The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-03-20
LYDIA MACKEY AND COLONEL
TARLETON.
An Episode of the Revolutionary War
From Notes of an AutobiographyI


An Episode of the Revolutionary War.
From Notes of an Autobiography.l
In 1881 South Carolina was com
pletely overrun by the British. Lord
Cornwallis held quiet possession of
Charleston, had defeated Gates and
DeKalb at Camden, driven Marion to
the swamps of Pedee, 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 Greek,
about thirty miles north of Camden.
Dayie alone was left with a small force
on the west bank of the Catawba,
making occasional sorties to harass the
outposts of the British.
The Seotch-Irish and Huguenots of
South Carolina were mostly Wings, or
rebels. The English colonists were di-
vided the majority were Wings, but
there were goodly number of loyal
men among them who eonscientiously
espoused the cause OF the mother coun-
try. and were called Tories.
Lancaster County was one of the
strongholds of the Wings. The Nc
Elwins, Truesdales, Douglases, Gun
ninghams. Twitbys, McDonalds, Nc
Mnllens, 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, Jacksons General jackson was
then sixteen years old), Whites, Mas
seys, Dobys, Curetons, ard 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 eompanionship 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, a fine horseman, a
splendid shot. hot headed, impulsiye,
often running unnecessary risks and
dong daredevil deeds. No work was
too hazardous for him.
Lydia Mackey, his wife, was woman
OF good common sense, with clear head
and flne Judgment, and in GOODNESS and
self-possession far superior to her i'm
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
nome 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
% 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 nc
longer remain in doubt about it. So be
cautiously made his way home, where
ne unwisely loitered for a week, and
curing this time he had the temerity tc
enter Tarleton's lines more than once
70 search of information which would
ne valuable to his country's defenders.
Cnafles Mackey's house was a double
log cabin, with cultivated patches oi
corn and potatoes on either side of 9
fane leading to the front, while at the
rear was kitchen-garden of hall
an acre or more, extending bach
large huckleberry swamp
winch was almost impenetrable to mar
on beast. This swamp covered al
area OF ten or fifteen acres, and was
surrounded by a quagmire from ten tc
sairtyT feet wide thus making it prac
ucaHy an island. 1t was entered by
jumping from tussock to tussock O.
anoss-coyered clumps of mould q foot Of
Two IN diameter, and rising six or eigh
,.ies inehes above the pitch-black semi Jelly
nKe mlre. which shook in every direc
tlon IN passing over it. A plank OF
senee rail served as a temporary draw
osldge which was pulled into the swamp
ailef crossing over.
hhen the county was infested by To
res Charles Mackey spent his days il
'ne swamp, If not out scouting. A
hght ne ventured home. He had gooC
Natch-dogs, and they gave the alarm
Nneh any one approached. whether b,
nlght or day. If at night, he woulC
.Inned ely lift loose plank In thl
.0oF of his bedroom. drop through or
snc ground, crawl out 10 the rear, thel
NV lAlFw er forty yards across thr