The daily gazette., 1882-05-19
-NAEaNt.A
AN OLD SUSSEX BATTLE.
An Old Mans Story of a Fight in tn
Revolution that Never Found its Wa
Into History.

An Old Mans Story of a Fight in the
Revolution that Never Found its Way
Into History.
DR.. G. Ii. Richards of Georgetown,
| furnishes the following TO the GAZETTE
Driving In Broad Creek hundred not long
| since with one of our aged citizens, we
passed Askeetom Branch, which is about
three-quarters Of mile from the State road
leading from Georgetown to Laurel, south
ward, and nine miles from the latter place.
My ancient friend Immediately asked that
the horses be stopped He looked about
him with interest, and then told the follow
ing story:
FAT the time of the Revolutions" he
began, "my father lived in the lower part Of
the county. There were a great many
Tories in that section, and they were quite
bold in pr0claiming alliance to British in
terests. 1t was while the British fleet was
IN the Delaware and all eyes were directed
toward Lewis that force of 200 men, under
command of Bartholy Baynum, q noted
Tory leader whom they called General,
was reported to be somewhere between In
dian river and Deep creek, now Concord.
There was great alarm all through the
central portion Of the country among the
Wings, who assembled in full force at the
call of Major William Perry at the house Of
old Colonel Simon Kollock. My father was
then small boy and went with his mother
to sec the men start off. do not remember
the number of men, but there was a line of
horsemen In advance and at least 100 militia.
Before they started, Major Perry, so my
father told me and he had good memory,
made speech to the men, reminding them
of the great and glorious cause in which
they were engaged. He told them that
they might expect to have a fight, and in all
lob own Mt tn
killed. The major concluded his speech,
the word to move was given, and just as
they were starting one of the officers raised
himself in his saddle and called out, Come
on boys, the road TO heaven is as short out
there in the woods as anywhere
"They took the road leading to Concord,
and as soon as the advance crossed this
branch, on this very spot where we now are,
q man jumped from behind tree, gun In
hand He was ordered to surrender, aud drop
ped his gun, Jumping back behind the tree.
At this moment they were fired upon by the
Tories, who were in ambush in the branch.
Robert Young was wounded and his horse
killed. There was good deal of promlscu-
Gus firing. This was about sunset. They
soon fell back, and throwing out theiI
picl1ets, encampcd for the night. During
the night several of the Tories were cap
tured one was wounded and another had q
button shot from his vest. In the morning,
finding that the enemy had all dispersed
they marched back to Newbolds tavern and
put their prisoners in large stable built
of cedar logs. On this very spot my
father rehearsed this story to him
several times, as now tell you, and more
than once has my father repeated it to me
II has not been more than 20 years since q
lot of timber was cut from the branch and
numerous bullets were found in the sawed
lumber. Newbold's farm, the home oi
General Newbold, was about four miles from
Millsboro on the direct road to Laurel, anC
one of the oldest citizens Of the neighbor
hood now bears his name. The property
was some months since purchased by Mrs
B. w. CaTmean and neatly fixed up. 1t wal
once the property of Sussex county, pur
chased for almshousc purposes, exchanged
for property in Baltimore hundred, which
was finally exchanged for the present aims
house site near Georgetown, My in
formant tells, me that about this spot thert
was much interesting Revolutionary histor,
that has never been told. n g.-i ..-