Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-05-22
Ghildrtn's department.
, IoIIBITI1''J
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

) lOhglnal.]
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
The revolutionary war commenced with
the battle of Lexington, on the 18th of Feb
ruary, 1895, and ended with the battle of
Yorktown, and surrender of Lord CORVALLIS,
on the 10Th of October, 1881. The treaty of
peace was not signed until the 3rd Of Sep
tember, 1888. During the seven years Of
active hostilities, our ancestors suffered great
deprivations and accomplished many deeds
of daring which should never be forgotten.
The greatest sufferers were women and chill
dren and the mightiest heroes in that strug-
gle we're the wives of the warriors. Some of
the most illustriuos examples of female hero
ism are to be found amongst the mothers, wives
and sisters of those who won liberty for their
posterity. The names of these heroines, or at
least of most of them, are unknown to the
historian, and their noble deeds have been
preserved only by tradition. Many Of their
noble deeds of daring have, no doubt, been
greatly exaggerated; but more of them, in
the lapse of time and exciting scenes Of the
present moment, have been forgotten.
During the revolutionary war the country
was overrun by two different foes-the Brit
ish, and what were at that time called Tories.
The latter were residents Of the country, and
often were heartless set of monsters. From
them the poor women and helpless children
suffered more than from the armies of the
invading foe. The Tories knew the circum'
stances of every family, and whenever a fam
lily procured a temporary supply of provis-
ions, they would pounce in like so many hum
gry wolves and devour the last morsel.
1t is related of one family, that it was re.
duced to the most desperate condition by the
depredations of the prowling monsters. The
husband and father was in Sumters army.
The children-seven in number-were all
sick with the small pox. In the house there
was not single handful of meal nor scrap
of meat. This condition of things had exist
ed for several weeks The wife and mother,
stout-bodied and brave-be irted woman, had
fed her household on wild roots, acorns and
minnows, caught from small stream during
the fall months. Winter had now set in, and
with it her family had been visited by the
small pox. She saw her darling babes appa-
rently drawing near to the other world but
whether their end was fastened more by
hunger or by disease, she could not tell.
Long watching and scarcity of food, and bad
food, had emaciated her own body; but her
heart was still brave and true The only
house at which it was at all probable she
could obtain assistance, was distant at least
ten miles. Leaving her children scattered
over the house, no one being able to render
any assistance to the other, she set out to OBJ
tain some assistance. A small quantity Of
meal and the head of beef was obtained.
With glad heart, and also with heavy
heart, she set out for her home; glad be-
cause she had something for her darling
babes to eat, and heavy lest she might find
some of them sleeping the sleep that knows
no waking. When she arrived, she found all
the children alive. In haste she commenced
to prepare for them something to eat. Part
of the beef head was put in the pot to cook,
and bread was put in the "spider" to bake.
Before the meal was prepared, the Tories
came focking in, and the first thing that was
done by them, was to run their bayonets into
the pot and take out the beef head, and then
into the bread. Like so many hungry vul-
lures, they commenced devouring the provis-
ion which seemed so necessary to the existence
of whole family. The condition of things
at this juncture was desperate. Resistance
was impossible. The tender-hearted mother
showed herself equal to the emergency. She
slipped out of the house as if desiring to es-
cape the notice of the Tories, and waved her
bonnet as if beckoning some one to come to
her. The trick had the desired effect. The
plunderers, who were at heart great towards,
supposed that the woman had some Whig
friends near by, and took to their heels as
fast as they could. Just at the time they
we're leaving, an officer in Sumter's army
rode up, and the Tories, no doubt, were in
great distress lest they would meet with their
inst deserts