Smyrna times., 1855-05-02


from one of the very horses"
Many other anecdotes are told of Francisco,
illustrative of his immense strength and per-
sonal prowess. At Camden, where Gates was
defeated, he retreated, and after running along
u road some distance, he sat down to rest him.
self He was suddenly accOsted by British
dragoan, who presented pistol and demanded
his immediate surrender. His gun being emp
ty, he feigned submission, and said he would
surrender, at the saps- time remarklng that his.
gun was of no furthefse to him, he presented
it sideways to the trooper, who in reaching for
it threw himself off his guard, when Francisco,
quick as thought, run HIM through with the
bayonet, and as he fell from his horse, he noun
ted HIM and continued his retreat. Overtaking
his commanding officer, Col. Mayo, of Powhat-
ton, he gave him up the animal, for which act
OF generosity the COlone afterwards presented
him with thousand acres of land in Kentucky.
The following anecdote, eXemplitying his
powerful nature and his strength, is also told OF
Francisco. How true it is, We cannot say, but
we tell it as it was told to us, many years ago,
while he was still living in Buckingham county,
Virginia
One day while working in his garden, he was
accosted by a stranger,who rode upto the fence
and inquired of him if he knew " where man
by the name of Francisco lived y
Raising himself from his work, and eyeing
his lnterrogator, who appeared to be one of the
." "halt-horse-halfaliga breed OF kentuckl-
ans, he replied, well, stranger, | don't know
of any other person by that name in these parts
but myself"
"Well, reckon you amt the man ] want.
want to find the great fighting man Eve heard
tell SO much about. The fellow they say can
whip all creation and Kaintuck to boot.
g can't tell you, stranger, where you'll find
that mar, / don't know such man, said Francis
co, resumng his work as hint to the other that
the conference was ended But the Kentucki-
an was not to be blutfed Off as he would term
it. +" Look ere, stranger" said he, returning
to the charge, "what might your given name
be! -
MY name is Peter Francisco, at your SER
vice"
"Ah !" returned the other, you're Just the
man want to tnd," at the same time riding
inside the fence, he dsmOunted and tied his
anlmal-a rough ungainly Indian pony--to Oh e
of the posts.
My name is Big Bill Stokes, all the way
from Old Kentuck am the Kentucky game
chicken, | am. | can out-run, out-hop, out
jump, knock down, drag out and whip any man
IN all them dIggngs. So, as ! hearn tell O
Il fellow down hcreabouts who could whip al
creation, | thought Id saddle old Blossom, ant
Just ride over and see what stuff he's made OF
and here | am And now, stranger, I'm mos
starved for fight, and I'm bound to see who,
the best man, before | 60 home. It's all III
good feeling, you know, and If you lick me
why I'm satisfied, but"
Stop minute, stranger" SAID Francisco
"you've mistaken the man entirely; Pm NJ
fighting man at all, and if was, Eve nothing
against you to fight about"
"Well, | don't know is there any othe
Peter Francisco in these parts -
mo, not that know Of"
We'll, then, your the man, and you mus
fight. Eve come all the way from Old Ken
tuck, and amt a-going back without knowing
, which is the best man."
" But won't fight. I've got nothing to tigh
, about, and tell you UOmt .fght."
Darn'd if you shan't fight, stranger-Tr
bound to lick you if | can-lf don't you mus
lick me-"
a By this time Francisco had become angry a
the importantly of his visltcr, aud determine
4 to put an end to the scene. Selzing his anita
. gonst therefore by the seat of his ouckskl
:, brccches, and the color OF his hunting shirt h
y threw hun over the fence into the road the
q walking lelsurely to where hIs pony was tlet
- he untastcned hlm and taking him up by maj
a strength, threW him after his dlscomfitIed ride
n The Kentuckian raised himself from I'll
Il ground, perfectly dumb-tOunded by such an e.
% hlbltlon of strength, and after rubbing his eye
as though he might not have seen clearly, /
n mounted his pony, remarklng, " Well, strange
r reckon you'l do. | reckon it's about time Il
/, me to make tracks. Ifanybody asks you abol
70 the great fight, you can tell 'em you licked b
n Stokes most coniOundedly."
e. Francisco was powerfully built man, stan
A. ing six feet and one inch in height, and weig
o. ing 260 pounds. His muscular system was e
as traordinarily developed, and he had been know
I'd to shoulder with ease, a cannon weighing II
rs pounds and a gentleman OF undoubted yer
no city, still living in Virginia, who knew hi
no well, says, "he could take me in his right ha
ch and pass over the room with me, playing II
m head against the ceiling, as though had be
Sc a doll-baby. My weight was 1875 pounds. "
at His wife, who was a woman OF good size, a
,r. fair proportions, he would take in his rig
ed hand, and holding her out at arms lengt
ch would pass around the room with her, and car
Dl- her up and down stairs in that position.
en- would take barrel of cider by the chimes, a
re holding it to his mouth, he would drink fir,
es- the bung a long and hearty draught withC
ct, any apparent exertlon.
ed Yet, with all his strength, he was a VI
'ur peacefully disposed man, and never made use
nd his power, except in case of necessity about
me usual vocatons, or in defence of the right.
an occasions of outbreaks at public gatherings,
was better at rushing in and preserving
led public peace than all the conservative authC
lis ties on the ground. Although uneducated,
in. was man of strong natural sense, and o
but kind amiable disposition. He was witha
hat companionable man, and his anecdotes and :
lin ries of the war, of which he possessed a r
be- fund, rendered him welcome guest in the f
de- families of the State. His industrious
i'm, temperate habits, together with his kind dis
lile sition, made him many friends, and throl
OK. their influence he was appointed Sergeant
led Arms of the Virginia House of Delegates,
y which service he died, in 1896, and was buI
for with military honors in the public buryi
ing ground at Richmond.
ne- ->~~~s----
AL L. IL. pdo