Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-06-15
As;stnrp 1T 8. Garnlima.

Aeistnry ut =. Carnlttta.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
BATTLE OF wILLIAMsON's, OR CAPT.
HUYCK'S DEFEAT.
So soon as the facts concerning the fall of
Charleston reached the up-oountry, the tories
laid aside all disguise and began boldly to
plumber in bands. To inspire these loyalists
with greater courage and to incite them to
acts of greater daring, the British stationed
numbers of soldiers in different sections of the
State. We have seen that the Wings of that
) part of North Carolina bordering on South
Carolina, were thoroughly aroused. On the
10th of June, 1850, Colonel Locke engaged
Moore and Welch at Rsmsour's Mill and
discounted them.
Tarleton's cruelty at Waxhaw kindled into
fame the patriotism of all the region round
about Charlotte, North Carolina. 1t had the
same effect upon the Scotch-Irish of Fairfield,
Chester and York counties, South Carolina.
Few, if any of the Scotch Irish of the terrific
.ry embraced in these counties were paroled
as prisoners, and none of them took British
protection. Many of them left their homes
and sought refuge with kindred spirits in less
exposed regions. At different points the to-
ries had begun to collect as early as the latter
part of May. They were set of plundering
thieves, utterly unfit to add strength or give
dignity to any government; but fully compe-
tent to give great annoyance to all good citi-
zens.
On the oath of May, 1880, Captain John
Mcclure, with few of his Wing ueighbors,
attacked Houseman, a tory Captain, at Beck
hamville, Chester county, and routed him
and his band. Two days after, Captains
Bratton and Mcclure attacked-a similar band
at Mobley's Meeting House, on Little river,
Fairfield county. These bold attacks on the
tories aroused the British, and they determin-
ed to avenge the blood of their tory friends.
At this time Colonel Turnbull was in COM
mand of British post at Rocky Mount. To
chastise the patriots for past acts of daring,
and to keep them in awe in the future, COL
Turnbull sent out Captain Huyck with two
hundred British regulars, one hundred dra-
goons, one hundred mounted infantry and
about Eve hundred tories-in all near one
thousand men. Capt. Huyck's headquarters
was, for some time, in the neighborhood Of
what is now Alexander Willifords mill, on
Fishing creek, in Chester county.
Captain Christian Huyck was tory, q
lawyer, and by birth native of Philadelphia.
The most remarkable feature in his character
was that he was a most blasphemously pro.
fame swearer.
From this encampment on Fishing creek,
Huyck. sent out plundering Ind burning par
ties, daily, in all directions. In Huyck's,
command was man by the name of Fergu-
son, Colonel of the tory militia. Most of
the plundering was assigned to this officer.
The houses of the Wings, for miles all around,
we're plundered, and not few of the houses
of those who were regarded as prominent
Wings, were burned and Ferguson and bis
men went so far as even to shoot down, in
cold blood, uno6ending citizens. On Sabbath
morning, the 18th of June, Captain Huyck
sent party of men to Fishing Creek Church,
of which the Rev. John Simpson was pastor.
Huyck had two grudges against the Rev.
Simpson and his congregation. The one was
because Mr.. Simpson had been prominent in
planning the attack by Mcclure upon House
man at Beckhamville. For the encourage
ment he gave Captain John Mcclure, Huyck
and Ferguson determined that Mr.. Simpson
should be punished severely. The other
grudge that these officers had against the Rev.
Simpson and his congregation, was that they
were Presbyterians and continued to sing in
worship to God the same version Of the Psalms
used by the Scotch. So great was the hatred
of these men to the Scotch translation of the
Psalms, that they went through the country
and consigned to the flames every Bible which
contained the Scotch metrical version of the
Psalms. The object of the visit of the Brit
ish to Fishing Creek Church on the 18th Of
June was to burn church, pastor and people
all together. On arriving at the church they
found no one there. Either there was to be
no preaching there that day, or the congrega-
ton, for prudential reasons, had assembled at
some other point. The disappointment of the
plunderers was great, but they determined
not to be out.done. The house of the pastor
was but short distance from the church.
On they went to his house. He was not at
home; he had gone on Fridqy to join Sumter
at Clem's branch. So soon as Mrs. Simpson
saw them coming she took her four children,
and as we'll as she could, concealed herself
and her children in the orchard. The British
entered the house, first plundered it of every
thing they wanted, and took out the beds and
ripped them open, throwing away the feath-
ers and taking the ticks This done, the dwell
lag house and pastors study, we're set on fire
and away they went. On the same Sabbath
morning, they found pious young man by
the name of William Strong, quietly read
ing his Bible. Him Ferguson, either in per-
son or by his direction, shot. The mother
of Captain John Mcclure, a widow, lived in
the same community. Her house these tories
also burned. Sometime before this, perhaps