Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-01-24


when Williams fell. His horse had been
shot in the lower jaw and was bleeding at
fearful rate, and stamping as if in a nest of
yellow Jackets Colonel Williams dismount-
ed and rushed forward on foot. He had
gone but short distance when he was shot.
At the time, Colonel Ferguson was near by,
and our account says that Colonel Williams
rushed forward with the avowed object in
view of killing the British commander. He
declared that the battle would never end 80
long as Ferguson lived. No doubt, he drew
this conclusion from the fact that Colonel
Ferguson prevented his second officer in COM
mand from raising and keeping up white
flag. Col Ferguson and Colonel Williams
fell, both mortally wounded, about the same
time. The British we're soon surrounded.
Colonel Williams was carried into tent
a British tent we suppose-and after some
water had been sprinkled on his face, he
temporarily revived. but died the next morn.
ing, the 9th of October 1880. His two sons
Daniel and Joseph, were with him in the bat
tie. Daniel got his fathers pistols.
The latter end of these two sons of Colonel
Williams was so tragical that we cannot re.
frain from briefly narrating it at this point
In November. 1881, more than year after
the battle of Kings Mountain, rencounter
took place between Colonel Hays and Bloody
Bill Cunningham. In the neighborhood of
Little River church, in Laurens county, there
was erected block house. The place was
called Edgehill or Hays Station. Colonel
Hays was in command of this block house.
Daniel Williams was captain. The mill
tary force, proper, consisted of only about
twenty men, but number of old and feeble
men, together with the women and children
from the surrounding country, were in the
block house, having fed there for protection.
"Bloody Bilr' Cunningham, who had pre-
viously fled to Charleston, came secretly into
the neighborhood. His object was to vent
his rage and satiate his blood thirsty spirit
upon his former friends and neig ighbors. His
approach to Hays Station was not discovered
in time to put the small garrison in prepara-
ton for the attack, or to allow them time to
escape The block house was set on fire by
throwing on the roof pieces Of iron made hot
in blacksmith shop, which stood near by.
The garrison was forced to surrender. Their
willingness to surrender was made known by
hanging out white handkerchief, fastened to
the end of ram rod. The promise was
made that they would be treated as prisoners
of war. With this understanding, they threw
down their arms. Cunningham now ordered
some of his men to enter the inclosure and
select such persons as they might desire to be
spared. This selection being made, the bloody
work soon began. Colonel Hays and Captain
Daniel Williams were hanged at once upon
the pole of fodder stack The pole broke
before the two patriots were dead, and Bill
Cunningham hewed them in pieces. When
Joseph Williams saw his brother Daniel led
out to he put to death, he shrieked out, 20
brother Daniel what shall 1 tell mother?"
Bill Cunningham, with the heart of brute,
replied, "You shall tell her nothing, you
damned rebel suckling," and with that, butch
cred the boy with his sword. When Daniel
Williams saw that he would be put to death,
he threw his fathers pistols into the burning
block house, rather than they should fall into
the hands of Cunningham.
Colonel James Williams was an impetuous
man, but we have abundance of evidence to
prove that he was a pious man. As an evil
deuce of his rash impetuosity, we may men.
ton the following circumstance: On one oc-
casion, he and favorite negro, went into his
store house, to give it general cleaning up.
1t was after night, and the master held torch
whilst the negro did the work. In the house
there was large pile of fax. 1t was neces-.
sary that this fax be moved to another part
of the store-room. During the progress of
the work, large rat ran out of one pile of the
flax and into another No sooner had Col.
Williams seen the rat, than he exclaimed:
"Ill swinge you, you rascal" Without
moments reflection, the blazing pine torch
was plunged into the pile of dry fax. The
fax was soon in blaze, and in spite of every
effort, the house was burned down. The negro
cursed his master, loud and long, declaring
that be was the biggest fool he ever saw Col.
Williams made no reply, indicating by his ST.
lence, that the negro had judged correctly
concerning this act
We take it that Colonel Williams was
man of some means. He carried OH farm,
was engaged in merchandising, had a saw
mill and grist mill and, besides all this,
seems to have been extensively engaged in
stock raising.
Colonel James Williams was an Elder in
Little River Presbyterian Church. His let
ters to his family breathed Christian spirit.
| No one has ever dared to question his brave
ry. One who knew him we'll, said concern
ing him: 81 saw Colonel Williams fall and
a braver or better man never died upon
battle field" His skill as an officer was dis.
played at Musgrove's Mill, and his unsel6sh
nature is manifest from the fact that although
he had been made, by Governor Rutedge,
Brigadier General previous to the battle of
Kings Mountain, he never mentioned the
fact on that memorable day. He was bu-
ried-no one certainly knows where-on the
morning after the battle, to the gaining of
which he contributed so much. All that the
old historians say about his grave, is that it
is about two miles from Kings Mountain
hattla around and reliahle tradition is mute