Volume 03 Page 0058

Cypress Tree which stood in front of the House. It may not be generally
known but this is a most difficult Tree to transplant. I was successful
with one, having failed with six others. In 1864 This Cypress was about
Thirty feet in heighth and most perfect in form. Another handsome
tree in the Settlement was a "Sycamore" given me by Mr. Joseph
Washburn. In 1864 this tree was about forty feet high and growing
most rapidly. I had often heard it was impossible to transplant
a "Live Oak Tree," but in this I also succeeded, and it seemed to
me that in this rich alluvial soil every thing would grow.
For besides the trees the labor of Twelve years had created a
flower Garden, well stocked with choice Roses brought from the
Nurseries of Charleston and Savannah. The beautiful green "Ivy"
encircled the entire brick foundation of the House, whilst the
Mutta flora Rose and it has a white flower Vine grew luxuriantly upon the
fences. Of all the above: Trees, Plants, Shrubs, Fences, not a vestige
remained, not even the stumps of the trees being visible, all had
been used as fire-wood by the Negroes. The great loss in this
Settlement however was the huge Rice Pounding Mill burnt
by the Yankees and from which I am told the flames extended to
the other Buildings, but how true this We shall forever be at a loss
to know. This Rice Mill was well known on Savannah River. It
was built about the year 1809 by Mr McLeran a Scotchman who
also had constructed Mr James Potter's Rice Mill, this latter however
being not quite as large as the Gowrie Mill. Both of these large
Buildings were upon sold brick foundations the rest of the Building
being of wood. The motive power was water, and the peculiarity
of these Mills was that the wheel was protected from the weather and
in the center of the Building. The frame work of the Gowrie Mill
was of Cypress and in fact the entire building (with the exception
of some of the Shingles on the Roof) was as perfect as when first
constructed. The entire Workmanship also proved the true Carpenter.
This Mill when first built was used as a "Toll Mill," and I have
read the Advertisement in a Savannah Paper of the early part of the
present Century in which it is advertised as such. My Father
always had his favorite windows in the Gowrie Mill from which
eye-glass in hand he would scan the surrounding Horizon and