The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-01-18

"This is very good" he said glee-
fully. "Gainey is picking up recruits
by the hundreds. Wants 400 rifles,
fifty sabers, and some ammunition at
once. Will I send them? To besure
1 will. Have you wagons, Lieuten-
ant 2"
"No, SIR" replied the young man.
"Maj. Gainey was afraid to send
them down. There's no knowing
when or where one may meet that
Swamp Fox and his sneaking cut
throats.' -
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, Lieutenant. Call at my
quarters at midnight, and you shall
have the necessary orders. Now, sir,
you had better take rest, as you will
need it. ~ E y :
"First let me offer him some re-
freshments," said the widow, quickly.
"He is tired and hungry, l know, and
no guest must leave my house in such
a state" I SO. "a
"Return quickly, them" said the
Colonel. 81 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
chamber, and then, locking the door,
said anxiously:
"For heavens sake, Charles, what
is the meaning of this ?" @F
The young man did not answer
verbally, but, catching her to his
breast, kissed her passionately, and to
be frank, the young widow did not
resist him.
sit 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 re-
freshments, 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
promise, Col. Watson was there. The
necessary orders for the delivery OF
the arms and ammunition and wagons
to Lieut.. Thomas Wilson, of the "loya
LEGION" were made out, and the
Colonel also placed in the young mans
hand a sealed letter of instructions tt
Maj. Gainey. The rest of the night
was spent in procuring the desired
articles, and at sunrise the next morn
ing Lieut.. Wilson, with his wagon!
and their contents, escorted by guart
of fifty men, set out for the "Higl
Hills of Santee," where the Tor.
Majors headquarters were located.
The wagons and their escort mad'
good time, and by sunset were fort.
miles from Charleston. The sun wa
scarce half an hour high when Lieut.
Wilson ordered halt for the purpos,
of camping for the night. The mounted
men fastened their horses to the tree
and removing their saddles prepared
to cook their evening meal; the team
were unhitched from the wagons ant
the command busted themselves il
preparations for a comfortable night
Every one was busy, and no on,
noticed that while these arrangement
were in progress Lieut.. Wilson hat
drawn off from the party and disap
peared in the woods that b0rdered tn,
road. Suddenly there was a cracking
Neutrality-suspicious. J" sf,l rirbb 4vr.D.i TO
in alarm. AS they did so, a voice
which sounded not unlike that of thu
young Lieutenant, shouted loudly:
Surrender, or you are all deat
menu
\ Gen. Marion secured his prison
ers, together with the arms, ammuni.
ton, 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
redcoats to Charleston with note to
Col. Watson, informing him of the
trick that had been played on him by
the young otficer-who, so far from
being a lieutenant In the Tory legion,
was none other than the famous
Charles Hampton, Captain in Ma
rion's Brigade, who planned and car
ried out the affair SUCCESSFULLY
thanking the Colonel for the excellent
weapons and other materials he had
sent him, and promising to do good
service with them.
The British commander was furious
when he read the note, and saw the
hoax of which he had been made the
victim. He went in haste to Mrs.
Garden, but the fair widow had sailed
for England. He was compelled to
swallow his modification in silence.
and few years later, when the war
was over, his chagrin was not a little
increased by the tldings which reached
him that Mrs. Garden had married the
young officer who had tricked him out