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Rended By Lightning's Bolt

Rended By Lightning's Bolt image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
July
Year
1882
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Aboufc 5 o'clock this afteraoon, during a heavy thunder-storm, the people of Columbia were startled by a heavy crash which followed a most vivid fliish cf lightnig. ïhey little suspected, however, that the thunderbolt had Tallen 0:1 tho confedérate monument in the State-house grounds, and that the crowning glory of that magnificent work of art, the marble statueof a Confedérate soldier, which surrnounted it had toppled from its base and been shattered into fragmenta. The statue is almoat coinpletely demolished. Mr. W. A. Anderson an old soldier of Jenkins brigade, who chanced to be looking toward the monument when the thunder-bolt feil, says that the whole monument was surrounded by a perfect sheet of flame, and when the crash came the head of the statue instantly feil forward to the ground. When it had reached about half way to the ground the body swayed for a moment, and thon gracefully feil over to the right side of the monument. The head was eompletely off at the neck a3 if with a sword, and falling, struck on the uj.per base stone of the northern frent of the monument. In falling the body struck the lowcr base on tho eastern side, driving it out of place for an inch or two. The cannon at the rear of tho statue was broken off The right leg was severed at tho skirt of U10 coat. The hands which rested on the musket, were broken off, and the lef t leg waa diiven into the ground six or eight inches. There is nothing lef t on the top of the shaf t but a fragment of the left leg, which is broken off at the ankle and rosts upon the broken stock of the musket. The statuo was hurled to the ground witb so gieat forcé that where it struck the stone base it was crushed into powder. Many fragments were carried off by curiosity seekers. The head and hands were deposited in Ihe Secretary of ltate'0 office for safe keeping, and the rest of the statue was placed under the guarcl of the State-house keeper during the night, The monument was erected by the South Carolina Monumental Association, composed of ladies, on May 13, 1879. The association was founded in February, 18G5, and work waa begun in 1869. The total expenses of the enterprise amounted to $11,761 4G. The statue surmounting the monument, which was chisled out of iine Italian marble, cost about $5,000. It will be impossible to replace the statue and repair the other damages for less than this amount' for although the shaft and base still stand they are shaken out of their position, inclining a little to the right, and it may be necessary to take down the monument and re-erect it. Although greatly distressed at the misfoitune, the ladies have already determined to go to work and repair the daraages. An efíort will be made to secure an appropriation from the Legi slature and subscriptions are solicited from all who love the memory of the Confedérate dead. Of course, it will be said by politicians that the destruction of the statue was "a judgmentof God;"but let it be known that the Confedérate soldier feil at his post, and, as an eye witness declared, "he went down like he had

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Democrat