This is a monument in South Carolina near the town of Chester. Burrel Hemphill Monument Hopewell ARP Church, Olde English District Burrel Hemphill, a slave in the household of Robert Hemphill during the War for Southern Independence, was reportedly tortured to death by Yankee troops for refusing to disclose the location of the family's silverware and other valuables. A monument erected in his honor reads: "In memory of Burrel Hemphill, Killed by Union soldiers February 1865. Although a slave, he gave his life rather than betray a trust. He was a member of Hopewell."
Regarding Burrel Hemphill. During the War Between The States, Burrel Hemphill was a slave in the household of the very wealthy bachelor, Robert Hemphill, who had been killed in The Battle of Seven Pines on June 13, 1862. Sherman’s troops had been stealing what they wanted and burning what remained. When they approached the Hemphill estate in February of 1865, they demanded that Burrell reveal the hiding places of the Hemphill family’s silverware, other valuables and money that he had hidden from them. In trying to make Burrell talk, the Yankees tied a rope to Burrell’s ankle and dragged him up and down the road by a horse. They did not stop until Burrell died without saying a word.
When the Yankees (Federals) arrived, the Hemphill family fled and Burrel was left in charge of the estate. Burrel buried the family silver in the woods, but was caught by Union soldiers upon his return. According to the eyewitness accounts of his grandson, who witnessed the incident, Hemphill refused to tell the Bummers where he'd hidden the valuables. The angry Yankee soldiers then dragged Burrel to a spot near the church and hanged him, then lowered him several times, then hanging him again, repeating their demand that he tell where the valuables were hidden. Burrel refused and eventually died from the torture. The Bummers would then use his hanging body for target practice
