Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-04-06

who very ungenerously brought out
a mutket, which he handed 10 one
Of the soldiers and told him to make
use Of it. Mounting the only horse
they could get at, he presented the
muzzle at the breast Of Francisco,
and pulled the trigger. Fortunately
it missed fire, and Francisco closed
IN upon him A short struggle en-
sued, which ended in his dlsartning
and wounding the soldier. Tarle-
tons troop of four hundred men
were now in sight, and the other
dragons were about TO attack him.
Seeing his escape was desperate, he
turned toward an adjoining thickei,
and as If cheering on n party of men,
he cried out, Come on, my brave
boys, now's your time we will
SOON despatch these few and then
attack the min bodyp at the same
time rushing a, the Dragons with
the fury Of an enrageo tiger.
They did not wait to eresee him,
but fled proeipilatcly to The troop,
panic stuck and dismayed. Selling
upon the lraiiorous villain, W.
Francisco was abou; tn despatch
hin, but lie begged and plead So
hard for his life, that he forgave him
and told him to secrcic for BIN the
eight horses which the soldiers had
left behind them. perceisihg that
Tarleton had despatched two other
dragons in search him, he made of
into the adjoining wood, and while
they stopped at the house, he, like
an old fox. doubled upon their rear
and successfully ovaded their vigil
lance. The next day he went to
W -- for bis horses, who de-
manded two Of them for lis services
and generous intensions. Finding
his situation dangerous, and surroun-
ded by enemies, where he should
have found friends, Francisco was
compelled to make the best Of it,
and left with slS horses. intending TO
revenge himscll upon W at a
future time but, at he said, Prov
idcnce Ordained that should not be
his eSecuiloner, for he broke his
neck 10y fall from one Of the very
horses
Many other anecdotes are tod Of
Francisco, illustrative of his immense
strength aud personal proves. At
Camden, where Gates was defeated,
he relreated, aud after running along
a road some distance, he sat down
to rest himself. lie was suddenly
accosted by a British dragoon, who
presented pistol aud demanded his
immediate surrender. His gun be-
ing empty, he fcigned submission,
aud said he would surrender, at the
same time remlrklng that his gun
was Of no further use to him, he pro-
senled ii sideways 10 the troo per,
who in reaching for il threw himself
oil his guard, when francisco, quick
as thought, run him through wiki the
bayonet, aud as he fell from his
horse, he mounted him and continu-
ed his retreat Overtaking his com
handing officer, Colonel Mayo, Of
Powhatian, lie gave him up the ani-
nal, for which act OF generosity the
colonel afterwards presented him
with a thousand acres Of land in
Kentucky.
The following anecdotc exempli-
tying his peaceful nature and his
strength, is also told Of Francisco.
How true it is, we cannot say, but
We tell il as ii was told Ia Us, many
years ago, while he was still living ia
Buckingham county, Virginia.
One day while working in his gar
den, he was accosiod by n stranger,
who rode up TO the fence aud inqnir-
ed Of him # he knew where man
By the name Of Francisco lived.
Raising himself from his work, and
eyeing his interrogation, who appear
ed To be one of the "half-horse-
breed of Kentucklans,
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 I've heard tell so much
about The fellow they say eau
whip all creation and Kainluck TO
boot
| can't tell you, stranger, where
you'll find that man, don't know
such a man id Francisco, resum-
ing his work as hint to the other
that the conference was ended. But
the Keniuckian was not to be bluff
ed off as he would term it. Look
ere, stranger said he, returning 10
the charge, what might your given
name be = 'My name is Peter Fran
cisco, at your service
All returned the other, you're
just the man want to find, at the
same time riding inside the fence, he
and tied his animal
rough ungainIy Indian pony-to one
Of the posts.
My name Is Big Bill Stokes, all
The way from Old Ken,uck. am
the Kentucky game chicken, ] am.
| can oui-run, out-hop, out-jump,
knock down, drag out, and whip any
man in all them dlggings. So, as
hearn tell of fellow down heroa-
bouts who could whip all creation,
thought I'll saddle old Blossom, and
just ride over and see what stuff he's
made Of, and here | am. And now