Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-08-26
.EannOn'S Marc:
lsn Encideut of the Revolution

an Incident of the Revolution.
! The exploits Of Fannon, the IA
nous tory partizan of North Carroll
in3, would mike a body Of facts more
Interesting than any tale Of fiction.
fEe was reckless fellow-bloody
minded as the hounds of Hayti.
! He sometimes Slew the helpless and
innocent in cold blood the cowardl
But he had an instructive tone and
bearing Of authority that kept the
people within the bounds Of his will.
LIE and his party were one day rest
ing themselves bya spring, loangihg
here and there Oh the green grass in
the shade Of the trees. One Of the
subordinatcs, big strong man, had
got mad at him. His rage had been
boiling in him for several days, and
some fresh aflront caused his rage to
become ungovernable, he drew a
sword, and was resting with his elbow
On the ground and his hand under
bis I'D I'D. His devoted followers
were al ound him, and he heard the
click Of their locks as they cooked
their ii lies. "Let him aloner' cried
Fannon, in his sharp tone He laid
still, cal IN and $eIfpossessed, with his
keen, d hrk eyes fixed on tile raging
ljeuten; int, as be made a tremendous
plunge ut Lis breast. But when the
stroke came, its object swerved away
ike a snake, and the baffled man
plunged his sword into the ground.
Quick lightning lannon's sharp
blade dsset through the gigantic
form.
~Thu and thus I punish those who
tdisrega4I my authority?'' and his
eyes gIJwed and sparlIed like ser
pent's. The man instantly sunk to
the ear Eth forever. But lannon's
mare is written at the head of the
sheet, and she is the heroine Of the
present writing. Achilles had his
Xanthus and Bains and Podarge; Al
exander bad his Bucephalus; Melon
aid had his Selim. Fannon was Il
man of blood, like them, and like
them he had fatorite charger and
lannon's mare was worthy Of her
owner, scr even better man. lie
called her the Red Doe, from her re-
semblance in dolor to a deer. She
Was rare animal-aeet powerful,
Intelligent, docile as lamb, and her
owaeryalued her, I'dare' say, above
king or country, or the life of his (el-
low man. She bore him proudly and
loarlessly in the bloody skirmlsh or
quick retreat. When he stood in
the noisy ceuncilol his pariizans, or
in the Silent ambush, the faithful
brute was by his side, ever ready to
bear him whithersoever he would.
But Fannon lost his mare. Down
on the cast Of Little River, the par
tizan and some four or five Of his
followers, one day captured a man
named Hunter "a whig from the
country about Salisbury, N. G.
This was sufficient cause for death,
and Fannon told the man that he
should hang him. Hunter was eyi-
IDENTIFY a man of the times; but what
could be do, alone and defeneeless,
with a dozen bitter enemies? 1t was
Ia complete desperation The rope
was READY, and strong oak threw
tout its convenient branches. Fan
non told him lie might pray, for his
| time Was come. The poor man
| kneeled down, and seemed absorbed
/ in his last petition othe throne OF
mere \. Fannon and his men stood
Iby, ahd the trusty mare, stood among
| them. with the reins on her neck.
They began to be impatient for Their
victim to close his devotional exer-
cises. But they soon discovered
more of earth than of Heaven IN
Hunte thoughts; for he sprang
on lannon's mare, bowed bis head
down to her powerful neck, pressed
his Heels on her lanks, and darted
away like the wind.
m . tory rifles we're leyeled iu q
momEpf-.shoot high! shoot high
~crjed Fannon-"save my mare! I.
THE slu5s all whistled over Hun
4or's bacl Save one that told dwith un-
eTrinq aim. which tore and battered
| his shoulder dreadfuIly. he reeled
on the saddle and felt sick at heart;
but hope was before him and death
behind him; and he nerved himself
for the race, On he sped through
woods and rayines, and brambles, ! dld
that powerful mare carry him safely