee river to the south bank of the Altamaha river, and down the same at low water mark to the lower bank of Goose creek; and from thence by a direct line to the mounts on the margin of the Okefinokau swamp, raised and established by the commissioners of the United States and Spain, at the head of the St. Mary's river; thence down the middle waters of the said river to the point where the old line of demarcation strikes the same; thence with the said old line to the Altamaha river, and up the same to Goose creek; and the said Kings, Chiefs, Head Men, and Warriors, do relinquish and quit claim to the United States, all their right, title, interest and pretentions, in and to the tract and tracts of land within and between the bounds and limits aforesaid forever.
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ARTICLE 2. The commissioners of the United States, for and in consideration of the foregoing concession on the part of the Creek nation, and in full satisfaction for the same, do hereby covenant and agree with the said nation, in behalf of the United States, that the said States shall pay to the said nation, annually and every year, the sum of three thousand dollars, and one thousand dollars for the term of ten years, to the Chiefs who administer the govern- ment agreeably to a certificate under the hands and seals of the commissioners of the United States of this date; and also twenty- five thousand dollars in the manner and form following, viz: Ten thousand dollars in goods and merchandise, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged; ten thousand dollars to satisfy certain debts due from Indians and white persons of the Creek country to the factory of the United States; the said debts after the payment aforesaid, to become the right and property of the Creek nation, and to be recovered for their use in such way and manner as the President of the United States may think proper to direct; five thousand dollars to satisfy claims for property taken by individuals of the said nation from the citizens of the United States, subsequent to the treaty of Colerain, which has been or may be claimed and es- tablished agreeably to the provisions of the act for regulating trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers. And it is further agreed that the United States shall fur- nish to the said nation two sets of blacksmiths' tools, and men to work them, for the term of three years.
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