The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-02-02
THE REVENGE.

homes, with sad, heavy hearts and aching
bosoms.
THE REVENGE.
After this sad incident. the tory COM
panies were still banding together, end
rendering themselves more formidable, car
rying high hand, and leaving distress.
misery and desolation in their track. The
broken spirit of our discounted forces,
caused by the disaster at Camden, gave
but little hope of an organization to check
those marauding pests, till the brave ener-
getic Morgan appeared in the counties OF
Western Carolina where he exerted him
self in collecting together force to further
prosecute hostilities against the enemy.
The dreadful tragedy related above was
surmised a prelude fer the enactment OF
some more awful scene; and accordingly
every family that possibly could were leav-
| ing that ILL ated settlement for a sequester-
ed wild, known as the Sassafras fields of
Rowan there hoping to be out ofthe reach
of their malignant foes. No guarded post
chases or carriages of ease to whirl them
away to castles of safety. No! Imagine
the sad contrast. A pale sickly boy, lead
ing a poor horse ladened with few articles
for their scanty sustinence the frightened
mniI er following apace with her tabe in
her arms. and two or three little sobbing
children clnging to her threadbare skirts,
apprehensive every moment of meeting
the brutal insults of some insolent tory
And what was their prospect OIL arriving at
their place of expected safety! Was there
fortress of security prepared to receive
thpm-an armed force there for their special
protccton-the smiles of protecting friends
to welcome and cheer them, and the neces-
sary comforts provided for their accommo-
daton Far from it. Nothing but desc
| late wild awaited them, where the track of
man had scarcely ever been; the natural
srcluSan alone insured their safety. No
covering to protect their delicate frames
save the Indictment sky of cold November.
| Pause, mother-yOu who enjoy the sweet
comforts of heartsome home, and con-
slider that it was the privatioH, and such
noble endurance as this, that contributed
in giving it to- you. But to return. The
circumstances eff my grandmother were
such As to force her, clandestinely, to con-
tinuc about the premises with her decrepit
old mother. She had, from her hiding
place, behold the tories make one descent
upon their property and carry away the
valuablcs Of the house; and also were fire.
! Al u.
of prey; which forebodings insinuated too
readily the consequences were she to fall
| into their mrrciless hands; which conse-
qucnces were aggravated on account of the
inveterate hate they bore her "rebcl"
husband and brothers. This apprehensive
ness caused the family to change their
sleeping apartments to the barn.
A few nights after this, after they had
lain down in this their hiding place, the
moon was shining in all its original bright
ness, and the blue azure vault of heaven
was studied with shining orbs; all nature
was huShed in deep Gnietude, and the still
ness of midnight was unbroken save by the
murmcring waters of the neighboring brook
as they glided over its stony channel. But
there was q sad contrast between this quiet
scene and that mothers troubled bosom.
The tears of anguish had ceased to flow,
for they were dried at the fountain by her
were crowding thick and fast before her
mind. But, bark the stiffness is broken
! by the distant tramp efhsrscs; the mothers
/ car instinctvely catches the sound. and
! her eager eye is turned to the direction.
She is not deceived. The moonlight faint
ly display their rogimentals, aud their
swords are heard clashing against their
horses sides. They are surely company
of ruthless Dragons. The hopeless woman
sol;loquizes in a whisper: sleep on dear
! mother. sleep on sweet babe. Oh that we
were, like good old father. asleep forever
| The troopers pass the barn at full galIop-
! they leap the yard fcnce-and the hits of
their swords are heard rudely rattling on
the door, which receives no answer from
within; then voice calls out MAYBE they
are in the barn" Thercupon part of the
troop gallop in front of tic barn, and some
commence dismounting' Then the des-
ponding mothers heart sinks within her;
| nevertheless, she rises with her child in her
arms, and opens the door, crying and plead
ing for mercy. But who accosts her but
the we'll known voice of her brothers! Was
it not dream or some fanciful deluson
passing before her hopeful mind! The
surprise is realistic is in the arms of her
brothers.
Gen. Morgan had heard of the sad state
of affairs of that region, and had sent
company of thirty select Dragons. under
Capt. Dick. Springs. to relieve them and
having been informed that large body of
tories held rendezvous at the Lotion old
place, they had left Salisbury that morning
with special orders from Gen. Morgan that,
''before the sun set the next day, to play
the d with their vile carcasses." Ac-
| cordingly thew wished to make a ..driye''