Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-10-12

our hills were but a portion of that martha
roll which was heard around the world. LID
erty held her abode only in the breast OF the
red freeman, as he trod the forest where ma.
ture reigned in her pristine glory and mingled
his song with the carols of the birds. All else
declared King The very Mountain today
rears it's crest as an immortal monument to
the mighty deed there wrought by earth's only
royalty declared in bitter, perpetual mockery
King But his divine right was denied by
the calm, determined hearts of a people who
dreamed to he free to tear themselves from
the power which made them more than sub
iects-subiectS in responsibilities and duties
without the protection Of their rights. Thell
home &C gCVernment was ineffective and injurious
to their material interests their commerce
destroyed by ruinous imposts, and taxes i'm
posed upon them without their consent. The
restless craving of these hearts to cast on the
chains held by the hand on the distant shore
of the great deep, seizing upon these and KIN
dred grievances rs the issue upon which their
political rights and individual liberties were
to be finally established by the great arhiter
between nations needed but a spark to pro-
duce those throes of revolution upon his con-
tinent, in which the altars and vestiges of
monarchy were to crumble and from their
dust arise the temple of Liberty.
The "forest-born Demosthenes of America
first sounded in Virginia the dauntless resls-
tance, which was echoed back by her sister
colonies. Soon the streets of Boston were
stained with the blood of her citizens; and
tBoston massacre became WatchWord, so
simple and full of fatal destiny which inflamed
their resisting zeal into resistance to the death.
War was in the near prospective, and soon De-
came inevitable. The rattle of musketry at
Lexington. April rs, was the call to arms OF
the undrilled peace-reared sons of toll. The
wheels of war began to move a new page OF
destiny is turned. Great England, Queen of
the Isles, has said My kingdom is founded III
the centuries; through the centuries it shall
endure America is mine; it's my arm that
sweeps the seas my power Shall never oe
shaken my dominion shall never be dethroned
Liberty has answered: am mightler than
the centuries these are my children, and they
shall be free Destiny has written: Let the
wheels of war roll on, and their Soundlngs
shall he heard down the ages!
Once more let the pages that chronicle the
mighty wavering strides of this struggle be
produced, that the Importance and bearing
of the battle of Kings Mountain may be real
lied and appreciated.
Defiance had been hidden to the sturdiest,
best disciplined soldiery of the world, whose
profession was arms; whose home the battle
field. Our country's hope was in men who
dared to fight to he free but they had not
learned to Obey-to march to the beat OF the
drum and the touch of elbow, and preserve the
unbroken column. There were no battle-scar-
red, powder-begrimed veterans; no soldiers.
There were no generals who had been schooled
in war and had learned to hurl the solid battal-
ions and ride the revelry OF battle. But they
knew how to answer their country's call 1or
soldiers they struck as best they could, and
struck at once One month after the sklrnl-
ish at Lexington. the British forts of Ticonde-
roga and Crown Point yielded to the sudden
and vigorous assaults of a small band OF the
patriots of Connecticut. The heights that
overlooked Boston soon bore witness that those
who had been the indicators of their coun-
try's rights and honor, ere yet the avalanches
of war had descended, qualed not when the
conflict was upon them. DauntleSSly they
met the calling fire of the enemy; like soldiers
they retired. No victory has crowned the
glory that hovered around the bulWarks 50
ValorouSly defended. No advantage has been
gained, save that the young nation has felt
that the defenders of its young life were not
afraid to die; and courage was added to hope.
Fast upon the heels of this reverse trOd the
wild footsteps of the tragic romance of the
war. A great idea was evolved from the
Nations councils. Canada, England's icy
stronghold, threatening to swoop, at any
moment, with England's might upon the
Northern Colonies; Canada must be enlisted
in the cause of the patriots, or disarmed.
Brave were the men commissioned for the
deed never did men more noby acquit them
selves. No march Of Moscow ever witnessed
more terrible suffering, more sublime endur-
ance, than this onward, determined advance
through the trackless wilderness, up the fierce
dashing streams, while the winters winds
howled around their shivering, famshed
frames. But the bright jewel bequeathed to his
country's coronet of glory by the heroic Wolfe,
upon the Plain of Abraham, has not been
dimmed by the martial halo that glitters
around the memory OF Montgomery ana Ills
comrades. Quebec still bears upon her ram
parts the Lion and Unicorn Canada is still
unconquered.
SO ended the first year of the war, and moth
ing had been accomplished by the arms of the
patriots. But the army was still around Bos-
ton, with Washington in command, slowly and
resolutely preparing to strike again for the de-
liyerance of the city from the twelve thousand
regulars entrenched in her streets and on
Bunker Hill, and from the men-of-War that
swept her harbor The time had come when
the blow must be struck. In early Spring, OF
a dark and stormy night, with the March wind
howling, the batteries woke midnight with
their roar. With the dawning of another
morn. the British beheld Dorchester Heights
frowning with bristling cannon, threatening
destruction to their fleet; and the next day,
without the firing of gun, the gentle west
wind waited over the blue sea all that was
British, and Boston was free And as the eX-
ultant strains of music rose from the rejoicing
army of patriots, Liberty sang her first song
of JOY, and shouted her first ptptln OF victory.
Three months later, our Palmetto Fort Moul-
trie gallantly resisted the fierce cannonade OF
another fleet A new star was placed in the
armament of hope a new name added to the
pages of history. Alas soon were rejoicings
huShed the shouts of victory faltered and
ceased the clouds gathered and darkened the
horizon of the future, and threw their shadow
upOn hopes that were Frightening. The tldmgs
that were borne upon the gales of the North
chilled the blood that was warming. The
British had stepped from their ships to renew
the struggle the war was scarce begun. On
the very day that fame was given to Fort
Moultre as it's own-June 2Sth, 111G-the
fleet that had been driven from Boston landed
on Long Island. Then commenced that dlsas-
trous campaign in which Washington, bending
his proud crest before the storms OF adverse
fortune, but never felled by them, doggedly
contesting every step, was forced to eyacuate
the city of New York, which thereafter re-
mained in possession of the enemy till the
close of the wal, and to retire towards Phila-
delphia for the protection of the government.
Driven back to the Hudson, back to Newark,
to New Brunswick, to Princeton, to Trenton,
the Delaware is crossed, and by its rolling
waters the British advance was checked. Ev'
erything seemed now against the patriots:
The large army, with which the campaign had