The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-12-09
From the University Magazine.
THE TORY MASSAGE lie.
PYLE's DEFEAT. l7sl.

#A From the University Magazine.
THE TORY MASSACRE.
PYLE's DEFEAT. 1881.
The Fayetteville Observer Of the l2th ult.,
fills one OF its broad columns with an account
of e The Tory Massacre" BY Richard Ever
ett, which seems to call for some notice at
our hands.
The writer opens with the remark that two
months ago he made tour Of the Southern
States, and farried while at the little VIII
lage of Hillsborough," ga short distance"
from which :" in his memorable retreat across
North Carolina in February, 1881, the ragged
but gallant army Of Gen. Greene forded the
river Haw." mot far from IIiIlsborough
we were shown the scene of a terrible mas
sacre of tories by the troopers of Lees I.e-
gion." Hiilsborough, our readers need
scarcely be informed, is on the River Emo,
in the county of Orange, not nearer than
eighteen miles to the ford of Haw river.
crossed by Pickens and Lee in pursuit of
Tarlton. Gen. Greene, in his rapid retreat,
did not cross the river at all. The scene Of
Pyle's discontinue is in the vicinity Of
Graham, in the county Of Alamance, distant
some twenty-five miles from Hillsborough.
Il nt 10 HUI HlUII NifNlot anu htNu-
rate in the statement Of the number and
character Of the American fnrces who par
/ ficipated in the combat than in his dcsigna-
tion Of the battlefield. I. As preliminary
step to the movement Of the whole army,
Greene sent Col. Henry Lee with his legion
Of cavalry, and two companies Of Maryland
militia to harrass the British force, and dis
perse the bands OF tories which were organ
izing throughout the Carolinas."
Sol Lee had formed squadron Of cav
airy, uniformed and armed precisely after
the fashion Of Tarlton's celebrated corps, and
no man in the American service was more
dreaded by the foe than Legion Harry"
4 Mr.. Everett having thus stated the mum
ber and character OF our forces, proceeds
with an interesting but not very accuratt
account of the circumstances under which
the tories we're entrapped and yanqushed
There is no intimation, however, that Gen
Pickens, at the head of thirty or forty gallant
men from Georgia and South Carolina. and
more than six hundred militia from Neck
lenburg and Rowan were present and quite
as conspicuous in the fray as the, Nirgini;
troops.
. Accidental circumstances TO which we fee
at liberty 10 refer, in connection with thu.
narrative, have rendered Us peculiarly sensl'
: tive TO the injustice done by this writer
Lee was brave man, polished gentleman
: a skilful soldier, and an elegant writer. Th,
union Of his and Pickens legion presente,
an array OF leaders aud men, probably N
where equalied hy the same number IN an,
revolutionary battlefield; and the foe whom
they pursued when the fortune Of war placet
Pyle within their power. and lost them Tarl
ton. was worthy of their steel. We thinl
: we are fully sustained, however, BY the e,i
! dence before us, in the opinion that man 70
2 man, pickens and his leglon were more thai
: equal to the troopers led BY either Lee
!; Tarlt0n.
! In. the autumn Of 1852 We spent Ie'
! days at the house Of David Mebane, min
I niles west of HillsbDrough. lie diUl a
{ octogenarian few years thereafter, on th
!. plantation where he was born. lie pointe
! out the road around the farm which was take
n BY pickens and Lee in pursaito Of Tarlton,
e short time belore they encountered Pyle
! described infinitely the appearance oi tn
i troops as they pressed on IN their hurrie
c march, and especially of Col. Polk who PAT
ticuarly attracted his attention. lc'
weeks alter this interview, we spent da
!, with Gen. Graham, and about the same tint
,f held'repeated conversations with Col Pol
2 in relation TO revolutionary events, and e:
!. pecially with reference to pyle's defeat.
e Col. Polk entered the revolutionary arm
il in l777. lie was in the battles of Brandy
e wine and Germantown, and was with Gel
II Nash when the thighol the latter was crushc
d by cannon ball. lie had two molar teet
e extracted by musket ball, and amid II
}. wounded and diving, was the immediat
!, witness Of the agonies endured BY Mas
4 during the terrible night which succeede
Il ,he battle, lie vas the aid of Gen. Dayit
II snu. and Al his side when he fell beneath u
rifle III tile tory Ilager at Cowan's FOr'
Al Entaw, on the 9Th 81 September, i7s
while in rapid pursuit Of d tory officer, =
/. latter suddenly wheeled aud planted rit
~ hall in his left shoulder, which disabled hi