Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-08-03

'76.
No man ever was more disappointed than
was CORVALLIS when he arrived at Charlotte.
Foes beset him in the town and in the coun-
try, by night and by day. His vedettes were
shot down, and it was only at the risk of bis
life that single individual could go ont Of
the British camp or enter it. Foraging par
ties had to be protected by large bodies Of
soldiers. The communication with Blair's
mill and Camden were almost cut off by indi-
viduals who lay concealed in the thickets,
ready to shoot down all who might pass be-
tween these points and Charlotte. The mills
of which CORVALLIS had taken possession, and
by which he expected to be supplied with
meal and -four for his army, had to be guard
ed with strong forces, and still they were not
safe from the attacks of the Wings. The
country afforded but scanty supply for the
army, and the British concluded that the re-
gion of country around Charlotte, which is
now regarded as one of the best agricultural
sections in America, was little better than q
wilderness.
Lieutenant Tsrleton says: "The plants-
tions in the neighborhood were small and
uncultivated; the roads narrow and crossed
in every direction and the whole face Of the
country covered with close and thick woods"
1t was true that at that time most of the plan
tations in the Scotch.Irish settlements were
small; but Scotch Irishman's religion for
bids laziness.
The reason that the British army could not
find an abundance Of supplies in the Scotch.
Irish settlement of Charlotte was not because
the farms were not we'll cultivated, but be-
cause it was dangerous to enter corn.crib
or wheat-house. At Col. Folks mill, two
miles from Charlotte, the British found twen-
ty-eight thousand pounds of -four and large
quantity of wheat; but they got possession of
it only after severe skirmish. Seven miles
from town, on the Beatties ford road, it was
ascertainad that large amount of grain and
forage might, be obtained. To secure these
supplies foraging party, protected by body
of armed men, was sent out. The point OF
destination was plantation owned by man
by the name ofSMcIntyre. As the British
advanced, they passed by a field in which 3
boy was blowing. He at once threw the har.
ness off bis horse, and mounting the animal,
proceeded by bye-paths to give the alarm to
the neighborhood that the plunderers were
coming. The women, children and servants
mounted horses and fed before the British.
The men left their work, and, arming them
selves, fled to the woods.
When the foraging party arrived at the
house of Mcintyre, the family had been gone
only few moments. Everything was left to
be disposed of as the British saw fit. The
wagons were driven up, and the work of load
ing them with what ever was thought useful
commenced. A party Of the soldiers COM
menced to kill the pigs and calves which we're
in the yard; others undertook to catch the
domestic fowls. Whilst chasing the chickens
through the yard, a soldier, by accident, over.
turned beehive which stood against the
garden fence. The bees, enraged by this
ruthless invasion of their rights, issued forth
in countless multitudes and stung the soldiers
of his Majesty. The commanding officer, at
the time, was standing in the door Of the
house, With one hand on each of the posts of
the doorway. He was pleased at seeing so
many good things, but when the soldiers be-
gan to run about dodging from the bees and
ylapping at them in all directions, he laughed
heartily at the sport. Just at this moment
twelve Wings, armed with rifles and pistols,
had crept up on the pluuderers and saw and
heard all that was going on. One Of the par
ty, no longer able to bear the outrage, level
ed his rifle on the Captain in the door. With
the keen crack of the gun, the merry Captain
tumbled, a lifeless corpse, into the yard.
Eleven other shots were fired by the conceal
ed Wings, and nine men and two horses were
stretched dead upon the ground.
The British cavalry began the pursuit, but
soon the Wings changed their position and
poured in another volley. Again they change
their position and Gre at intervals. The
British put their dogs on the trail of the
Wings, and one of these creatures came up
with Wing just after he had discharged his
rifle. The man drew his pistol and shot the
dog down. The other dogs came up, but
when they saw their companion lying dead
they set up an howl and returned to the wag-
ons. ..
The British by this time had become fright
ened, and suspecting an ambuscade, began to
retreat at once. The Wings hung around
them, shooting down the horses until the road
became blockaded with dead horses. No
doubt this circumstance was in Tarleton's
mind when he mentioned the narrowness of
the roads about Charlotte. ....
Such was the condition of CORVALLIS, whilst
at Charlotte, that he could neither receive
nor send messages from any point. Not only
go, but ne Gid not know what to believe as
true and what to regard as false. The Wings
were all around him, and he had scarcely
force enough to enable him to remain in
Charlotte in safety. His supplies were vast
ing away, and it was with great difficulty that
he received any thing from the surrounding
country. The country abounded with cows
mostly milch cows-but very few sheep. The
cows were poor and the British army killed