New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-08-27
Historical "reminiscences.
littleton Esbe1's Race.
OR, LIQUOR THE WORST ENEMY

One morning in the spring OF tilt
year 1887, as the sun was climbing
the eastern horizon, and shedding
the light Of its countenance upon al
elevated ridge Of land in the state Of
South Carolina, which divided
Great and Little Rocky creeks, {
party of several men were pursuing
their way along the road which lee
over the ridge and down into thu
valley below.
They were all mounted, and from
their arms and accoutrements, one
might be led to suppose they were
bent on some warlike expedition, as
every man of them bore rifle, ano
some carried tomahawks and knives
in their belts. Their actions, how,
ever, indicated different intent, as
they were carelessly sauntering a.
long without any apparent fear of,
or regard for danger, or anything
else except the contents of a canteen,
which their leader bore slung on his
shoulder. This, at intervals, he
passed from one to another of the
party, and in the interim, amused
himself and his companions by sing,
ing vociterously snatches IF love and
martial songs, and occasionally
winding a blast upon small horn
which he carried.
Proceeding in this manner, they
reached the brow of the hill, when
casting his eyes down into the valley,
Littleton Esbel-for that was the
name of the leader OF the Americans
discovered a troop of British dra,
goons, who, attracted by the sound
of the horn, were charging at full
speed up the road toward the spot
where they stood. With a presence
or mind which chan acterized him I'M
der all circumstances, Esbel turned
to his comrades and shouted in
thunder tones, 'Halt!' and pro.
ceeded to deploy by word of COM
mand, large body of troops, at the
same time, in an under tone direct
ing his friends to make themselves
scarce, which they lost no time in
doing.
The dragons, hearing the COM
mands given, and fearing that they
might be in the presence Of a large
party of the rebels, came a to halt,
and prepared to receive the expected
charge. Meanwhile Esbel, who had
been darting first to one side Of the
road and then to the other with
great activity, now struck into the
woods on the left and disappeared
for time from sight. In a few
moments, however, they heard his
horn in their rear, and discovered
that taking a circuitous route around
their right flank, he had struck the
road about two hundred yards in
that direction, and was now making
the most contemptuous gestures of
defiance at them. Perceiving at
once. the trick which had been played
upon them by the willy rebel, they
wheeled and started in pursuit. This
was just what Esbel desired; he
knew that the animal he rode was
the feetest in all Carolina, having
won for his owner many a gallon Of
whiskey, and having been selected
by him for his speed with view to
some such contingency as the pres
ent; he knew every inch of the
ground as we'll as he knew his own
name, and with reckless daring he
determined to have some sport with
the Dragons. With consummate
impudcnce, he awaited their coming
until they were within a hundred
yards of him, when, giving "Butter.
fly the spur and the word, he start
ed, pursued at full speed by the
whole troop of red-coats. This was
fun to Esbel, and he enjoyed it the
utmost; cheering, shouting and civ.
ing the Indian war whoop, occasion.
ally turning toward his purs uers and
making defiant gestures to excite
and irritate them, which they re-
turned by firing their pistols at him.
He took good care to keep out of
range, however, preserving a distance
of about one hundred and fifty yards
between him and his pursuers, and
in this way they had passed over a
mile or two of the road, and were
approaching the ruins of log
church, burnt the summer previous
by the British. Now Littleton's
history exhibited many incidents
which indicated the possession of
but slight conscientious feelings,
and he was seldom actuated by re-
ligious sentiments, yet as he passed
the heap of charred logs which
marked the spot where had stood
the humble ediice, he could not help
recalling to mind the last sermon
which he had heard preached Their
elm; and the words of the minister,
the race is not always to the swift,
nor the battle to the strong,'' struck
him as being peculiarly applicable to
his present position. This thought
troubled him exceedingly as he pur-
sued his headlong career, and he
concluded to end the race and place
the creek between him and his enc.
my: The thought that his canteen
had well nigh been the means of
placing him in their power also had
its effect upon his mind, and he
vowed never to touch liquor again
should he now escape from his pur-
suers. Turning from the road soon
after passing the church, he took his
way along a bride path which led
in to the house Of Widow Ander-
son, and thence down to and across
Rocky Creek. The widow heard
tha SOnn1 If HE horse, q hooH, IL