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

than this scoundrel assassin did the one
attached to his name. He was known by
it 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 to sur
pass his savage followers in all their hor-
rible atrocities on the Wings in the up
per parts of Spartanburg and Greenville.
After committing many outrages on the
thiuly settled citizens of this region of
country, he came to the house of a Mr..
Sillman, on Pacolette River, who had
been living there for number of years
with his family. AS soon as 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 a
son of Mr.. Sllman's then young man
grown feled to the ground. lie was shot
through the body, and supposed for some
time to be dead. But Bates discovered
whilst plundering the house that he was
alive, and he ordered one of his savage
band to dispatch him. AS the Indian ap-
preached him, young Sillman raised his
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
tim. Sillman swooned away, and was
again left for dead.
The Indians having loaded themselves
with plunder, left the house.
Not long after the departure of Bates,
Mrs. Sillman returned and found her son
still breathing. Terrified and alarmed
with the apprehension that the savages
would again come back, and moved by
that maternal love which is 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 and side,
she went in search of assistance and pro-
lection. Some of the neighbors who had
escaped the Indians 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 was discovered, and the
young man found to be yet alive. He
received all the attention that his family
and neghbors could bestow, and, won
derful to say, recovered, and was living
at the time Of my visit TO the battlefield of
the Cowpens! In after life he wore his
hair combed forward in such q 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 che others to Governs Fort
in Greenville. Those who were dis
patched to the former place, found the
station wholly unprepared for an attack.
The greater part of the garrison was dis
persed in the neighborhood, and the fort
fell an 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 at through
the interslices of the logs of the fort, and
the ball passed through the head of her
babe ard the breast at which it was suck
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
to 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
and dispersed, which precluded the pos
sibility of further pursuit.
Bates and his party proceeded to Cow
ems Fort in Greenville, which, after q
short but vigorous defence, was surren-
dercd on condition that the unfortunate
captives we're 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 indiscrminate massacre of all the
prisoners. A most shocking butchery
ensued of men, women and children.
Neither age, sex nor even his own kin
dred were spared. But few made their
escape, and they in horribly mangled
condition Mrs. Thompson, the wife
of Abner Thompson, Esq, made her
escape after being scalped, and was still
living in Greenyile in 1880, venerated
with her husband for their moral worth
| and Reyolutionarv services
Amongst those who were killed was the
Motley family, all but one son, who lived
to avenge 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 was 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 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 brceches, 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 inscnsble to all feelings of friend
ship and humanity. In fact, he pos
scssed all the vices of the savage without
any of his virtues. He was cowardly and
treacherous, as we'll as vindictive and re-
venge!ul in lis purposes.
The reply of Bates to Motley's appeal
for protection was, "Damn you, / have
nothing to do with you!" At that in
slant Motley received blow which
felled him to the ground, aud as he arose
he determined to make an attempt to
escaped, hoping that he would be shot or
an end put to his life at once. As he
broke to run he was shot in the thigh,
but Notwithstanding this wound, he ef-
fected his escape by means of the bushes
and reeds growing on the creek close by.
He ran several miles and got to the
house of tory whose wife protected