The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-12-16
The Scourge of the Carolinas.

TIC ScOUTbe vi tNc CufOllLuSs
In 1775, when in his twenty.secont
year, Tarleton was gazetted as cornet il
the Kings Dragon Guards. In 1776 III
obtained permission from the Colonel O
his regiment to volunteer for service il
North America, where "the insolent re
bcllion of Great Britain's ungratefu
children" as it was regarded in thi.
country, had just burst into fame. Hi:
first act, after landing in New York, was
to surprise and capture General Charlie:
Lee, who, being an englishman by birth
had, upon the outbreak of the American
rebellion, resigned his British commits.
sion and joined the cause of the insurgent
colonies. Gen. Lee was Looked upon
with singular antipathy by the officers OF
the army which lie had deserted, and in
I779 and 1850 Tarleton's health was the
mosl popular toast that it was possible to
propose at mess dinner in England, or
at any Of the public meetings held 10 cell
ebratc what was then regarded in this
country as the approaching collapse OF
the rebellion.
A century has passed since those days,
and it is necessary at present TOR an En-
glishman to visit the States of North and
South Carolina in order to appreciate
the terror sill awakened in those regions
by the name of Col. Tarleton. Fiction
has added to the daring, unscrupulous
deeds in which he was the principal ac-
tor, and We are acquainted with no vol.
ume which is more pregnant with ma
terials for a military romance than one
from the pen of Rev. DR.. Caruthers, en-
titled, "Interesting Revolutionary Incl
dents and Sketches of Character, chiefly
in the Old North State," which is the
local name for North Carolina. In this
and in other works of a like kind, Col.
Tarleton stands before us as he appeared
to the dwellers en- the frontiers of North
and South Carolina, through which he
carried fire and sword. "Tarleton," says
a contemporary writer, possessed form
that was a perfect model of manly
strength and vigor. He stood rather
above the middle height, and had a face
almost femininely beautiful. Without
q particle of surplus flesh, his rounded
limbs and full broad chest seemed
from iron, vet at the same time,
all the elasticity which usually
accompanies elegance of proportion"
We were admitted by the same writer to
the spectacle of combat between Tarle.
ton and a violent horse. which no one
else dared to mount. The untamable
brute was coal black stallion, magni6-
cent in shape and appearance, and with
IN eye that seemed to defy control. He
was led by two grooms to the front of
Tarleton's tent, and at a bound the Colonel
threw himself into the sadie without
touching the stirrup. For an instant the
animal seemed paralyzed with terror;
then, with a perfect yell of rage, he
bounded into the air like stricken deer.
The undaunted rider piled the scourge
and rowcl without mercy, until, with q
scream of pain, the tortured and
animal flew like an
arrow across the level ground in front
of the encamrment. 81 have witnessed
many stirring scenes" says the writer,
during the Revolution and since, but
never one half so exciting as the strife
between that savage man and savage
horse" The war in the Carolinas
was q conflict beween guerrllas rath-
er than between armies, and in it
Tarleton distinguished himself by raids
which he executed under cover of night.
The country, sparsely settled, was full of
"tories," rs they were then called, or 10y
alist who sympnthized with the English,
md of "rebe's," like Marion and Sumter,
WHO were a match for their enemies in the
field. Such were the distances over
which Tarleton and his little band of
picked horsemen travelled by night, that
no rebel ever lay down to rest without
dreading, lest he might hear the tramp of
horses and oaths of dragons before morn.
ing broke. A characteristic story of the
Coloncl's prowess is still told. In the
upper country of North Carolina, there
once lived rebel named Keitt, who aided
by few congenial spirits, had worsted
every party of English soldiers that ap-
preached islonely dwelling in the woods.
Taking half dozen well-mounted troop
ers with him, Tarleton resolved to su-
rprise the desperate, and after a ride OF
more than 100 miles he stood before the
door of log cabin just after midnight.
Keitt was at home and alone, and, in res.
ponse to loud command bidding him
Surrender in the kings name," he dis
charged his rifle through loophole, sore
ly wounding Tarleton's horse and narrow
ly missing the riders thigh. Before the
rebel could reload, Tarleton had sprang
through an open window and grappled
with his assailant. The struggle WAS
short, and Keitt, whom Tarleton respect
ed for his bravery, escaped the fate usually
meted out to rebels "a short, shrift and u
long halter-and was carried back pris-
oner to the English camp.
Stories OF such desperate acts of per.
sonal daring rs this preceded Colonel
Tarleton to England, and upon the close
of,he American war none Of the officers
who had worn the Kings uniform was
more popular among his countrymen at
home than the son of the Liverpool mer-
chant. He was admitted upon terms
ofthe closest intimacy to the little coterie
of the Prince of Wales friends, and was
sent TO Parliament by his native town as
its member. In the House ofCommons
he distinguished himself among the ranks
of the opposition, which never ceased to
wage an active and unscrupulous war
against the King and Mr.. Pitt.-London
Telegraph.
Nix. GARFIELD AND THE SOUTH
Conjecture and speculation are rife as TO
the probable character of Mr.. Gar6eld's
policy toward the South after he shall
have assumed the Executive helm. 1t