Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-10-19
REVOLUTIONARY SCRAP.


REVOLUTIONARY SCRAP
Ertract from DR.. Calo.aeHs Memoirs of the
Life Of Gen Greene
This work, on the eve of issuing from the press.
will DOUBTLESS possess high degree of interest.
We owe to the politeness Of the author the per-
mission to make the folle&ing extract.
.4nalectic Mag.
BATTLE OF RAMSAOUR'S MILL.
Equally, perhaps, unknown 10 most
OF the inhabitants, and singularly neglect
ed IN the history Of aa.see..a.sy, is ano.h-
er very gallant partizan adventure, a.
chieved on the 22d Of Jnne, 1880. Nei-
Their American regulars, nor British sol
diers having any concern 10 this spir-
tied affair, it was fought entirely by raw
militiamen, Of the whig and tory parties.
About twelve hundred of the latter,
having assembled under the command Of
Col. Moore. encamped ia a strong posi-
ton at Ramsaour's Mill, few miles west.
ward Of the Catawba river, and in the
vicinity Of the line which separates
North and South Casnaa. liz which Of
the two states the encampment was stu.
ated, is not at present exactly recolected,
although the writer of this narrative has
been frequently on the spot.
La addition to rapine, and the pro.
daction OF general distress, favorite OBJ.
ject Of this, was to overawe and weaken
the adjacent country, by capturing and
carrying within the British lines num-
Der of its most influential Inhabitants.
Besides being thus prevented from taking
a lead in active measures of resistance
these we're to be held as hostages for the
good conduct and neutrality of their
friends.
To defeat the mischievous purposes
of this party, and to disIodge them from
their strong hold, the most spirited of the
wings from Iredell, a neighbouring county,
assembled to the amount of 300 men, under
the command Of Col. Locke. These
consisted principally of foot, but in part Of
small corps of mounted infantry, armed
with rifles, pistols and sabres, led by
Capt. Falls, an officer Of peculiar gal.
iantry and worth.
"Tbis hasty levy Of soldiers, pre-
sented spectacle emiuentIy interesting.
They were fresh from their homes, their
private habits unbroken, no discipline or
concert Of action among them, and all
their domestic feelings clinging around
their heart.
They were, in the true sense of the
expression, band Of friends aud neigh
bours, being all from the same settlement,
aud perfectly known to each other in pri-
vate life. Ia 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 we're
all Of the same rank, and respectable.
They were masters of the soil which they
had assembled to defend.
"Of this corps of patriots the military
proves was entirely untried; not one Of
them, with the exception Of capt. 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
apparel, they exhibited 40 uniformity Of
appearance. To remedy this, and tc
distinguish 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 e
the rims on each side, strips Of white pa
per, about two inches broad. Each one
brought TO the place of rendezvous his
own rifle, SO rounds Of powder and ball
o weeks provision, and light blanket
Tnat they might be perfectly unincum'