The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-02-23
LYDIA MACKEY AND COLONEL
TARLETON.
An Episode of the Revolutionary War

An Episode of the Revolutionary War.
[From Notes of an Autobiography
In 1881 South Carolina was COM
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 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 Creek,
about thirty miles north of Camden.
Davie alone was left with small force
on the west bank of the Catawba,
making occasional sorties to harass the
outposts of the British.
The Scotch-Irish and Huguenots of
South Carolina were mostly Wings, or
rebels. The English colonists were di-
vided-the majority were Wings, but
there were a goodly number of loyal
men among them who conscientiously
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
Mullens, Mackeys and others of Scotch
Irish origin, occupied and held the
southern portion of Lancaster, and
edged leader; while the Crawfords, Dun
laps, Jacksons General Jackson was
then sixteen years oldO, Whites, Mas
seys, Dobys, 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,
splendid shot. hot-headed, impulsive,
often running unnecessary risks and
doing daredevil deeds. No work was
too hazardous for him.
Lydia Mackey, his wife, was woman
of good common sense, with clear head
and fine 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
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
20 return to his home so near to Tarle-
toms 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 unwisely loitered for 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
ldiC W utlt W1lllt db UIlG
rear was a kitchen-garden of half
an acre or more, extending back
to large huckleberry swamp,
which was almost impenetrable to man
or beast. This swamp covered an
area OF ten or fifteen acres, and was
surrounded by quagmire from ten to
thirty feet wide, thus making it prac-
tically an island. 1t was entered by
jumping from tussock to tussock of
moss-covered clumps of mould foot or
two in diameter, and 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 a temporary draw
bridge, which was pulled into the swamp
after crossing over. ~.. u.s.
When the county was infested by To-
ries Charles Mackey spent his days in
the swamp, if not out scouting. AT
night he venturcd home. He had good
watch-dogs, and they gave the alarm
when any one approached, whether by
night or day. If at night, he would
Immediately lift loose plank in the
floor of his-b bedroom, drop through on
the ground, crawl out in the rear, then
run thirty or 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 retreatwas always effected with
impunty.
Charles Mackey had been at home
now about q week, and was on the eve
OF leaving with some valuable informa-
ton for the rebel Generals, gained by