Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-03-06
Mecklenburg had but few Tories. Som

of the wealthy took British protection, but
not one in hundred; and those who did, had
occasion to repent very sorely. The case of
one may be mentioned as strikingly illustra-
tive. He was at heart patriot, and all his
connections were Wings, and when he took
protection, he soon found it a bitter cross to
him. When it was ascertained that the
British were going to retreat to Winnsboro',
he sent his wife (whose maiden name was
Mary WILSON, to Captain Barnett on an er-
rand she was bid to conceal from old Mrs.
Spratt. Mary was highly respected by the
Wings, who were willing at all times to do
her service, while they disapproved of her
husbands course. She took Mrs. Barnett
and Mary Jack apart, and told them what
she wanted the captain to do for her. On
the morrow, she said, two British officers
were to dine at her house she wished the
captain to collect ten or dozen men we'll
armed, and came up in the rear. Her hus-
band would give them q signal by coughing,
when they were to fire off their guns in rapid
succession; be would run off with the two
oficers-his guests they were to give chase,
make him a prisoner, and bear him off in
sight of the officers. This little plot was
literally carried out. The husband was TAX
en- prisoner; the two officers made their cs-
eapeto Charlotte, where the British Dragons
were ordered out for the rescue of the cap
tive. They made no great effort, however,
merely whooping when they came near the
place of his capture, and firing off pistols; i;
while Captain Barnett took the road to Ma
tion Ford, his men surrounding the pretend
ed prisoner with drawn swords, before every
house they passed on their way.
From every quarter the news reached
Charlotte of the capture of this individual
His wife performed her part to admiration;
weeping and lamenting his probable fate in
the hands of those murderous bushman who
killed His Majesty's foreign soldiers in cold
blood while the children went about the
house crying in right good earnest for their
father. The quasi prisoner, meanwhile, was
brought into the presence of Colonel Polk,
from whom he received severe lecture, and
wept like child. Captain Barnett told him
he might thank his wife for what had been
done for him, and warned him if he ever got
into such another scrape, he might get out
OF it the best way he could. The British
issued number of handbills (for they had
printing press at Cbarlotte), and had then
posted up all over the county, warning His
Majestys subjects not to molest or take any
thing from Mrs. -, the wife of the pro-
tectionist. In the following January, when
the British army was again approaching
Charlotte, this same man fled precipitately
with his family, and travelled as far as Penn
sylvania, nearly killing his horses in his
flight. His experience was warning to
others. After his departure, Colonel Polk
placed the family of General Sumter in his
house Little Tom went to school in the
ncighborhood more than six months. The
young women of the vicinity, while the ene-
my were in possession of Charlotte, were re-
moved by their friends, beyond the Yadkin.
Miss Barnett was taken away with the rest,
and did not return till some time in Octo-
Der.
. Shortly before the British left Charlotte,
the Wings captured an express on his way
to Camden, bearing letter from Lord Corn
wallis, which stated that he intended to
leave the town; the inhabitants being so hos
tile to him that they killed his men from
every bush, in cold blood, while they were
engaged in collecting forage for his army
Before the enemy retreatcd from the place,
the buried their dead in Liberty Hall, and
burned down the building This college
was the same which the British government
refused to charter under the name of Queens
Museum From this seat of learning, many
eminent men in Church and State received
their education, who have done honor to
their country.
Susannah Barnett was married in 1898, to
George w. Smart. She had three children,
whom she lost, and her husband died in
1909. He built the house she occut.eu in
1851. She lived usually alone, and gave ac-
commodation to travellers who passed, as the
road lay near. William II. Crawford, of
Georgia, one of her most esteemed acquain-
tances, always stayed with her, as he went to
and returned from Washington. She be-
came extensively acquainted with men trav-
elling in the south, and hay ing retentive
memory, knew almost every family, their
pedigree and connections, for several gene
rations. Young or old might find her ready
to converse on any subject. ~ have lived
at home," she was wont to say, "and yet l
have seen two of our Presidents. I knew
Andrew Jackson; and many time little
Jamie Polk has passed along the road there,
with his breeches rolled up to his knees. He
was bashful little fellow"
Mrs. Smart was reared in the doctrines
of the Presbyterian church, and remember
ed all the ministers who occupied the seven
pulpits in Mecklenburg at the time of the
Revolution. She talked with interest also
of the politics of the day, and read the news
papers, even at the age of ninety. She in
formed Mr.. Stinson, on his visit to her, that
one of her relatives had been telling her of
political meeting to be held in York Dis
trict, and had advocated the secession of
South Carolina from the Union. She init
mated to him that she had heard Of this new
device, and had also been informed that ma
ny of the good, gifted, and great, of South
f,ror of coooccion For