Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-04-25

their vigilancesgEThe next day he went tc
w. for his horses; he demanded two Of then
for his seryiee,s@and generous Intentions
Finding Bis situation dangerous, and sur
rounded by enemies, where he ought to have
found friends, Francisco was compelled tc
make the best oft, and left with his 81,
horses, intending to revenge himselfI.upor
al; a future, time" but" 4s4e said
@Providehce affsaiiued that. / sh61fd not be
his execntioner,4for he broke his neck by q
fall from one ofthe very horses"
Many other anecdotes are told of Fran
cisco, illustrative of his immense strength
and personal prowess At Camden, where
Gates was defeated, he retreated, and after
running along aeroad some distance, he sal
down to rest himself He was suddenly
accosted by British dragoon, who presen'
ted pistol and demanded his immediate
surrender. Hisguu being empty, he feigned
submission, and said he would surrender, at
the same time relnarking, that his gun was
no further use to him, he presented it side
ways to the trooper, who, in reaching for it,
threw himself off his guard when Francis.
co, quick as thought, ran him through with
the bayonet, and as he fell from his horse,
he mounted him and continued his retreat.
Overtaking his commanding officer, Colonel
Mayo, of Powhattan, he gave up the animal
for which act of generosity the Colonel af.
forwards 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 iEtas it was told TO US many
wears ago, while he was living in Bucking.
ham county, Virginia:
One day while working in his garden, he
was accosted by a stranger who rode up to
the fence, and inquired of him if he knew
"where a man by the name of Francisco
lived?"
Raising himself from his work, and eye
ing his interrogator, who appeared to be one
of halfhorses,, hall.aligator" breed OF
Kentuckians, he replied, well, stranger, |
don't know Of any 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 can whip all creation, and Kentucky to
boot"
81 can't tell you, stranger, where you'll
find that man, don't know such man,
s"id FraucisUu, res,Tnng his 'wUrh as n hint
to the other that the conference was ended
But the Kentuckian was not TO be blufied
off, us he would term it. Look 'ere stran,
ger, said he, returning IL i;uc charge, what
might your given name bes" " NJ name is
Peter Francisco, at your service"
"Ah!" returned the other, YOU'RE just
the man want to find" at the same time
riding inside the fence, he dismounted and
tied his auimal--a rough ungaiuly Indian
poney--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 out-run, out.
hop, out. jump, knock down, drag out, and
whip any man in all them diggings. So, as
hearn tell of fellow down hereabouts
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, Pm most starved for
6ght. and Pm bound to see who's the best
man, before 60 home. It's all in good
feeling you know, but if you lex me, why
Pm satisfied, but t.
"Stop minute, stranger" said Fran.
c;sco " vou'ye mistaken the man entirely
I'm no fghting man at all, and if was, I've
nothing against you to fight about"
"Well, don't know; is there any other
Peter Francisco in these parts E
"No, not that know off,
"Well, then you're the man, and you
must fight, I've come all the way from OLD
Kentuck, and amt agoing back without
knowing which is the best man.
"But won't Rgh!. I've got nothing to
fight about, and tell you acoat .fght!"
"D-d if you shant fight, stranger, I'm
bound TO lick you if can, if | don't you
must lick me-"
By this time Francisco had become angry
at the importantly Of his vsito-, and deter
mined to put an end to the scene. Seizing
his antagonist, therefore, by the seat OF his
buckskin breeches, and the collar Of bis
hunting shirt, he threw him over the fence
into the road; then walking leisurey te
where his pony was tied, unfastetled him, ane
taking him up ny main strength, threw hin
after his discounted rider.
The Kentuckian raised himself from the
ground, perfectly dum.Iounded by such ar
exhibition of strength, and, after rubbing his
eyes, as though he thought he might moi
have seen clearly, he mounted his pony
remarking: Well, stranger, | reckon
You'll do. reckon its about time for mt
to make tracks If anybody asks you
about the great fight, you can tell 'em yor
licked Bill Stokes most h-ly."
Francisco was powerfully built man
standing six feet and one inch in height, ane
weighing two hundred and sixty pounds
His muscular system was extraordinary de-
yeloped nd he had been known to shoulder
with ease cannon weighing eleven hun
dred pounds; and gentleman, of undoubt
ed veracity, still living in Virginia, who knew
him well, says:
"He could take me in his right hand ane
pass over the room with me, playing my
head against the ceiling as though hae
been dollbaby. My weight was one hun
dred and ninety-fve pounds" His wife
who was woman of good size and fair pro
portions, he would take in his right hand
and holding her out at arms length, woule
pass around the room with her, and carry
her up and down stairs in that position; Ht
would take barrel of cider by the chimes