Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-01-11
sNisturp pf 8. Garulina.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
~ OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.


in Lincoln county, N. c., and General Nor:
gan on the east side of the Catawba, nearly
opposite the camp of the British chieftain.
On the evening after the battle of the Cow
pens, Morgan commenced his retreat, and on
the morning of the next day, at 8 o'clock,
Cornualli act ont in F,,ranit -EA-- .A., dapa
both armies toiled with all their energies.
The Americans struggled that they might
escape; and the British hastened the pursuit,
that the prisoners captured at the Cowpens
might be rescued and their captors captured
or cut to pieces. ... ..-..y, ...
It was the dead of winter. There we're few
roads, and the country through which the
armies passed was hilly-in some places
mountainous the weather very bad.
The consequence was that the progress Of
both armies was slow. The distance trav-
ersed by each was nearly equal. On the 2Sth
of January, Morgan crossed the Catawba at
Island Ford. Two hours after his rear-guard
had reached the eastern bank, the vanguard
of the British, under Brig. General OHara,
appeared in sight. Morgan and his men
were safe. The sun was setting. Dark and
ominous clouds covered the face of the sky.
The British General concluded to spend the
night on the western bank of the river, cross
early the next morning, rout the forces of
Morgan, and rescue Tarleton's men who had
been taken prisoners. During the night, the
rain fell in torrents, and by daylight the wa
ters of the Catawba had interposed an insur-
mountable barrier between the pursued and
the pursuer. Thus for forty.eight hours the
waters of the river continued to leap over
their banks, holding the anxious British Earl
completely in allegiance. The rains contin
ued to fall, and the British were thoroughly
drenched. They were forced to fall back
and kiDdle large fires in order to dry their
wet baggage and powder. The headquarters
of CORVALLIS was at the house of Jacob For
ney. The story of this man is too thrilling
to be omitted. ..... ....
Jacob Forney was descendant Of the
French Huguenots. His father, after the
revocation of the edict of Nantes. in 1856,
fed from his native country and settled in
Alsace on the Rhine. When his son Jacob
was about four years old, the elder Forney
died. At the age of fourteen, young Forney,
now an orphan, left Alsace and'went to. Am
sterdam. Here he heard glowing accounts
of the new world. The tale which he heard
of the sufferings of bis fathers fred his soul
with hatred for tyrants and love Of liber.
ty, both political and religious. In the first
ship bound for America, he took passage,
and in due time landed on the shores of the
new world and took up his temporary abode
in Pennsylvania. A few years afterwards. he
returned to Germany, in order to get posses
sion of a small legacy which had fallen to
him. His business arranged, young Forney
set out again for America. The vessel on
which he embarked had number of emf
grants from Berne in Switzerland. Amongst
these was a beautiful girl by the name Of
Maria Berger. Between Jacob Forney and
Maria Berger an acquaintance was formed.
This acquaintance was, in due time, matured
into love. On arriving in Pennsylvania they
were married, and in 1854 came to Lincoln
county, N. G.. ...@
Jacob Forney was, in his day, pillar in
his community. The Cherokee Indians fear
ed him, and bis neighborhood depended upon
him to defend them in every emergency.
So frequently had be been shot at by the In.
dians, and SO often had bis clothing been
pierced by bullets without his being wounded,
that his neighbors really believed that he
was bullet-proof. On one occasion, it was re-
ported that after coming out of q fight with
the Indians, he unbuttoned the bosom Of bis
coat and "near peck of bullets fell out"
When CORVALLIS was in pursuit Of Morgan
and found that be could not cross the Cataw-
ba, on account of its being swollen by the. re-
cent rains, be came back to Jacob Forneys.