Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-08-22
A Revolutionary HerNinir,

| Many will remember that towards tnI
close of the war, Col Tarleton passed
through North Carolina. Owing to some
cause not known, he spent two nights in
Halifax county-onc within the kcspitablo
grove of Willie Jones, ne5r The town Ct
Halifax, and the other higher rp tie coun-
try, near ''Quankey Chapel" Either be-
cause he was scarce Of provisions and hor-
ses, or from malicious desire to destroy
the property Of American citizens Who were
opposed to the British, he caught all the
horses, cattle, hogs, and even fowls, that he
could lay hands on, and destroyed or appro-
priatcd them to his own use. The male
and most Of the female Inhabitants Of tie
country fled from the approach of the Brit
ish troops, and hid themselves in the
swamps and forests adjacent; and when they
passed through the country, while every
one else left the premises on which she liv-
ed, Mrs. Powell (then Miss Bishop ..'stood
her ground and faced the foe fcariessly.
Bot It would not do; they took the hor-
Tses and cattle, and among the former, a
fayorite pony Of her own, and drove them
off to the camp, which was about q mile dis
tant. Young as size was, she was deter
mined to have her pony again, and, as she
must necessarily go to the British camp, to
90 alone, if no one would accompany her.
And alone she went, on foot, at night, and
without any weapon of defence, and in due
time arrived at the camp.
BY what means she managed to gain an
audience with Tarleton is not known but
she appeared before him unannounced, and,
raising herself erect, said:
81 have come to you, sir. to demand res
toration of my property, which your knayish
followers stole from my fathers yard.
Let me understand you, Miss said
Tarleton, completely taken by surprise
"Well, sir, said she, "four roguish
men in red coats came to my fathers house
aboot shutdown and stole Try pony, and I
have walked alone and unprotected to claim
and demand him: and, Sir, must and will
haze him. fear not your men; they are
base and unprnciplcd enough to dare to of
fer insult to an unprotected female but
their coesrdly hearts viii prevent their do
Ing her bodily injury"
Aud just then, By Tie Eight Of the camp
fire, cspylng her own dear little pony at 4
short distance, she continued;
"Thcre, sir, is my horse. sail mount
him and ride peacefully home and if you
hase'',y Of the genllemanly feeling within
you of which your men are utterly destitute
or if yoa have any regard for their safety,
You will see sir, that am not interrupted
Bat before ! 60, I wish 10 say to you, that
he who can, and viii not, prevent this base
and eowardly stealing from hen-roosts, sta
bles, and harn-yards is no better, in my es-
timation, than the mean, good-for-nothing
guilty wretches who do TIE dirty work with
theirown hands. Good light, sir .
And, without waiting further, she tool;
her pony and galloped safely home, fer Tarle-
ton was so much astoundod that he order
ed that she should be permitted to 90 as she
chose.
Mrs Powell died IN her native county in
1910, after she had attained green old
age. One Of her grandsons, W. S. Tar
hcr, volunteered in the Mexican war, and
died at Ccralyo, in Mexico. Another
Richard u. Parker, is residing in Halifax
county, n. c., most estimable and worthy
citizen And granddaughter, Mrs Ma
~ y, Slcdge. (wifc of w 7. siesge, and
ristcr u tae two frstnamed gentlemen
also lives in Halifax county, besides other
relatives, who all, 20 doubt, do justice to
her mcm3ry bat 51tller should do likewise,
for She was one Of the noble spirits Of ''the
times that tried mems souls.