Middletown transcript., 1876-05-20
Selett STORY.
FERGUsON'S AVENGERS.
A STORY OF PARTISAN DAYS.

HJS IOT tue gdlidut EcTRuSOu
The foregoing FIVE words had insti-
tuted reign of terror in one Of the
loveliest districts of the Palmetto State
"a district watered by the Catawba
and Pacolet rivers and their gentle
tributaries -
In the month Of September, 1880,
CORVALLIS detached the notorious Col
Ferguson to the frontiers Of North
Carolina, for the ostensible purpose Of
encouraging the tories Of that region 10
take up arms for the king. Ferguson's
force consisted in part Of the most
proAigate and abandoned characters of
the partisan days, and bis march was
marked by atrocities Of the most shock
ing description. The hardy men of the
Carolinas, Kentucky, and Virginia.
rose against the marauders. and. led by
Boone and other backwoods worthless,
gave them a decisive defeat at Kings
Mountain. Ferguson was slain in the
battle, and his fellow foragers, num-
bering about one thousand, were nearly
all captured or killed.
This conflict revived the hopes of
Southern patriots, and forced Corn
wallis to return to Charleston discom-
fitted and cast down.
1--WE shall have rest now," the pa
triots said, after the battle. Ferguson.
the dreaded, is dead. and the few tories
who escaped with their wretched lives
are not strong enough to do us harm. |"
Everywhere in the vicinity of the
battlefield the Americans breathed
freer, and the loyslists in whose In
terests Ferguson had marched to his
death. curbed their loyalty, and in
secresy swore revenge.
But the settlements were soon to
learn that the victory of Kings Noun
tain had nerved the arm of foe more
terrible than any which they had hith-
erto known.
The existence of the new terror was
discovered by boy one morning about
fortnight after the battle. He found
the family Of Archibald Mettson mur-
dered in their own house, and to the
corpses had been pinned paper bear
ing these words:
''This for the gallant Ferguson y
This terrible atrocity aroused the
country, and the excitement was quickly
heightened by the finding Of the body Of
another murdered patriot. On the cold
breast, which had been pierced by
pistol balls, was the paid paper and its
words Of terrible import, and the coun-
try knew that fearful vengeance would
be taken for Kings mountain.
During the week that followed the
discoveries I have mentioned, the work
Of the Avengers was terrible. They
fell upon patriot houses at the dead Of
night, and left on the bosom of their
victim the Eve words which had already
terrorized the country. 1t was in vain
that the patriots summoned their cum
ming and energy for the capture of the
band of demons, which. as it had beer
discovered, numbered six men, masked
and mounted on black borses They
came and went like ghosts, but always
left behind the terrible sentence which
had made their existence sxecrable. Al
times they fell upon their hunters. and
left them by the roadside marked with
the sign of vengeance.
Fear began to paralyze the Caro-
linians; many abandoned their homes
for the sake Of their families; and it i
probable that The entire district woult
have been depopulated in short time
had it not been for the courage Of on
woman.
i Her name was Alice Beauchampe.
/ 1t was a dark night in the last weel
of November. whep the heroine Of N!
story left the house Of friend. He
own house, which bad been deserted
for several days. was not far away, ant
she had determined to return to it 70
the purpose Of securing an article 0