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

night ut Captain Watson's house, had they
not got alarmed in the night. The British,
who guarded the prisoners, experimenting an
onslaught from the ncighboring Wings, went
of into the wood, anc built temporary
Jail of poles, in which they kept Watson
and Clarke till morning-Ihc 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 suflerings
were intense-the smallpox and meascls
adding Rcw terrors to their horrible condi-
tion. But Capt. Watson's release was at
length effected by the cntreates and man.
asrmcrt of lis wife.-Aftcr considerable
lapse Of time, she went to Charleston, ac-
companicd by fearless white woman, hired
for the purpose. \ Tory Captain, named
Lawrcuce, who had been ncighbor to Mrs.
Watson, after accepting guinea, allowed
two females to pass the lines. The Com
maudant of the city refused to let Watson
return with his wife. But, influenced by
her cntreates, the officer permitted the hus-
band to depart short time after she left,
and he reached home tho next day after her
own arrival. For AT account of Captain
Watson's death, the intelligent reader is re-
| ferrcd 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 Watson'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-
casion, 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
a prospective view Of the scene Of This con-
fagration. In speaking of this house burn
ing affair, she remarked incidentally that she
san the smoke This unvarnished expression
) under the circumstances, made 4 deep inn
: preston on our minds; it seemed as though
history had found tongue and was speak
} ing audibly unto i,s,-the dim Past consort
! ing for a moment with the all-absorbinG
, Present. This same good lady, Mrs. Rey
nolds, told us that the British and rorie:
} acted more like savages than civilized sol
; diery, towards her father and his family
One day, she stated, a party of Loyalist'
came to her fathers house and carried of
four horses,-all that they had Her moth
! or demonstrated, and begged of them tt
: leave one horse with which to carry grair
| to mill Their reply was with an oath, that
f if she had forty horses they would taxi
: every one of them. Before going away
5 they called for her father-James Harris
!, Sr,-who came ont immediately into TIN
/ piazza, and safd. here am" One Of tn
{ Tories, raising his rifle to his face, swore h
/ had strong notion GO to blow the old man
] brains out" But humanity having assertc
/ its prerogative in the breast Of the Loyalis
:; the whole party went away, for tlre nonce
! without mbrumg their hands in fnocer
r blood. TIE two SONS of her father .ver
:. active Wings; ard this was The only as
( signable reason why he aud his family wer