The great old Century House in Ridgeway is an historical treasure known as the Last Confederate Headquarters. It is scheduled to have a much needed renovation thanks to a grant the Town has received for historic preservation. Before P.T.G. Beaureguard wired General Lee for help an abandoning Ridgeway, a certain plantation helped delay the arrival of Yankee troops. Even with all the tragedy involved with the War of Northern Aggression some things nevah changed with the Hogg clan.
     As the story goes, the Hogg clan worked their plantation, Hoggphatt, which was about a mile due north of the Century House. Beaureguard Hogg was the plantation owner along with his lovely wife Anastacia Beaverhousin Hogg, sons Job "sloppy" Hogg, Billy “mud" Hogg, daughters Mary Claire "lard" Hogg, and Bessie Mae "ham" Hogg, servants Mammy Hogg and Pullet Hogg. As the story unfolds, Mammy "boss" Hogg was truly the boss of the whole clan.
     The Hoggphatt plantation was spared by Sherman and his army. For years the reason was unknown till this year when the CIA, the Confederate Intelligence Agency released the top secret files. Truth of the matter and to make a long story short, General Sherman’s assumption that War Is Hell came from the following historical facts. In February 1865 it was cold and chilly in central South Carolina. On February 17th Sherman’s army entered the capital city of Columbia, burning, pillaging and stealing anything that wasn’t tied down. He soon directed his army north toward Ridgeway, a huge mistake, if only temporary. The young Hogg family, servants and slaves were preparing for the worst as Sherman’s army approached Hoggphatt. Now most of the plantations grew cotton but the Hogg clan were years ahead of their time. They had developed the benefits of copper tubing, combined with sacks of sugar and the fermentation of a drink called by the locals "hoggshine". The horticulturist sons sloppy and mud were growing acres of high grade Ridgeway Red Bud and it sure wasn't cotton. Mammy Hogg was renowned for her Bisquits and succulent Bar B Que. Beaureguard Hogg was a superb Poker player and had cashed in all but $20,000 in Confederate bonds for Yankee currency because he saw where the cause was going, and the Hogg ladies spared no charm in entertaining visitors.
     General Robert E. Lee ordered Hoggphatt to be a delaying point so the other plantations and Rebel army could regroup Nawth of Ridgeway in one of the most brilliant military strategies in modern warfare. As the first wave of soldiers approached Hoggphatt they were welcomed with each soldier receiving a cigarette rolled like a big blunt. The servants had candles and lit the cigs for the soldiers. Before they could torch anything the soldiers became surprisingly mellow, happy, woosy, giggled at each other but got a craving for anything sweet which Mammy obliged with the first version of ex-lax, Polk Salad Berries mixed with Hogg lard with splenda of chocolate flavoring. As the second wave of soldiers arrived they were welcomed with a cup of 200 proof Hoggshine guaranteed to warm anyone on a cold winters day. Mammy in thoughts of kindness spiked each cup with a teaspoon of arsenic.
     Meanwhile Beaureguard invited the officers in for a poker challenge. The Hogg ladies sat close to Bo with three decks of fixed cards. Bo wanted to get rid of that Confederate money and go out in true Hogg style. Meanwhile Mammy had seen the future back in the summer of 64 and had rubbed poison oak leaves all over a special batch of corn cobs that she envisioned the Yankee army a makin' use of. She had also baked hundreds of biscuits for the invaders mixed with ground mistletoe berries. Mammy loved Hoggphatt more than the white Hoggs and she was hell bent on puttin' a hurtin' on these damn yankees she considered as invadin' her territory.
     As it all turned out Beaureguard got the $20,000 in Yankee dollars with the help of the Hogg ladies. During the next three hours Mammy Hogg and the Hogg clan had defeted the 20,000 man Yankee army. All were stoned, drunk, and broke and all at once all got the s$$$%. Mammy handed out the corn cobs. Thank God it was 29 degrees. All that steam turned to yellow ice over Hoggphatt forest. Then the itch set in. Mammy concocted a remedy of camphor and turpentine which she distributed. The whole Yankee army laid down in agony. The Hogg sons and slaves hid the swords and guns deep in Sawney swamp. They buried the won money.
     Then the big G arrived. General Sherman was in awe looking at his army, madder than an old wet hen walked in the foyer, looked up the stairs and all he saw was Mammy Hogg humming "A Country Girl Can Survive". She looked at him all 350 pounds of dyn-o-mite, demanded he get out of her house, spit Beechnut in the Generals face. He drew his sword, she grabbed it and flipped him down the stairs and placed the sword right between his legs as her huge frame looked down on him. But Mammy the general said, you spit that nasty tobacco in my eye, You're humming a Hank Williams Jr. song and he ain't been born yet and I've marched across the South to free you whence Mammy said ,” Tecums$%^ thats your name isn't it, I'm fixin' to free you of yo manhood if'n you don't git out of mah house.”
     The General replied this is your house and Mammy replied "leave my white and black chillun alone and git yo blue ass back to where its colder and snows all the time. I's happy heah.” Mammy became the local hero for stallin' the Yankee army, saving Hoggphatt from pillage and burning and stood down General Sherman. Legend has it that she always preferred the name Mammy she became known as BOSS HOGG! After that each generation had a son named after Mammy "Boss" Hogg and the Hogg clan till this day has not changed, pot growin', whiskey makin' money laundering, illegal dumpin' and the crazy part is Sherman thought he won!