Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-11-23


o'clock, in the night, all the British forces had
crossed the river and encamped three y miles
from its bank. Here Tarletnn and bis forces
lay during the eighteenth, waiting to gain in
formation respecting the movements Of
Sumter. .>
!, During thelirs part of the night OF the
eighteenth, Tarletop received information that
Sumter was VA moving towards Williams. At
day break on the morning Of the nineteenth,
Tarleton and his forces set ont to got 10 the
K rear al. 'cf Sumter. Their course lay in the d.
rectiioun Of Indian creek, in Newberry county.
Sumter was retreating slowly, that bis two de-
tac,hmenta might be able to join him. Tarle.
ton did not know this. No doubt the design
Tarleton had in view, was to get between
Sumter and the mountains, and thus place him
between his own forces and the garrison at
Ninety.Six. Had be succeeded inthis design,
it Is difficult to see how Sumter could have
escaped calamity worse than that which had
befallen him at Fishing creek, a few months
before, ...,...
9 On the night Of the nineteenth, Tarleton
camped in the vicinity Of the Enoree, near
the mouth Of Duncans creek. Sumtes and
bis forces, With the exception of the detach-
ment sent under Colonels Taylor and Chan
dIer, were not far distant Williamson and
Hammond, with their detachment, had return"
ed and joined Sumter on the nineteenth.
Whilst Tarlston lay encamped near the
Enoree on the night Of the ninteenth, one Of
his soldiers deserted, and, entering sumter's
camp about midnight, communicated to the
Americans the fact that they we're, hotly pur.
sued by Tarleton. The British were conf
dent that they would surprise and cut off
Sumter and his whole corps during the next
day. -. 4,g....s
" The next morning Sumter set out leisure
" on his retreat before Tarleton, because OF
the continued absence of Taylor and Chan
dler. At dawn of day on the twentieth,
parleton pushed forward, and by ten o'clock
heslearned that Sumter was only a shost dig:
tance ahead Of him. On arriving at the
Enoree, be learned that Sumter had crossed
about two hours before: The American par
tisan had left q small detachment for the
purpose of assisting Taylor and Chandler,
should they come up. The advance guard Of
the British cavalry made charge upon the
detachment left by Sumter at the ford Of the
Euoree. In this skirmish the British were
partially successful. The Americans were
forced to retire and join the main force. ":'
When about half mile from Blackstock's
house, Sumter determined to halt and wait
for the detachment under Taylor and Chan
dler. During this halt, the horses were fed
and the men refreshed themselves. The halt
was only for few minutes. The retreat had
scarcely been resumed, when Taylor and
Chandler came up, and at the same moment
the American videttes fred into the advance
guard Of the British: Taylor and Chandler
had succeeded in capturing a considerable
quantity of -four, and other supplies, from
the enemy. These they we're 80 fortunate as
to secure from the scouting parties OF Tarle'
toms army. Sumter now saw that ne must
prepare for battle. This he was anxious to
avoid, but farther retreat, under the circum.
stances, was of doubtful propriety. The Tiger
was in his front, and Tarleton in his rear.
Weighing all the circumstances. be- deter
mined to risk an engagement, and in the event
heswas not successful, to cross the Tiger du.
ring the night and continue his retreat. No
time was to be lost. Tarleton, with one
hundred and ninety cavalry and eighty
mounted infantry, was in sight. The place
where Sumter's forces were was favorable to
the employment Of a partisan force.
It is in the extreme southeastern corner OF
Union county, on the south bank of the ~
ger river, about one mile from the line be-
tween the counties Of Union and Spartan
burg, and FIVE or six miles from the line be.
tween Laurens and Union counties. At that
time, man by the name Of Blackstocks lived
at the place. Hence the name of the ford on
the river, and the name Of the battle ground.
3 The two forces we're now in full view Of each
other. Tarleton had his men marshalled for
charge, and Sumter had his arranged for
retreat. With all possible speed, the Carroll
ns sGame Cock" set about to put his forces in
position to receive the charge Of the enemy.
In this important work, he was greatly sssis'
ted by Major James jackson, of Georgia.
In front of Blackstock's house, and be-
tween the two forces, ran small stream, q
branch of Tiger river. The course of this
branch was semicircle, the concavity being
towards the British. The banks of this small
stream were covered with thick underground.
North of this branch was hill, rising ab'
ruptly from the branch. On this hill was
Blackstock's house. A lane, made of logs
notched into each other, led up to the house.
Near the house was large log tobacco house
and a hog pen constructed of logs. The to.
bacco house, hog pen and dwelling house,
Sumter filed with troops. Men were also
stationed behind the lane fence. The OPEN
ings between the logs of the houses and fence
enabled Sumter's men to shoot the enemy as
they came up, whilst the logs protected them
from the balls of the British soldiers. One
wing of the American forces was secured by
the Tiger river, and the other was protected
by the tobacco barn. The road leading to
Blackstock's ford, on the Tiger, passed
through the centre of the American forces.
When Tarleton saw that Sumter was pre-
pared to give him battle, he ordered the de-
tachment of the sixty.third regiment and part