Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-03-13
A Heroine of the Revolution.

Many will remember that, towards the close
of the war, Colonel Tarleton passed through
North Carolina. Owing to some cause not
known, he spent two nights in Halifax County
one within the hospitable grove of Willie
Jones, near the town of Halifax, and the other
higher up in the County, near " Quankey
ChaPel" Either because he was scarce of pro-
visions and horses, or from malicious desire to
destroy the property of American citizens who
were opposed to the British, he caught all the
horses cattle, hogs, and even fowls that he
could lay hands on, and destroyed or appropra-
ted them to his own use. The male, and most
OF the female inhabitants of the country fled
from the approach of the British troops, and hid
themselves in the swamps or forests adjacent !;
and when they passed through the upper part
of The county, while every one else left the prem
ises on which she lived, Mrs. Powell (then Miss
Bishop "stood her ground" and faced the foe
fearlessly. But it would not do; they took the
horses and cattle, and among the former, fa-
vorite pony belonging to herself, and drove
them off to the camp, which was about a mile
distant. Young as she was, she determined to
have her pony again, and as she must necessa.
rily go to the British camp, to 60 alone, if TO
one would accompany her. And alone she went
on foot, at night, and without any weapon of de-
fence, and in due time arrived at the British camp
By what means she managed to get an audi
ance with Tarleton, is not known but she ap.
peared before him unannounced, and, raising
herself erect, said
81 have come to you, sir, to demand restor-
alton of my property, which your knavish fol-
lowers stole from my fathers yard"
"Let me understand you, Miss" replied Tare-
ton, taken completely by surprise.
"Well, sir" said she, "your roguish men in
red coats came to my fathers about sundown
and stole my pony, and have walked here a.
lone and unprotected to claim und demand him
and, sir, must and will have him. fear moi
your men. They are base and unprincipled e.
nough to dare to offer insult to an unprotected
female but their cowardy hearts will prevent
them doing any bodily injury"
And just then, by the light of the camp. fire
espying her own dear little pony at short dis
tance, she continued
"There, sir, is nv horse. shall mount hin
and ride peaceably home and if you have any
of the gentIemany feeling with you, Of which
your men are entirely destitute, or if you have
any regard for their safety you will see, sir. tina
| am not interrupted. But, before 60, wsl
to say to you that he who can, and will not pre-
vent this base and cowardly stealing from hen
roosts, stables, and barn-yards, is no better il
my estimation than the mean, good for nothing
guilty wretches who do the work with their ow
hands Good night, Sill"
And, without waiting further, she took he
pony uninterruptedly, and gallopped safel
home for Tareton was so much astonishe
that he ordered that she should be permitted t
do as she chose.
Mrs. Powell died in her native county, i
1640, after she had attained a green old age
One Of her grandsons, VIM. S. Parker, volur
teered in the Mexican war, and died at Ceralvc
in Mexico. Another, Richard B. Parker, is re
siding in Halifax County, N. c., most estimo
BILE and worthy citizen. And grand'daughte
Mrs Mary E. Sledge, (wife of w. T. Sedgt
and sister of the two first-named gentlemen a
SO lives in Halifax County, besides other rela
tives, who all, no doubt, do justice to her men
oy; but others should do likewise, for she wa
one of the noble specimens of ''the times tina
tried mems souls"