Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-10-10

The Tory Massacre.
BY RICHARD EVERETT.

cation halloYed to our mind by many Rev
olptiQnary associations. In his memorable
retreat across North Carolina, in February
| 1871, the rugged but gallant army Of Sen
eral Greene forded the river IIaw, q short
distance from IIillsborough All through
the Revolutionary struggle the neighboring
county Was noted for Us arrays, which were
constantly occurring, either between the pa
triots and the English troops, o. the patri-
OTIS aad their traitoroiss enemies, the tories.
Not far from Eillsborough we Rcre SHOWN
the scene of a terrible massacre of tories by
the troopers of Lees Legion" Great
changes have taken place since those event
full times, and our guide could only point
out the vicinity of the conflict, there being
no old veteran to designate the exact spot
Let US recall the circumstances of that ter
riblc affair
Although driven across the river Dan, ~
to Virginia, Greene had no idea of abandon
ing the South but in the old and wealthy
county of Halifax, cndeayored to recruit his
wearicd troops, and prepare again to meet
the foe. AS preliminary step to the move
ments of his whole army, Greene sent Col.
Henry Lee with his legion of cavalry and
two companies of Maryland militia, to ha-
rass the British force and dispense the
bands of tories which were organizing
throughout the Carolnas
Col Lee had formed squadron Of caval-
ry, uniformed and armed precisely after the
fashion of Tarleton's celebrated corps ; and
no ,haa il the american service was more
dreaded by the foe than ''Legion Harry"
as h.q vas generally styled throughout the
Ameriear camp, especially backed by his
troopers. About the middle of February,
Lord aornwallis issued a proclamation, in
viting all those who were loyal to the king
to join his standard, promising protection
and reward, at the same time threatening
''rebels" with the halter, if found with arms
iN their hands. Soon after this event, Lee
crossed the Dan and advanced slowly into
North Carolina.
BY Il curious circumstance it happened
that Just at this tine Cod. 5sarletou, with his
legion and some companies of infantry, left
the British camp and moved toward the Nir
ginia line on a marauding expedition. Lee
had advanced only one days march when
his scouts brought information of Tarleton's
plantation only six or eight miles distant.
Lee resolved to attack the English troops
that very night ansing his forces, he
moved up within a short distance of the
British camp and waited for darkness.
1t so happened, however, that Tarleton was
on the point of removing his camp 70 an
other plantation that very afternoon he
put his arrangement in force, and moved
away some fifteen miles in direction con-
trary to Lees calculations Therefore, in
the evening, on approaching the lf,iiti,k en-
campment, with great circumspoction, the
American troops were sorcly mortified to
discover that the sasaeous Briton was no
where 70 be found. 1t was a rule with Col.
Tarleton never to camp two nights in t.,'e
same place. If any enemy Was within fifty
miles
Greatly chagrincd, Lee was on the point
of pushing with all haste after the british
Colonel, when tie igsonntable scouts again
came in with information. They brought
intelligence that one Col. Pyle, noted to-
~, With company of four hundred noun
ted Loyalists, was close at hand, making for
Tarletan's camp, unawares that he had
moved. Lee resolved to capture the whole
party by stratagem. Sending forward eor-
pie of troopers to meet the tories and con-
duct them to camp, 10 placed his militia
and rfiemen in ambush on each side of the
road and arcY ZIP isleeion il proper form
to receive the tory battalion 1t was his
intention to lead the tories into an ambus-
eade, and take them all prisoners. To the
homer of Col. Lee be It recorded, that he
did not contemplate nor plan the massacre
which followed
AS the tory band approached, Lee sent
his Adiutant to greet the Colonel and direct
him where to post his men. The Adjutant
returned with word that "Col. Tarleton's
wishes should be chcerfully complied with y
Lee saw that his stratagcm was working to
perfection Col Pyle marched his men to
the place indicated by Ace, and drew them
up in t,go ranks along the road, in such a
manner that they were hemmed in by the
concealed militia on one side and Lees le-
gion on the other. When the tory line was
formed, lee, at the head of his troopers,
r9de slowly towards it, and passed along di-
rectly in front, until the two Coloncls were
opposite each other. As Lee extended his
hand to Pyle the loyalsts raised the shout
of God save the ling" in wh;ah the A
merieans Joined, in order to carry out th6ir
plan and prevent discovery. Col. Lee then
complimentod the tory Colonel or the num-
Der and fine equipment Of his corps, and
hoped they would do good service in the
Kings cause He then turned and was
] about to give the signal for the legion 70
cover the tory troops with their carbines,
when sudden burst of musketry, mingled
with yolls and cheers, broke from the lower
extremity of the line.
The tories discovering the American mi
lita aiming at them, perceived they were
betrayed, and commenced firing their car
bines. The militia returned with heavy
volley, which killed more than forty men,
A terrible hand to hand fight now ensucd,
in which the Americans were completely
victorious. Lee and his chief officers en-
deevored to stop the carnage, but the mem
CRY of many tory outrages nerYed the arms
of the troopers and they thewed down their
lated epennes, without needing their cries
for quarter, Some two hundred men, ac-
.cording to some accounts, were killed in less
than twenty minutes. Stcdman, in his his
terry Of TIE war, puts the number of killed
and wounded at three hundred, but Botta,
who is generally first rate authority, thinks
this number too large Tradition says that