Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-09-13


haps the same, had his barn, stable and four
horses burned up. This latter was the work
of a private enemy. These two events are
often confounded.
Leaving James Simrils, the next deed
which the burning party executed, was the
scalping of John Forbes. Mr.. Forbes was
true Whig and lived at that time on Rocky
Allison, near where Spratt Wright now lives.
It seems that there were two Forbes broth.
ers both. living in the same locality. When
the Britidh and tories approached their dwell
ling, both ran in the direction OF Catawba
river. By some means, one of the brothers
made good his escape. 1t is said that on ar.
irving at Charlotte, be was wholly unable to
tell where or how he crossed the river. Un.
fortunately, the other brother was captured
after running only short distance, and be:
ing scalped, was left, as was supposed, dead
or diving. In this condition he lay uncon.
scious for several days. By accident, young
pirl By the name of Prudy Hall, in looking
for the cows passed by the spot and discover.
ed him. His head was awfully mangled and
alive with maggots. He was removed and
finally recovered, and lived to be an old man.
The bones, which were cut off his head, are
still preserved by his descendants.
The burning party were now within two
miles of the iron works. They had captured
a man by the name of Henderson, and forced
him to conduct them to the ford OF the creek
below the iron works.
Colonel Hill was in the army. His sons
were at home. The two oldest-Robert and
Andrew-had received some intimation that
the British and tories were coming. They
had prepared a small cannon, and having
mounted it upon stump, stood, with match
in hand, waiting until the party would come
in sight. The hill on which they had their
cannon mounted, overlooked the whole ada
cent country to the south-the direction in
which the boys supposed the party would
come. To their utter astonishment, before
they were aware of it, party of British came
upon them from the east Their cannon was
pointing in the wrong direction. Without
inflicting any injury upon the brave but out
peueraled bows, their cannon was taken from
Them and carried to the foot of the hill and
thrown into the creek. .
Here it lay for years. The din OF war had
died away and the country was enjoying peace
and prosperity. The little cannon was forgot
ten. One day Mr.. Garvin, the miller, was en-
gagged in fishing. His seine became entangled.
| In order to extricate it, he was Obliged TO
thrust his hand into the water. He found, to
his astonishment, that his seine had become en-
tangled on the end of piece of iron. Ihe
iron was raised to the surface of the water,
and. bebold. it was veritabe cannon. For
q number of years after its discovery, this lit
tie cannon was used by the boys in the neigh
borhood to shoot "big guns" on Christmas
and the fourth of July. Finally, by over
charging it, it was bursted. Fragments of it
are still to be seen. One piece is in the pos
session, or was, some time ago, OF Mr.. A. A.
Barron, Of Clay Hill.
The iron works we're burned and the British
and tories departed. Poor Henderson, who
had been forced to act as their guide, was
stripped of his clothes, tied to tree and
whipped. He was left tied. In this aot there
was something inhumanly cruel.
After the war, the iron works were rebuilt,
but did not prove remunerative. General
Hampton grandfather Of Gov. Hamp'
ton-rendered considerable pecuniary assist
ance to the parties but the debt kept In
creasing, and, finally, General Hampton took
the negroes belonging to the firm in payment
of his Claim. Some idea of the sum due Gen,
Hampton, can be formed from the fact that it
took near one hundred negroes to liquidate It,
The iron ore found in this region is said to
be in great abundance, and, for some pur'
poses Of very superior quality.
We omitted to mention, in its proper place!
that previous to the arrival of the British, all
the cannon balls had been hauled down to
the creek and thrown in. These balls have,
so far as we know, never been found.