Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-09-19

CONSISTS Of only myself my sister, and
child. and q few negroes. We are your
lprisoners., ~ = 80 I -,2,..ss = 9ss.ss =,
I From the; piazza, where he seated him
lseH, Tarleton commanded view of+the
<ground on which his troops were arrang-
Ting their camp. The mansion frented
the East, and an;avenue one hundred and
fifty feet wide, and about half "a mile in
4 length, stretched 70 the eastern side Of the
plantation, where was % highway, with
open grounds beyond il, partly dry meas
tdew, and partl sand barren. This ave.
fnue was lined on the south side by a
| high feneesand a thick hedge row of-for.
est trees. These. are now removed. !. and
i replaced by the tfP ride :of India" and
lother ornamental trees On the north
side: extended the common rail fence, Sc
ven Ior eight feet high, ,.such; is usually
seen on. plantations!in theslow conntry.-
tThe encampmept of the Britishstroops be-
ing on that part of the plantation, south of
1he avenue, twas completely screened by
the fences and hedge row from the view
ofany. one approaching from down the
Icountrv. sEl- gI -
i While the, men were busted, different
officers came up,at intervals, making their
reports and receiving orders. Among
others Tory captain, whom Mrs. STo-,
cum Immediately recognized- before
!, joining the royal army, he had lived IF
teen or twenty miles below-received orr
derssin her hearing to take his troops and
scour the country for twoor three miles
around,
In an hour everything was quiet, and
the plaa tation presented the romantic
spectacle. Of regular encampment Of
some ten or eleven thousand of the. choi>
-cest cavalry of the British monarch.
| Mrs. Slocum now addressed herself
to the duty Of preparing for her uninvited
guests. A dinner was prepared, consis>
4 ting of turkey. ham, beef. fowls. with We.
getables, fruits. aud some excellent peach
brandy, prepared under Lieut.. Slocum's
own supervision. This latter beverage
received the unqualified praise of the par
ty, and its merits were fully discussed
A Scotch officer praising it by the name
of whiskey, protested that he had never
drank as good out of Scotland. An Off.
Ger speaking with slight brogue, insis-
ted that it was not whiskey, and that no
Scotch drink ever equalled it. "To my,
mind" said he, "it tastes as yonder or.
chard SMELLS"
Allow me. Madam" said Tarleton,
"to inquire where the spirits We are
drinking are procured 90
+" Brom the orchard where your tents
stand," answered Mrs. Slocum.
F" Colonel" said. the Irish Captain,
when we conquer this country; is it not
to; be divided among us ?"
| rnbo 1eSooxs 6 n, ~ o~r,s, 1,e
colonel, :" will undoubtedly receive large
possessions. in the conquered American
provinces"
Mrs. Slocum here interposed. " Allow
me to observe and prophecy" :" said she,
"the only>land in the United States which
will ever remain in possession of Brit
sh officer will measure but six feet by
two"
"Excuse me, Madam,''s remarked
Tarleton "for your sake regret to say
this beautiful plantation will be the ducal
seat of some one of u.s. - +
f" Don't trouble yourself about me, I"
retorted the spirited lady. "My hus-
1 band is not man who will allow duke,
or even king, to have quiet seat upon
his ground
AT this point the conversation was in
terrupted by the rapid voleys of firearms,
appearing to proceed from the wood. a
short distance to the eastward One Of
the aids pronounced it some struggling
scout running from che piquet guard, but
the experience of Colonel Tarleton. could
not be easily deceived. =
:, There are rifles and muskets," said
he, '"as well as pistols. and too many to
II Tnaafsna1 81 -l
dies, and you, captain take your troop in
the direction of the firing"
The officer rushed out to execute his
ordersS while the colonel walked into the
piazza, whittier he was Immediately fol-
lowed by the anxious ladies. Mrs. Slo-
! GUMS agitation and alarm may be imagin-
ed /; for she guessed but too well the
cause of the interruption. On the first
arrival of the officers, she had been
importuned, even with harsh threats
not, however, by Tarleton-to tell where
her husband, when absent on duty, was
likely to be found; but, after her repea-
ted and peremptory, refusals, had escaped
further molestation on the subject. She
feared now thatShe had returned uhex>
pectedly, and might fall into the enemy's
hands before he was aware of their press
ence.
Her.sole hope was to a precaution she
had adopted soon after the coming of her
unwelcome guests. Having heard Tarle-
ton give the order to the Tory captain,
! before mentioned; to patrol the country,
she Immediately sent for an old negro
and gave him directionsSto take a.bag Of
corn to the mill. about four miles distant,
on the road she knew her husband mus
travel if he returned that day. :. Big
}, George Swas instructed to warn bis mas.
terof the danger of approaching BIS home