The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-25
"THE BLOODY" BATES.
Revolutionary Incidents Connected with
spartanburg County.
Spartanburg Spartan.

Spartanburg Spartan.
Never was sobriquet more Justly earned
than this scoundrel. assassin did tho one
attached to his name. He was known by
1t throughout the Revolutionary war,
and died with it ringing in his ears.
Born and brought up in the mountains of
the Carolinas, he sought to lead the In.
dians, at the commencement of the Revo.
lutionary war, on his old neighbors,
friends and kindred. He strove 10 sur
pass hi, savage followers in all their hor-
rioie atrocities on the Wings in the up
per parts of Spartanburg and Greenville.
Aiter committing many outrages on the
thiniy settled citizens of this region of
country, he came to the house Of Mr..
Siiiman, on Pacolette River. who had
been living there for o number of years
with his family: bs soon az Bates and
his Indians made their appearance, those
OF the family who were at home attempt
ed TO make their escape. They were i'm.
mediately fired on by the Indians, and q
son of Mr.. Sillman's then o young man
grown feiled to the ground. He was shot
through the body, and supposed for some
time TO be dead. But Bates discovered
whilst plundering the house that he was
aiiye, and he ordered one of his savage
band to dispatch him. AS tho Indian ap.
preached him, young Sillman raised bis
hands and implored for mercy; but the
savage was as insensible to mercy as he
was Ignorant ofthe language in which he
was addressed. Instead of mercy, he first
stamped his foot on the face of the white
man and drew his butcher. knife and
thrust IT In the breastand side of his vic.
finn Eill,pon
again left for dead.
with plunder, left the house.
Not long after tho departure of Bates.
Mrs. Sillman returned and found her son
still breathing. Terrified and alarmed
with the apprehension that tho sayagcs
would again come back, and moved by
that maternal love which il the strongest
and most deep-rooted affection OF the
human heart, she took up in her arms the
mangled body of her son, and made the
best of her way with it to the swamp.
not far distant. After washing the clot.
ted blood from his head, breast anu side.
she went in search of assistance and pro.
lection. Some Of tho neighbors who had
escaped the Indiana and Bates, returned
with her, and in her fright, confusion and
alarm, she was unable at first to lead
them to the place where she had con.
cealed her son. After some search. how.
ever. the spot WIS discovered. and the
young man found to be yet alive. He
received all the attention that his family
aud neighbors could bestow, and, won.
derfui TO say, recovered, and vas living
at the time of my visit to the battlefield of
the Cowpensl In after life he wore his
hair combed forward in such n manner
as to conceal the scalp.
After his outrages in Spartanburg
District, Bates divided his band of sava.
ges, and sent one portion of them to at
tack Mills Station in North Carolina.
whilst he led the others to Governs Fort
in Greenville. Those who were dis.
patched to the former place, found the
ste:iou wholly nnprepared for an attack.
The greater part Of the garrison was dis
pcrsed in the neighborhood, and the fort
fell en- easy capture in the hands of the
Indians. When they first made their
appearance, Mrs. Mills was sitting
with an infant in her arms sucking
at the breast. She was shot ct through
the interstices of the logs of the fort, aud
the ball passed through the head of her
babe and the breast ut which it wassuck-
ing. A more shocking and dreadful
sight cannot well be imagined.
The news of the capture and massacre
of this station was carried that evening
20 Captain john Earle, who immediately
raised his company and went in pursuit
of the Indians. They were tracked into
the mountains, when the savages, finding
themselves pursued, set the woods on fire
aud dispersed, which preciuded the pos.
sibility of further pursuit.
Bates and his party proceeded to Cow
en's Fort in Greenville, which, after q
short but vigorous defence, was surren-
dered on condition that the unfortunate
captives were to receive protection from
their savage assailants. But no sooner
was Bates in possession Of the fort, than
recreant to his word of honor and all the
feelings of humanity. he ordered gener-
al and indiscriminate massacre of all the
prisoners. A most shocking butchery
ensusd of men, women and children.
Neither age, sex nor even his own kin
dred were apared. But few made their
escape, and they in a horribly manglcd
condition. Mrs. Thompson, the wife
of Abner Thompson, Esq, made her
escape after being scalped, and was still
living in Greenyille in 1880, venerated
with her husband for their moral worth
and Revolutionary services.
Amongst those who were killed was the
Motley family, ali but one son, vino lived
to ayenge in signal manner the murder
of his relations. Some of the garrison
were not executed Immediately, but re-
served for more cruel death. Amongst
this number WINS young Motley. This
young man, after being made to witness
the murder of his father, mother, brothers
and sisters, was taken for the purpose of
being burnt to the stake. All the horrid
preparations for such q fate were in
readiness. He was stripped of his coat,
waistcoat and shirt, and one Indian was
unhitching his knee buckles for the pur-
pose of taking off his breeches, when he
discovered Bates. Motley and Bates had
been raised together, and an appeal was
made to their old acquaintance and for
mer friendship, but all in vain. Bates
was insensible to all feelings of friend
snip .;I1 humanity. IN lact, ne pus-
sessed all the vices of the savage without
any of his virtues. He was cowardly and
treacherous, as well as vindictive and re.
vengeful in liis purposes.
The reply of Bates to Molley's appeal
for protection was, "Damn you, / have
nothing to do with you p' AT that in-
atant Motley received o blow which
telled him to the ground, and as he arose
he determined to make an attempt to
escaped, hoping that he would be shot or
an ond put TO his life at once. AS he
broke to run he was shot in the thigh.
but notwithstanding this wound, he eff
fected his escape by means Of the bushes
and reeds growing on the creek close by.
He ron several miles and got In the