Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-08-14
M | sc T. L / A n Y
Peter Francisco.


Az late no tho year 1896. there lived in
Western Nirrinia. n man whose STRENGTH
was so - markahla. as to win him the title
of tho 'Wns'arn SrmsNn.' lln ko-w moth
ing Of his birth or nornntace. hut supposed
he was horn in Portrcal. from whence he
was stolan when n child. and cprriei to Ire
land His earliest rprnllnntions are those
oT hovhood i, the lottnr country. While
vet n lad, he annrnnticod himself to n sea
captain for seven years in piv FOR a massage
TO this country. On his arrival. his time
and service were sold to a Mr. Winston of
V,rcinia, in whose service he remained nm
Ill the breaking out of the revolution Be-
ing Of an adventurous turn of mind he
sought and obtained permission of his mas
ter TO Join the army, and was engaged in nc.
tive snrvico during the whole contest. Such
was his strength and personal bravery. that
no enemy could resist him Tle welded
sword. the blade of which was five feet in
length. as though it had been feather, and
every one who came N contact with him
naid rhe forfeit of his life. At Stony Point.
he was one of the 'forlorn hope which
was advanced to cut away the ahatis. and,
next to Major Gihhon. was the first man to
enter the works At Brandvwine and Mon
mouth, he exhibited the most fearless hr
very, and nothing hut his inability to write.
prevented his promotion to commission.
Transferred to the South, he took part in
most ofthe engagements in that section,
and towards the close of the war. he was
engaged in contest which exhibited in a
striking manner, his selfconfdence and
courage.
One dav while reconnoitering, be stopped
Mt house Of a man bv the name of W,
to refresh himself. While at the table he
was surprised hy nine British troopers, who
rode up TO the house and told him he was
their prisoner. Seeing he was so greatly
outnum hared, he pretended to surrender,
and the Dragons seeing he was apparently
verv peacefully inclined after disarming
him, allowed him considerable freedom,
while they sat down to partake of the food
which he had left when disturbed Wan
dering out into the door-yard he was accost-
cd by the Pavmaster, who demanded of him
everything of value about him at the risk
of his life. in Hase Of refusal Il have moth
ing to give said Francisco, so use your
pleasure, Give up those massive silver
buckles in your shoes said the dragoon
They were the gift of friend, replied
Francisco, and give them to you | never
shall take them if YOU WILL you have the
power, but never will gire them to any
one
Putting his sabre under his arm, the
soldier stopped down to take them. Fran
cisco seeing the opportunity, which was
too good to be lost. seized the sword, and
drawing it with force from under the arm
of the soldier, dealt him severe blow
across the skull. Although severely wound.
ed. yet being a brave man, the dragoon
drew a pistol and aimed it at his atagOnlst,
who was too quick for him, however, and
as he pull d the trigger, blow from the
sword nearly severed his wrist, and placed
him hors du combat The report of the pis-
tol drew the other dragons into the yard, las
well as W v, who very ungenerously
brought out musket, which he handed to
one of the soldiers. and told him to make
use Of it. Mounting the only horse they
could get at, he presented the muzzle at
the breast of Francisco, and pulled the
trigger. Fortunately 1t missed fire, and
Francisco closed in upon him short
struggle ensued, which ended in bis dis Irn-
ing and wounding the soldier. Tarleton's
troop of four hundred men were now in
sight, and the other dragons We're about
to attack him. Seeing his case was despe-
rate, he turned towards an adjoining thick
ct, and as if cheering on d party Of men,
he cried out, Come on my brave boys, now's
your time we will dispatch these few, and
then attack the main body at the same
time rushing at the Dragons with the fury
of an enraged tiger.
They did not wait to engage him, but fed
precipitately to the troop panic struck and
dismaved. Selling upon the traitorous vii
lain, W, Francisco was about to dis
patch him, but he begged and plead so hard
for his life, that he forgave him, and told
him to secrete for him the eight horses
which the soldiers had left behind them.
Preceiving that Tarleton had dispatched
two other dragons IN search of him. he
made off into the adjoining wood, and while
they stopped at the house, he, like an old
fox, doubled upon their rear, and success
fully evaded their vigilance. The next day
he went to W for his horses, who de-
munded two of them for service and gene
rous intentions. Finding his situation dan
gerous, and surrounded by enemies, where
lie should have found friends, Francisco
was compelled to make the best of 1t, and
left with six horses, intending to revenge
himself upon W at future time
but" as he said, " Providence ordained
that | should not be his executoner, for he
broke his neck by a fall from one of the
very horses"
Many other anecdotes are told of Fran
cisco, illustrative of his immense strength
and personal prowess. At Camden,
where Gates was defeated, he retreated and
running along road some distance. he sat
down to rest himself lie was suddenly ac-
costed by British dragoon, who presented
q pistol and demanded his immediate sur.
render, His gun being empty, he fegneG
a.,A AZ h., 4
at the same time remarklng that his CUR
was of no further use to him, he tee
it sideways to the trooper, who in reaching
for it threw himself off his guard, wher
Francisco, quick as thought, run hin
through with his bayonet, and as he fel
from his horse, he mounted and CONTINUED
his retreat. Overtaking his commanding
officer, Colonel Mayo, of Powhatton, b.
gave him up the animal, for which act 0
generosity the colonel afterwards presente,
him with thousand acres of land in Ken
lucky
The following anecdote exemplifying hi
peaceful nature and his strength, is ais
told of Francisco How true 1t is we can
not say, but we tell 1t as it was told to us
many years ago, while he was still living i
Buckham county, Virginia.
One day while working in his garden,
was accosted by a stranger. who rode up
the fence and inquired Of him if he kne,
where man by the name Of Francisc
lived.
Raising himself from his work, and ey,
ing his intcrrogator, VINO appeared to b
one of the alf.horse hali-allgator' bree
OF K9ntuckians, he replied Well, strang
| don't know of any other person by tha
name in these parts but myself"
Well, reckon you ain t the man wan
want to find the great hunting man l.,
heard tell so much about. The fellow the
say can whip all creation and Kaintucky
boot
81 can't tell you stranger, where you
find that man, don't know such man
said Francisco, resuming his work as a IN
10 the other that the conference was ende
But the Kentucklan was not to be bluff
OF as he would term it. "LoOk ere, stra
ger, said he, returning to the charg
what might your given name be-" ~