Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-10-11

Every good" said the Colonel. I'll
furnish you with four wagons. and a
guard of fifty mounted men. You will
start at sunrise in the morning, Lieu
tenant. Call at my quarters at mid
night, and you shall have the necessary
orders. Now, sir, you had better take
rest, as you will need it"
First let me offer him some re-
freshments," said the widow quick
". He is tired and hungry, I know,
and no guest must leave my house in
such state"
Return quickly. them said the
Colonel. / shall be miserable while
You are gone"
The young man offered his arm to
the lady, and they left the ballroom,
but instead of going to the dining
room, she led him straight to her cham
Der, and then, locking the door, said,
axiously:
For heavens sake, Charles, what is
the meaning Of this ?"
The young man did not answer ver-
bally, but catching her to his breast,
kissed her passionately, and, to be
frank, the young widow did not resist
him.
1t means" he said at last, in reply
to her repeated questions, " that we want
arms and have come for them"
What else they said matters not now
but before they separated, Mrs Garden
seemed very well satisfied with the
young mans explanation. They then
repaired to the supper-rOom, where the
Lieutenant found ample refreshments,
and the lady returned to the ballroom,
where Col. Watson was impatiently
awaiting her
At midnight the Lieutenant called at
headquarters, and, faithful to his prom
Use, Col. Watson was there. The neces-
sary orders for the delivery Of the arms
and ammunition aud wagons to Lieu,
tenant Thomas Wilson, of the - loyal
legion" we're made out, and the Col
onel also placed i'll the young mans
hand a sealed letter of instructions to
Mai. Gainey. The rest of the night was
spent in procuring the desired articles
| and at sunrise the next morning, Lieu
/ tenant Wilson, with his wagons and their
contents, escorted by guard of fifty
men, set out for the " High Hills of San
tee" where the Tory Majors headquar-
| tiers were located.
/ The wagons and their escort made
good time, and by sunset were forty
miles from Charleston. The sun was
scarce half an hour high when Lieut.
Wilson ordered a halt for the purpose
of camping for the night. The mounted
men fastened their horses to the trees
and removing their saddles, prepared tc
cook their evening meal the teams
were unhitched from the wagons, anc
1 the command busted themselves il
preparations for comfortable night
| Every one was busy, and no one no
ticed, that while these arrangement:
were in progress, Lieut.. Wilson hat
drawn off from the party and disap
peared in the woods that bordered the
road. Suddenly there was a crack
ling Ill the brushwood. which caused
the British troopers to spring to Their
| feet in alarm. As they did so, {
voice which sounded not unlike tina
of the young Lieutenant, shouted
loudly:
Surrender, or YOU are all deat
men -
Gen. Marion secured his prisoners
together with the arms, ammunition
wagons and horses, and set out, after /;
rest Of few hours, for Snow Island.
At the request of the bogus Lieut.
Wilson, he sent back one of the red
coats to Charleston with a note to Col
Watson, informing him of the trick tina
had been played on him by the youns
officer-who, so far from being Lieu
tenant in the Tory legion, was non,
other than the famous Charles Hamp
ton, Captain in Marion's Brigade, wht
planned and carried out the affair sue
cessfully -thanking the Colonel for thu
excellent weapons and other materials
he had sent him, and promising to dc
| good service with them.
The British commander was furious
when he read the note, and saw thu
hoax Of which he had been made tn,
victim He went in haste to Mrs. Gar
den, but the fair widow had sailed 70
England. He was compelled to swal
low his modification in silence, and ;
few years later, when the war was over
his chagrin was not a little increased
by the tidings which reached him tina
Mrs. Garden had married the youn.
officer who had tricked him out 0
his rifles