Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-04-29
CHAPTER l.
TIE LEAGUE OF THE sFEES

lf CHAPTER l.
If LEAGUE THE SEVEN
o Seven men, coming from different points, L
e ging their way with great difficulty throue
d almost impervious walls interlaced and OPP
q sing shrubbery, met at minnight beneath Il
spreading branches of cypress tree, at
a place called Laurell Swamp, in South Caro-
/ ma, in the year III. They gathered sticl
: and leaves and made fire. The flame
e springing up from the dry heap, threw re
glare upon their faces, which were scanned an
disfigured by the play of bad passions. The
were young men-the oldest not being MOI
than thirty-five years of age As they stoo
: in circle around the fire, they resembled
: group of vagabond English gipsies, fresh fro1
the stocks or the whipping post. They wer
armed with sabres, knives, pistols and musket
Their faces were smutched with powder, torn b
the conflict and the sharp teeth of the cypres
hedges. The names of these men were respee
lively as follows Martin Vantassle, Nathanie
Herrick Philip Langford, Siemon Arrowsmitf
John Nicolson, James Pollard, and Timoth
Becker.
Vantassle tail, athletic ill-visaged fellow
was the leader of these fierce and intractablt
spirits. Unsheathing his heavy sabre, anc
planting its point in the ground between hi
feet, he addressed his companions.
Men," he said in hard harsh voice, tha
harmonized well with his general prestige
''we've met here tonight to bind ourselves to
gether in perpetual fellowship by solemn oath
and mutual agreement. Every mans hand i:
against us-leastwise, il these parts-and ours
in turn, in turn is agin every man. We've
sworn allegiance to his gracious Majesty, the
King of Great Britain and the rightful ruler
of these colonies, have touched his money, and
will do his work.
at isn't the king I care so much about, -
muttered Nat Herrick, "but the utter destruc-
tion and extarmination of the Wings. South
Carolina is already more'n half conquered. The
rebel cause is rapidly CROWN weaker, and
we'll soon sweep IN away like chaff It'll be
strange if Nat Herrick don't have his share of
the plunder."
There was an applauding murmur around
the grim circle.
Il was comm to that subject" added Van
tassle, impatiently. 81 reckon 1 know the
merits of the case and understand the natur' of
your feelin's, my lads. We never seed the
King of England, any of us; and if we should,
it's agin reason to spose that he'd speak to US;
and to tell the truth, we care little about him.
1 love Martin Vantassle better nor l do any
king in the world. I fight the Wings because
their side is the weakest and [ hate 'em; and
there's prospect of maxim somethin by it
When we've driven 'em out, which will be soon
'cordin' to present appearances, we'll be mas
ter of the country ourselves. Well have
houses and lands, and niggers to wait on u.s. -
That's the kind O. talk like to hear" said
Jim .Fiolard. 3 -
"It's kind Of talk, too, thatn prove pro-
phetic, rejoined Vantassle.
at would, if we could keep Marion and
Sumpter STILL y interposed Langford.
"The Swamp Fox will soon be still enough.
I'll warrant you Colonel Tarleton is onhis, trail
and he'll trap him afore he's a week older. How
ever, that's neither here nor there; let them
fight for glory who wilbur motto is Booty
aud Beauty
ave know who pottr beauty is said Simon
Arrowsmith; with leer; "it is Jessie Burn
side. y
"And he shall have her, too '' said Herrick,
with an oath.
"Thanke, Nat Herrick; and if you don't
succeed with Ruth Haviland, it'll be no fault Of
mine."
"A hundred, if you Gker' cried Pollard,
Though to me it appears like the greatest
nonsense to be runnin' arter women when
there's so much real fghtin' to be done. My
mistress is bloody one, and l find her where
ever there is Wing to hang, till to rife or
a house to burn. Howsomever, if you like
Judith Burnside, it's none O. my business, and
I reckon none on us IL stand in your way
She's very handsome, and proud as she is
handsome; and if you win her at all, it'll be by
foul and not by fair means. 1 don't want to
be hard on ye, Phil Langford, but I'm sure you
can't do much in the way of what folks call
honest courtship. But don't be down-hearted,
lad, for we're bound to aid each other under all
circumstances, and in all cases."
Martin Vantasse drew his sabre from the
earth and thrusting it forward, held it over the
blazing fire; the blade was dinted and serrated
with service, and there were red stains upon it.
The other six unsheathed theirs and crossed
them upon his, when he dictated a terrible and
impious compact which they severally repeated.
1t was too proflne and shocking to be put ver-
batim upon paper. They pledged themselves
to mutual brotherhood and crime; to extermi-
nate the struggling and hunted Wings; to
give no quarter to the captured foe; to pursue
the flying fugitive with remorselesS fury; to
commit every enormity upon the defenseless
patriots; to rob, to burn, to outrage helpless
innocence.
When this fearful and unnatural compact
had been made, NantasSe turned to Herrlck
and asked:
"What names have you brought?"
Herrick drew soiled paper from his waist
coat pocket, and bending towards the fire, read
the following names
paul Hazelhurst, Frank Haviland, Tom
Hutter Podijah Makepeaee, Gideon Grant,
Blinko, a niger, and One-eyed SAUL Of Lau-
rel Swump."
"Men," said Vantassle, "these are for the
sword We are to hunt them down and kill
them. By virtue of my authority, and by the
oath which you have sworn, l command you
to pursue the persons whose names you have
heard, night and day, till you have swept them
out of existence!'
There are seven of them and seven of US
a man for each' said Herrick
"Iet us determine our respective men by
lot" suggested Langford
"The idea is good, and by lot the matte
shall be decided" added Vantassle
This suggestion was eagerly received; it
novelty made it welcome. The names of th'
parties doomed to destruction were writer
upon seven papers and drawn from Vantassle'
cap by his associates. Herrick drew the frs
:, ballot.
Frank Hayiland " he exclaimed.
"The brother of Ruth p said Pollard, will
a shrug, and looking inquiringly at his com
rade.
"Tom Hunter said Langford drawing, ant
reading his ballat.
"And l, Blinko, the black" said Nicolson