Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-03-16
o T iginat 5turg.
W,lttea for The Spirit Of the Age-RGlsiga
THE TORY'S DAUGHTER.
And the Haunted Gave.
CHAPTER ".
Their clanours rend the hills around,
And earth re-bellows with the sound
AIlj many groan increased the din
From broken nose and battered skin.

II And earth re-bsllows with the sound
Alrj many groan increased the din
From broken nose and battered skin.
TRUNBULL's 0cFISGAL
At different points along the range of noun
tains described iaintly in our preceding pa
ees there are natural channels dug out il seems
bv some convu'sive effort of nature. They are
called Gaps thus giving what would other
wise have been an impos@iUility "a passage
through the Ridge Nearly all of the Gaps
are now traversed as well Iolden thorough
fares, over which the white top of the emigrantS
and traders wagon may be seen. at the pres
ent day, dottng its course here and there as il
winds through the circu,tuus route.
Baptiste Howard joined the whig phalanx at
one Of these Gaps, near which they campeddu-
ring tbs night. He WIS well acquainted
with the Captain of the Company, and as
soon as the camp6res were lit he enquired Of
! him respecting the course he designed pursu-
| ing; and upon being told that it was their pur-
pose to cross the next ridge at a Gap which
was known in its day as the AIaidens, but
! now is known far and near by another name,
/ having been changed for som reason unknown
\ 70 fhc Author. hen 3 Ptista- laIrned tha:
the Captain intended crossing at the 'Maidens
Gap' early the next day, and to proceed d.
rectlv to the Alamancc to meet and counteract
the depradations OF the Tories, be warmed up
and sud-
'Ifyou cross at the Maiden's Gap, Captain,
which you must do unless you rctrace your
steps, | hope you will take my advice aud be
in that Gap long before daylight; for | am well
asured that the Tories intend to conceal them
selves on the hill north of the Gap and fire up
on YOU where YOU are fairy under their guns;
e 50 YOU will take my humble advice, sir, you
8 will either make the pass before they arrive. or
3 take stand on the south side and pay them
: off in their own coin when they make their ap.
! pearance in the Gap below
Il will take your advice, young man. said
: the venerable Cheftain, after few moments
reflection, and my men shall be there IN am
} bush long before the lazy tories are awake
Il It was truly said for the wings were prompt
e ly upon the spot long before daylight, awaiting
(. the appro lch Of the Tories. They were con-
, cealed in ambush on the south side of the hill
- fronting the Gap, and each man was strictly
:. charged to remain perfectly quiet until the To-
i res were fairly within their range. and to fire
4 upon them at the word of command from their
n Captain. They did not wait above an hour
t. until the sound of the horses feet. and the low
= conversation Of the conf ng foe, was heard up
o. the road. An attentive e.r could make out a
: portion of the conversation, and heard the plans
j, Of the enemy as tney were passed between the
:" leaders of the tory clan. A cloudless sky hung
He over the scene, but no moon shed tight upon
d' IT, and only few pale stars pecp.d out and
lie, sent their feeble rays down through the hazy
re- fog that had settled If way the sides of the
he hik In the surrounding ravlnes, and in the
o. gap through which the enemy was to pass,
ba dense and heavy fog had gathered, which effec
-. tuaAy concealed the Tories from view Know
O. ing from the slight noise made -y their move
"o ments that they were about ascending the op
ost posite hil there to lay concealed and ready t
ere Wigs, Captain Townsend ordered his mer
ow to fire at random in the direction indicated b.
their movements among the bushes. A sharp
voley Of nzusketry echoed in response to tht
commands of the brave Captain. which was an
FR swered from below by wild scream of terro
IA. from the cowardly foe and the clatter of hors
n, hoofs rafting and falling over the stones plain
49, ly told that they were rapidly leaving the spo
= - where they received such an unexpected sa'ut
tue and where they had expected to play the sam
gar2e upon tie more wary Wings. They dit
nst not return the fire, but with screams ant
the whoops, and yelIs, like horde of terrified In
yn- dians they fled from the scene OF action fas
cs as their powers of ocomotion would carry them
on, followed by the deafening huzzas and cries o
r, exultation from the ranks of the proud and tr
I ~" unnphant Wings.
ole When the light and warmth Of the mornin
ter sun dispeled the fog and drove the darkness
and of night from the Gap. the victors descend.
the from their covert to inspect the effect of hei
on charge In the Gap, and on the hill side, the
found several wounded. dead and dying ho
- ses three or four muskets and more than
= : half dozen Tory hats. whose frightened cSvHe,
"no did not care to lose time in searching for Ih
It's wounded horses were killed through mercy, II
on- hats were cut in shreds and the guns take
- into possession as the trophies of war. No on
It of the Tories were killed, but traces of bloc
rth- were seen along the road where they had r.
tho treated. which convinced the Wings that eth,
ma 80: y - 80 : .'N~.,1 o.II1' u IL .i
inst Tbo dar;nr oo,,ra,ro .r,d +,oorn &c p,
as tiste connected with this scrmmage. at once e.
Willy alted him in the opinion of his Captain an
hou fellow soldiers, and he was Immediately ado
ling ted asa general favorite among them, and du
hath bed a brave fellow anda great manin the eau
light OF I feeucfh ana human r'sh's'