_Journey to Charleston, and Residence in that City-- from the 11th
to the 19th of December, 1825._
On the 11th of December, we were prepared before five o’clock to travel
in the mail stage from Columbia to Charleston, one hundred and twenty
miles distant. Unfortunately, our coachman had, the evening before,
involved himself in a quarrel with a watchman, who attempted to arrest
his sable Dulcinea, and given him a stab with a knife. It was feared
that the watchman, who was the father of a family, would die. The
coachman was immediately taken into custody. We were, consequently,
obliged to remain till seven o’clock, since the contractor of the mail
stage was unable to find another white driver sooner, and according to
law, no negro could convey the United States’ mail.
Our company was very pleasant; I especially remarked a Mr. Bacott, from
Charleston, and young Mr. Ramsay, as being well-informed men. Three
miles below Columbia, we crossed the Congaree in a wretched boat, and on
the right bank of the river, passed through a little place called
Granby, which formerly had been a German settlement, called Saxe-Gotha.
The road was, without exception, sandy, swampy, and at times hilly. The
stage travelled very slowly, and for the greater part of the way, I left
it behind, being on foot. It was nearly a continued forest, composed
mostly of pine and oak trees, from which the Spanish moss hung in such
quantities, that the appearance was far from agreeable. The number of
the magnolia, kalmia, and gardenia trees increased, and also of the
_yucca gloriosa_, which until now were situated principally in the
neighbourhood of the dwellings. We also saw more live oaks here, of
which the timber is uncommonly excellent for ship-building, because it
does not rot, and cannon-shot in striking it produce no splinters.
Towards evening, we passed the village of Orangeburg, with wooden
houses. We supped in a solitary house, and at the same time met the mail
stage coming from Charleston, in which we took seats. It had been built
for General La Fayette, and was named the La Fayette stage. We proceeded
through the whole night: the day had been pleasant, the night, however,
was extremely cold: I suffered considerably, as I sat upon the
coach-box, where I always took my seat, for the advantage of free air
and prospect.
We travelled during the forenoon of the 12th of December, constantly
through a forest. The number of live oaks increased, and they were
really beautiful. The solitary fan-like macaw trees, which we took
notice of, were small. The yuccas multiplied every moment. The last
place before reaching Charleston, was Dorchester. We then passed by an
old church, nearly in ruins, called St. Andrews, which has survived
since the time of the English government. It stands in the midst of a
venerable church-yard, under lofty live oaks and hickories, with
palmettoes and macaw trees growing between the graves. The whole had a
picturesque aspect. The plantations succeeded each other more
frequently, presented a more agreeable appearance, and every thing
showed marks of the proximity of a large city. At length, in the
afternoon, we left the continued forest, and entered upon an open swampy
district. Charleston extended before us. The city, distinguished as a
seaport, lies upon a tongue of land, formed by the rivers Ashley and
Cooper: we crossed the Ashley to reach the city. A causeway, constructed
of fascines, passes through the swamp to the ferry. The river is
three-quarters of a mile broad; we crossed it in an eight-horse
team-boat. A wooden bridge, which formerly crossed the river here, was
destroyed by a severe storm, and never again rebuilt. Upon the right
bank, in the vicinity of Charleston, an entirely novel spectacle
expanded itself to my view. The houses of the suburb, were, for the most
part, surrounded by gardens, in which orange trees, with most splendid
ripe fruit, monthly roses in full bloom, and a variety of other
flourishing plants displayed themselves. The greater part of the
habitations have piazzas and spacious balconies. Upon the walls and
columns run creeping vines, we took notice of a great number of passion
flowers. I felt delighted with this southern climate.
Charleston has a population of forty thousand inhabitants, about
twenty-five thousand of these are free. The city is regularly built, the
streets cross each other at right angles. The smallest streets are
paved, all have brick side-walks. The paving-stone is imported from the
northern states, on this account it is an expensive article, and the
paving of the streets can only be gradually effected. In the suburb we
passed through a street which was a log causeway. The principal part of
the houses are, it is true, built of wood, and all are, as I am told,
covered with shingles, on account of the frequent prevalence of severe
tempests; the more recent are, however, of brick, and in very good
taste. I took up my abode in Jones’s Hotel, a well supported and finely
situated house, whose host was a mulatto. I had the pleasure to meet
here with Colonel Wool, inspector-general of the army, with whom I
became acquainted in Washington. I moreover made acquaintance with Mr.
Bee, an elderly gentleman who had travelled much, to whom I had letters;
also the late governor of the state, Mr. Wilson, with his young and
accomplished lady, from New York, who, besides her native language,
spoke French, German, Spanish, and Italian, and understood Latin and
Greek; lastly, Major Massias, army paymaster.
A severe catarrh obliged me to remain at home a whole day. The weather
was also unpleasant and stormy; Fahrenheit’s thermometer had fallen to
twenty degrees, which degree of cold is here extremely uncommon. In the
meantime, I received visits from a number of the distinguished
inhabitants: from Dr. Tidyman, whom I had known in Philadelphia; from
Mr. Lowndes, to whom I had introductory letters; from Dr. Johnson, mayor
of the city; from Messrs. Pitray and Viel, French merchants; from the
Marquis De Fougères, French consul; from Mr. Bacott, with whom I had
arrived yesterday, and from Major Massias. Some extremely interesting
strangers were also in the hotel, so that I did not lack entertainment.
The following was related to me:--Some years previous, the negroes of
the country engaged in a conspiracy to murder all the white males, and
spare none but the females. This design was found out, and it was
discovered that the original projectors were free negroes out of the
limits of the state, who travelled in the northern section of the union,
and in part were become Methodist preachers. They had returned home and
preached freedom to the slave population. Since that period the
legislature of this state has adopted very severe precautionary laws
against free negroes and mulattoes. One of them is, that no individual
of this description, if he have once left the state, shall be permitted
to return. The wife of our host, Jones, found herself in this
predicament. She had undertaken a voyage to New York, her native city,
and now dared not to attempt a return. On this account, I was informed,
had I brought a free black servant with me, he would have been taken
from me, and put in custody till I should have left the state, or I must
deposit a considerable security for him.
I made my first excursion abroad in company with Colonel Wool and Major
Massias, in a boat to Fort Moultrie, where the Colonel had to inspect
two companies of the third regiment of artillery, lying there in
garrison. This fort is situated at the entrance of Charleston Bay, upon
a peninsula, Sullivan’s Island, which is connected with the continent by
a marshy strip of land. The vessels running into the bay are compelled
to pass within reach of the cannon of this fort. It is four miles
distant from the city, and lies about half way from each extremity of
the peninsula. Opposite is the coast battery, with a stone parapet. This
battery can receive fifty pieces of cannon. There will be no further
disbursements for the maintenance of this fort, since new works, after
plans of General Bernard, are to be placed at the entrance of the
passage, to guard against too close a blockade of the bay, so that the
ancient and more retired posts will be deprived of all their importance.
Between the city and Sullivan’s Island, on a point of land to the left,
stands a defensive work called Castle Pinckney, resembling Castle Garden
in New York, on the right is situated Castle Johnson. Sullivan’s Island
is exceedingly sandy, nothing but cabbage trees grow upon it, so that I
seemed transported to India. Outside the fort there are a number of
slight built wooden houses, which, during the heats of summer, and
especially when the yellow fever prevails in Charleston, are occupied by
the inhabitants of that city, for the peninsula has the reputation of
being healthier, and much more temperate in climate. The trunk of the
cabbage-tree affords a good porous timber, which is peculiarly valuable
for building in salt water, since it is not injured by it. It is highly
recommended for entrenchments, as the balls of the enemy cannot splinter
it. On the same spot where Fort Moultrie now stands, a fortress of the
same name stood in the revolutionary war, which was built in great haste
from trunks of the cabbage-tree, and maintained itself with great glory.
We had a boat, attached to the artillery, prepared for our passage,
which was manned by the artillerists. These are exercised as oarsmen in
all posts situated on the water, and this is certainly a good
arrangement, if the officers do not abuse the privilege. Our boat’s crew
had unfortunately made too spirituous a breakfast, the oars of course
moved as Providence guided them, and the colonel was so irritated, that
he dispatched the whole six on landing to the black hole. I remained
during the parade of the two artillery companies in garrison. A company
of this description is with matrosses and cannoneers, fifty-five strong;
from these are subtracted, the sentinels, sick, and those under arrest,
so that both corps had scarcely sixty men under arms. The privates had
fire-arms and cartridge boxes, and the matrosses and corporals alone
carried side-arms. The haversack consisted of a wooden box, covered with
black waxed linen. They wore grey pantaloons, and boots, as our
artillery; the officers alone had white cloth pantaloons. The coats were
not well made, and did not fit; all the men had large shirt collars,
which had a bad effect, and gloves of a different pattern, because each
individual bought for himself. While the colonel was going through the
inspection, I took a walk on the ramparts with Major Massias, and
visited the officer’s quarters. In the chamber of a lieutenant, in which
we stopped, I found, besides the books belonging to service, a small
library of English belles lettres, and classical poets.
Charleston keeps in pay a company of police soldiers, who during the
night occupy several posts. They have their guard house near Jones’s
Hotel, and I was startled to hear the retreat and reveillé beat there.
This corps owes its support to the fear of the negroes. At nine o’clock
in the evening a bell is sounded; and after this no negro can venture
without a written permission from his master, or he will immediately be
thrown into prison, nor can his owner obtain his release till next day,
by the payment of a fine. Should the master refuse to pay this fine,
then the slave receives twenty-five lashes, and a receipt, with which he
is sent back to his master!
The market consists of five houses, in a long street ending upon the
harbour, and resemble somewhat those of the Philadelphia market. The
quantity of the most beautiful tropical fruit therein arranged, oranges
from Florida, pistachios, and large excellent pine apples from Cuba,
interested me much. These large and delicious fruit cost only twelve and
a half cents each, of course a dollar for eight. There were nuts of
various descriptions; many sorts of potatoes, cabbages, and white and
red radishes. Fish were not presented in so great a variety as I
expected. Of shell-fish, I saw oysters only, which are roasted in the
shell at market, and consumed by the negroes with great avidity. Upon
the roofs of the market houses sat a number of buzzards, who are
supported by the offals. It is a species of vulture, black, with a naked
head. Seen from a distance they resemble turkeys, for which reason they
are denominated turkey-buzzards. They are not only suffered as very
useful animals, but there is a fine of five dollars for the killing of
one of these birds. A pair of these creatures were so tame that they
crept about in the meat market among the feet of the buyers.
Accompanied by Dr. Johnson, Mr. Lowndes, and Dr. Tidyman, I visited the
public institutions of the city. The Court-house, in which the different
courts of justice hold their sessions, contains nothing remarkable with
the exception of the City Library in the upper story, established by
subscription. I noticed in this a beautiful collection of copperplates
from the Shakspeare Gallery, and a sketched plan of Charleston with the
investment of it in the revolutionary war. Since this epoch the city has
much extended itself. On the localities, which then were occupied by
fortifications, houses are now standing. The morasses which covered the
left wing of these works, are filled up level with earth, and no trace
of them is perceivable.
In the City Hall, the lower story is occupied by one large saloon. It is
appropriated to the sittings of the city police. Above it are arranged
the meeting rooms of the magistracy and various separate offices. In one
of these apartments I noticed an elegant new plan of the city, designed
by an emigrant French engineer, Mr. Petitral.
The Orphan-house is a brick building, three stories high, erected by
voluntary contributions, and in it, one hundred and thirty-six children
of both sexes are supported. I was surprized at the exceeding
cleanliness pervading the whole establishment. The children sleep upon
the floor, and the girls and sick only are allowed mattresses; the boys
have a woollen coverlet, in which they wrap themselves. I was informed
that this was done from fear of vermin. A very nourishing diet, and a
truly maternal care, preserve the children healthy. At their twelfth
year, they are provided for abroad to enable them to earn their own
subsistence. Many of the boys enter into the United States navy, and it
has been reported to me that two of the pupils of this institution have
attained the rank of officers. Behind the house is a moderately large
chapel, in the midst of the garden. The clergy of all Christian
professions can hold divine service here every Sunday afternoon; in the
mornings, the service in turn is taken charge of by a superintendent.
In front of the building is a large open square. In it stands an
ill-preserved statue of Lord Chatham, which was erected by the then
colony of South Carolina, before the breaking out of the American
revolution, in memory of that great man, in gratitude for the opposition
he maintained against colonial taxation. An inscription on the statue
mentions this. During the siege, it stood at the corner of the street,
near the City Hall. There it lost an arm by one of the first English
balls that struck the city.
The state prison is a small building. The prisoners are too much crowded
together, and have no employment. The atrocious criminals live in the
upper story, and are immured two together in a cell, without ever being
permitted to come into the open air. This is allowed only to those
dwelling in the first story, consisting of debtors, and persons who are
imprisoned for breaches of the peace. The walls within, as well as the
flooring, are of strong oak wood. In each apartment is an iron ring in
the floor, for the purpose of securing dangerous prisoners. In the upper
story there is a negro confined, who, implicated in one of the late
conspiracies, had not committed himself so far as to allow of his being
hung; nevertheless, his presence appeared so dangerous to the public
tranquillity, that he is detained in prison till his master can find
some opportunity to ship him to the West Indies, and there sell him. In
another room was a white prisoner, and it is not known whether he be an
American or Scotchman, who involved himself by his writings deeply in
the last negro conspiracy. The prisoners received their food while we
were present: it consisted of very good soup, and three-quarters of a
pound of beef. Upon the ground floor is the dwelling of the keeper, who
was an Amsterdam Jew, and the state-rooms in which gentlemen, who are
lodged here, receive accommodation for money and fair words. The
cleanliness of the house was not very great; upon the whole it left an
unfavourable impression upon me.
I found the other prison, destined for the punishment of minor offences
of the negro slaves, in a better condition. In it there were about forty
individuals of both sexes. These slaves are either such as have been
arrested during the night by the police, or such as have been sent here
by their masters for punishment. The house displays throughout a
remarkable neatness; black overseers go about every where armed with
cow-hides. In the basement story there is an apparatus upon which the
negroes, by order of the police, or at the request of their masters, are
flogged. The latter can have nineteen lashes inflicted on them according
to the existing law. The machine consists of a sort of crane, on which a
cord with two nooses runs over pullies; the nooses are made fast to the
hands of the slave and drawn up, while the feet are bound tight to a
plank. The body is stretched out as much as possible, and thus the
miserable creature receives the exact number of lashes as counted off!
Within a year, flogging occurs less frequently: that is to say,
a tread-mill has been erected in a back building of the prison, in which
there are two tread-wheels in operation. Each employs twelve prisoners,
who work a mill for grinding corn, and thereby contribute to the support
of the prison. Six tread at once upon each wheel, while six rest upon a
bench placed behind the wheel. Every half minute the left hand man steps
off the tread-wheel, while the five others move to the left to fill up
the vacant place; at the same time the right hand man sitting on the
bench, steps on the wheel, and begins his movement, while the rest,
sitting on the bench, uniformly recede. Thus, even three minutes
sitting, allows the unhappy being no repose. The signal for changing is
given by a small bell attached to the wheel. The prisoners are compelled
to labour eight hours a day in this manner. Order is preserved by a
person, who, armed with a cow-hide, stands by the wheel. Both sexes
tread promiscuously upon the wheel. Since, however, only twenty-four
prisoners find employment at once on both wheels, the idle are obliged
in the interval to sit upon the floor in the upper chambers, and observe
a strict silence. One who had eloped several times from a plantation,
was fastened by a heavy iron ring, that passed over his leg to the
floor. To provide against this state of idleness, there should be
another pair of tread-wheels erected. The negroes entertain a strong
fear of the tread-mills, and regard flogging as the lighter evil! Of
about three hundred and sixty, who, since the erection of these
tread-mills, have been employed upon them, only six have been sent back
a second time.
The poor-house, an old building raised by subscription, contains one
hundred and sixty-six paupers. It will only admit such poor persons as
are completely disabled. Those who can labour a little can obtain the
employment they desire, and then receive good attendance and proper
support. The sick were taken care of in a distinct infirmary, where each
had a separate bed. The healthy slept upon the floor. I enquired why the
sick were not provided with iron bedsteads in place of the wooden ones
they occupied? and was informed that it was from apprehension of the
prevailing severe thunder-storms.
Connected with the Poor-house is a Magdalen Asylum, which provides
shelter and care for thirty unfortunate beings. It struck me forcibly,
as I saw under an open shed in the yard where the poor walked about, the
dead cart, and close by it numbers of empty coffins piled up together,
that the scene might be very well introduced in a monastery of the order
of La Trappe.
A medical school is to be built not far from the poor-house. Until the
completion of this structure, the students, one hundred and twenty in
number, receive their instruction in a wooden building, in which there
are arranged an amphitheatre, and a chemical laboratory.
Dr. Tidyman and Mr. Lowndes had the politeness to show me a rice mill
established a few years ago. This mill is the property of Mr. Lucas, who
has fixed a similar one in the neighbourhood of London. Rice is known as
the staple article of produce of the lowlands in South Carolina, and yet
there was no mill hitherto to free the rice from its husk, and to
prepare it for use or export. This mill is situated near the river
Ashley. The schooner that conveys the rice from the plantation, lies
directly before it, a cart is taken on board the vessel filled with
rice, and by means of an inclined plane drawn into the mill, where it is
deposited. Hence the rice is drawn to the upper story, in which it is
cleared of dust by a fan, and passed between two large mill-stones which
frees the hull from the grain. It is then placed in a cylinder of
bolting cloth. By this it is further cleaned from all the hull. Now it
comes into the trough, where it is beaten by heavy hammers faced with
tin, and by that means is completely cleaned. It is once more conveyed
into a bolting cylinder, where, by another series of revolutions, it is
freed from the slightest dust, and shook through a tube into the tierces
placed for packing. The tierces stand upon a trunnel, which whirls round
while a hammer continually strikes upon it. Such a tierce in this way
receives six hundred pounds of rice. The machinery is to be set in
motion in future by a steam-machine of twenty-four horse-power. It is
wonderful, however, that the best steam-engines must be made in England
to supply a country that has numbered ROBERT FULTON among her citizens!
Dr. Tidyman honoured me with a dinner, at which I met several of the
distinguished inhabitants of the place, as Mr. Lowndes, Major Garden,
son of that Scotch physician to whose honour Linnæus has given the name
of Gardenia to a class of plants; Mr. J. Allen Smith, who passed
seventeen years of his life in Europe, principally in Russia, and
enjoyed the especial favour of the Emperor Alexander; he was present at
my brother’s marriage, and enquired after him in the most ardent manner.
This extremely amiable and interesting man has lost the greater part of
his property. Here also I met with the Marquis de Fougères, Mr. Viel,
and the English Consul, Mr. Newman. After dinner was over, a numerous
company of gentlemen and ladies assembled, who remained in society
through the evening. We had music, some of which was very good.
In one of my strolls through the city, I talked with a person from
Erfurt, Mr. Siegling, who had established a music store here, and
appeared to do very good business. I saw at his residence several
handsome English harps and piano fortes; also several wind instruments
of different kinds. He pricks the notes himself on tin, and has a press
with which he prints them.
In Charleston there exists among the Germans, and their descendants, who
for the most part are tradesmen of small capital, but persons of great
respectability, a Friendly German Society.
On Sunday the 18th of December, two members of this Society, the militia
Colonel Sass, a native Hessian, who had already passed fifty-two years
in this country, and Mr. Strohhecker, came to take me to the Lutheran
church. The Lutheran preacher, Mr. Bachman, a native of Troy, in the
State of New York, administered divine service in the English language.
The church has been built but a few years. It is simple within, but in
very good taste. The organ is good, and was well played, and the hymns
sung in unison by the congregation. Mr. Bachman delivered an excellent
sermon upon the story of Cornelius, from the Acts of the Apostles.
Afterwards he detailed a report of a journey of about eight hundred
miles, which he had performed through the interior of this state, for
the purpose of examining the condition of the various Lutheran
congregations. The report upon churches and schools appeared very
favourable. This service displayed so much benevolence, and real
goodness, that I felt truly edified.
Upon the following day I was accompanied by Mr. Bacott and his
brother-in-law, to St. Michael’s episcopal church, to see the building,
and particularly the steeple, one hundred and eighty-six feet high. We
mounted two hundred and thirty-six steps, and enjoyed a very handsome
prospect over the regular built city, the bay, and adjacent country. The
bay, with its protecting forts, showed to great advantage; the
surrounding district not so agreeably, it being very level and overgrown
with wood. In the city several buildings reared their heads, among
others, the churches, and there are here twenty-two churches belonging
to various sects, then the orphan-house and custom-house. St. Michael’s
church contains in itself nothing worthy of remark, if you except some
simple funeral tablets. The churches, moreover, stand in the centre of
burial grounds, and the custom still prevails, so injurious to health,
of entombing the dead in the city.
On the same day, the last of my stay in Charleston, I was present at a
dinner which the German Friendly Society gave in compliment to me,
having invited me by a deputation. The party met at half past three
o’clock. The company was composed, with the exception of the mayor, Dr.
Johnson, of more than sixty persons, for the most part Germans or of
German origin. It was assembled in a house belonging to the society,
in which, besides the large assembly room, was also a school for the
children of the members, and the dwellings of the preceptors. The
society was instituted in the year 1766, the principal founder was
Captain Kalteisen, a native Wirtemburger, who had raised a volunteer
corps of fusileers from the Germans then living there, with which he not
only distinguished himself in the defence of Fort Moultrie against the
English, but also personally, during the whole war, rendered the most
important services as adjutant quarter-master-general in the staff of
the southern army. The company of fusileers always preserved their
connection with the German Society. Kalteisen himself died in the year
1807, as commandant of Fort Johnson; he was so attached to this German
association, that he had himself buried in the yard of the building, the
bricks of the pavement mark the form of his coffin over it, and a tablet
of marble in the hall contains an inscription to the memory of the
deceased. In the great hall, his portrait hangs next to that of Colonel
Sass, who after him commanded the company, and of a Wormser, named
Strobel, who was a joint founder of the society, and whose sons and
nephew appeared at table. Two brothers, Messrs. Horlbeck, presided at
the dinner, which was very well arranged. They had the politeness to
nominate me an honorary member of the society, and to present me their
laws for my signature; under them were here and there crosses only.
Several of the usual toasts were given out; my health being drank,
I returned my thanks in the German language. There was also singing. The
melody was guided by an old Mr. Eckhardt, a Hessian that had come to
America with the Hessian troops, as a musician, and remained here. He is
now organist of one of the churches, and three of his sons occupy the
same station in other churches. The German society possesses, moreover,
a library, which owes its origin to donations. In the school-room there
was a planetarium, very neatly finished, set in motion by clock-work.