From Middle St. John’s, Berkeley, South Carolina, February-May, 1865 JOURNALS KEPT BY MISS SUSAN R. JERVEY AND MISS CHARLOTTE ST. J. RAVENEL, AT NORTHAMPTON AND POOSHEE PLANTATIONS, AND REMINISCENCES OF MRS. (WARING) HENAGAN WITH TWO CONTEMPORARY REPORTS FROM FEDERAL OFFICIALS ——— PUBLISHED BY THE ST. JOHN’S HUNTING CLUB 1921...

Wampee Plantation, July 4, 1921. * * * * Prof. Yates Snowden exhibited carefully prepared copies of diaries kept by Miss Susan R. Jervey and Miss Charlotte St. J. Ravenel at Northampton and Pooshee plantations, respectively, during the months of February, March and April, 1865. Our women were then unprotected save by a few old men and boys, and Middle St. John’s was frequently raided by roving bands of negro soldiers, mainly by the 55th Mass. Regiment. Professor Snowden suggested that a committe

Thursday night February 16th. Such awful news came to us that just as the table was laid and everything ready for us to enjoy our supper Father [2] decided not to wait, but ordered the horses to be harnessed to the carriage, and we started on our fearful journey from Cedar Grove, [3] not even taking time to carry anything with us; our terror on the road imagining we heard the Yankees’ guns across the swamp. We reached Northampton about 10:00 o’clock. After a quiet night, we found many of the ter

Pooshee, Feb., 1865. My dear Meta: As we are cut off from each other now, I will attempt to write for you, in journal form, an account of the trying times through which we are passing. After the evacuation of Savannah we were very anxious to get to Aiken, but Pa [67] thought it best not to go until we were certain of Sherman’s movements. We heard from time to time that Charleston could not be held, and yet we heard on every side that Augusta was his destination. Several events occurred which wou

The evacuation of Charleston, crossing of our soldiers over the Santee river, burning the bridge behind them, left the lower part of the State in the power of the Yankees. My home was in this deserted region. We knew that our enemies were all around and had visited in no kind manner many of the neighboring plantations, but Chelsea, our plantation and winter home, seemed to be exempted. We learned afterward that this was due to the devotion of our slaves. At last the Yankees did come. Our home, a

( From pp. 1042-1043, ‘War of Rebln Official Records,’ &c. Series I: Vol. XLVII, Part 1. “Campaign of the Carolinas, etc." ) ——— Headquarters Provisional Brigade. No. 8 Meeting St., Charleston, S. C., Ap’l. 15, 1865. Captain: The following is respectfully submitted as the report of the expedition to the Santee River under my command: In pursuance of orders received from Brig. Gen. John P. Hatch, I caused, on the 5th of April, the Fifty-fourth New York Veteran Volunteers and Fifty-fifth M

——— Extracts from the Diary of Col. Charles B. Fox, covering the visit of black troops to Somerset and Mexico Plantations. [106] ——— April 7. The march was continued until the head of the column arrived within a short distance of Monck’s Corner, when it turned to the left, on the south side of the Santee Canal, and moved toward Pinopolis, a village of summer residences similar to Pineville, though smaller. Few families or articles contraband of war were found there. A detachment sent from Monck’