Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-06-14
Misturp Ut 8. Garuliua,
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE ..
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
SIEGE OF NINETY-slx.

The village OF Cambridge was sltuated III
the south-ea corner of the present county Of
Abbeville. In direct line, it was about
twenty miles, nearly due east, from the site OF
Abbeville Court House ; six miles west of the
Saluda river, and about one.half mile north
of the line which divides the counties of Ab-
beviIle aud Edge6eld. A short time prior to
the Revolutionary war, the name, Cam
bridge" had been exchanged for that of Nine
ty-Six. Tradition has:preserved two reasons
for this change of name. The one is that
Cambridge was ninety.six miles distant from
Fort Prince George. The other, is that at
one time, after the Indian tribes had planned
q massacre of the frontier settlers, an Indian
girl mounted horse and rode, in one day
and part of night, ninety-six miles, to give
the white settlers warning of the impending
danger. The point at which she communica-
ted to the whites the contemplated outbreak
of the Indians, was Cambridge. From this
circumstance, says one tradition, the name
Cambridge was exchanged for that Of Ninety.
Six. ...... ...-vl
At an early period in the settlement of the
up-country, Cambridge, or Ninety-Six, be-
came place of Importance second to none
other in the State Of South Carolina. To pro-
tect thelfrontier settlers against the attacks of
the Indians, the place was fortified. From
time to time, as necessity demanded, these
Notifications were improved. .,.....,,i ...r
When the difficulties between the colonies
and the mother country began to assume
threatening aspect, Ninety-Six became the
scene Of bloody conflicts between Wings and
loyalists. The region around Ninety. Six was
the most populous, and, perhaps, it may be
said, the most wealthy section in the up.coun-
try previous to the Revolution. 1t had been
the abode of wild Indians, who made any
thing else than agreeable neighbors to the
Europeans residing in the interior of the
State. .-... ... .'.a ..
A special effort was made to induce white
settlers to take possession Of this region of
country. Grants of one and two hundred
acres of land, on terms the most favorable,
were made to any one who would occupy
them. The region Was represented as one Of
fabulous fertility. The result was that both
the ambitious and the needy we're attracted to
the new country. Population Of all kinds
flowed in from various quarters. Ruf6ans Of
the vilest sort and bands of lazy freebooters,
Aocked into the region The frequent out
breaks of the Indians gave these outlaws the
semblance of pretext for making attacks
upon the property of their industrious neigh.
bors. House breaking and horse and cattle
stealing became common occurrences. The
law was powerles,, and evory one went to bed
at night with the dread on his mind that be-
fore morning his property would be raided
upon by these desperadoes.
To meet the exigencies of the case, the more
respectable of the community organized them
selves for the purpose of mutual protection.
Without the ordinary forms of law, these Or
ganized bands proceeded to inAct summary
punishment upon all offenders who came into
their hands. That which was at first organ
lied with the design of promoting only the
public good, was soon abused. Individuals
undertook, under cloak of correcting pub
lie wrong, to punish private injuries. The
good of the whole was forgotten in Furnishing
individual wrongs. The result was, that
those who had no connection with the lawless
raiders who infested the region, were often
seized and punished to appease the hatred of
some private individual. Neighbors sooD be-
gan to cherish towards each other bitter ami
mosilies, and the whole country was thrown
into state of anarchy and confusion.
In 1866, Gov. Montague and the Council
sent man by the name of Scovil to adjust
the difficulties which existed between the set
tiers. Scovil proved to be all unprinciped
villain, and instead of establishing peace,
came very near bringing on civil war.
In 1859, a court of justice was established
at Ninety-Six. The seeds of hatred and strife
had. however, been sown broadcast and had
germinated, and were fourishing with q
growth too vigorous to be checked by the
forms of law. Regulator and Scovilite con-
tinued until ITS, when the former was ex.
changed for that of Whig, and the latter for
that of tory or loyalist.
For period of twenty years multitudes on
each side had been nursing their wrath. Each
party charged the other with the opprobrious
epithct of coward; but truth demands that
we say that neither deserved the title. They
were brave-in many instances cruelty So.
Every circumstance, both in the settlement of
the region and in the intercourse of the set
tiers with each other, conspired to make the
war in that community fierce. The main OBJ
iect the British had in garrisoning Ninety
Six, was to keep up their intercourse with the
Indians. The power of the savages had been
broken, but their fierce spirits had not been
subdued The British fed the flames of re-
yenee which still blazed in the bosoms of these
grossly wronged, but desperately cruel, sons
of the forest
The forti6cations of Ninety-Six we're erect
ed in the forks of two roads. One of these
roads led from Charleston, by the way of
Saxegotha, to Ninety-Six. The other road
led from Augusta; Georgia, to Ninety-Six.
short distance north of the forti6cation,
WAS the town. On the west Of the forti6ca-
ton was a small stream, by which the garri-
son was furnished with water. On the west
bank of this stream, on a slight eminence,
was stockade; and on the east bank of this
stream was the Jail, which was also fortified
and garrisoned. On the north east of the
v;,laoe WAS erected a star. shaped redoubt.