The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-11-14

converse with a villain and a murderer.
He told him he was their prisoner. they
could do with him as they pleased, but he
would sooner die a hundred times than be-
tray his general. He thanked them for
the respite they had granted him, and told
them he would be quite ready for them at
sunrise. The oak stood in an open mead
ow, three sides of which were bordered by
dense thicket, the bushes being about
forty yards from the tree. The other side
was open country. About daylight the
murderers prepared for the execution.
They first drew a cart under the fatal limb,
which projected from the tree about fifteen
feet from the ground. Pickens was now
ordered to get into the cart which order
he promptly obeyed, telling them he was
soldier and was used to obeying orders
1t was almost sunrise, and Dick was or
dered to climb the tree and adjust the
rope. The black traitor who in his saw
age glee had divested himself of all his
clothing except his pantaloons, ascended
the oak with the activity of a wild cat.
The bloodthirsty demons were now formed
|
of nothing else.
Our hero stood erect, his fine manly
form standing above the savage crowd in
bold relief. He told them dcfiantly that
he did not fear them, and that the hour of
| rctribUtion awaited them. Dick had as
cended the tree and lay stretched on the
fatal limb, and looked like some imp from
the regions inferno. a stout rope with
running moose was thrown to Dick, who
caught it with 4 demoniac laugh, but be-
! fore the laugh had died on his lips he came
! down from his perch in a hurry, with a
! bullet in his heart, for at this instant a
ringing peal of musketry broke on the
still morning air, and fifteen of the muir
| derers lay bleeding around their intended
victim. Now, with loud shout, twenty
! horscmen came dashing into their midst.
! The balance Of the Tories tried in vain to
escape. 1t was perfectly useless. Among
! the foremost in the charge was a raw
| boned, spared boy, scarcely fourteen years
! of age. This brave youth came dashng
/ on, shouting his battle cry. HIS aim was
for the brutal captain, who, seeing that
his antagonist was nothing but pale boy.
stopped and fired a pistol at him, but it
was his last shot, for in an instant more
his head was split in twain by our youth
full warrior; and, reader, that boy was An
drew Jackson, afterwards the hero of Il
hundred fights. The tories were al down,
about twenty of them killed. and the rest
wounded and prisoners. Not one of them
escaped. During the melee a lady dashed
into the contest mounted on an elegant
charger, which she guided with ease and
grace, and unmindful of the wild, bloody
scene around her, she niinbly dismounted
and in an instant she was standing by the
side of Sergeant Pickens in the cart, when
drawing a sharp dagger she quickly cut
the cruel ropes that bound him, and he
stood free man by the side of his beau
tiful wife.
The victory was complete. Not one of
the rescuers had received a scratch. The
Tory captain and twenty of his men were
dead and five were wounded. The traitor
Dick lay dead and stark by the side of the
cart. Mr.. Pickens now approached Gen.
Sumpter (for it was he and his gallant
boys that had come to the rescue) and in .
vited him and his brave band to 90 home
with them and take breakfast, which kind
invitation he accepted with a right good
will. After detailing small guard to set
tie with the prisoners, they started for the
home Of their rescued comrade. After
the Tories had started with Mr.. Pickens,
his lady, with the aid of an Irish servant
girl, saddled their feetest horse, and leav-
ing her children in charge of the faithful
| Bridget, she was in a few minutes flying
at the top of her horse's speed for the
Sumpter camp. She soon reached the
spot, and hastily telling the guards what
the matter was, she was quickly in the
presence of the General. The gallant
! general gave his orders, and in ten min
utes he and his brave band wcIc in motion
and were going at double quick f0r the f,a-
tai oak. Mrs. PiclIens rode by the side Of
the General, and guided them on their
way. They approached the place with
caution, and taking their position just be-
fore daylight, they awaited their time,
when the foregoing scenes were enacted
After an excellent breakfast and feeding
their horses, our gallant band left their
kind friends, Mr. Pickens going with his
General. Our hero remained in th2 ser
vice until the end Of the war, at which
time he held colonel's commission, hav-
ing been promoted from time to time for
gallant conduct. Strange to say, the To-
ries did not trouble his mansion after
wards. They appeared to fear the terri
BILE retribution that had already fallen on
their comrades in crime might be their
fate, and they let him alone. After the
war was over Col. PicBens and his accom-
plished lady lived long and happily to-
gether, and some of their descendants are
among the first families of the cid Pal
metto State,