Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1853-01-12

night at Captain Watson's house, had they
not got alarmed III the night. The British,
who guarded the prisoners, apprehending an
onslaught from the neighboriug Wings, went
of into the wood, aud built temporary
Jail of poles, in which they kept Watson
and Clarke till morning.-Thc Wings, how.
ever, failed to attempt rcscne of the pri-
sonrrs, who were carried on to Charleston
and confined in the Provost There, in the
damp, i'll ventilated cells, their sunerings
were intensc-the smallpox and measels
adding new terrors to their horrible condi-
tion But Capt. Wat$ou's release was at
length effected by the entreaties and man.
asrmcnt Of his wfe.-A(tcr considerable
lapse Of time, she went to Charleston, ac.
companicd by fearless white woman, hired
for the purpose. A Tory Captain, named
Lawrence. who had been ncighbor to Mrs.
Watson, after accepting guinea, allowed
two females to pass the lines. The Com
mandant of the city refused to let Watson
return with his wife. But, influenced by
her cntreaties, the officer permitted the hus-
baud TO departa short time after she left,
and he reached home the next day after her
own arrival. For an account of Captain
Watson's death, the intelligent reader is re-
ferred to Johnson's Traditions.
We see it stated in Johnson's work, that
Michael Watson and William Butler had
command of two distinct companies but
the old people in the neighborhood Of the
Ridge all concur, with remarkable unanimi-
ty, in saying that Butler was Watsou's first
Lieutenant, and became Captain according
to the usage Of those days, when the latter
| fell mt Deans swamp.
1t is recorded in history, that, on one oc.
cason, band Of Tories came to the resi-
dence Of Captain Watson, aud burned every
house on his place. We have been in
formed, however, by the descendants of this
brave man, that one negro cabin was saved. |
We were lately in conversation with an
aged lady, whose place Of abode commands
4 prospective view of the scene Of this con.
fagration. In speaking of this house burn.
ing affair, she remarked incidentally that she
sac the smoke This unvarnshcd expression
under the circumstances, made deep i'm.
preston on our minds; it seemed as though
history had found u tongue and was speak,
ing audbly unto iis,-the dim Past consort'
ing for moment with the all-absorbine
Present. This same good lady, Mrs. Rey'
nolds, told us that the British and Torie:
acted more like savages than civilized sol
diery, towards her father and his family
One day, she stated, a party Of Loyalists
came to her fathers house and carried of
four horses,-all that they had. Her moth
er demonstrated, and begged Of them tc
leave one horse with which to carry grair
to mill Their reply was with an oath, that
if she had forty horses they would take
every one of them. Before going away
they called for her father-James Harris
Sr,-who came ont Immediately into the
piazza, and sail, here am" One Of the
Tories, raising his rifle to his face, swore he
had a strong notion " to blow the old mans
brains ont" But humanity having ASSERTED
its prerogative in the breast Of the Loyalist
the whole party went away, for tlre nonce
without imbrumg their hands in innocen
blood. TIE two sons of her father were
active Wings; ard this was the only as
siynable reason why he aud his family were