The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-05-25

an which he regrets that his name has been used
un'nten,iousliy GU kis tar,) 10 supports ia,se
"ood, or impcae oa . syCOloua public"
BEAJ. WARD
-NonoTsay, 27sd .zhra, 1915.
| - No. r.
N the surnmer Of the year tTst, Col. Tsrletor,
u British Officer, wiR his troop OF horse, passe,
| through Amelia county, and hearing that he wa
within leu Or twelve miles below ,h. .ou-t house
burning the pubic grain At Mr. Thomas q. Peach
| 20 four or hive young men, toge ther with myselr
conecte" together, and agreed to so immedistel,
to the court house, where there were some public
arms, IN the Jail, (Which then used as a maya
zine,) and join Captain William Royal that evening
az Fariey's ~Ohi Ordinary, a Few miles above the
court hosse, in order to harass the enemy rha,
night, we sent young man, to ut, John Field
Joses, IN the road below the court house TO -et All
the inierrnstio"he could respecting the enemy he
WAS taksa prisoner by the enemy aud made a pilot
of-and, before the rest OF us had tune To s,n,pp,
an our arrival at the court house, VIC we're charpeu
on by an advanced party the encrp,'s troop sp,i
alter running some distance, perhaps mile WIS
compelied TO surrender to my pursuers-lt appear
eel that was to have ns mercy shown i,e--i had
lon cap which we had taken from them IN eharo.
made on them by ade;achment under Col Dick
between the brook Bridge and Richmond, and on a
horse taken by the same detachment Bottoms
Bridges however, | made my escape by leaning
into m-pond which was near m e, after being shot
at several tmes.-ln all this time, / never saw Mr.
Peter Francisco, nor heard of him. The enemy
lodged at the court house that night, and march,
ed early on the next day, taking Ohm Field Jones
their pilot above spoken of, and passed along the
road leading from the courthouse to Ienniugs Ord-
nary. And, az l have understood, land believe was
the tact] British soldier and two three negroes
went to the house OF BENJAMIN Ward, where the
said Peter Francisco and BENJAMIN Ward were ::
francisco killed the soldier, and the negroes made
their escapes, leaving tive horses the negroes Join.
ell ar.etons troop again, and gave information of
the soldiers being killed. John Field Jones, the
pilot, was then with Tarleton, as he informed me
two days afterwards, and that Tarleton's reply to
the information was-" am not sorry for him
he was out piundering--I wish the damn'd Rebels
had killed the negroes too"-After the surrender
at York. was in company with Capt h. Ward and
iient. Seaton (who 'was one of Tareton's officers
when he passed through the county OF Aoaelia
when the subject OF Francscos having killed OF
the British soldiers, introduced into CONVERSE
ton, and Lieut.. Seaton observed that it was no mat
ter, the soldier killed at Captain Wards was plum
derer, and no loss to his Majesty. There was but
one white NAH spoken of, and two blacks, in the
conversation here spoken Of. At that time, Gas well
as can recollect) Capt. Wards reputation had sus
tanned no injury, in consequence of any report of
his owing been guilty of any misconduct at the time
OF Franciscos killing the British soldier. served
With him in the militia subsequently to the time of
the British soldiers being killed by Francisco at his
house, when he acted Captain and Quarter.
Master-was viewed officer to be relied on &,
much respected. Given under my hsnd, this OIL,
day of April, 1918.
DANIEL vERsER.
no. T.
DO hereby certify, that in the wear 1871
l resided near Benz Ward, of Ame-
ia county Atthe time Tarleton, British Officer,
ana ms troop passh through said county, [ had
started to ride To Jennings Ordinary, and met with
VIM. Flemming then overseer for said yVard-be
requested o not to go 10 said ordinary as he ex
pected Iarleton's troop would be there Le also
stated British soldier and some negroes had been
20 Mr. Wards, and the British soldier WAS killed Inv
heir
on one or more of said Wards horses, they being
tied convenient for Ward, Francisco & others to
r,de out, as Mr. Fiemming informed me. The said
riemmins was just on his way from Wards & 81 "
the whole transaction, and said there was but one
brush soldier and some negroes l rode that eve
ninB TO Jehnings' Ordinary, where number of pen
Pile had collected, the said Ward among them
when often the subject was mentioned with respect
to franeiscos killing the said British soldier and
never was 1t stated by any person, there was more
than one British soldier and some negroes | have
heard francisco himself state the circumstan be-
ing frequently IN his company about that time, and
never heard him say there more than above
stated: IL is impossible for any person to see the
ssid Wards house from the road where TarIeton'.
troop passed. have frequently been in companv
with said Ward & Francisco. ibey aiwavsa,nJ
Ell friendly, until q difference occurred abon, a. -
division OF the horses which were left Mt the Ia
w ARDS by the British soldier and negroes. Which
hau been divided between them Nv their come.
Francisco got . sorrei mare and Ward stud hnrsa
they then swept; Ward gave boot-Some ,.i
AFTER, francisco demanded The mare ; she w.s tn'
Ken or stolen from said Wards plantation W.
was killed sy black horse, which unders,oot 81 -
had bargained for short time before his datt "e
ware was respected BY his neiehbors, and bors .
good character, by all who knew him and NJ ="
tnousht 10 ne as true wing as any in the would
oiyen under my hand, this Goth day Of Nal
1918. ~ u Niareh'
JOSEPH wooDsoN.
No III.
HEREBY certify. that wss inttnstsIo oo,..
X ted with benjamin Ward, of Amelia count r",
many years before the American Revolutionary 90
during that contest, aud until the time of his iea
That never knew or heard of hi, bein~ 80 o't
IMAM an honest, just manof irmness sespeciab;li,y
humane, friendly, and generally resoeetad e. -
also stsuneh friesd to llIs couItryEThati was
with him IN short tour OF duty ia the njI,;, ~
the time oil the aforesaid war, and in which b. -. "a
as Commisasry TO the detachment. and in o. =, ~
pacity, he gave general satisfaction, as far ne &C
hearu or had any reason 10 belieVe--l Commenced. Il
the detachment. was living in few mites os -;
at the time 1t was said that Peter Frsneiaco L;ii
one OF Aarieton,s cavalry at his house and have rs
Ten hearn tue circumstances mentioned which ho
'ieVs were correct but was not present st he tr,
that act tosk place--which, TO the best of nv =. .
collection, we're that in the year 1881 Tsri.,as,
10 passing WIN hts cavalry through the county of
melIa1 took the public road leading from a., -,
house to Jennings Ordinary phInJerin, No..
ct them, consisting OF four i've men (cb3ertv NC
EroesI went to Ward's, where Franc;sco 49, ii
~ searching his house Tor plumber thev cot hnIJ 81
Ward gun, ami hnding IL empty, broke ;t-ons nf
the white men demanded of Francisoo h;s 49, -
kiss, which we're Of silver, and STONED dn,pn ~
take them frcm his shoes; and while in tbe nc, of
s"ng ms, Francisco got the mans sword from him.