Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-04-01

for hardhood and courage" replied Shelby
Every man of them has had an experience
in Irdian warfare that prepares him for thf
! hardships Of soldier"
go" said Mcdowell, eve have four hun
dred and eighty. You have four hundred
Virginians; Campbell and my Whlg retu
gees, make about one hundred and sixty
more"
"And Ferguson has between eleven and
twelve hundred men, and only about one
hundred and fifty of them regulars. think
we may venture What say you to moving
Shelby?" said Campbell, excited with the
prospect Of action.
"l'm ready to start at the crack of day, ,
replied Shelby sententiously.
"rhen, we'll CO. What say you, Mellow
ell ?" said Sewer, hastily fearing his wiser
prudence would counsel delay.
Il would propose" replied Mcdowell, ito
hover in the enemy's neig ighborhood, than ad.
vance directly toward him. Their force is yet
too formidable; not so much in numbers or
disci pline,' said he, noticing Sewers quick
frown, "but we must remember they are ella
ted from recent victory, only 70 or 80 miles
from Cornwallis, and they are in position
to make their way in safety to the main ar
my, and we thus endanger ourselves by alarm
ing them, and injure our own interest. We
must also recollect that they are we'll provi-
ded with munitions of war they are flush
with hope and eager for new conquest. Gen
tlemen, it is we'll enough to encourage our
men by talking Of the certainty Of success,
the impossibility of defeat; but we who are
entrusted with their lives and fortunes, must
calmly contemplate every exigency OF the
case. The enemy swarms in all our strong.
holds. South Carolina is literally under Brit
ish, nay worse, under Tory rule. Corvallis
system Of imprisonment, confscation and
hanging, threatens to make his word true of
"subduing the whole country south of the
Delaware before winter" Look at the pit
liable condition of Clark, amidst the inhospit.
able wilderness Of the Allegheny, cucumber.
ed by troop of women and children, who,
having suffered from the cruelty Of the saw
age and the more ruthless fury Of the Tory,
prefer the rigors of the mountains, to their
own desecrated and ruined homes. And, if
it were not that Ferguson is so completely
absorbed in the pursuit Of our gallant COM
rade, what hope would there be for us !? Our
safety, as well as our success, lies in the con-
Gdence of the enemy, which leads him to neg
lcct the most ordinary precautions Of COM
mander. Then, comrades, let US not destroy,
by our imprudencc, this fanced security, and
so lose our last hope in Carolina, and leave
Clarke to the mercies Of the butcher, who
spares neither age nor SEX
"And you will still counsel delay % asked
Sewer, inwardly chatting at the prudence that
admitted no reply.
no." replied Mcdowell, 81 propose to
move at once, but slowly, till we can effect a
junction with Williams, who is still in his
encampment at Fair Forest, coaxing Fergu-
son south | believe Clarke's situation to
be critical and the sooner we strike the bet
ter; but we must choose the oppor:une mo-
mcnt'
''Io seize that, we must watch it. Gentle,
men, what say you to moving in the morn
ing p said Shelby, with military brevity.
"Agreed,' replied the officers and at once
dispensing through the camp, they gave no.
tice Of the decision to march.
Early in the morning of the following day,
the little army were in active preparation for
their march. There was no sound of noise
and revelry in that camp. Every mans soul
was filled with high purpose; every nerve
was strong with firm resolve. Buckling on
the wallets their wives and mothers had fill
ed slowing carefully away the bullets their
sisters and daughters had moulded; with
their we'll wiped rifles, glittering in the suns
morning rays; these noble patriots with the
lofty bearing and calm determination Of a
high,souled purpose, turned to bid farewell to
women, whose pallid cheeks and fearless eyes
spoke brave and answering heroism. Chill
dren caspel their fathers neck in fearful, but
silent wonder and awe at the sternness that
gave no answering caress, little knowing the
heaving, bursting heart that was chained in
that icy 6rmness. The mother, parting from
the boy who meant to give his life, if need
full, to the cause Of human charity, mutely
blessed her child and turned from him-per.
haps forever. The wife clung in silent an
guish to the arm that had never yet failed
its encouragement and support or rested
against the heart of the father Of her chill.
dren. Maidens sobbed aloud rs for the last
time they were cncircled in the arms of ia
theirs and brothers while lovers pressed each
others hands in silence and looked a last
farewell and thus they stood one little mo-
ment ere they part, many Of them forever. A
whisper goes round. Each group draws near
er, until, as a body, they stand together
"Let US pray" rises from the lips of the
man Of Coz, and every head is reverently un
covered, and every heart, with its full burden
| of e onn,,ic \ md ocoopI.
to the God who will surely hear the prayer o+
the oppressed and anguished spirit. And
prayer, solemn and earnest, for the protection
and guidance Of this little band and for the
support and security Of those who were now
to be sundered from their protectors, was ear
nestly offered A scene so touchingly sublime
has seldom, if ever, been Witnessed
This handful of devoted men, going out tt
battle, not in their own might but in the
strength of the God of their fathers; those
fathers who had willingly renounced all fol
the privilege of worshipping Him in freedom
and whose sons now stood battling for thei
second right, equality of man; and | firmly
believe that prayer was the weapon, that little
more than Il week from that day, reverberatec
i'll shouts of victory from Kings Mountain
bore the souls of dying heroes in triumph be
fore the great white throne; caused the hear
of Washington to leap with joy, as the mel
to whom he had entrusted the liberties o
America, when all else failed. sent up the shou
of victory and triumph. Truly y, "the noun
tain is the birth place, but never the grave o
Liberty"
CHAPTER VIII.