The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-11-14


all their higL s1pselalions. A liule
before dark they arrived within about
shfse-ioarihs Of mile Of Ihs before
mentioned ferry, where hall was ordered
and spies sent out 70 reeonnoius. In an
hour they rsIurnsd. stating thar the ground
ss oeeHpisdby lie baggage Of he rebel
iofees, but not soul MAS 20 be seen.
Tie Captains brow dsfkened. Fall
vel be knew the ssiehf1l and unGirinx
spirit Of The continental troops, Who,
alsays upon The alert. we're seldom taken
unaSarss. indecision vas not an ingredi-
sni 81 Capt. Morion's nature. Accord
ingly. he imrnsdlslsly placed bis men in
mo most advantageous position for an az
lack. Ills preparations were timely. Tor
scarcely had he iasi man stepped into
The ranks ere they we're 6rsd upon by .
large body Of troops who had been lying
IN ambush. Nov vas heard The /" din
Of ssr" and the . clangor OF srms." and
soon many brave man lay wellsring 10
his gore. Capt. Morton and his liule
band fought with The spirit Of despsrado.
Loud above The noise Of battle was heard
The voice Of The American commander
ordering his men 20 " sirike dozen all
rho OPposed-to sLay none rhO yielded"
Flercely the contest Isgej. until Capt.
Morton. receiving . wound. fell from
hls horse IN the ground. aud the remain.
ing psn Of his men. hearing thai their
commander was taken, surrendered al
discretion.
Sad and gloomy vas The spectacle
presented the next morning upon the
bsnle field. Mure than half The torres
we're either slain or wounded. In . stalls
Of inssnsibilily, Capt. Morton vas con.
seyed bv means Of . litter, 10 the patriot
camp. where his wound was properly
attended TO, by one Of The soldiers consi.
dsrsbly skilled in pharmacy. Upon re-
covering, he found Major Henderson
bending over him With all the tender
solicIlude of q fond mother endsavorng
10 trace soma suspicious change in The
eounlsnsncs Of her sick child. Recogniz.
ing him he held out his hand and VAS
about N express bic gratitude, ~hsn
Major Henderson. by The authority Of
The nurse, snjoinsd him 10 keep silence.
% ialbing might injurs him in his seak
state.
TSSsas and s.y, ths party q s sg
Of Gen. Marion. whilher the supplies
we're destined. Two o'clock the nett
day they arrived. Having delivered up
bic charge. Maj. Henderson proceeded
10 furnish comfortable quarters for Capt.
Morton. his late enemy. A week paced
and the wounded man vs fssl recover
ing. and Maj. Henderson had again been
sent on, for the purpose Of seeking more
supplies for the army.
/ In The mean time, man by the name
Of earns, q captain in Gen. Marion's ar
my, and formerly a neighbor Of Capt.
Morton, but his implacable enemy, had
indusiriously circulated the rpor. that
Capt. Morton had formerly belonged to
the continental troops, and had, at the
commencement of the war, been connect
ed with the detachment Of which he was
captain; but had deserted to the British.
This was a serious accusation, and one
which Gen. Marion could not overlook.
If Capt. Morton was proven a deserter,
il became his duty to execute him as an
example 10 others. He accordingly in
siituled an inquiry which resulted in .
knowledge that the said earns was rea.
dy to bring forward sufficient evidence
OF the truth Of his accusation. A trial
was therefore appointed. to take place the
next week. Capt. Morton was allowed
to defend himself, and every means was
taken to procure evidence of his inno-
cence. IN The mean time, Isabella, the
afTectionare daughter, was not idle in her
fathers behalf. She had procured the
promise Of two witnesses, who, for many
years, had been acquainted with Capt.
| Morton, and knew him to have been a
s,aunch tory from the commencement Of
The dispute between England and her
revolted colonies.
/ The day a, length arrived, the ,nxicus-
" expected day, which was 10 decide the
| fate OF the accused. The hour spproach-
ed, and yet the witnesses for lhs defen-
dan, did no, arrive. Al las, one came.
The other. bu. the day before. was kill
ed by the falling Of tree. Thus did
il seem as il the last ray Of hope was
shut out from the wreIched parent
wre,ched only in view Of the orphan
state Of his daughter.
i The witnesses were examined. Those
,gsina the accused testified az earns
+, had before done. They were two in
number. He for the defendsn, stated
clearly and distinctly what the reader
has already been made acquainted with
! yet, the amour, Of evidence in sup
port Of the accusation was such that the
court martial pronounced the sentence
> Of death upon him. Before the decls.
ion was given. Isabella had exhibited
. uncomfortable grief; bu, 90 soon as she
, heard the sentence which would con-
} sign her father to disgraeeful and ig'
nominious death. her tears ceased ia