380 John Bachman. 



prayer at the " Secession Convention," to stay here." 

 Unwilling to go, he lingered in the city. Febru- 

 ary 13th, the last passenger train of cars was to 

 leave. On the morning of the 12th, he called his 

 daughter, C. L. B., the only member of his family in 

 the city, and said to her, " I have yielded. You are 

 not strong enough to be exposed to hardships and, 

 perhaps, insults ; we shall leave to-morrow for 

 Columbia." 



The hospital stores were hastily distributed. At 

 Noon next day the train started. There was a dense 

 crowd, but space was made in the aisle for Dr. Bach- 

 man's seat his valise. At day-break we reached 

 Cash's Station, near Cheraw. It was bitterly cold- 

 Dr. Bachman proposed to spend the night here 

 and take the early morning's train for Columbia. 

 His hostess, Mrs. Ellerbe, and her son (by a former 

 marriage), Col. Cash, overruled their decision, and 

 the worn-out guests were glad to remain longer in 

 their hospitable home, 



A few days later Charleston was evacuated. The 

 Confederates passed over the railroad, destroying 

 the track behind them, and abandoning a car-load 

 of ammunition, etc. 



On the morning of the third of March the news 

 came that the Federals were seven miles from 

 Cheraw, and that Columbia had been captured and 

 burned. The negro men quickly disappeared, and 

 Dr. Bachman was the only man to be found in the 

 settlement. The car-load of ammunition had been 

 left not far from a dwelling house occupied by 



