Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-07-07
NUMBER 1919.


district furnishes an instance Of courage as strlkn
as any remembered among the traditions of South
Carolina. During the siege Of Augusta and Cam
bridge, the patriotic enthusiasm that prevailed
among the people prompted 10 numerous acts Of
personal risk and sacrifice. This spirit, encoul.
aged by the successes of Sumter aud others over
the British arms, was earnestly fostered by Cen
eral Greene, whose directions marked at least the
outline Of every undertaking. In the efforts made
to strike blow at the invaders power, the sors
Of the Martin family were among the most distr-
guishcd for active service rendered, and for inu-
ries sustained At the enemy's hands. The wives
of the two eldest, during their ABSENCE remained
| at home with their mother-in-law. One evening
intelligence came TO them that courier convey
ing important dispatches to one of the upper Sta.
tons was to pass that night along the road, guard
ed by two British officers. They determined to
waylay the party and, at the risk Of their lives to
obtain possession Of the papers
For this purpose, the two young women, dia-
| guised themselves in their husbands clothes, and,
being well provided with arms, took their stations
at point on the road which they knew the escort
must pass Il was already late, and they had not
waited long before the tramp of horses was heard
in the distance. It may be imagined with what
anxious expectation the heroines awaited the ap-
proach of the critical moment on which SO much
depended. The forest solitude around them the
silence Of night, and the darkness, must have ad-
ded to the tcrrors coDjured up by busy fancy.
Presently the courier appeared, with bis Attendant
guards. AS they came close TO the spot, the dis
| guiscd women leaped from their covert in tho
bushes presented their pistols at the officers, AMI
demanded the instant surrender of the party and
their dispatches. The men were completely taken
by surprise, and in their alarm at the sudden al
| tack yielded prompt submission The seeming
soldiers put them on their parole, and, havin:
taken possession Of the papers, hastened home by
a short cut through the woods.
No time was lost In sending the important doc
uments by trusty messenger to General Greene.
The adventure had singular determination. Tie
paroled officers, thus thwarted in their missior,
returned by the road they had taken, and stopping
at the house Of Mrs Martin, asked accommoda-
tion as weary travellers, for the night The host
ess inquired the reason Of their returning so soon
after they had passed. They replied by showing
their paroles saying they had been taken prisoners
by two rebel lads. The ladies rallied them upon
their want Of intrepidity. Had you no arms"
was asked. The officers answered that they had
arms but had been suddenly taken Of their guard,
and were allowed no time to use their Weapons
| They departed the next morning, having no suspi-
cion that they owed their capture to the very VIC
| men whose hospitality they had claimed.
The mother Of this patriotic family was native
of Caroline county, Virginia Her name was Eliz-
abeth Marshall, and she was probably of the same
family with Chief Justice Marshall, she belonged
to the same neighborhood. After her marriage to
Abram Martin she removed to his settlement bor-
dering on the Indian nation, in Ninety Six, now
Edgefed District, South Carolina. The country
at that time was sparsely settled, most of its in
habftants being pioneers from other States, chiefly
| from Virgnis and their neighborbood to the In
dams had caused the adoption of some OF their
savage habits The name Edge6eld 10 said to have
been given because II was Mt that period the edge
/ -. III and hair
cultivated fields. Civilization, however, increased
with the population; and in the time of the Revt :
luton, Ninety-six was among the foremost in send
ing into the field its quota Of hardy and enteipri'-
| ing troops to oppose the British and their savage
| allies.
AT the commencement of the contest, Mrs. MAJ
| tin had nine children, seven of whom were sons
| old enough 10 bear arms. These brave young men,
under the tuition and example of their parents,
| had grown up in attachment 10 their country,
| and ardently devoted to It's service were ready,
on every occasion, to encounter the dangers Of
border warfare. When the first call for volun-
\ teers sounded through the land, the mother, en-
couraged their patriotic zeal
\ aGo boys,r she said slight for your country!
fght till death, IL you must but never let your
country be dishonored. Were man would
go with you"
Al another time, when Colonel Cruger com,
Browne at Augusta several British officers stopped
at her house for refreshment; and one OF them
asked her how many sons she had. She answer
i ed-eight; and to the question where they all
were, replied promptly:
Seven of them are engaged in the service Of
their country"
Really, madam, y observed the officers, snee'-
ingIy, you have enough Of them.'
"No, sir" said the matron, proudly, " wish
had ffty."
Her house, in the absence Of her sons, was frc .
quently exposed TO the depredations Of the Tore'
On one occasion they cut open her feather beds,
and scattered the contents. When the young men
returned shortly Afterwards their mother bade
Them pursue the marauders One Of the CONT
mental soldiers having been LEFT at the house badly
wounded, Mrs. Martin kindly attended and nursed
him till his recovery. A party Of loyalists who
heard Of his being there, came with the intention
Of taking his life but she found means 10 hide hila
from their search.
The only daughter of Mrs. Martin, Letitia, mar
rried Captain Edmund Wade, Of Virginia who
fell with his commander, General Montgomery
at the siege OF Quebec. At the time Of the siego
of Charleston, by Sir Henry Clinton, the widow
was residing with her mother at Ninety-Six. Her
son, Washington Wade, was then I'VE years old
and remembers many occurrences connected with
the war. The house was about one hundred miles
.
walking In the piazza on q calm evening with his
grandmother.
A light breeze blew from the east, and the sound
, Of heavy cannon was distinctly heard in that d.
rection The sound Of cannon heard at that time
, and in that part Of the State they knew mus
come from the bcsieged city. As report after r.
port reached their ears, the agitation Of Mrs. MAJ
tin increased. She knew not what evils might b
, announced; she knew not but the sound might b
the knel Of her sons, three Of whom we're then il
Charleston. Their wives were with her, end pal
took Of the same heartchilling fears. They stoo'
stin for few minutes, each wrapped in her owl
, painful and silent reflections, nl the mother q
length, lifting her hands and eyes towards HEAVIER
; exclaimed fervently--" Thank Con, rnxY ARE TIL
CHnDRxS or THE RrrupLto.r
on the seven patriot brothers, six were spare
through all the dangers Of partisan warfare In th
region of the dark and bloody ground" Tb
: eldest, VIM. NJ Martin, was captain OF artillery
and after having served with distinction in Il
4 sieqes Of Savannah and Charleston, was killed =
J, the siege Of Augusts, just after he had obtained
!, favorable position for his cannon, by elevatng
z on one Of the towers constructed by Gen. Picken
Il - -