Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1855-05-03
YORKVIILE, S. @, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1865.

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francisco was compelled to make the best o.
it, and left with his six horses, intending tc
revenge himself upon W at a future time.
"but," as he said, 'Providence ordained that
I should not be his executioner, for he broke
his neck by i fall from one Of the very hor'
ses"
Many other anecdotes are told of Francisco,
illustrative of his immense strength and per-
Sonal powers At Camden, where Gates was
defeated, he retreated, and after running along
Il road some distance, he sat down to rest HIM
self lie was suddenly accosted by a British
draeoon, who presented pistol and demanded
his immediate surrender. His gun being emp.
ty he feigned submission, and said he would
surrender, ut the same time remarking that
his gun was no further use to him, he present
cd it sideways to the trooper, who in reaching
for it threw himself off his guard, when Fran
cisco, quick as thought, ran him through with
the bayonet, and as he fell from his horse, he
mounted him and continued his retreat
Ovcrtakine his commanding officer, Colonel
Mayo, Of Powhatten, he gave him up the ami
NAL, for which act of generosity the colonel af-
terwarls presented him with thousand acres
Of land in Kentucky.
The following anecdote exemplifying his
peaceful nature and his strength, is also told
Of Francisco How true it is, We cannot say,
but We tell it rs it was told to us many years
a~o. while he still lived in Buckingham coun-
ty, Virginia.
One day while working in the garden, he
was accosted by stranger who rode up to the
fence and inquired of him if he knew "where
man by the name Of Francisco lived"
Raising himself from his work, and eying
his interrogation, who appeared to be one of the
..halfhorse half-alligator" breed of Kcntuck-
ian> he replied, well. stranger, don't know
Of any other person by that name in these parts
but myself"
We'll, reckon You amt the man I want.
want To find the grcat fighting man I've head
tell 50 much about. The fellow they say can
whip all creation and Kentucky to boot"
II can't tell You, stranger, where you'll find
that man, [ don't know such man, said Fran
cisco, rcsuming his work as a hint to the other
that the conference WAS ended But the Ken
tuckian was not to be blufcd of as he would
term it. ''Look ere, stranger said he, re-
turning TO the charge, ''what might your given
name be - My name is Peter Francisco, at
your service
"Ah. ~ returned the other, you're just the
man want to fnd at the same time riding
inside the fence. he dSmounted and tied his
anilual-a rough ungainly Indian pony-to one
oftke posts.
, from Old Euntuck AN the Kentucky ~.
chicken. am. | can out-run Out-hop, out
jump. knock down, drag out. and whip any
man in all them dggings. So, as I hearn tell
If fellow down hercabouts who could whip
all creation thought I'd saddle old Blossom
and just ride over to see what stuff he's made
Of and here am. And now, stranger, I'm
bound to see who's the best man, before L 60
home It's all in 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, I'm no
fighting man at al, and if l Was, I've nothing
against You to fight about"
well I don't know; is there any other Pc
ter Francisco in these parts?'
.No. not that I know of"
"Well, then, you're the man, and you must
fight. I've come all the way from Old Ken
tuck, and amt going a-back without know
ing which is the best man"
"But I won't fight I've got nothing to
fight about, and tell you nD"'t Eyht"
ODD if you shant fight, stranger, Pm
bound to lick you if can, if don't you must
lick me
By this time Francisco had became angry yat
the importantly Of his visitor, and determined
to put end to the scene. Selling his antagon-
i$t therefore by the seat Of his buckskin brcech-
e., and the collar Of his shirt, he threw him
over the fence into the road; then walking
lei>urcly to where his pony was tied, he unfas-
tened him,and taking him up by main strength,
Mrcn him nticr his discounted rider.
The Kcntuckian raised himself from the
Ground, perfectly dumb-foundcd by such an
exhibition Of strength, and after rubbing his
eyes as though h. thought he might not have
seen clearly, he mounted his pony remarking.
"Wcll, stranger, reckon you'll do. l reckon
it.: about time for ne to make tracks. Ifany-
body asks you about that great fight, you can
tell 'em you licked Bill Stokes most -ly."
Francisco wa. n row"rfuly bail. n,"n, ~,"".I-
inc six feet and one inch in height, and weigh
inc 2G0 pounds. His muscular system was ex-
traordinarily developed, and he had been known
to shoulder with ease cannon weighing eleven
hundred pounds: and a gentleman of undoubt-
ed veracty, (still living in Virginia, who knew
him we'll, says, ''hc could take me in his right
hand and pass over the room with me, playing
my head against the ceiling, as though L had
been doll-baby. My weight was 1873 pounds"
His wife, who was a woman of good size, and
fair proportions, he would take in his right
hand, and holding her out at arms length,
would pass around the room with her, and car
ry her up and down stairs in that position
He would take barrel Of cider by the chimes,
and hollingi it to his mouth, would drink from
the bung, long and hearty draught without
any apparent exertion.
Yet, with all his strength, he was very
peacefully disposed man, and never made use
of his power, exceptin case of necessity about
his usual vocations, or in defence of the right.
On occasions Of outbreaks at public gatherings,
he was better at rushing in and preserving the