The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-02-23
LYDIA MACKEY AND COLONEL
TARLETON.

TARLETON.
An Episode Of the Revolutionary war.
From Notes of an Autobiography
In 1881 South Carolinas was CON-
pletely overrun by the British. Lord
CORVALLIS held quiet possession Of
Charleston. had defeated Gates and
DeKalb at Camden, driven Marion to
the swamps of fedee, scattered the
forces of Sumter, and established his
headquarters in the Waxhaws, on the
borders of North Carolina, while Tarle-
ton had his on the Hanging Rock Creek,
about thirty miles north of Camden.
Davie alone was left with small force
on the west hank of the, Catawba,
making occasional sorties TO harass the
outppsts Of the British.
The Scotch-Irish and Huguenots Of
South Carolina were mostly Wings, or
rebels. The English colonists were d.
vided-the majority were Wings, but
there were q goodly number OF loyal
men among them who conscientiosisly
espoused the cause of the mother coun-
try. andswere called Tories. tssFxK
Lancaster County was one of the
strongholds of the Wings. The Nc
Elwins. Truesdales. Douglases, Cum
ninghams. Twitbys, McDonalds, Nc
Mullens, Mackeys and others of Scotch
Irish origin, occupied and held the
southern portion of Lancaster, and
Charles Mackey was their acknowl-
edged leader; while the Crawfords, Dun
laps, Jaeksons General jackson was
then sixteen years old, Whites, Mas
seys, Dobys,y Curetons, and others of
the same stock held the Waxhaws, in
the northern section of the county
The Wings had always made Lancas-
ter too hot for the Tories, and had
ruthlessly driven them out of the coun-
ty to seek companionship and sympa-
thy wherever they might find it. But
the advent of the British turned the
tide of war completely, and now the
Tories, with Tarleton's aid, drove the
Wings from Lancaster, some across
the Catawba to join Davie, and some to
the Pedee to join Marion.
Charles Mackey, as the leader Of his
band, had made himself very obnoxious
to the Tories and they impatiently
awaited time of vengeance.
He was q man of medium size, very
active and energetic, fine horseman, a
splendid shot, hot-headcd, impulsive,
often running unnecessary risks and
doing dare-devil deeds. \ No work was
too hakardous for him.
LYDIA Mackey bis wife, was woman
Of good common sense, with clear head
and fine Judgment, and in GOODNESS and
self-possession far superior to her inn
petuous husband. They had young
family of two or three children. and
Charles Mackey had not seen or heard
from them for several weeks. Their
home was not more than two and a
half miles from Tarleton's camp on the
Hanging Rock Creek. He knew very
well that it would be hazardous for him
to return to his home so near to Tarle-
tons headquarters, but his anxiety be-
came SO intense on account of his wife's
peculiar condition that he could no
longer remain in doubt about it, So he
cautiously made his way home, where
he unWiscly loitered for q week, and
during this time he had the temerity to
enter Tarleton's lines more than once
in search of information which would
be valuable to his country's defenders.
Charles Mackey's house was a double
log cabin, with cultivated patches Of
corn and potatoes on either side of
lane Leading to the front, while at the
rear was kitchengsrden of half
an acre or more, extending back
to large huckleberry swamp,
which was almost impenetrable to man
or beast. This swamp covered nm
area of ten or fifteen acres, and was
surrounded by a quagmire from ten to
thirty feet wide, thus making it prac-
tically an island. 1t was entered by
jumping from t1ssQck to tussock of
moss-covered cluS1pG Of mould b foot or
two in diameter, md rising six or eight.
inches above the pitch-black semi-jelly-
like mire. which shook in every direc-
ton in passing over it. A plank or
fence rail served as temporary draw
bridge, which was pulled into the swamp
after crossing over.
When the county was infested by To-
ries Charles Mackey spent his days in
the swamp, if not out scouting Al
night be ventured home. He had good
watch-dogs, and they gave the alarm
when any ono approached, whether by
night or day. If at night, he would
Immediately Int loose plank in the
floor Of his bedroom, drop through on
the grounds crawl out in the rear, then
run thirty sor forty yards across the
garden, gun in hand, and disappear
in the swamp, pulling his fence
rail draw-bridge after him. There was
no approach to the house in the rear,
and his retreat was always effected with
impunitv. A %#
Charles Mackey had been. - hoql4e.
now about week, and was ~ Che ~.
of leaving with some vaIuabls lfforizS-
ton for the rebel Generals, gained by
his night prowlings in and about the
headquarters Of Colonel Tarleton. But
early il june morning Gan hour or
two before day his usually faithful
watch-doas failed to give warning Of