Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-09-07

where he remained eagerly looking after the flying
Americans, till they disappeared in the wood.
'Send Captain-in to me-" The tory captain
appeared. .r
said he.
"Those men are villainous rebels, and my troop
was attacked in the wood, and cut to pieces or dis
persed."
"What force attacked you?"
81 cannot tell, but ! suppose an hundred men"
Tarlcton.-" We saw but some half dozen, and
five Of you were running from three men and boy"
YES, your honor, but we were all wounded;
ball from that boys pistol gave me this wound,
which has disabled my sword arm. The men were
Slocumh and Major Williams, of Lees light horse"
".Are any of the American regular troops with
themy'
81 saw none but that officer, and think he serv-
ed in this bout volunteer"
go" said the colonel, "have your wounds
dressed and see what has become of your men,"
The last part of this order needless for nearly
half of his troop fell the ground where they met
the Carolina Doors, and that ground is known to
this day as the dead mems field. As Tarleton walk
ed into the house. he said TO Mrs. Slocumb
your husband made lis short visit, madam l
and that of his friend, Major Williams"
IL have little doubt" said the lady, "you will
meet the gentlemen, and they will thank you for
the polite manner You treat their friends"
Necessity madam compcS lis to occupy your
property; rest assured every thing in my power
shall be done to render nj stay little disagreeable
as possible. The British army are not robbers we
shall only take such things as are requisite to our
support and my masters orders are to pay we'll for
every thing VIC llSe"
Mrs. Slocumb expressed her thankfulnesS for his
kindness, and Withdrew to her room, while the Off
GERS returned to their peach toddy and coffee, and
closed the day with merry night. Mr.. Slocumb
and the small party with him, passed rapidly round
the plantation, and returned to the battle ground,
collecting the way few straggers of his troop.
who directed him where he could find the balance
of his men, not one of whom was killed. On APP
preaching their bivouac, he saw young man suS-
pended by bridle-rcn round his neck, from the
top of a sapling, bent down for the purpose, and
struggling in the agonies of death dashins up to
the spot, he severed the rein with stroke of his
sword and with much difficulty restored him to life.
1t was tory prisoner whom they had captured. and
the brother OF the captain so often mentioned
Should this memoir be read in the lower part OF
North Carolina, many can remember an old man,
alive few years since. whose protruded eyes and
suifilsel countenancc had the appearance of half
Strang led man. He it was who in this hour of eX-
ctement, owed his life, and afterwards his liberty,
to the Kindness of Mr.. Slocumb Mr.. Slocumb sue
ceeded, in aid of Major Williams, in raising in the
reighborhood about two hundred men, with which
they followed in the OF the royal army. harass
ing and frequently cutting off foragng parties until
they crossed the Roanoke. when they joined the
army of Lafayette, at Warrenton. In many of
these partisan fights it is much to be regretted, hut
little attention was paid to the rules of war in the
treatment of prisoners particularly when tories fell
into the hands of the militia depot of prisoners
was established at Halifax and many times order
to convey prisoner to Halifax was synonymous to
one TO take him out of sight and shoot him-and
the non-commissione.i officer would return in half
an hour, and report the prisoner safe at Halifax
Hence arose the EXPRESSION "scnt to hell or Hall
fax"
Colonel Slncumh assured the writer this cruelty
was never attempted in his troop, after the scene
just related of the hanging of young. Mr.
Slocumb remained with the army until the surren-
der at Yorktown.
On reviewing these pages, the writer feels fear
that he has laid himself liable to the suspicion Of
mancinS but the loo'tif'S L. ...-:.:"a
every intelligent old person in this section of the
country and the writer could fill your paper for
year, with recitabe traditions equally romantic with
that here related. Perhaps at some future time
with leisure and inclination for writing he may eX
tend them. Here however, it is intended to rest
Colonel Slocombs claims to revolutionary services,
which rewarded by the gratitude of his fell
lowcitizcns in after life, in appointing him to every
Office of honor and trust in their gift all which
er lost. pension enlivened his latter days, which
he valued more a mark of acknowledgment, than
for pecuniary consideration This was the man
whose services to his country never sghtingly
| spoken of except by foreign adventures.