The constitutional union., 1861-02-22
MARIONS MEN.

to get some, every how we could think of but couldn't do 1t; because, you see, the British had our little party penned up close in the swamp. We had only about fifty men in all. Tarleton and his troop were huntin' round, and they had large force of infantry in the neighborhood. We'll, somethin' had to be done, for to be idle wasn't in the make of Marion. The only way we could get any am- intuition to supply our wants, was to attack the convoy that brought the stores to the British in the neighborhood. These conveys sometimes numbered hundred men each :; but often more than that Besides, they were we'll provided, In every respect, for an attack.
 Well, Marion resolved to attack one of these conveys; and he laid his plan for it with the greatest care The principal things to be
 done were these-a party of our men, num- perrin only five-that was all we could spare
 was to take route through the woods, just opposite to the one the whole band was goin', and they were to turk around the large detachment of infantry in that direction, and once and awhile show themselves, to make the British think the whole of our band were in that neighborhood and then the comman- der of the detachment would give the com mander at the station where the convoy come from notice of the fact, and thus throw 'em off their guard. Then, on the night of the attack, the whole of the band were to march to place which he mentioned, where there was a good chance for hidin', and better one for an attack. It was place where the road, along which the convoy was expected to come, passed through wood where the ground was very much overgrown with bushes, at the bot tom of very shallow ravine. The road just there made short turn so that when we were stationed on each side of it, just before
 the bend, we could let the advance of the party get around before we'd attack the con- voy, and then the stores might be secured very speedily. We had only three rounds of ammunition for each man, when we heard of an expected convoy of stores. These we had
 treasured for some time, waitin' our chance. The party of five were sent on their duty :; and, as they sent us word by one of their number, they done the business just as we ex- pected the British thinkin' our whole party was in the neighborhood certain, and sendin' word to that neighborhood certain, and sendin' word to that amount to the commander of the station where the convoy was to come from. We were on the ground Marion had fixed upon, before night, when the convoy was ex- pected to pass. Everything turned out as we wanted it. The convoy got to the pass as 1t grew fairly dark. We were at our posts on horseback, in the wood on each side of the road. Marion was in command of the party on the right of the road, who were to secure the stores, and take them through the wood in that direction l was with the party on the other side, and we were to attack the body of soldiers in the rear of the stores. On come the convoy, with their torches and lan- terms hghtin' the way, never thlnkin' any body was goin' to trouble 'em. The advance got fairly round the bend in the road, and the wagons Tn WHIU1I d. 7tarnc were right opposite to me, when the word was given to our party to fire and rush on the rear guard and We poured volley into them that staggered 'em at once. Then we came down on 'em from the sides of the road, like all ere ation hootin' and shoutin at the loudest
 At the same time the party under Marion came down from the other side of the road upon the wagons with the stores; and while we were clashn' away at the rear-guard, a party of Marion's men were securln' restores and draggin' 'em off into the wood as fast as possible. Such yellin' as we kept up all the time, you can't think of. To-nights busi
 ness had good deal of that, but 1t wasn't anything like the other. Part of the horse
 men in the rear stood their ground, but the rest made off back the way they came. The advance got themselves turned round by the time most of the stores had been secured by +l op n mn place of meetin' in the swamp, as fast as ter men could carry and drag 'em. Tine rest oi his party came to our rescue, and helped tt beat down the rest of the rear-guard. But there was no time to lose :; we couldn't stoI to take prisoners. The advance was comln
 back upon us but, the wagons were in thell road and they couldn't get at us without
 great danger to themselves The order wa; given, and we poured our last yolley into 'em and then took to the wood. Marion wa' nearly the last man on the ground; but h( had the best horse. He gave a shout, anc fired the pistol into the nearest horseman breast, and followed his men into the woot just in time to save himself from the sabre
 of the rest of them. was behind him, ant saw him do it ]; and then we rode througt the wood side by side We had to move quick through that wood, 1 tell you. w had to cross another road before we got int the swamp, and Marion had strong fears o
 being attacked there. The body of horsemer we had left behind us would not dare to fol low us at night through the wood. They hat had taste of surprise besides, they hat plenty of wounded to take care of, know. My sabre done pretty deal of work, and l knoV the rest of the boys weren't behind me in 1t We had three wounded, but none killed; ant these wounded we brought away with us. w passed the crossin safely, but hurried on a fast as the carriage of the stores would let us till we got far into the swamp, and then WI slackened our pace. The men were alnos
 worn out with the hard ride, and carrying th' wounded and spoil of our attack, by the tim
 we reached our camp. We had captured great deal of ammunition and provisions, ant they served us for some time ahead l thinl it was about month. Our decoy party hac arrived some time before us. But mind, VI
 had to keep close for week or so afte
 that surprise The British detachment wer
 awful wrothy about losin' their provision
 and ammunition, and the next convoy haC double the number of troops with 1t tha the other one had. 1 can't help thinkin how dashed the red-coat troops must have felt