Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-10-27

him and the Providence over him, and hgh'
his own battles with his own good lance
Let him feel that it is better to earn crust
than to inherit Golfers of gold This spirit
of self-nobility once learned, and every man
will discover within himself, under God, the
elements and capacities of wealth. He will
be rich, inestimably rich in selfresources
and can lift his face proudly to meet the no
blest among men.
AN AMERICAN SAMSON.
As late as the year 1885, there lived in
Western Virginia, man whose strength waa
so remarkable as to win him the title OF "Ihe
| Western Samson" He knew nothing of his
birth or parentage, but supposed he was born
in Portugal, whence he was stolen when d
child and carried to Ireland. His earlies!
recollections were those of his boyhood in
the latter country. While yet lad, he ap
prenticed himself to a sea.captain for seven
years in pay for a passage to this country
On his arrival, his time and service were sold
to a Mr.. Winston, of Virginia, in whose ser.
vice be remained until the breaking out OF
the revolution. Being Of an adventurous
turn of mind, he sought and obtained per"
mission of his master to join the army, and
was engaged in active service during the
whole contest. Such was his strength and
personal bravery that no enemy could resist
him. He welded a sword, the blade Of
which was FIVE feet in length, as though it
had been feather, and every one who came
in contact with him paid the forfeit of his
life. At Stony Point he was one of the
''forlorn hope" which was advanced to cut
away the abattis, and next to Major Gibson,
was the first man to enter the works. At
Brandywine and Monmouth he exhibited the
most fearless bravery and nothing but his
inability to write prevented his promotion
to commission. Transferred to the South,
he took part in most of the engagements in
that section, and toward the close Of the war
he was engaged in contest which exhibited
in more striking manner his selfconidence
and courage.
: One day, while accommodating, he stopped
at the house of man by the name Of W,
to refresh himself While he was at the ta'
BILE he was surprised by nine British troopers,
who rode up to the house and told him he was
their prisoner. Seeing that he was so greatly
outnumbered, be pretended to surrender and
the dragons seeing that he was apparently
peacefully inclined, after disarming him, al.
lowed him considerable freedom, while they
sat down to partake of the food which he had
left when disturbed. Wandering out in the
dooryard, he was accosted by the paymaster,
who demanded of him everything of value
about him, at the risk Of his life in the case
of refusal. 81 have nothing to give" said
Francisco, $50 use your pleasure" Give up
those massive silver buckles on your shoes"
said the dragoon "They we're the gift of
friend" replied Francisco /; "and give them to
you / never shall. Take them if you will.
You have the power; but will never give
them to any one"
Putting his sabre under his arm, the SOL
dier stopped down to take them. Francisco
seeing the opportunity was too good to be
lost, seized the sword, and drawing it with
force from under the arm of the soldier, dealt
him a severe blow across the skull. Although
severely wounded, yet brave man, the dra-
goon drew pistol and aimed at his antago'
mist, who was too quick for him, however; /;
and as he pulled the trigger, blow from
the sword nearly severed his wrist, and
placed him hors du combat The report of
the pistol drew the other dragons into the
yard, as we'll as W, who very ungener.
ously brought out musket which he handed
to one of the soldiers and told him to use it.
Mounting the only horse they could get, he
presented the muzzle at the breast of Fran.
cisco, and pulled the trigger. Fortunately
it missed fire. A short struggle ensued,
which ended in his disarming and wounding
the soldier. Tarleton's troop of four hum
dred men were now in sight, and the other
dragons we're about to attack him. Seeing
his case was desperate, he turned towards an
adjoining thicket, and, as if cheering on
party of men, cried out, "Come on my brave
boys nows your time. We will soon dis
patch these few, and then attack the main
bodyw
They did not wait to engage him, but feG
precipitately to the troop, panic.struck and
dismayed. Selling upon the traitorous vii
lian W, Francisco was about to dispatch
him but he begged and pleaded so hard for
his life, that he forgave him and told him
to secrete for him the eight horses which the
soldiers had left behind them. Perceiving
that Tarleton had dispatched two other dra-
goons in search of him, he made off into the
adjoining wood, and while they stopped at
the house, he, like an old fox, doubled upon
their rear and successfully evaded their Wig
ilance. The next day he went to W for
his horses, who demanded two of them for
his service and generous intentions. Finding
his situation dangerous, and surrounded by
enemies where he should have found friends,
Francisco was compelled to make the best
of it, and left with six horses-intending to
revenge himself upon W at a future time;
"but," as he said, "Proyidence ordained that
I should not be his executioner; for he broke
his neck by a fall from one of the very
horses"
Many other anecdotes are told Of Fran.
cisco, illustrative of his immense strength and
personal prowess At Camden, where Gates
was defeated, be retreated, and after running
along the road some distance he sat down to
rest himself He was accosted by British
dragoon, who presented pistol and demand
ed his immediate surrender. His gun being
empty, he feigned submission and said he
would surrender-at the same time remark
ing that his gun was of no further use to him
be presented it to the dragon. Observing
that the dragoon was thrown off his guard,
Francisco, quick as thought, ran him through
with the bayonet, and as he fell from the
horse, he mounted and continued his retreat.
Overtaking his commanding officer, Colonel
Mayo, of Powhattan, he gave up the animal,
for which act of generosity, the Colonel after.
wards presented him with thousand acres
of land in Kentucky.
The following annecdote, exemplifying his