City Directories and History: The last of the homes of General and Mrs. James Chesnut, “Sarsfield” is one of the few brick houses of the era and was completed in 1873. Some of the bricks were brought from “Mulberry,” the Chesnut’s country plantation a few miles south of Camden. Mary Boykin Chesnut completed her diary here and was her last known residence. The house was damaged by fire and unoccupied for some years. In the 1930s, it was completely restored. [Courtesy of the Camden Tour Book]
James Chesnut, born in Camden in 1818, was one of thirteen children of John Chesnut. The youngest of the children, James graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1835 with honors, studied law with James L. Petigru of Charleston, SC and began practicing law in Camden. In 1840 he married Mary Boykin Miller, the daughter of SC’s former Governor and later served as a Senator in Washington. When the Civil War began he was appointed as a Colonel under Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregard at Fort Sumter, SC. He later served on the staff of Jefferson Davis. Following service to his community during the hard times of Reconstruction, Mr. Chesnut died at Mulberry Plantation in 1885.
Yorkville Enquirer, Wed Eve March 22, 1865: Camden taken, Davis’ horse to Lincoln
The South Carolinian ran an article on Sherman in Camden. It specified what was burned, claimed the Yankees were all drunk, and captured some blooded horses that were being taking through the town. There were stories of courageous women, &c. The thoroughbreds were at Gen. Chesnut’s plantation and among them was a stallion that had been presented to Jefferson Davis by the Viceroy of Egypt. The Yankees rode it but said it was too fine a horse to use in the cavalry and that it would go to “Old Abe.”
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Jewrl Kibble says
My family most likely lived in this home as slaves, as we were slaves of the Chesnut family. In fact, in Mary’s diary, she mentions the name of Monroe, a slave who protected her when the Yankees came. My Grand Aunt , Mrs Lillian Sutton Williams who was a schoolteacher in Camden and lived to be 102 was interviewed by the Camden newspaper in the 1980s and told the story. My great grandmother, Bessie Boykin , bought and owned the home, still standing, 810 Market St. I have visited Camden this year, including the Sarsfield home. That home and the Mulberry Plantation are a part of my heritage. If it were possible I would purchase Sarsfield and bring it to life once again.