Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-06-29
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

BY Rev. ROBERT LATHAM.
BATTLE OF HANGING ROCK.
The upper counties of South Carolina are
classic ground. As time rolls on, the thrill
ing events which transpired in this region
during the Revolutionary struggle, gather
around them kind of enchantment. A Sar-
atoga and Yorktown may be more imposing,
and their memories may be more deeply cher
ished, because more generally known but
the fields upon which the greatest daring was
exhibited, and the most brilliant deeds &C
complished during the war for independence,
was in North and South Carolina. Brave
men, and no less brave women, entered into
the contest; not because they loved war, but
because they hated oppression and loved lib
erty, without which, they rightly thought,
there could be no peace. When the British
had completed their chain of military posts,
reaching from the Savannah river to the At
lantic Ocean, they thought their work was
DONE Nothing more, it was thought, remain.
ed for the troops of George the Third to do,
but the reorganization of the civil affairs Of
the State.
From the limpid waters of the Watauga
and Nollichucky, to the s~amps of Georgia.
brave and daring men we're assembling and
talking ever the state of affairs. By multi
tudes of those, who had been driven from
their homes by the invading foe to seek q
place of refuge in the fastnesses of the noun
tains, was uttered, in sullen mutterings and
with knit brows-"give me liberty or give me
DEATH"
Major William Richardson Davie, formed
a camp on the north side of Waxhaw creek.
To this brave North Carolinian, Colonel
Higgins, with the Mecklenburg militia; Col
onel Crawford, with some South Carolina
troops and thirty-6ve Catawba Indians, un.
der their chief, New River, repaired. Be-
tween the two Carolinas there was the kindest
feeling and the greatest concert Of action.
They had only one object in view, and that
was to establish the independence of the col.
onies.
In the Southern part of Lancaster county,
near the dividing line between Kershaw and
Lancaster, on the road leading from Lancas-
ter village to Camden, is most remarkable
rock. From its peculiar shape, it is called
changing Rock" and it gives its name to the
creek on the east bank of which it stands.
Hanging Rock is about twelve miles, in d.
rect line, east of Rocky Mount and about the
same distance, little east of south, from
Lancaster village, and between twenty and
twenty-five miles northwest from Camden.
In shape and substance, this rock, as well as
multitndes Of others in the same community,
is an object of wonder. Huge boulders are
piled on top of each other, presenting to the
beholder most fantastic appearance In
substance, these rocks are small, irregular,
hexagonal flint stones, mixed with brilliant
particles of matter, black and smooth. The
whole is cemented together, forming beauti-
full and wonderful conglomeration. The one
which bears the name Hanging Rock" is
twenty-five feet in diameter and near one hum
dred feet high. On the west side it is hollow
ed out, presenting an appearance not unlike
that of the rind of one quarter of an orange.
Near this remarkable rock-on the west
bank of Hanging Rock creek-Ma;or Car
den was placed in command of British gar
rison. Here, on the sixth Of August, 1880,
the patriots, under Sumter, gained victory
over the British forces. Before, however, we
undertake to give sketch of the battle of
Hanging Rock, let us 60 back for short
time and view the events which occurred in
the vicinity.
On the thirty-6rst of July, Sumter attack
ed the British post at Rocky Mount, and
failed because he had no cannon with which
to demolish the log houses into which the
British retreated. On the same day. Major
Davie made feint upon detachment of the
British post at Hanging Rock. The results
of this brilliant affair we gave in tie sketch
of Rocky Mount. 1t is, however, worthy of
a more minute description.
From the camp of Davie, on Waxhaw
creek, Sumter and Davie set out on the night
of the twenty ninth of July. Sumter's point of
destination was Rocky Mount; that of Davie,
Hanging Rock. The two commands march
ed together until they came to the forks of
the road, when the troops under Sumter took
the road leading to Landsford. About sun
rise, the forces crossed the Cstawba. Davie
led his force, consisting of about eighty men,
down the east side of the Catawba, and in
due time they arrived in the neighborhood
of Hanging Rock.
Whilst reconnoitering, he learned that
three companies of mounted infantry, be-
longing to Bryan's command, were at pri-
vate house in the immediate neighbcrhood.
These light infantry having been sent out on
a plundering expedition, were returning to
Major Gardens camp. For some reason
they had made halt at this private house.
Dayie at once determined to direct his atten-
tion to them, rather than to the main post.
The house was at the bend of lane, one end
of which led to woods and the other end to
the main camp of the British. The troops
were 80 disposed that portion of the cavalry
was between those at the house and Gardens
camp. Davie ordered the militia, who were
all dressed in citizens clothes, to enter the
lane from the woods and charge down upon
the detachment of the British. The sentinels
of the enemy mistook the Wing militia for
royalists, and suffered them to pass unchal-