The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-01-03
LITERARY
FERGUSON'S AVENGERS.
A StOsy OF f~r. iAxn Bays.
! hts for the gallant Ferguson."

Tie tores ding five words had instituted
a rr.gn of terror in one of the loveliest
districts of the Palmetto State-a dis
trict entered by the CAtawba and Parcolct
rivers and their gentle tributaries.
In the month of September 1880,
CORVALLIS detached the notorious Col
Ferguson to the frontiers OF North caro-
lima, for the ostensibe purpose OF encour
aging the tories Of that region to take up
arGas for the king. Ferguson force con-
sisted in part Of the most profi4a,e and
abandoned characters Of the partisan
davs, and his marcel. was marked bv
atrocities of the most hooking desert ption.
The hardy men q: Carolinas, kentucky
and Virginia ros. against the marauders.
and, led by Boone and other backwoods
WORTHLESS. gave them u decisive defeat AT
kings Mountain, Ferguson was slain in
the n;.,.lc,and his fellow iorayers,number
ing about one thousand, were nearly ali
captured or killed
This conflict revived the hopes Of the
southern patriots, and forced CORVALLIS
to return to Charleston, discounted and
east down.
We shall have rest now" the patriots
said, after the battle Ferguson, the
dreaded, is dead. and the few tories who
escaped with their wretched lives are not
strong enough to do us harm"
Everywhere in the vicinity of the bat
tlefeld the Americans breathed frecr.
and the loyalists in whose interests Fer
guson had marched to his death. curbed
sher loyalty and in secrec .swore revenge.
But the settlements were soon to learn
that she victory of Kings Mountain had
nered the arm of the foe more terribly
than any which they had hitherto
known
The existence II the new terror was
discovered by boy one morning about a
fortnight after the battle. He found the
family of Archibald Mettson murdered
IN their own house, and to the corpses
had been pinned q paper bearing these
words
This for the gallant Ferguson"
sThis terrible atrocity aroused the coun-
try, and the excitement was quickly
heightened 10y the finding Of the body OF
another murdered patriot. On the cold
breast, which had been pierced with pis-
tol balls, WIS the pallid paper, and its
woris of terrible import, and the country
knew that terrible vengeance would be
taken for Kings Mountain.
During the week that followed the dis
rovvries have mentioned, the work o.
the avengers was terrible. They fell upon
patrsos houses at dead of night, and lief,
IN the bosoms Of their victims che .ivs
words which had already terroriHd the
country. Ii was in vain that the PATRIOTS
summoned their cunning and energy for
the capture of the band OF demons, which
As il Lad been discovered, numbered six
men. masked. and mounted on black
horses They came and went like ghosts,
bu, always lett behind the terrible SEN
tence which had made their existence
execranle. At times they fell upon their
hunters aud left them upon the roadside
marked with the sign of vengeance.
Fea- began To paralyxe the Carroll
mans. many abandoned their homes
for the sake of their families; and it i.
probable that the entire district would
have been depopula,ed in short time
had il not been tor the courage of one
vomsn.
Her name was Alice Beauchampe.
I. was dark night in the last week 81
Novem her. when the heroine of nv story
lief, the house OF y friend. Her own house
which nsd been deserted for seversi DAYS
was not far away. and she had determined
10 return 10 il for the purpose of securing
an article Of apparel left behind in bel
icceci eight.
Before she set out on her journey. shs
was warned of the dangers that environet
is. bot she smiled, and declared she die
not fear them. She could enter ths
horee through the kitchen in the rear
end the garment without light, and return
safety to her friends.
he path she had often traversed wa
barely discernihle; bet she m.de Goo<