Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-10-02
sf(istellaueuns &eading.

From the Doylestown, Pa, Democrat.
A NEGLECTED REVOLUTIONARY HERO.
BY GEORGE E. M'DONALEs.
A Greek dramatist, Menander, in one Of
his plays, puts into the mouth Ofa god these
words, which the god addresses to an old
man, Cratic: "When you die, you will have
second existence choose what creature
or man." Crato replies: "Make me any
thing rather than man, for he is the only
creature thatprospers by injustice"
Inasmuch as old Crato's saying is philo-
sophically correct, it often follows that man
suffers as we'll as prospers by injustice. This
thought was the result of the fact that,
while recent local historians, at our Bi-Cen-
tennial, at the Historical Society meetings,
and in histories and the local papers, have
evidenced great activity in bringing to light
the doings of our ancestors and publishing
accounts of the same, one man, occupying q
similar and probably higher, plane of Rev
olutionary fame than the distinguished fel.
low soldier, General Daniel Morgan, of
Durham township, has been neglected, and
scarcely ever alluded to by local annallsts.
This man is Major General Andrew Pick
ems The following sketch is hastily pre-
pared, and consequently imperfect but if
it shall suffice to draw to its subject the at
tention of local historians, the writer will
be amply rewarded.
The historian who chronicles the events
of his native land, the progress of his own
race or nation, and the genius of individ-
uals who seem to have controlled the ma
TONS destiny, delights to portray the bet
ter characteristics Of each and while he
may deineate with equal faithfulness the
capriciOus freaks of human imbecility, yet
his qualities are best displayed in the de-
scription Of what is illustrious and impress
sive. Macaulay, of all historians, has ap-
preached nearest to perfection. He tells us
in one of his beautiful essays what was his
ideal of history and historian. If we pc
peruse his "History of England" we shall
that he was faithful in his endeavors to
reach the ideal standard that his own vast
knowledge of humanity, and its dOings in
times past, suggested and it will also be-
come apparent, that his endeavors were as
successful as human imperfection would al
low of their being. His peculiarly power
full rhetoric and his wonderful power of de.
scription mark equally all his historical
writings but we are far more enchanted by
his pen-pictures of English deeds of hero
ism, of English craftsmanship, of English
thrift and prosperity and of English strug-
giles for the establishment and mainten-
ance of social and religious freedom, than
we are by his accounts of the crimes, disas-
ters and follies that well nigh prove Eng
lands destruction. If, then, in briefly
sietching the career of q man who played
such an important part in the American
Revolution, special prominence is given to
his better qualities and nobler actions, the
fault, if fault it be, it is hoped will be over
looked.
When Louis XIV issued his infamous Or
der revoking the Edict of Nantes, 100000
honest, industrious citizens fled from his
kingdom. Many of these refugees found
asylums in the domains Of the surrounding
rulers, who, it may be mentioned, were in
tensely jealous of Louis, and trembled at
his rapidly growing power. Many others
sought the shores of Great Britain. English
ships, sailing between London and the
French seaport towns, carried hundreds of
the fleeing emigrants and deposited them on
British soil. Among the last to leave France
in consequence Of this recurrence ofreligious
persecution was family by the name of
Pickens. They settled in Scotland; but
Great Britain, at that time, was not by any
means exempt from church prosecutions.
The dominant party watched, with a jealous
eye, the existence of a strange religious sect
in their midst and, far from rendering the
Huguenots any aid, they annoyed and eXas-
perated them whenever opportunity offered.
Hence we may conjecture the Pickens fami-
ly, in common with other "heretics," were
coolly received. Their treatment at the
hands Of the British, however, was never
forgotten the remembrance of their wrongs
was handed down from generation to gene
ration; the recollection of these wrongs Gre
ated in the breast of Andrew Pickens bit
ter hatred against his hereditary enemies.
From Scotland they went to the north or
Ireland. The exact dates of these removals,
of course, are unknown; but III the early
part of the eighteenth century, the father
of General Andrew Pickens emigrated to
Pennsylvania, and settled in Bucks county.
Andrew Pickens was born in Bucks coun-
ty on the 18th of September, 1879. Here
were spent the days of his childhood and
boyhoOd and although the scenes of the
deeds and actions that subsequently made
him famous, were laid in another portion of
our country, old Bucks should claim the
privilege of placing this bright star in her
constellation Of Revolutionary heroes. 1t
was here that he played his pranks of.pleas-
antry upon his fellow playmates it was
here, under the eyes of his kind and consis-
tent parents, he formed and cultivated that
transcendent character which all, who knew
him in after life, revered it was among the
then wild hills and hauntS OF Bucks that
grew and fostercd a strange love of adven-
ture and pioneer life which he cherished to
the last Before Andrew had attained the
age of manhood, the family removed to Au-
gusta county, Virginia, and shortly after
ward to Waxhaws, South Carolina.
The French and Indian war was a conflict
as peculiar as its history is interesting. 1t
was war characterized by heroic bravery,
subtle strategy and strange determination
on both sides. But few of the cOlonists in
this war imagined they were schooling
themselves for far more memorable con-
fiict; that in this war they were laying the
foundations Of military careers that, a few
years later, would be instrumental in the
acquisition Of their political independence.
General Pickens' military career began as Il
volunteer in this war. Those qualities,
which subsequently SO distinguished him,
soon developed and became recognized by
his comrades in arms. He served in the
successful expedition against the Cherokees
under Lieutenant-C Colonel Grant, in 17Gl.
From WaXhaws, shortly after the war, he
moved to what was then known as Long
pioneers life. From the quiet pursuits of
hunting and fishing and tillng the soil, he
was again early called to take up his
musket, this time to tigkt for his own and
his country's rights.
! Andrew PickenS was one Of the first to
enter Il determined protest against Britain
taxing her colonies without their consent.
He was a patriot in both principle and
practice Historians characterize him as
one of the most active soldiers in the army.
He was the peer and companion of Marion,
Sumter and Morgan, and brighter trio
J tLnn tbic illuniDn