The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-12-25
A MIDNIGHT BATTLE.
Moonslllners and Revenue men at War In
Georgia.
From the atlanta Constitution.

the Bark creek settlement, was the seen
of the most thrilling battle that hs
occurred in Georgia since Lee surre1
dered. For skirmi>h in times of peac
it stands une1celled in interest, aud til
results were as fatal as the recital mus
be exciting. For nearly twenty.fou
hours the excitement lasted, and tw
dead and several wounded was the sum
ming up when the tragedy was over.
The Bark Creek settlement is abou
twelve miles Northwest of Gainesville
Once bar,room was there and one o
two stores, but the bar>room exists n
longer. The Law ground for the Distric
is Bark Camp, and there the temple o
justice rears its humble walls. One o
the most noted citizens of this settemen
was Anderson Grant, giant in size ant
strength, and desperate and fearless IL
whatever he chose to do.
Grant owned an illicit distillery
which was hidden away in one of The
gulches of the Bark Camp District. Ir
the locality lived a young man, named
Prater, cousin of Alf Prater, the
mountain wonder" pedestrian, who, ir
last June, ran six hours in walking
match here without stopping. Alf Pra,
ter is a revenue scout. His cousin led
him through the bypatbs of the Bark
Camp country, and pointed out the illicit
distillery of Anderson Grant.
1t was arranged that there should be 8
raid on the distillery. The matter was
placed iu the hands of the officials here,
and as a result, on Tuesday morning
about ten o'clock the following party lefl
Gainesville, heading for Bark Camp:
Deputy Marshal J. B. CASTOR, Special
Revenue Agent LoAand, Deputy Collec>
tor M. Van Estes, Minor Estes, (son OF
NJ. Van Estes Alf Prater, the guide.
The party had a wagon drawn by two
mules and buggy drawn by white
horse owned by Deputy Marshal CASTOR.
It appears that SIS they rode out of
Gainesville they rode towards the Valley
of Death, for Prater, the informer, had
set trap for the entire party.
About one 'clock the party of officers
reached the neighborhood of the distil,
lery and turned from the little mountain
road into the woods few feet where the
teams were left in charge of Minor Es>
tes, boy of seventeen, but powerful
fellow for his years. The distillery was
about mile away through the woods
and the officers had nearly reched it
when they heard rapid firing of pistols
and guns in the direction of the wagon.
Deputy Collector Van Estes became very
much alarmed and exclaimed:
"They have murdered my son"
The party ran hurriedly back TO the
wagons and found that young Estes had
disappeared, and Deputy Marshal Gas,
toms horse had been cut out of the har>
ness and was gone. The breast yoke and
tho belly band were cut intwo and the
lines had been cut so as to leave enough
to be used in riding horse back. Guns
were being fred in several directions and
the officers became alarmed for their
own safety. Horns began to blow and
the noises usual when the moonsbiners
get alarmed were heard. One of the
mules was hurriedly unhitched from the
wagon and Alf Prater, the guide, mount,
ed the animal and dashed off down the
road with the intention of inquiring at
one of the farm houses if the boy had
been seen. He had not gone more than
two hundred and fifty yards when be was
fred upon from ambush. Pfater was
not hit but the mule was wounded. in
several places and fell under him.
Prater dashed back to camp and report
ed the facts and in a short time his mule
limped into camp and attested the truth
of what he had said. A full load of
shot was in the animals head and neck.
A carbine that had been left with young
Estes, was noticed to be gone. The
raiders then hitched up, tied the buggy
on behind the wagon and moved off and
proceeded to Bark camp, where they
were re>enforced by several citizens,
armed with guns. 1t was about night
when they reached the camp.
Prater was put on mule and sent to
Gainesville for help. In the meantime
the firing of guns and general uproar
continued. The raiders went into camp
in pine thicket and put out sentinels.
The watch was kept up until near mid>
night when Prater returned with the fol-
lowing re.enforcing party James Find
lev. Jesse Davis and John Martin.
Deputy Marshal Castor had, in the
meantime, gone to the residence of Jap
Carter, near by, and summoned him to
aid the officers.
It appears that when the moonshiners
attacked the wagons they were headed
by Anderson Grant, the owner of the
distillery. Grant took possession of the
horse, as the officers learned, and all the
afternoon and into the night rode him
very hard getting up the moonshiners OF
the country. The horse had been run
nearly to death, as was reported by par.
ties who saw him.
After help arrived a consultation was
held as to the best thing to do. 1t was
decided to let party remain at the camp
and another squad 60 out and make ar
effort to capture the stolen property
namely, the horse and the rifle. Jus,
before midnight the party was divided as
1OllOWS. 1O AZ eAO ssoN
take care of the teams: Revenue Agent
Lohand, Deputy Collector Estes, Thoma:
Robinson, Thomas Robinson's SOD, ane
a man whose name is unknown. Tht
party that went out to battle with tht
moonshiners was then as follows: Depu
ty Marshal CASTOR, James A. Findley
Jesse s. Davis, Jasper Carter, ALT. Pra'
ter, the guide, John Martin.
When Prater was shot at he saw th'
white hose in the possession of the mar
who had shot at him.
Clearly. it was desperate undertake
ing to make midnight attack upon th'
moonshiners.
All the men were armed as they start
ed down the road in the direction il
which the moonshiners were known t
be. The party had gone along the littl
road about half mile when they cam
upon body of the moonshiners. /
was decided to wait until the moonshi
ners came up and then srrest them
The moonshiners were firing pistols, ours
ing and swearing, and by the flashes 0
the pistols the white horse could be seen
After q few moments there was O suddel