The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-06-23

and every indignity put on the fiunily O
Mrs Crawford, without q word Of rebuks
from the British officer in command. Th,
latter, coolly seating himself ordered An
drew to clean his boots. The fiery young
republican, whose heart was swelling will
suppressed wrath at the brutality he was
compelled to witness, Indignantly refused
when the dastardly officer struck at him
with his sword. Andrew, throwing ur
his left arm to parry the blow, received !,
on his hand, which was nearly half sever
ed. The officer then turned to the elder
brother, Robert, and persmptorily com.
manded him to perform the menial service
Meeting with the same proud refusal, he
in his cowardly anger, laid open the head
OF the unarmed man with sword-cut, in
flicting wound from which the sufferer
never recovered.
After this exhibition of cowardice and
ferocity, young Andrew, with his hand
gashed and still bleeding, was placed on
a horse and ordered to lead the wav to
the house of Major Thompson, a gallant
Wing. He was told that if he hinched.
or failed to do as he was directed, he would
instantly be put to death. Forgetful of
his wound, and scorning the threats of his
captors, the noble boy thought only how
he would save the American officer. Fear
ing the latter might be at home, he resor-
ted to stratagem, that seems marvellous
in lad only fourteen years of age. Sur
rounded by vindictive men-assailed with
threats Of vengeance, and bleeding fast
from ghastly wound, he still rose supe-
rior to the fear with which man is always
able to overcome a child, and sefcollect-
ed and reserved, plotted in their very midst
how he might thwart their plans. Know
ing if he took the direct route to the house,
their approach would not be discovered
till it was too late for the fugitive to eS.
cape, he made wide detour, and crossing
fields and traversing patches of woods, Mt
length came in sight Of the building from
an eminence half mile distant. As he
cast his anxious eye down, he saw Thomp-
sons horse tied near the house-a certain
sign that the rider was within. The Brit
ish Dragons Immediately put spurs to
their steeds and dashed forward. But be-
fore they could reach the dwelling, An
drew, to his inexpressible delight, saw
Thompson rush out, leap into the saddle,
plunge boldly into the creek near by, and
swim to the. opposite shore. The latter,
seeing the Dragons pause ON the brink of
the rapid stream, afraid to cross, turned
and shouted back his curse and defiance.
and then trotted leisureiy away.
Andrew and his brother with some
twenty others, were then placed upon hor-
ses and started for Camden, forty miles
distant. No food or water was allowed
the prisoners dnring the whole route-the
attempt even to snatch handful Of water
from the streams they forded on the way,
was resisted with brutality, that would
put savageto shame. Arrivingat.Cam
den, they were thrust, with two or three
hundred Others, into the redoubt which
surrounded the jail, and left, halfuaked,
and their wounds undressed, to suffer and
to die. Andrew was separated from his
brother and Lieutenant Crawford, when
their relationship was discovered, while, to
add still more To the horrors of his con-
finemeDt, nothing but the most disgusting
bread was allowed him for food.
One day as he sat by the entrance of
his prison, basking in the warm sunshine
of spring day, the officer of the guard,
struck by his boyish appearance, began to
question him. To his surprise, the high
spirited lad, instead Of complaining and
appealing to his sympathy, boldly denoun-
ced the treatment he and his fellow pris-
oners received, as inhuman, and unsodier-
like. A report was Immediately made, in
the proper quarter, and meat was added
to the rations, and comforts hitherto de-
MED were allowed. '
While the boy hero was thus counting
the hours Of his weary prison-life, growing
old before his time, he heard that Gener-
al Greene was advancing to attack Cam
den--indeed was already encamped on
Hobkirk Hill, only mile from the town.
Knowing that battle would soon be
fought, he determ ned, if possible to wit.
ness it. From the eminence on which the
Jail stood, Hobkirk Hill, and Greene's en-.
campment were in full view. But soon
after the arrival Of the American army, a
high, tight plank fence was built around
the redoubt which effectually shut out all
the surrounding country. Young Jack.
son, however, was not thus to be foiled, and
having obtained an old razor, ased By, The
prisoners TO cut theirs provisions, he, on
the night ofthe Gath Of April commenced
his attack on the planks. While the rest
Of the prisoners were wrapped in slumber
he worked away, by the dim light Of the
stars, hour after hour, and at length, TO-
wards morning, he succeeded n loosenine
knot. Applying his eye to the aper
ture thus made, he found, to his infinitt
JOY, that he had fine view Of Greene.
encampment The next morning, ascer
tanning that Rawdon was about to issue
forth with all his force and attack tn,
American entertainments, he mounted the
redoubt and placed his eye at the knot
hole to watch the progress Of events, Will,
the prisoners gathered in crowd below
10 hear his report. What hopes and fear
alternately shook that young bosom as h,