Volume 03 Page 0065

the banks of the Savannah River and in the vicinity of Gowrie Plantation.
Col'n Young had a Written Order from Gen'l Hardee
to burn every thing rather than allow it to fall in the hands of
the Enemy. (Since the War Col'n Young has been accused by the Planters
of having destroyed their Settlements, fortunately for him he has preserved
Gen'l Hardee's written Order which he shows as a proof of his only
having acted under Orders from his Superior Officer) In a recent
Conversation with Mr Wm Neyle Habersham upon this subject He
remarked that at that period such was the feeling against the Yankees
that many even in Savannah would have preferred committing to the
flames their Residences than seeing them fall into the Enemy's Hands
and Gen'l Hardee has not been censured in the least. I have
conversed with a Private in a Georgia Regiment stationed (a part
of it) at Gowrie. He says as the Yankees advanced upon
Argyle Island from the Gibbons Place towards Gowrie the Confederates
retreated across Back River to Taylors & Heyward's Places a brisk
fire being kept up on both sides. The Yankees held Gowrie when
the Mill was burnt, whether a Shell from our side set fire to
it or not is difficult to ascertain. This Georgia Private was at
Mr Daniel Heyward's Brick Thresher, not one mile distant, when the
Gowrie Mill was burning in broad day-light. Mr Philip Poullain, who
married Mr James Potter's Eldest Daughter and superintended the "Coleramie"
(Mr Potter's) Place, himself almost taken Prisoner, told me he saw the
last of the Gowrie Mill, the Yankees were in possession of the place
and the Mill in flames. From every Quarter I have been told the
Enemy burnt the East Hermitage Brick Thresher. The rapid
Advance of the Yankees caused our Men to retreat and as fortune
turned out the "Taylor" & "Heyward" Plantations & others in this vicinity
were untouched, whilst below these places on the Carolina Side nearly
all the Settlements are burnt, brick Chimneys alone standing. Mr
Taylor's Plantation on the Carolina Side immediately opposite Gowrie
looked quite tempting. The present Proprietor of the place is quite
a young Man and recently married a Jewess in Savannah, a Miss Cohen
At present he is on the place with his young Bride. His House &
Settlement have been neatly white-washed, whilst his newly painted six
oar'd boat manned by Six sturdy Negroes in blue shirts (as many of