Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-05-17
Misturp nt s. Garulina.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY Rev. ROBERT LATHAM.
CAPTURE OF FORT BALFOUR.

BY Rev. ROBERT LATHAM.
CAPTURE OF FORT BALFOUR.
After the fall of Fort CRANKY, the Ameri-
can officers promptly continued the plan of
operation which had been previously adopted.
Marion was already before Georgetown, hav-
ing gone to that point Immediately on the
surrender of Fort Motto. Lord Rawdon had
returned to Eutaw, and was making arrange
ments to proceed to Monks Corner and estab-
lish, at that point, recruiting camp. Gen.
Marion and Sumter were ordered to remain
in the lower section of the State to watch the
of Lord Rawdon. Lieutenant
Colonel Lee was directed to advance at once
against Augusta whilst General Greene, with
the main body of the American army, was to
advance against Ninety-six. Such is a brief
outline of the position and plans of the Wings
after the capture of Fort CRANKY. "4t
In order that we may have correct no.
tion of the operations of the Wings, in future,
it will be necessary that we direct our atten'
ton to several moves which we're made, and
several important events which transpired
previous to the capture of Fort CRANKY.
For some cause, not now we'll understood, the
militia from Georgia, South Carolina, and
from the counties of Rowan and Mecklen-
burg, North Carolina, in the command Of
Colonel Andrew Pickens, were dissatisfied re-
specting the affair which took place at Wet
zell's Mill, in March previous to the battle Of
Guilford Court House. 1t so happened that
Governor Rutledge was, at that time, in Gen.
eral Greene's camp. To avoid difficulty,
and also to crafty these militia corps, they
we're detached, under the command Of Col.
Pickens, and sent back into South Carolina,
with instructions to operate in the Ninety-six
district.
When General Greene determined, while
in camp at Deep river, to pursue CORVALLIS
no longer, but to lead the American army
under his command into South Carolina, for
the purpose of wrestling, if possible, the State
out of the grasp of the enemy, he detached
Majors Samuel Hammond and James Jack.
son from the army, and sent them into the
regions of South Carolina and Georgia, bor-
dering on the Savannah.
Colonel Pickens, rewarded by Congress for
his bravery and skill at the battle of Cow.
pens, with Brigadier- Generals commission,
was instructed to invest Ninety Six, if he
thought it advisable. At all events, he was
to use his utmost exertion to prevent rein.
forcements from being sent from Ninety-Six
to Camden. Hammond and jackson having
disclosed Greene's plans to Pickens, were to
cross the Savannah and encourage the Wings
in Georgia to collect their forces and render
what assistance was in their power to General
Greene. Clarke, Mccall and Williams lis.
tened attentively to the plans of Gen. Greene,
and most heartily cooperated with Hammond
and Jackson in proceeding to put the propos'
ed plans into execution. Mccall died short
time after, of small pox, and Clarke, on &C.
count of the same disease, was for some time
from taking the field.
Previous to this period, active operations
on small scale, it is admitted-had been
in progress. About the time that General
Greene left Deep river, Colonel William Har-
din who, since the fall of Charleston, had
been operating in conjunction with General
Marion, set out with detachment of seventy
six men-the greater number Of whom were
inhabitants of the counties Of Beaufort and
Barnwell- the region of country lying be-
tween Savannah and Augusta. The main
object which Colonel Hardin had in view by
this move, was to check the ravages of the
tories and encourage the Whig inhabitants of
this section of the country. Col. Baker and
Major Cooper, with few Georgians who had
taken refuge in the camp of Marion, formed
an efficient portion of Hardin's command.
Leaving the swamps of Black river, Har-
din and his small, but patriotic band, set out
for the point of their destination. Before
them the tories fed in dismay. Their march
through the country was hailed with Joy by
the Wings. By trustworthy friends, they
we're correctly informed Of the operations Of
the tories and British. ........
The principal point to which their atten.
ton was first directed, was Pocotaligo, at that
time village of three hundred inhabitants,
situated in Beaufort county, on Pocotaligo
river, and about midway between the Sake
hatchie and Tuli6nny. Here, on the morn
ing of the 18th of April, 1716, the Yamassee
Indians, encouraged by the Spaniards, began
the first, and, in some respects, the most dread
full massacre the early settlers of South Caro-
lima experienced. Now, in April, 1881, Po-
cotaligo was garrisoned by rabble band Of
tories and British. A fort, bearing the name
Of Balfour, had been erected, and at the time
was commanded by Colonel Lechmere.
On their way to Fort Balfour, Colonel Har.
din and his little band crossed the Edisto at
Giveham's ferry. They we're informed that
3 body of tories, under Captain Barton, was
collected at Red Hill. This tory band was
giving the adjacent country no small amount
Of trouble by its plundering expeditions.
Colonel Hardin detached Major Cooper, of
Georgia, with few men, and sent him out to
break up the encampment at Red Hill, while
Hardin, and the main body, continued to ad-
vance in the direction of Pocotaligo. Cooper
came upon Barton and his tory gang as an
eagle descends, in its swoop, upon its unsus-
pecting prey. The result was that Cooper
and bis little detachment, with the loss of
single man, almost annihilated the tories.
Only few we're permitted to escape. The
greater part were either killed or cap