The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1883-08-23

man when hunting Tories. He
suffered when hurried. Comm
suddenly on, Tory camp, one
night, he wanted to tell us to fire
quick. He said, "Fi-6-.f-f-
Shoot, darn YEP and We blazed
away in the dark"
"Why was this called Fort
Motte?" inquired.
"Bless your soulv' said the old
soldier with animation. "Don't
you know Becky Motto lived here?
Mighty plucky woman was Becky
Motto. A purity woman too; as
purity as pictur, though she was
well-nigh forty year old, and had
darter married to Gineral Pinck.
ney. She was q Charleston lady,
and this was her best country house,
Ia healthy place. The British
druv Becky and her little darters
out Of her house, dug big ditch
all around it, piled up high bank
of dirt around the edge of the ditch,
and so made a fort of it; a purity
strong fort agin muskets and rifles. It
was nice house, but not so fine as
Mr.. Loves which Becky built right
away after the war. I helped draw
timber to build it. ......
''The British drove Mrs. Motto
and her family out Of her house,
did they? Where did they go?"
/ asked.
"To her overseers on yonder
HILL" he replied. Becky was a
rich widder; lost her husband early
in the war, and lived here in the
summer. At that farmhouse she
showed raal grit that made us all
feel as if we could willingly die for
her; yes, die for her"
"How did she show grit?" 1
asked, as I seated myself on the
log by the side of the veteran.
"WelL you see," said the old
|patriot, as his voice waxed stronger
by the stimulus Of vivid recollec.
tions, .:they had her house, and FIVE
hundred red-coats were in and
around it. Leftenant-C ( Colonel Lee
Legion Harry, you know dash.
ing young trooper only twenty-five
year old, had joined US with his
light-horsemen, and we all pushed
forward, horse and foot, for this
place to drive off the Britishers.
That very mornin' some troopers
from Charleston come to the fort
with dispatches for Lord RaWdon
at Camden. They were about to
leave, when we appeared at Beckys
farmhouse. They were skeered
and didn't 60. Lee had a little
six.pounder, which he placed in
battery on the knoll yonder. The
red-coats had no artillery; and SO
we had 'em we reckoned."
"Who were Lees troopers?" I
asked.
"Mostly young Virginians, l
reckon, ready to 60 wherever his
country needed brave men. He
was handsome young man, with
large black eyes and brown hair.
The gay uniform of his men made
the homespun clothes of Marion's
brigade look meaner than ever.
But we had the grit as well as
they" ".'
"How did you take the fort with
only that little field piece?" in
quired.
"Lee dismounted his troopers,
led 'em into a narrow hollow up to
a shop way from the fort, and with
the help of some negroes, began to
dig toward it, and throw up breast.
works, while we took post at the
ield-piece to defend it intcase the
red-coats should come out and at.
tack US. They were ordered to
surrender. They said they wouldn't.
Just then we heard that Rawdon was
retreating from Camden, and had
sent troops to join the garrison at
Fort Motto. That very night their
camp fires were seen on a hill not
far away. The sight made US live
ly, I tell ye. Something must be
done quickly. To batter down
their works with our baby cannon.
or reach them by digging trenches,
would take too much time. But
Lee was up to anything.
"We must burn 'em out" he
said. ..
''The shingles on the house were
dry as tinder, for the sunshine was
hot on that day st the middle Of
May. i can send fire to 'em witt
arrows said Lee, 'and they'll blaze
in a minute But he didn't like tc
! do II Rockv Motto vas his friend