Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-01-27
been monotonous silence for some time.

raiders, and he can get good rest under his
own roof"
AS the last words were uttered, the dogs
began to bark, and they started off in run
down the path that led to the spring.
CHATS him. That's him!i" spoke all in
! chorus.
'Hang out the signal" spoke the mother
| for it was the custom in those days to give
warning signals which had meanings under
stood by the ''layers out"
| The girls dropped their work, and the
mother at once busted herself heating up the
meal that had been saved in expectation of
| his coming.
In moment more the tall form of Lem
| Clinton stopped as he entered his own door,
and holding in one land the long double
barreled gun which he carried, with the other
he gave each hug in turn, and we leave
them here to visit the camp of the soldiers at
| Wedowee, and see what is being done there.
81 want twenty volunteers to follow me
| tonight said fine cavalry lieutenant, as
| he buckled on his sword and walked among
| the men.
81 am going to raid the ford this night"
| continued the lieutenant, land don't want a
man with me but is willing to be buried over
| there, if necessary, to break up that nest of
what they call 'mutuals. F"
1t was but moment to secure the volun-
teers and have everything ready for the raid.
| The waters of the Tallapoosa were bursting
over every low place along its banks, and the
rain was falling in torrents.
| sWell have to swim at the ford, said the
! lieutenant.
| And so they did, and this was why Clinton
| had ventured to visit his home upon that fatal
night. He rested at the little home, feeling
perfect security, and even the dogs that gath
cred around the blazing hearth, and were
| looking gladly upon their master, when the
| sharp click of the guns of the soldiers came
| simultaneously with the command of the cav
| airy lieutenant.
Surrender and open your doors or we'll
| break them down"
| The command was refused by the elder
| daughter, who threw herself against the door,
| and at the same time Clinton had made him
self ready to sell his life as dearly as possible
| The door was broken down. and instantane
| Gus with that guns were presented at Clinton
who was standing ready to defend himself
against the first who should enter.
Surrender or die!" exclaimed the lieuten
ant, as the men held their fingers upon Inc
triggers of their guns.
"Dier said Clinton. ''rll never surren-
der"
At this instant the daughters and mother
rushed between Clinton and his pursuers, and
| the mother was badly wounded and the two
girls killed instantly
| AS his dear ones fell upon the floor Clinton
| seemed to lose all reason, and rushing upon
his pursuers in the dark he fought as a de-
mon brought to bay and defeated single
| handed the entire crowd, killing the lieuten-
ant and three of his men and wounding six
more of them by clubbing his gun.
| The VOWS that Clinton made, kneeling that
night by his loved ones, he devoted his life
| to fulfill, and if there are more than one of
that company of men who have not suisse
quently died with their boots on it is not
known, and it will be well, if there are any,
| for them to keep very quiet and be on the
watch for an iron gray, six foot three man,
and keep out of his way, for Lem Clinton
still lives and has never made peace nor laid
his gun in its rack from that day to this.
4 x x 4 -
| Let us follow Clinton from the graves of
his loved ones, for he has joined the bush
| whackers-if that is the proper name-and
| has made an appointment to meet with them
at their meeting place. Here he goes over
! rugged mountain path, until at last the
| trail is lost and he scrambles from peak to
peak till he stands upon a towering crag,
| whose foot is washed by the turbid waters of
( the Big Tallapoosa. He has been here before,
for he lashes his gun upon his shoulder and
at once approached huge grape vine that
! has been fastened to a mountain oak and
spliced till it reaches the waters below, and
grasping it with firm hold he eases himself
over the precipice and down, hand over hand,
for 200 feet he goes, till his feet strikes the
bottom of a light batteau and then seating
| himself at one end he moves down the river
| till he comes to the confluence of the Big and
| Little TallapooSa rivers, and there he stops,
draws his batteau up in the bushes and makes
his way few steps into the forest, where the
bushwhackers are to hold their meeting and
formulate their plans.
! Here is a spot that nature has fitted for a
hall of secrecy. Two large rivers forming a
wall on one side and in front, with a limit
less forest back in tie 'fork,n with towering
crags and lofty trees, that lend their shadows
to dismal night that makes darkness seema
thing of substance.
Fifty men, made desperate by the feuds of
the times, swear allegiance to each other and
elect Lem Clinton as their captain.
'Now give me chaw of 'bacco," said
heavy set, middle aged man, who held a gun
Ill LIS ldlu ulittO lllII dis It's ulIIlSel1,
and whose right name was Higginbother, but
who was Familiarity known as ''od Hick"; 81
haint had nothing to say at the meeting. but
voted for our captain, and now me and old
Betsy Barker las he called his gum are
ready to obey his orders and to follow him
TO h|.n
81 wish he'd order you to kill that owl
that's been er ho-ho-ing over thar for the last
two hours spoke up Joe Presly.
Further conversation was cut short by the
tall form of Lem Clinton arising from the
log upon which he had been sitting, and
chunking the dim fire which furnished Il
little light for the occasion, he cleared his
throat and said:
"Boys you all know me. I've not got
much to say. You all understand what we
have agreed upon about the signals, but
will repeat to you the urgent charge already
given, that no man shall leave these diggings
so far but what he can see a light when it is
flashed from the ferry peak, unless he gets
permission to do so. When you see light
burning on yander highest peak, to the right
of the ferry landing, you must drop every
thing and report here at this place as soon
as you can; and mind, be careful and look
out for spies The meeting is dismissed"
So spoke the man who had been chosen by
unanimous consent the leader of the "layers
OUT of the Tallapoosa "fork."
Let us again visit the camp of the soldiery
at Wedowee. Three days rations have been
prepared and the men are ready to march at
moments warning. Eighty-fve men are
ready and anxious to avenge the death Of
their fallen comrades in the Clinton fight.
The night is dark, and as the soldiers
mount their horses and file into the Burrows
ferry road and head for the river, the tall
form of Lem Clinton emerged from a neigh
boring thicket, and with his gun at a trail,
he darts across the road and takes near cut
that will land him at the ferry at least an
hour ahead of the troops. Once at the ferry,
he mounts up, up, the rugged side of the
"ferry peak" and it is but the work of mo-
ment to have the whole top of the towering
peak Illuminated by lightwood fire that
had already been prepared of rich lightwood
splinters, that would flash for but a moment,
and, dying out, leave all in darkness.
The bushwackers are together, and led by
Clinton, they fake their places on either side
of the road that is terminated by the river,
With impossible mountains on either side,
and the river in front, there was no way for
the soldiers to retreat, except to right about,