Talk:Manse Jolly

Jolly and 'Union' troops
Interesting to find out some more of the detail in Jolly's background, especially the devastating toll of the war on his family. But I feel the short bio here ignores the special malice he took out on Black Union troops who were assigned to garrison Anderson in spring and summer of 1865.Consider this document from (white) commander of 33rd USCT stationed there: [CT Trowbridge, comdg 33 USCT at Anderson]: …1st Sub-Dist of Western So Car where I have been on duty for the past two months is infested with a band of lawless persons who have not taken the Oath of Allegiance…and are acting in open hostility to the US Authorities. There are four leading spirits among them viz. Dixon, Milwee, Jolly, and Lewis who on the night of the 26th of August last murdered Lieut. J F Firman, 33 USCT while on duty in the town of Walhalla…. The citizens made every attempt to hunt them down but up to the day of my departure we had failed in securing any one of them. I think the inhabitants through the Dist are either in sympathy with these desperadoes or are afraid to render assistance in their capture. On the morning of Sept 3d last one of these men (Jolly) rode into the town of Anderson…after my Regt had been withdrawn from duty there, and declared his name and defied me to capture him. He then rode to the encampment of the Regt about ¼ of mile from the town and told one of my men that his name was Jolly and that he intended to kill his Colonel and every damned nigger ion the Regt before he got out of the District. I was also informed that the train would be fired when I left the place. I left the town of Anderson on the night of the 3rd September and when about eight miles from Belton South Carolina in Anderson Dist several shots were fired at the cars but no injury done….the inference I have drawn is that it will be many months before it will be safe to leave that portion of the State without a garrison of US troops. Lieut Col. CT Trowbridge to Lieut George Burger, 16 Sept 1865 Records of Military Posts (Anderson) Entry 12(3), Letters Rec’d 1866-7 RG393, Part 5 81.99.208.167 (talk) 02:25, 30 June 2023 (UTC)