The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-03-11

These unbidden guests took from Spratt
over a hundred head of cattle, hogs, &C.
When the time came for marching, the ar
nv formed line before the door, and then
formed q hollow square, with their drums
muffled. These played a mournful air; till
| at length the army deployed, and took up
the line Of march with a lively tune and a
quckstep. The cause of this ceremony was
| the punishment of one of their own soldiers
whose body hung from the limb of a tree,
| haying been executed for an alleged attempt
to desert and join Davies troops.
Mr. Barnett's house was also visited by
| the British soldiers, who plundered it OF
| everything. When one of the horses was
! brought up and brdled for their use, Mrs.
| Barnett walked up and pulled off the brl-
! die. Some of the men threatened to kill
| her. ''You can do So" she answered, Il
am in your power; but if you do, you will
! be punished for it, Seeing a crock of
| milk which the intruders had brought from
her cellar, she passed near, and pushed it
| over with her foot. The infuriated soldiers
rushed at her, swearing they would cut her
to pieces. ''Do it if you dare !" said she,
with an air of naughty defiance; ''you will
be shot at from every bush in the country
They did not molest her, but went away
without the milk or hotse.
Some two weeks after this affair at Wa
hab's young man named William Ellet,
whose brother had been killed, came to Bar
nett's house. having with him Tory pris-
oner. After eating, he drank freely, and
rccurrying to the scenes of the battle, and
his brothers death, he became violently ex-
cited, and struck his prisoner ON the head.
The blood spouted from the wound. Mrs.
Barnett persuaded Ellet to go into the
house, and while she endeavored to pacify
him, the Tory made his escape. The com
passionate matron took Il cup of water, and
went in search of the wounded man.
Tracking him by the blood, she found him
lying behind log, two hundred yards from
the house, gave him water, and bound up
his head. This incident, among others,
may show that kindness was often inter-
changed between enemies.
The residents in the country found it ne
cessary to hide their negroes, and some
carried them beyond the Yadkin for safety.
Barnett's were conc called out of the house.
The British took thirty or forty from the
plantation of Colonel Thomas Neil. Mrs.
Neil went to Charlotte, then in possession
of Lord Corvallis and applied to him, re-
questing that her slaves might be restored.
CORVALLIS coolly told her she should not
have them. She pleaded that most of her
knowing how to labor, and that she could
not well get along without servants. "You
will have to teach the girls to work. grutfly
replied the officer. "But let me have some
of the negro children" persisted the ma
tron; ''they are attached to me, and l to
them" "You are a cunning old woman,"
said CORVALLIS; carry home the calves,
and the COWS will follow; get the young ne
groes, and the old ones will run off and go
back" With this answer she was dismiss
ed.
Mecklenburg had but few Tories. Some
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
illustrative. He was at heart a patriot, and
all his connections were Wings, and when
he took protection, he soon found it 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
old Mrs. Spratt. Mary was highly respect
ed by the Wings, who were willing at all
times to do her a service, while they dis
approved 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, said she, two
British officers were to dine at her house;
she wished the captain to collect ten or a
dozen men we'll armed, and come up in the
rear. Her husband would give them sig
nal by coughing, when they were to fire off
their guns in rapid succession; he would run
offwith the two oofliccrs-his guests; they were
to give chase, make him prisoner, and bear
him off in sight Of the officers. This little
plot was literally carried out. The husband
was taken prisoner; the two officers made
their escape to Charlotte, where the British
dragons were ordered out for the rescue
of the captive. They made no great effort,
however, merely whooping when they came
near the place of his capture, and firing off
pistols; while Captain Barnett took the road
to Nation Ford, his men surrounding the
pretended prisoner with drawn swords, be-
fore 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 bushmen 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 a severe
lecture, and wept like a 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 scrfpe,
he might get out of it the best way he could
The British issued a number of handbills
(for they had a printing press at Charlotte,)
and had them posted up all over the county,
warning His Majesty's subjects not to modest
or take anything frem Mrs the wife
of the protectionist. in the following Jan
nary. when the British army was again ap-
preaching Charlotte, this same man fed
precipitately with his family, and travelled
as far as Pennsylvania. nearly killing his
horses in his flight. His experience was a
warning to others. After his departure,
Colonel Polk placed the family of General
Sumter in his house. Little Tom went to
school in the neighborhood more than six
months. The young women of the vicinity,
while the enemy were in possession of
ChorlO4+o were rernnyed hy their fricn1 A.