Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-04-04
THE PATRIOTIC WIDOW OF THE CON-
GAREE

: THE PAIRiOflC WIDOW OF THE Gun
GAREE.
copyrighted, 1888. By Funk & WagnaHsl
l was at Fort Motto station, near the
Congaree River, in South Carolina, not far
: from the junction of that stream with the
Wateree, on bright, frosty morning in
January, 1o49.
'Will you direct me to the Fort Motto
plantation ?'' l said to lad.
Pointing up gentle slope, lie said
son the top o. the hill is Mr.. Loves
house. which they call Fort Motto. 1t is
only short walk from here up that dirtroad
At the summit found very aged man,
with thin white hair and warmly clad, sit
ting upon log by the wayside. He was
resting his hands upon long staff, and
smiled pleasantly as l approached. After
a cordial greeting asked,
'sIs that Fort Motto ?" pointing toward
rather fine-looking house for the region
standing on the high rolling plain which
sloped to the swamps on every side.
''S) they call it," said the old man :;
'but it amt the fort we tuck from the
British more'n sixty year ago-burnt 'em
out, you may say"
"Were you one of its captors ?" l asked.
81 reckon I wuz," replied the old man,
sD'ye see that SCARF" pointing to his fore
arm, which heskad barred of its sleeve. ga
redcoat's bullet made it in scrimmage
afore the siege. I was Horry's leftenant.
Horny, you know, was Marion's right-hand
man when hunting Tories. He suffered
when hurried to say anything quick. Com
ing suddenly on Tory camp one night, he
wanted to tell us to fire quick. He said,
Fifi-fi-f-shoot, darn ye p and we bazed
away in the dark"
"Why was this called Fort Motto ?"
inquired.
s'Bless your soul p' said the old soldier,
with animation. "Don't you know Becky
Motte-Becky Brewton that was-lived
here Mighty plucky woman was Becky
Motto. A purity woman, too; as purity as
q picture, though she was well-nigh forty
year old, and had darter married to Gin
eral Pinckney. She was Charleston lady,
daughter of Britisher, and this was her
best country house-a mighty healthy
place on this hill The British druv Becky
out of her house, dug big ditch all
around it, piled up high bank o. dirt
round tho ditch, next the house, and SO
made fort of it-a purity strong fort agin
muskets and rifles. 1t was nice house,
but not so fine as Mr.. Loves, which Becky
built right away after the war. | helped
draw timber to build it."
"The British drove Mrs. Motto and her
family out of her house, did they? Where
did they go?" l asked.
"To her overseer's, on yon hill," he re-
piled. Cheeky was rich widder; lost her
husband early in the war, and lived here
in the summer. At that farm house she
showed raal grit, l tell ye grit that made
us all feel as if we would willingly die for
her-yes, die for her."
"How did she show grit ?' asked, as l
seated myself on the log beside the veteran
in the bright sunshine.
"Well, you see," said the old patriot, as
his voice waxed stronger by the stimulus of
vivid recollections, ''they had her house,
and five hundred redcoats were in and
around it. Leftenant- Colonel Lee-Legion
Harry, you know-you must have heard of
him-a dashing young trooper then of my
age-twenty-fve- joined us with his
lighthorsemen, and we all pushed forward,
horse and foot, for this place to drive off
the Britishers. That very mornin' some
troopers from Charleston came to the fort
with dispatches for Lord Rawdon at Cam
den. They were about to leave when we
appeared at Becky's farmhouse. They
wuz skeered and didn't go. Lee had
little six-pounder cannon which he placed
in battery on the knoll you see yonder,
speckled with the stumps of some trees
lately cut down. The redcoats had no ar
tillery, so we had'em, we reckoned."
"Who were Lees troopers ?'' | asked.
''Mostly young Virginians, I reckon,
ready to gQwhere he might lead and he
was ready to lead wherever his country
needed brave men. He was a handsome
young man, with large dark eyes and
brown hair. The gay uniform of his men
a6a rho af 10
brigade appear meaner than ever. But we
had the grit as well as they"
''How did you take the fort with only
that little field-pieee p inquired.
'.I'll tell ye. Lee dismounted his troop
ers, led 'em into a narrow hollow up to
short way from the fort, and with the help
of some niggers began to dig toward it,
and threw up breastwoIks whilst we took
post at the field-pie to defend it in case
the redcoats should come out and attack
US. They were ordered to surrender. They
said they wouldn't. Jist tken we heard
that Rawdou was retreating from Camden
and had sent troops to join the garrison at
Fort Motto. That very night their camp
fires were seen on a hill not far away. The
sight made US lively, tell you. Something
must be done quickly. To batter down
their works with cur baby cannon or reach
| them by digging trenches would take too
much time. But Leewas up to anything.
we must burn 'em out, he said.
"The shingles on the house wuz dry as
tinder, for the sunshine wuz hot on that
day, at the middle Of May. L can send
they'll blaze in minute But he didn't
like to do it. Becky Motto wuz his friend;
her son-in-law wuz his friend; but he
thought of his country first and his friends
afterward. When he mentioned it to
Becky, the plucky woman clapped her
hands, and said, Good good Do it if
you can. Burn the house if they won't
surrender Wasn't that real grit-real
patriotism?
'Lee sent another order for the redcoats
to surrender. They knew help was nigh
and they wouldn't do il. He asked
Marion, Have you man who can shoot
straight with bow and arrow % YES the
Gineral said Nathan Savage is as good
shot as any Indian
| ga bow and arrow were quickly made
and taken to Lees headquarters at the
ovelseer's house with Nathan. He tried
the bow and said, 1T amt strong enough
Here, darter,' said Becky to the youngest,
who married Colonel Alston, run and git
the Indian bow and arrows.' Turpentine
| bOlCuCo WOAO AooUOACu W bWO GuFt6 Vi
the arrows, when Nathe sent them like
blazin' stars straight to the roof. The
shingles smoked and we hurrahed. They
blazed, and we shouted The redcoats
ran up and began to knock off the burning
shingles. Shots from the six-pounder
raked the loft and sent the Britishers
scampering pell-mell below. Pretty soon
white flag was seen waving, and at noon
we had 'em the redcoats we're all our
prisoners. Wasn't we happy fellers2
didn't mind the bullet-hole in my arm a
bit, just then. Becky-plucky Becky
Motte-was as happy as any of us, though
her fine house wuz in ruins. She invited
the British officers, as well as ours, to her
farmhouse to lunch, and, perfect lady as
she was everywhere, she wuz as purlite to
her country's enemies as to it's friends.
"While we were at table," continued the
old soldier, "word came to cur Gineral that
some of his men wuz amusing themselves
by hanging Tories. Marion hurried out
and with his drawn sword ran to the spot
in time to save the life of one of 'em. 1t
was Tom Cunningham, one of the worst,
who died at Kingston last year. The Gin
eral threatened to kill any man who should