Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-05-07

bert Grey entered into the artillery service,
During the battle of Fort Moultrie, he was
stationed on the Charleston wharf all day,
never tasting particle of food. When the
fight was over, and he returned weary and
exhausted to his tent, he found that one Of
his comrades, who had excused himself from
duty in the morning on the plea of illness,
had devoured all his rations; so that he was
compelled to fast till the next day. He was
the orderly sergeant of his company. Not
long afterwards, when he was firing can
non, it burst, and injured him so severely as
to disable him forever from active service.
William Grey, after Philips departure,
Joined the company of Captain Robert Eli
son as first lieutenant. He served in the In
dian war under General Pickens; at the bat
tie of Fort Moultrie in the campaign against
St. Augustine, remarkable only for the suf-
fering of the troops; and was engaged in al
most every battle fought in the South. Cas-
ton was his chosen friend, and both were
lieutenants in the regular army. Both were
remarkable for their brave spirit and love Of
the pomp and show of war; their uniforms
were rich in material and splendid in decora-
tion, and their three.cornered hats were
adorned with tall and waving plumes. The
soldiers remarked that Gaston's uniform
made him too conspicuous when the regulars
made the charge on the British works at Sa-
vannah, in which he was wounded. at the
opening of the campaign of 1880, these two
young officers were again in the field At
ter the fall of Charleston, when the whole
province lay under the, paw of the British
lion, they were among the handful of Wings
who stood unsubdued on the upper edge of
the State, on their return from North Caro-
lima, whether they had been driven as re-
fugees, and ready to contend for the ground,
inch by inch. In June, 1880, their camp
was pitched on Clem's Branch, on the upper
edge of Lancaster District. 1t was here that
they were found by General Sumter.
The heartfelt, thrilling Joy of this meeting
may be imagined. These officers had been
engaged for years in the same sacred, though
now dropping cause. All were driven from
their homes; their beloved ones left to the
mercy of the invader. Sumter had been
forced to fly, while the enemy were wreaking
their vengeance on his defenceless household
destroying his property, plundering his goods
and burning his house to the ground Mrs.
Sumter and the family, turned out shelter
less, had sought the hospitality of family
in the country. Solicitude for the safety of
these helpless ones, and indignation at their
spoilers, stimulated the patriots to immedi-
ate action. General Sumter selected few
men, among whom were William Grey and
Alexander Castor, to accompany him to the
lower country, bring away his family, and
punish the destroyers. At Wright's Bluff,
on Black River, they encountered body of
British and Loyalists, and were forced to re-
treat across the river. CASTOR had taken the
smallpox, and, being wet while crossing,
became too i'll to proceed, and was left at
the house of Mcconnell. He died in a few
days.
As curious incident, it may be mention
ed that his spendid uniform, carefully pre-
served by the Castor family, was altered in
to a wedding-coat, nine years afterwards, for
his youngest brother, joseph Castor. The
coat was made by John Hemphill, who then
followed the trade of a tailor, and having,
by industry in his calling, accumulated mon
ey, obtained a classical education, studied
divinity in the Associate Reformed Presby-
terian church, and ranked among the ablest
divines of the day.
The anguish of Mary Grey at the news of
her lovers death may not be described. The
lapse of twelve years could not soothe her
grief so that she would listen to any proposal
Of marriage. And, to the latest period of
life, the mention of Alexander Gaston's name
would bring tears to her eyes, while she re-
peated: eyes; we were to have been mar
ried at the close of the war"
During the summer of 1880, probably at
the surprise of Sumter, on Fishing Creek,
William Grey was taken prisoner, and sent
to Camden Jail. He was afterwards liberia
ated on parole, but not allowed to 60 more
than three miles from WinDsboro'. Hcstay-
ed with his brother-in-law McCreight, where
Mary was most of the time, the British be-
ing encamped at Winnsboro'. Her family
had been several times robbed by the To-
ries; but she was accustomed to say: 81 had
no fears. My mind was fixed unchanged
bly, to the cause" She looked on the cne-
mics of her country as the cause of her own
sorrow.
The British always pretended to pay for
what they took from the country people, CIV
ing certificates, which, they said, would be
redeemed by the kings agents; which, how
ever, the Wings did not like to receive. On
one occasion, when party of the enemy
took most Of the provisions from Dunlap, he
requested the soldiers to leave him few
dozens of oats for seed. On their refusal,
he observed: II am now satisfied you don t
intend to stay long, or you would want to let
us plant again" When, at another time,
they had plundered McCreight's barnyard,
Mrs. McCreisht saw them chasing her poul-
try, and, calling after them, "You rascals
will you take my greese" saved her flock
from spoliation.
The smallpox was prevalent at this time
among the British soldiers, and especially