Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-07-31
HrsroaIeAI.

aIsToaIsXL.
Ertyact from DR.. Caiduelps Memoirs 5f
the life Of General Greene.
This work, on the eve OF issuing from the
press, will doubtless possess !. high de-
gree of interest. We owe to the DO.
likeness of the author, the permission to
make the following extract.
[.4aalectic Margarine.
BATTLE OF RAMsAoUR's MILL.
Equally, perhaps, unknown, 10 most
of the inhabitants, and singularly negIect-
ed in the history Of our county, 8 another
very gallant partisan adventure, achieved
on the 22d of June, l78Q. Neither Anne.
rican regulars, nor British soldiers having
any concern in this spirited affair, il was
fought entirely by raw militia men, ofthe
wing and tory parties.
"About twelve hundred of the latter,
having assembled under the command Of
colonel Moore, encamped in a strong po-
sition at Ramsaour's mill, a few miles
westward from the Catawba river. and in
the vicinity of the line which separates
North from South Carolina. In which of
the two states The encampment was situat-
ed, is not at present rcoIlected, although
the writer of this narrative has been ire
quently on the spot.
In addition to rapine, and the produc-
ton of general distress, tavorte object
Of this party was to overawe and weaken
the adjacent country, by Capturing and
carrying within the British lines, number
of Its most influential inhabitants. Besides
being thus prevented from taking lead in
active measures Of resistance, these were
to be held as hostages for the good con-
duct and neutrality of their friends.
TO defeat the mischievous purposes Of
this party, and to dis'odge them from their
strong hold, the most spirited of the wings
from Iredell, a neighboring county, as.
sembled to the amount of three hundred
men, under the command Of colonel Locke.
These consisted principally Of foot but in
part, of small corps Of mounted infantry,
armed with rifles, pistols, and sabres, led
by captain Falls, an officer Of peculiar
gallantry and worth.
"This hasty levy Of soldiers presented
spectacle eminentIy interesting.-They
were fresh from their homes, their private
habits unbroken, no discipline or concert
Of action established among them, and all
their domestic feelings clinging around
their hearts.
" They were, in The true sense Of the
expression, a band of friends and neigh
bors, being all from the same settlement,
and perfectly known to each other in pri-
vate life. In the whole party there was
not an individual who had not repeatedly
united with the others, in rural sport and
social enjoyment. As citizens, they were
all of the same rank, and respectable
They were masters Of the soil they had
assembled to defend.
" Of this corps of patriots, the military
proves was entirely untried not one of
them, with the exception of captain Falls,
having ever confronted an enemy in the
field. Their only warlike requirement
was great expertness and skill in the use
of the rifle. In that qualification they had
few superiors.
"Being all dressed in their common ap-
parel, they exhibited no uniformity of ap.
pearance. To remedy this, and to dis
tinguish them from the tories, who were
known to be dressed in the same way,
they fastened over the crowns of their hats
from back to front. descending to the rim
on each side, stripes of while paper, about
two inches broad. Each one brought to
the place of rendezvous, his own rifle, 50
rounds of powder and ball, weeks pro-
vision, and light blanket. That they
might be perfectly unincuInbered, neither
baggage agon nor pack horse was attach
ed to the party.
"Thus accoutred, eager for battle, and
painting for glory, without waiting Tor
considerable force that was assembled in
Rowan, a neighborlns county, under gen.
Rutherford. 70 join them, they moved in
haste and silence. towards the scene Of