The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-09-16


That trenbSes as no tyrants nod,
A scul that fears mo- one but God,
And thus can smile ct curse or ban:
This u the ocul thet makes man
The Tory Massacre.
49, rFt NJ usCnAKp BvgB9F. sra
a little more than rear ago last winter
~ made Q tour through tho Houthern States,
while in the little village Of Hillsborough, in
North Carolina. 1t wax location haliowed
% or mind by many Revolutionary associa-
tioas In his memorable retreat across
Ncrth Carolina. in February, 1871, the rag
gsd bat gallant army Of General tireene
3orded the river Haw, short distance from
H4Stownxh All through the Revolutions
Vtttkzgle the neighboring county was no.
ID Tor it, ARRAYS, which were constantly oc-
curing either between the patriots and the
kngiish troops, or the pAisi0ss and their
taitcrone enemies the tories
EU ~ from Hilisborough viewers shown
t1eseene ofa terrible maseacse Of tories BIZ
the troopers under Lees Legion" Great
changes hare taken place since those event
fui times and our guide could only point out
the vicinity Of the conflict, there being no
oldysfsran 70 designate the exact spot Let
.. veealfthe circumstances of this terrible
AFFAIR
Although deiven across the river Dan, in
% Virginia, Greene had no idea Of abandon
ing the SOuth, but in the old and wealthy
county OF Halifax, endeavored to recruit his
wearied troops, and prepare again to meet
the Toe. 40 . perlimary step for the move
mente Of his whole army, Greene sent Col.
Hrnrv Lee with his legion Of cavalry and
two companies Of Maryland militia, to harass
the i-tish ioree and dispense the bands of
tories which were organizing throughout the
Caroiinas.
Col Lee had formed q squadron Of cayflry
uniformed and armed precisely after the
fash INN ~ areitons celebrated corps and
10 man IN the American sersice was more
dreaded by the foe than Legion Harry" as
he was generally stvlei throughout the A.
merican camp, specially when backed by
his Aaerican troopers About the middle
Of Febuarv. Lord CORVALLIS issued PROF.
lamaiion ~ 7iting all those who were loyalt0
the xiug To join his standard. promising pro-
lection ana reward at the same time threat
eninx stsoeisf with the halter, if found with
nrms ia tAeir hands Soon after this event
Lee eros ed the Dan and advanced slowly in
70 North Carolina.
BIZ curious circumstance it happened
that just at this time Col Tarleton, with his
legion and some companies Of infantry, left
the British camp and moved towards the
Virginia line on marauding expedition.
lee had advanced only one days march when
HE scouts brought information Of Tarleton's
approach and that he was then encamped at
plantation only six or eight miles distant
Lee resolved 10 attack the English troops
thar very night Arranging his forces he
mored up within short distance ofthe Brit
ish camp and waited for darkness.
Ii so happened however, that Tsrlcton was
on the point Of removing his camp to anoth
er plantation that very afternoon he put his
some fifteen miles in direction contrary to
Lees calculations. Therefore on approach
ing the British emcampment, with great cir
cumspection. the American troops were sore
IL mortified 10 discover that the sagacious
Briion was nowhere to be found 1t was
rule with Col Tarleton never to camp two
nights in the same place, if an enemy was
within City miles
Greatly chagrined, Lee was on the point
o. 1Ishing with all haste after the British
7-4oBel when the idomitable scouts again
zane in with information. They brought
intelligence that one Col. Pyle, noted tory,
with a company Of four hundred mounted
Loyalists. was close at hand making for
Tarleton camp, unawares that he mad NOV
ed lee resolved to captore the whole par
II by stratagem. Sending forward couple
CT troopers to meet the tories and conduct
them 70 camp he placed his militia and rifle
men in ambush on each side OF the road and
drew /. . his legion in proper form 10 receive
tie tors bstfil!cn 1t was bis intention to
lead the tories into ambuscade, and take
then nil prisoners To the honor Of Col |
Lee. be il recorded. that he did not contem-
plate nor plan the massacre which followed. |
As the tory band approached, Lee sent |
his Atlutant to greet the Colonel and direct |
him whore r. post his men. The Adult mt
returned with word thar Colonel Taretons |
wishes should be cheeriu!iy complied with /
Lee saw that his stratagem was workins to |
perfection. tol. Pyle marched his men to |
The place indicated BY Lee, and drew them |
up in two ranks along the road, in such a |
manner that they were hemmed in by the |
concealed militia ON one side and Lees le- |
gipn on the other. When the tory line was |
formed, Lee, at the head OF his troopers. |
rode slowly towards il, and passed along d. |
rectly in front until the two Colonels were |
oppos .e ench other As Lee extended his |
hand to Pyle, the loyalist raised the shout Of |
Good ave The king" in which the Ameri- |
cans la ed IN order to carry out their PLAN
aatprsvent discovery Col Lee then com
piimentea y'c tory Colonel on the number
and Il equipment OF his corps, and hoped
they MoUl tp good service in the Kings
oaasel lie then turned, and was about to
give the signal for his legion TO cover the to-
ry troops with their carbines. when sud.
den charge Of muskery, mingled with wells
ahc e. ers broke from the lower extremity
OF tlis. ilGe
the tories discovering the American mi I
Lt'a aiming Al them, perceived they were
BETRAYED, and commenced firing their car
bines. The militia returned with heavy
yoi'ey. wiieh killed more than forty men,
a terrible hand to hand fight now ensued, in
which the Americans were completely vic
torious. Lee and his chief officers endeavor-
ed to stop the carnage, but the memory Of
many tory outrages nerved the arms of the
troopers and they hewed down their enemies i
without needing their cries for quarter
Some two hundred men according to some |
eeccounts, were killed in lees than twenty |
minutes Stedman in his history Of the war
three hundred. but Botta, who il generally |
first rate authority, thinks the number too |
large. Tradition says that ninety horses
were also killed and wounded. Col Pyle, |
badly injured by sabre cut, fed for shell
ter 10 email pond near by and plunging in
70 the winter, concealed himself among the
reeds wi,h nothing but his head above the
surface, until the fight was over and the field
deserted. He then crawlcd out and made his
way to theBsitish camp The Americans did |
not lose man or horse killed or wounded
A few of the tories managed to reach the
British camp and carry to Tarleton the ter
ribie intelligence that Pyle's detachment was
cut to pieces by the rebel vcgabonds.
Expecting, with good reasons, that those
satnc vagabonds were in search Of him, the
es.a.sl broke up hs camp and pushed for
tie main army, Lee following hard upon his
tSack
Much valuable plumber was taken from
the defunct tories Their equipments and
arms where all new, from the British stores.