Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-12-23
the ADVERTISER.
REVOLUTIONARY, INCIDENT

REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT.
Many interesting incidents of oar Revo.
lulionary Struggle, have been suffered to
pass into oblivion. because no one would
take the trouble To collect and give 10 them
an enduring iorn, by leaving them record
eh, while rrastitioaary memory furnished
the means. Though this neglcc, is unjnst.
horillosthe.1iving and the dead ;zto avoid
This tMoioIl injustice, we shall proceed to
record The substance of al interesting in i.
cidenr, in. the lie Of Col Il. S. Brooks,
which was narra,edhy Col. F. W. Pick
ems, q, The dinner given to The Volunteers,
in hisrep!y ta,a toast from Col. Frazier,
one OF the committee of arrangements, in
compliment 10 that gentleman now in his
S:5rd year. as one ef The actors IN the revo-
iutionary drama OF 7G. aud the last relic,
Of those times among as. Near the close
of the revolution, and after The BRUSH
forces had been driven From the upper
country by General Greene, inio Charlcr.
ton. The celebrated William Cunningham.
planned and executed one Of The most
inurderous aud ferocious incursions into
The Iinits OF 9G dislricr. of which either
tradition or history gives any account.
With mounted force varying from 155 to
300 men, he ravaged the country as high
up as The present. district, of Newherry,
renarking his brutal course by fire and
sword. -. -.
While on his way be was pursued aud
overlaken by Coluuei Samuel HaH,iuond
with small cavalry force of SO men, near
The juhclion of little and big SaIuda rivers.
AS Col. H. arrived a, one bank of liule
SaIuda, The last of Cunningham's men
were passing the other, those in front lay-
ing dismounleI, and in The acl nT prepar-
ing their food. Aiier Surveying he diff
cul,ies before him, which consisted in a
narrow and Precipi'ous cowford, the only
passage across ,y.e rivers. and the great
disparity OF his force, compared with that
ofCunninghan, he declined 10 make an
attack, upon the ground that it would ha
zard the safety Of his company, il not its
entire destruction. Capt. Richard Johr:.
son, long cherished by the people oil This
district as Revolutionary soldier, and po-
pular member Of the State Legislature,
(then captain under, Hammond.) either
entertaining different opinion from that
Of his commander, as to The hazard Of an
attack, on being OF hotter blood and less
cool in surveying the difficulties of cross.
ing the stream, rode ou, and asked to he
allowed 10 call for Volunteers, who would
he willing 10 face The danger, and attack
The enemy before he could have lime 10
form his men in their present disarray.
An invitation for Volunteers being given
hy,bis gallant soldier, then present Col.
Brooks, then a lad Of sixteen years Of age,
rode out the third man. upon which Capt.
Johnson said, go back my little man you
are too young" To this The young Volun-
tcer replied, with much animation, 81 can
20 where yon can."-A reply as brave, if
not as rhetorical, as ever proceeded from
soldier'slips:-The eloquent speaker went
onto state tha, such was the tone and
spirit ofthe gallantmen who achieved our
independence. and secured ;o-us our pre-
sent happy government flaw and liber :,
such being the spirit Of ite grandsire, "the
young cocks had been tanghr 10 crow after
the same fashion, and he,ook pride in
saying, that The venerable gentleman at
his side. had not7 four grandsons Volun-
'eers for The Mexican war-,hree in The
company of"The Old sc Boys" and one
III General ,TayIor's army, who if an OPP
portuniry should be, offered them on the
tented fields ofsMexico, would always be
found where glory and danger Invited
them, and prove themselves as "good