Sunday morning dawned dull and hazy with a stiff breeze blowing from the east and in crossing the creek, I remarked to my companion that we would have bad weather, and on reaching “Brick House” we all began speculating on the approaching storm (no one ever dreaming such a storm was coming), etc., etc., and so the day wore on, the wind rising higher and higher every moment, and towards afternoon the trees began to bend and sway in a terrible manner, branches and limbs flying in all directions. By sunset we were all thoroughly alarmed and moved over to the previously mentioned “Brick House,” deeming that the safest place to pass the night, and in a few hours’ time the whole population of the village was gathered under its protecting roof, all feeling thankful a safe shelter was provided for us. How we passed that night of terror, only God knows, for the winds blew, the rain fell, and the tide rose, until towards midnight it seemed as if everything was lost; but the old house stood and carried us through until dawn of another day, and then what a sight met our anxious eyes. What had been a smiling pretty village, was nothing but a pile of wreckage and a mass of ruins, some houses having been washed away completely, and those that remained, so badly damaged as to be uninhabitable. To make matters worse even our food had been swept away, and there we were, cut off from the island on this point of land, wrecked, desolate and hungry, some of us with only the clothing on our backs, all the balance gone; and as far as the eye could reach there was nothing to see but water, and those spots from which the tide had receded, covered with portions of houses, trunks of clothing broken open and scattered, drowned poultry, and every crop ruined and prostrated. After a little while we found some grist that had been saved by a colored man, and cooking this with some saltwater and “drowned” chicken, we subsisted till evening, when help came in the shape of water and food.
By Wednesday I returned to “Little Edisto” and Mr. Whaley, who I had been so anxious about during the storm. I found the brave old man “holding the fort,” and trying to save, by drying out, etc., what the storm had left; but oh! how different everything looked. What had been of so much promise and beauty had been literally swept from the face of the earth, nothing remaining but ruin, desolation and death for those whose all had been taken from them if help did not come quickly. It is hard for those who were not there to realize such a condition of things; but just imagine a whole island completely covered with water (and a raging sea, at that) from three to six feet in depth. Can you wonder that so many poor creatures were drowned or that anything was saved at all?
Fortunately Mr. Whaley had saved some provisions which were stored in his house out of the reach of the tide, and gathering up all else we could find, we began issuing food to the poor hungry negroes around us, who had been entirely bereft of their all. And there I stayed on that little island for some time after the cyclone, giving out each day of our own little store, food, medicine and comfort to those who came, trusting that when that supply was exhausted, other means would be provided to carry on the good work, thus so nobly begun; for it must be understood that those who had, freely gave to those who had not, and the men of that section worked hand to hand and heart to heart to help those of their colored brethren, who otherwise must have died of hunger, sickness and exposure.
Such then, was the condition of affairs when news was received that the Red Cross would take the field, and a sigh of relief, and a prayer to God went up from thousands of homeless, hungry, helpless and demoralized people, who had gone through so much, it seemed a miracle they were still alive. I then went to Charleston and immediately wrote to Miss Barton offering her my services, telling her of my knowledge of the people and the islands, and how glad I would be to help her in any way to relieve the necessities of the thousands that were begging for help. My offer was accepted; a telegram summoning me to Beaufort, the Red Cross Headquarters, and there I made the acquaintance of the noble lady who had come to our stricken people with her valued corps of assistants, to perform a task that was gigantic in its contemplation.
I was retained by Miss Barton in Beaufort three weeks, and by practical teaching was soon able to grasp intelligently the true intents and purposes of the Red Cross, and able then to undertake any duty assigned me. I was then sent to take charge of the district composed of Edisto, Wadmalaw, John’s and Kiawah Islands, the first three named being very large islands, with a combined population of nearly 10,000 souls.
Kiawah being directly on the sea was almost entirely submerged by tidewater, and on the other islands, those portions which were directly exposed to the sea and the tributary streams suffered in like manner. Cotton, the main dependence of the people, was almost totally destroyed, and only in some localities were any potatoes and corn saved, and these badly damaged. I found many people hungry, destitute, without suitable habitation or sufficient clothing and badly demoralized. Such, then, was the condition of things when I took charge, and how to meet the various problems that arose, and to cover this territory in the most intelligent and speedy way of course became my first object. After planning a little I soon arrived at a happy solution, and proceeded to organize the territory into working condition.
Rockville, on Wadmalaw Island, had been selected as the most central point to work from, and making this my headquarters and basis of supplies, I secured a house and was soon comfortably fixed, with sufficient supplies on hand to meet the immediate wants of the people. To reach all these people quickly and often was the next point to be settled (scattered as they were over an area of vast dimensions, divided in many places by streams, at times dangerous to navigate). This difficulty was overcome by thoroughly canvassing each island, and establishing one or more sub-stations at the most central location, and from these stations I would each week make my distribution of rations, receive reports, arrange work for the coming week and transact other business. All this time petitions of various kinds had been coming in, and my time was fully occupied in seeking out those who were in immediate want, among the old people and children especially, and I soon got that settled sufficiently to give me a chance to start all able-bodied men, that needed help, in ditching, house-building, bridge-building and any other work I could find that would benefit the general community; and soon I had large forces at work on each island. A school for children was established at Rockville, which was successfully conducted for some time, and a wharf built, which is as unique as it is substantial, having been built by native workmen with raw materials cut and hewn out of the woods, the piles being driven by a pile driver of our own construction. This wharf stands to-day, a monument of strength and an object lesson to those who were doubtful of its completion. On the several islands much good work was done; new dams being thrown up; bridges rebuilt and abandoned lands reclaimed. I occupied this field for over eight months, and during that time visited every district one day of each week and personally distributed all rations given out, thus being certain that nothing was misappropriated. From Monday until Saturday I would travel by team and boat, on an average of twenty miles a day, never allowing rain, wind or anything else to keep me from going, as some of these poor people had to walk miles to reach the point of distribution, and I could not disappoint them and cause them to go back empty handed. The distribution of seeds, as they came in season, was started from the beginning, and soon gardens of various dimensions began to spring up in all directions, thus making another valuable food supply which was practically inexhaustible, as long as no frosts interfered. Happily the season was propitious, and the people by these little gardens were well supplied with vegetables of all kinds. Corn, bean and Irish potato seed were also supplied. Knowing these people as well as I did (having been amongst them from childhood), I had a peculiar sympathy for them, and in every possible way so conducted my affairs as to benefit and instruct them in the highest possible manner, the results obtained fully repaying me for all my exertions in their behalf. I never at any time found them anything but kind, respectful and extremely grateful for what was bestowed upon them, and the evidences shown to-day, amply testify to the good that was done by Red Cross methods and teachings. Of course troubles and trials would arise, but these were soon overcome, and things would go on smoothly again.
The methods adopted by Miss Barton, and through me carried out, gave universal satisfaction, and all able-bodied men were willing and anxious to work for their rations. The clothing (a large quantity), with the exception of that given by me in exchange for labor, was distributed through the sewing societies formed by Miss Barton.
This field was taken in December, 1893, and held till August, 1894, when I left there, feeling satisfied that all danger from want and privation was over. Vegetables had been abundant, still coming in, the rivers furnishing their portion in abundance of fish, etc.; all crops promising a good harvest, the people in the meantime having been brought safely through the most trying period of their lives. Many incidents could be mentioned of the trials and sufferings endured by these people, and when the whole story is told, those who bestowed their charity in this, the most appalling disaster that has ever visited our coast, will not feel that it was injudiciously expended, or their kindness misplaced.
Too much cannot be said in praise of Miss Barton, that great and wise general, on this most peculiar and difficult field, for there never was a man or woman who labored more zealously or untiringly in a work so varied in its character or harder to perform. Enough has been said to tell the arduous duties to be performed, and the cares and anxieties attendant upon a work of this kind, but after a hard day’s work, the consciousness of having made so many poor souls happy would take away all feeling of fatigue, and long in the night would we be packing and unpacking goods and clothing, and sometimes all day Sunday, thus showing that no amount of time or effort was spared in behalf of those dependent upon us.