Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-01-06
dangerous undertaking, for Ferguson was en-

dangerous undertaking, for Ferguson was en-
camped, with his whole force, midway be-
tween Mcdowell and the tories. At sun set,
the party set out, and by taking right hand
road, passed Ferguson's camp in safety: The
tories were commanded by Col. Innis and
Major Frazer. Shelby, Williams and Clarke,
arrived at the tory camp just at daylight.
The attack was made, and although the tories
had been reinforced by six hundred regulars
under Innis, complete victory was gained.
mined to make an attack upon Ninety Six.
Just at this moment a courier arrived, bring
ing the sad news that General Gates had been
defeated on the 18th at Camden. They were
urged by Mcdowell to make nc. delay, lest
they should be captured by ferguson. They
had more than two hundred prisoners. The
men were tired, and so were their horses
The prisoners were divided out amongst the
men, giving every three men two prisoners
After they were completely out of the reach of
Ferguson, Shelby went home, leaving Clarke
and Williams in charge Of the prisoners
They were taken to Hillsborough, North Car
olina. Governor Rutledge, Of South Carroll
ma, who, at this time, was in Hillsborough,
seeing Williams in charge of so many priso-
ners and supposing that be was the principal
actor in the affair, Immediately gave him
Brigadier Generals commission as reward
for his brave and heroic exploit. ..:. a..
Mcdowell, so soon as he heard that Gates
was defeated, broke Up, his camp, at Smiths
Ford and set out for the mountains. His
command was scattered. Some of his men
went home, whilst others accompanied their
commander beyond the mountains. Ferguson
was left in full possession Of the field. The
Wings were .plundered Of their property and
driven from their homes. Many of them were
forced to hide outin unfrequented spots, whilst
not a few were caught and cruelty murdered.
The brave but cruel British officer pushed his
way as far as Gilbert Town, near the present
site of Rutherfordton, in North Carolina.
South Carolina was now under the paw of the
British lion. Some crouched and begged for
quarters but there we're few noble spirits
enough to save the country-who had sworn
for their country to live, and for her to die.
Ferguson was not ignorant Of this fact. He
knew the history Of those men who were be-
yond the mountains. He knew that their an
cestors, for more than two hundred years, had
been fighting for liberty, and he saw that the
wilds of America had strengthened the love
of liberty in their children. He knew that
they were Scctch-Irish and Huguenots, by
descent. He knew that they could be crushed
into the earth, that they could be torn limb
from limb, that they could be buried beneath
the earth but he feared their very dust.
He had his spies in the mountain country, and
from them he had learned what was going on
in the valleys of Nollichucky and Wstauga.
These spies often brought him the startling
news that their fellows were caught and
hanged, while others were tarred and suffered
to return to thei. champion leader. Fergu-
son ragged. He cursed the rebels for their
daring, and he cursed the tories and loyalists
for their want of courage.
Whilst Colonel Ferguson lay at Gilbert
Town, he paroled Samuel Phillips, patriot,
whom he held as prisoner, and sent him
with threatening message to the back noun
tain men. The purport Of this message was,
that if these patriots in Watauga and Nolli.
chucky did not lay down their arms and re-
turn to obedience to the King of England, he
would come over the mountain and hang the
whole Of them. This was not mere boast.
He contemplated doing what he said. Fer
guson was no idle boaster. No sooner had
Samuel Phillips delivered his message, than
the horrors of past generations loomed up
before the eyes of the patriots of Watauga
and Nollichucky. The blood of John Sewer
and Isaac Shelby was stirred. Sewer was
eloquent under the impulse of holy resent
ment, and the brow of Shelby was knit with
indignation and his whole countenance indi-
Gated stern defiance These noble men at
once concluded that they would thwart Fer
guson in his bloody purposes, and if there
Was any hanging. TO be done they would do it.
The plan for raising a sufficient number Of
men to accomplish their purpose was soon
devised. To Sewer was assigned the duty Of
communicating with Mcdowell and the other
officers who were then in voluntary exile be-
yond the mountains. Shelby assumed as his
part of the work the writing of letterto
Col. William Campbell, of Washington coun-
|ty, Virginia. The letter was written. The
threat of Ferguson was stated, and the plan
for his destruction revealed. In this letter
Campbell was earnestly requested to cooper
ate This letter was placed in the hands Of
Moses Shelby, brother Of Isaac, and duly
delivered. Col. Campbell declined to render
his assistance, stating that his intentions were
to assist in preventing CORVALLIS from reach:
ing Virginia. This message was returned by
Moses Shelby. Colonel Shelby Immediately
wrote another letter to Colonel Campbell, in
which he urged him, more strongly, to lend
his assistance. Although Campbell was as
firm and unyielding as the mountains, still
he was not blind to reason or deaf to the calls
of duty. He sent Shelby word that he would
come and bring his whole command. This
was more than was expected. The place Of
general rendesvouz was Sycamore Shoals on
the Watauga the time the twenty-ffth Of
September.
At the appointed time, the entire inhabi-
tants of the back mountain region assembled
at Sycamore Shoals, and Campbell, with his
Virginians, was there. Every body was in
earnest. There we're no gay uniforms; no
costly plumes no long trains ofbaggage wag-
ons no ambulances; no surgeon no chap
lain. Officers and men were clad in suits
mode by their wives, mothers and sisters, and
each man intended for the expedition was
armed with faithful Deckhard rifle.
All assembled but all dare not leave the
settlement The Cherokee Indians were on
the borders watching an opportunity to de-
scend with the torch and tomahawk upon the
neighborhood. On the morning of the 26th
of September, preparations were made for the
advance. TO victory or: to- death, was the