Tour of Bethune

Sunday we did a driving tour of our town. A bunch of stuff has gone on here over the years. We met at the Women's Club and were given a short introduction and a map with commentary. Since the tour was not getting underway until 4:00, we decided to do the tour ourselves (all the sites were seen from the road as they are on privately owned property now.)

Of course we saw the old post office near Tiller's Ferry and the Big Springs, which I mentioned a few weeks ago. We didn't know that within a hundred yards or so of where we sometimes go fishing at the (Big)Lynches River, Sherman's 15th corps encamped and tried to cross, but were initially repelled by Butler's cavalry-there were minor casualties on both sides.

With 3-4 miles of our own house-on our road-was the Lynchwood Plantation (this area was called Lynchwood until the railroad went through-across Farmer Bethune's property-when it was renamed). The Marquis de Lafayette spent the night at the Lynchwood Plantation in 1825 on his way to Camden, SC. (By the way, some of the late William F. Buckley's family reside in Camden, SC. When we have occasionally gone to Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Camden, we have seen Masses being offered for William Buckley Sr. listed in the bulletin.)

The Red Oak Plantation (or what's left of it) is beside the Lynchwood Plantation. In February 1865, Sherman's 17th corps encamped at the Red Oak, the mansion being the commander's headquarters. The mansion was burned upon their departure. Only one room survives.

On the way home in the car, my boys were crowing, "Now we know Bethune is even more important than we thought."

Oremus pro invicem!