The Combahee Raid.  We gather from several sources the following additional particulrs of this raid:   The boats came up to Mr. KIRKLAND'S place about seven o'clock in the morning and landed some twenty armed negroes, in Yankee uniform, and officered by a white man. They destroyed his dwelling house, steam threshing mill, winnowing house, blade house, over seer's house, mule and horse stables, and some twelve hundred bushels of rice, besides taking with them ninety of his most valuable negroes. They also drank and destroyed a large stock of old wines. On Mr. NICHOLS' place they burnt the dwelling house, threshing milll, overseer's, driver's and negro houses, and about seven thousand bushels of rice, put up in bags ready for shipment. About seventy-four of Mr. NICHOLS' negroes were taken. At Mr. LOWNDES' they burnt the threshing mill, but saved his residence. About two hundred of Mr. LOWNDES' negroes were carried off.   The party that visited Mr. Wm. C. HEYWARD'S place consisted of about twenty negroes. This party landed at Combahee Ferry bridge, which they cut and partly destroyed. At this place they burned every house on the premises, also the threshing mill, four large flats and flat house, a corn mill, from three to five negroe houses, a hospital and overseer's house. They carried off about two-hundred and fifty-negroes from Mr. HEYWARD'S plantation. After setting fire to the pontoon bridge, they then retired down the river. A slight skirmish took place at Fields Point with a few of the negroes, who ran with great speed upon being fired at with one piece of cannon.

Mr. THOMAS FRIPP, who acted as guide for our men, was shot at by four negroes, who stepped out on the road and took deliberate aim at him. He was struck in the shoulder, arm and leg.   We are indebted to a friend for the following extract from a letter dated Green Pond, June 2:   The enemy came up to the pontoon bridge over the Combahee Ferry this morning; destroyed the bridge;anchored two gunboats and marched up to the adjacent plantations; burned Mr. Lowndes' mills and several out houses, also Col. W.C. Heyward's buildings, Joshua Nichols', Mr. Middleton's, Mr. Burnetts, Mr. Kirkland's and others; driving off from their premises as many of the negroes that could be enticed. Major Emanuel manoeuvred his command admirably for he was totally unaquainted with the country; but we missed Col. J. and the Fifth Regiment. Major Emanuel bushwacked them for some time.    Gen. Walker came down this afternoon with reinforcements. The General is here awaiting tidings from the front. Capt. Bomar has gone to Farr Bluff to try and intercept the enemy at that point as they pass out with their boats. The enemy number some four or five hundred. If the guns at Combahee Ferry could have been retained in battery at that point with a sufficient force to man them the dastardly miscreants never would have dared to penetrate the channel so far. The expedition was, however, from all we can learn, a preconcerted plan between the negroes on the plantations and the Yankees at Hilton Head, they having communicated to the enemy the situation of affairs between Ashepoo and Combahee.   The dilatory reports of the pickets and exaggerated accounts of the number and positions of the enemy threw everything into a blank-botch.

 

Thomas Fripp was wounded in four places, durring the skirmish near Fields' Point, as the enemy withdrew. Their vessals were side wheel steamers, badly equipped. The troops were mostly negroes, commanded by white men. Montgomery, the Kansas Jayhawker, was said to be in command.   A small estimate of the damage done, considering the abandonment of the present crop of rice must be five or six millions of money.   Mr. Lowndes lost about three hundred negroes.-Mr. Nichols lost all of his, together with his fine library, which was burned with the dwelling Mr. Nichols himself escaped.   The Savannah News, of the 4th inst., furnishes the following concerning the Yankee-negro raid on the Combahee river:   Federal Raid in Carolina-The conductors and passengers by the Charleston Rail Road this morning, report that a considerable number of black Yankee troops made a raid on tuesday morning about six o'clock, on the Combahee river, near Green Pond; in the vicinity of Mr. Wm. H. Heyward's plantation. They destroyed several plantations, burning down the houses, destroying the fences and running off a large number of negroes. The exact number of negroes stolen is not known, but it is reported to be about one thousand. The raiders did not remain in the vicinity very long, but moved rapidly destroying everything in their path. They returned to their transports. They approached within five miles of the Charleston and Savannah Rail Road. It is said that this band of thieves are under the command of the notorious Montgomery, of Kansas notoriety. How long shall the Yankee nest of thieves and murderers on Hilton Head remain unmolested?

Later -Since the above was in type, we have conversed with Mr. Wm. Bradley, an officer on the Charleston and Savannah Rail Road, who arrived here on Wednesday morning. He informs us that a regiment of negro troops came up the Combahee river in two transports, protected by three gunboats.    They landed at Wm. Henry Heyward's plantation about four o'clock in the morning, and proceeded to their work of destruction. There was a small picket in the immediate vicinity and with whom there was a brief skirmish. The only troops to oppose them was a cavalry corps and an artillery company, both of them being at some distance from the scene. The enemy numbered from nine hundred to one thousand. During the skirmish Mr. Fripp, qa citizen, was mortally wounded. The work of destruction was rapidly done, and everything before them was destroyed and given to the flame. The enemy were only on shore some six hours, having embarked again on their transports about ten o'clock.   The buildings and property on some ten plantations were destroyed. We learn the names of the following gentlemen as being among the sufferers:Wm. H. Heyward, Wm. O. Heyward, Mr. Kirkland, Mr. Burnett, Mr. Nichols, Robert Chisohm, the Estate of Keith, J.L. Paul, and others, whose names are not remembered.  Charleston Daily Courier MCKM-FILM AN61.C5D3

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Jos. H. Sears, Editor and Proprietor 

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THE EXPEDITION UP THE  COHAMBEE.-On Monday evening last, five Companies of the 2nd  S.C., Vols., and a Section of Battery C. 3rd R.I. Artillery, Capt. Brayton, under the command of Col. Montgomery, started on an expedition, which had for its main object the recruiting of soldiers for the 2d S.C. Regiment.  The troops were put aboard the transports John Adams, the Sentinel, and Harriet A. Weed, and the expedition got away from Beaufort at about 9 o'clock, and without accident or detention, proceeded as far as St. Helena Sound, when the Sentinel got fast aground, and some time was consumed in transferring them from her to the Adams and Weed. At half past two o'clock the force arrived at the mouth of the Cohambee river, and pushed rapidly but silently up that stream without being discovered by the enemy. A portion of the force was landed at Field's Point, a place about 20 miles up the river, where was posted a rebel picket, which incontinently fled, leaving their blankets warm to our forces.  Capt. Thompson's Company was here posted in deserted breastworks by Col. Montgomery, and the balance of the force proceeded up the river in the two transports, to Tar Bluff, two miles above, where some deserted rifle pits were found, and Capt. Carver's company left to occupy them.

The two steamers again moved up the river to Nichol's plantation, a mile or two above, where the Weed was left in charge of Major Corwin, and the John Adams rapidly steamed up to Cohambee ferry, across which was a fine pontoon bridge.  This was taken up, but not before a rebel cavalry company had passed over while the guns of the Adams threw shells at them.  Obstructions across the river prevented the Adams from ascending still higher, and after the pontoon bridge was burned, she turned and passed slowly down the river again.  While the pontoon bridge was being destroyed, Capt. Hoyt's company was sent up the right bank of the river, to capture and destroy, and also to collect negroes.  Capt. Brayton with his section of Battery, started up the left bank.  Capt. Hoyt pushed on his little force, with skirmishers ahead, to Green Pond, where Col. Heyward ; resided, in magnificent style, in a mansion that equalled any on the main.  Col. Heyward managed to escape, but carried nothing with him. His horses were captured, his sabre taken--as he did not seem to have time enough to carry it with him, and a quantity of other movables borne away.

 
 

Large and extensivve rice mills and store houses, and cotton ware-houses were completely destroyed, and finally the mansion itself was burned. The quantity of rice and cotton burned was immense. While returning, a small body of rebel cavalry and sharp-shooters followed our forces at a respectful distance for a while, and then pressing Capt. Hoyt rather sharply, he drew up across the road, and made a stand.  Quite a skirmish ensued, the enemy pressing forward with spirit and determination. The negroes maintained their ground stoutly, keeping up a sharp effective fire, for half an hour, when the John Adams threw in some shell, and quickly dispersed the rebels.  The rebel's fire killed one of the best horses captured from Col Heyward's, but did not injure our men.  Capt Hoyt brought his company in, and got it aboard the John Adams safely. Capt. Brayton proceeded some distance up the left bank, capturing many horses mules and cattle, and destroying rice mills, store-houses containing cotton and rice, and bringing off all the negroes within hailing distance.  The rebel pickets, instead of falling back on a large rebel force on the Ashapoo river, had confined themselves to task of notifying the planters and negro drivers of the approach of the negro troops, and it required only a display of flags, and an uninterrupted pipe of the steam whistle to inaugurate a general stampede on the part of the slaves, to our boats and forces.  They the came to the river banks in droves, in spite of efforts of the drivers to the contrary, who , pistols in hand, decreed death to the first one who disobeyed their orders to follow them, and take to the woods.

There were men, women and children, eager for liberty; and all found refuge under the "stars and stripes".    Capt. Carver's company at Tar Bluff was attacked by the rebels during the absence of the main body under Col. Montgomery, but he succeeded in holding them at bay until the Adam's came, when a few well-directed shells drove them back and totally dispersed them.  Capt  Thompson's company was compelled to undergo a sharp contest, in which their ammunition was nearly exhausted, against a force of cavalry and one piece of artillery.  The Adams shelled them off.  No one was hurt.    After gathering all the troops, and taking on board 727 negroes, men, women and children, and a few fine horses, the expedition returned to Beaufort, where a tremendous reception awaited them.  All the darkies in town were in the streets, gazing with unaffected surprise and admiration at the strange spectacle of several hundred genuine contrabands, in their field suits of dirty gray, but with every lineament beaming with that intelligence, which is inseparable with plantation negroes enjoying their freedom.    The contrabands were placed in one of the Beaufort Churches, temporarily, but will be distributed, on general principles, in a few days.  All the able-bodied negroes rescued from slavery, are to be placed in the 2d S.C. Vols.  They will be strong enough in numbers to form two companies.

Two forces for good converged on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 to help make the Beaufort community aware of the richness of their history at the LY Bensons Gallery & Studio, located at 211 Charles Street.  One was Kenneth Hodges, pastor of Faith Tabernacle and State Representative of District 121; the other, Asa Gordon, historian, researcher, and the Secretary General of the “Sons & Daughter of the United States Colored Troops”.

Today we learned that with only seventeen days in office, Representative Hodges was able to get a resolution passed to honor Harriet Tubman’s contribution to the winning of the Civil War and her extraordinary work as the “Moses” of the enslaved humanity of the South before and during the war.  The resolution dated February 16, 2006, promises to name the new bridge being built across the Combahee River along US highway 17 in Colleton County, “The Harriet Tubman Bridge”.

A celebration is planned for June 2nd, 2007 to commemorate the raid on the Heywood Plantation in which Harriet Tubman freed over 700 slaves, many of whom went on to join the United States Colored Troops.  It is reported that at one time Harriet Tubman had at least 300 soldiers under her command during this period of “guerrilla warfare”. 
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Asa Gordon presented this and other clear, undeniable evidence that Harriet Tubman Davis was not only a nurse, guide, cook, navigator and scout during the Civil War she was indeed a well paid spy, recruiter and abolitionist as well. The evidence came from a receipt found in the National Archives awarding her $100.00 “Secret Service” compensation from the United States (Jan. 7th, 1863).