Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-05-02
THE LAST OF sIMTER,s MEN.

(CopyYighted, 1888. By Funk & WdgnoHs]
It was q dreary day in January, 1S49,
when at three O'Clock in the afternoon I ar
rived at Mr.. Leslie's plantation, within two
miles of Kings Mountain battle-ground in
South Carolina. had travelled with
single horse and light, wagon the rough
road that skirted the foot of Kings Noun
tain. The heavens were shrouded with
clouds, and snow which had fallen during
the night and mingled with mud more gnan
fetlock deep had jaded my horse. ex-
plained TO Mr.. Leslie the object of my
tourney, expressed desire to visit the
battle-ground of Kings Mountain that
afternoon, and asked him to show me the
way. il being only two miles from MS
s.Your beast is tired" said Mr.. Leslie.
81 have two good saddle horses IN the
stable"
Thev were brought out, We rode to the
farmers field, among wooded graVei nils,
viewed the topography OF that strange
battle-ground, made two or three sketcnes,
and returned at twilight. The venerable
William McElwees, Mr.. Leslle's father-ln-
law, had just arrived. he was Stout
buiit man. of medium stature, with an un-
mistakabIe Scotch face, flowing white hair,
blue eyes, and, though eighty seven years
old, seemed about as vigorous in mind and
body as a hale man at sixty. He was the
last known survivor of General Sumter's
famous partisan band in the old War for
Independence. His "reminiscences formed
the theme of the evenings conversation.
ssWhen and where did you join SUMTER"
I inquired.
s'Just before Clinton took Charleston and
CORVALLIS began to overrun the State in
1850. South Carelinians were discouraged,
and hundreds took British protection.
Sumter would not yield, but retired into
North Carolina. followed him. There
he gathered little band of exiles and we
returned. Sumter called for recruits
Very few came until after we struck the
hot night in July. We killed the leader
and scattered his followers to the wind.
Huck was profane and profigate wretch.
He hated Presbyterians intensely, murder
ed one of them while on his way to a place
of worship on a Sunday with Bible in his
hand, and burned a minister house. When
we struck Huck he had about two hundred
mounted men. Our party numbered only
one hundred and thirty all told. Timid
men now took courage and joined SUMTER
standard. Governor Rutledge made him a
brigadier, and was commissioned Lieu
tenant"
you were engaged in some stirring
events afterward," said.
slndeed / was. We struck British and
Tory parties here and there so unexpected.
" and sharply that Cornw ills declared
Sumter was his greatest plague in the Car
olinas. Before the end of July our little
army numbered about six hundred and was
daily increasing. Sumter felt strong, and
he determined to attack British and Tory
force about two hundred and fifty strong,
at Rocky Mount, little west of the Cataw.
ba. They occupied log houses at the foot
of the slope, which wefe surrounded by
abatis, as the French call it--a row Of felled
trees laid brush. end forward. We had no
cannon, so we got to the top of the hill, fill
ed an old wagon with dry brush and straw,
fred it, and sent the kissing mass down the
slope against the houses. The British,
seeing their peril, hoisted white flag. AT
that moment shower of rain put out the
fire, and the little garrison defed us. We
could do nothing, so we withdrew, crossed
the Catawba and pushed on toward Hang
ing Rock"
'sWhat caused your defeat there?" ]
asked.
rum, STRIP said the old soldier emphati
cally. ''Rum, the deadliest enemy of man.
kind. You see, we had whipped the British
and Tories completely and sent them run.
ming like frightened deers, leaving their
camp and all behind. Their camp was
tempting, and our men, instead of pursu
ing, engaged in plundering. They drank
freely of the liquors found in the officers
quarters. Our force became disordered
and when the British rallied and returned
two-thirds of our men were too drunk tC
do duty. With about two hundred men
our brave leader charged upon the enemy,
but seeing reinforcement for them COM
ing, we retreated with some prisoners and
booty"
"You were hard pushed at Fishing
Creek" remarked.
'Indeed, we were-surprised-ba sur
prised.'
II thought Sumter was always wide
awake" / said.
$50 he was, but accidents will happen
in the best of families, you know. Sumter
had been sent by Gates to intercept a
British escort from Ninety-Six. We cap
tured more than forty wagons loaded with
clothing and stores, and were returning to
the Wateree when we heard of the defeat
of Gates near Camden. So we went up the
river about forty miles and halted for need
ed rest near the mouth of Fishing Creek.
We did not dream that an enemy was near.
At noon, on a hot August day, while our
arms were stacked, the horses were graz
ing, and more than half the men were
asleep under the trees, the fiery Tarleton
with his cavalry dashed among US, seized
our arms and horses, killed about one hun.
bred and fifty of our men, and made three
hundred prisoners. Sumter, who seemed
never to sleep, seeing his men slaughtered
and dispersed, sprang upon his big white
horse, and closely followed by myself aud q
drummer-boy with his drum, both on bay
mare, fled into North Carolina, nor stopped
until we reached Charlotte. We made
sorry figure when we rode into the village
Sumter was without a hat, l without {
coat, and the drummer-boy, sitting astride
behind me, had only shirt on, having jus
come out of the creek, where he had beer
bathing Our horses were without sad
dles.''
'FWhat them" i asked.
''Actionl Only Marion was then In ths
field with Wings in South Carolina Sum
ter went Immediately to the upper country
where few of his men who had escaped
joined him, and many volunteers hocked tC
his standard. We were then all mounted
and were soon Joined by other parties. We
had an opportunity presently to show Tar
Teton that Americans could strike heavy
blows as well as British. Late in Novem
Der he chased US. We had encamped al
Blackstocks, on the Tiger River, in Unior
District, where Tarleton overlook us with
part of his force. We fought desperate
ly, and at dusk we set Tareton and his
men running for lite and liberty, leaving
about two hundred of his men on the field
nearly one hundred of them dead"
81 have heard there were MANY brave
women in that region" observed.
"Brave! Why they helped the cause al
most as much as the men There we've
Grace and Rachel Martin, Mrs. Dillsnd,
Dicey Langston, and scores of others in
that lonely country left at home by the
men in arms, and they performed their part
in the contest nobly, l assure you. Grace
and Rachel were the young wives of two
sons of the Widow Martin of Ninety-six
District, who were in Greene's army.
These young women were with their moth
er-in.law. One evening they were inform.
ed that British courier, with two guards.
would pass that way with important dis,
patches for British post beyond. They
put on there husbands clothes, provided
themselves with arms, and lay in ambush
by the side of the wood. Late in the even