Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1889-04-25

= A[a1s 44s AAA 4GLA.AAgA ~ n
had done something more 70 deserv,
promotion"
few months before q party Of Brit
ish Dragons hai captured General
Charles Lee. and carried him OF &c
their camp /; was this event thai
probably suggested 20 Colonel Barton
the idea Of getting possession ofGener-
al prescott He happened 70 fall in With
a dese-ter from the British army ir
Newport. Who gave him a particular
description Of the large. old-fashiOaed
mansion. about four miles from New
port where General Prescott had his
headquarters Il stood alone. about
threequarters OF mile from the shore.
AMI was usually guarded By a small
force Of troops posted a. some dis
lance The very house. | believe. l.
still standing. or vas until recently.
and no ~ need wish a better house
NJ Newport than that
Colonel Bartoa selected forty men TO
20 with him in fve boats TO capture
the British General When they were
assembled on the shore. about ten
miles from the scene o. operations. he
made them a little sPsech. telling them
tia; the expedition was dangerous. and
that probably some OF them would lose
their lives lie added:
III any Of you are unwilling TO en-
gage in the enterprise you ara now at
full liberty to decline it; and I shall mo-,
have the worse opinion Of aEy person
for so doing want no maa with ne
who does not go willingly"
Oa putting the question TO them.
every man expressed his willingness 70
20. and they At nee took 20 their boats
They rO<sd swiftly. with nuri, ID oars,
past a British fort. passed several re-
doubts. past several British ships Of
gar. without exciting any alarm. and
reached the shore nearest Prescott's
house a little before midnight. A
slleas march OF three-Guartsrs OF n mile
brought them within hail Of the sentry
on duty nezr the front door. Hin they
first deceived. then seized and silenced.
while the men surrounded the house.
\ mighty negro named Prince. who
stowe in the frOnt door with his head
He butted it once without effect. but AZ
the second blow the panel yielded. and
Barton instantly entered This woke
the landlord. who was forced By the
threat of instant death : point out the
doo- OF Pre=cOtts room Another lunze
Of the negro's head broke il tha. door
also. and in = m Barton was BY
the Generals side
General Prescott. you are a pris-
oner." said he.
Il know t." said the General Give
me time TO pu. on my clothes"
In breaches and slippers. the stout
old General was started down the ssairs
with IN officer =; each elbow. his aid
decanp being also captured By the men
without
You must run. General" said Bar
ton
I'm an old man. and can't" he 70
piled
b. stout soldier a. each arm helped
him along at \ good pace. though the
stalks IN q field Of barley Gu, his naked
legs badly
Gentlemen. doyou mean 70 kill ue,r
said the captive
NO.. We DO not intend to kill YOU.
but 20 exchange you for General Lee;
and after that we do not care how soon
the devil has you
II day break the whole party. pri-
oners and all landed safely within the
American lines. and = dispatch was in
stantly sent to Providence for n vehicle.
At noon Of the same day. General Pres
cot; and his aide. attended By Colonel
barton and some Of his officers, drove
into Providence in a four-horse coach.
and had a reception there which the
oldest inhaeitant forgot The
news rang through the country. The
gallant Barton was promoted. and WA
presented by Congress with a sword
and a piece Of land No event OF so
Little Importance more keenly grati6ed
the American army during the war
than the capture Of this poupous Old
General The newspapers did not fail
to keep the people in mind thai it re-
quired seventy British Dragons to
capture General Lee. who had no army
and guard while BartOn's party of
tEirty-eight priEs;es and six officers CAP
tHred General Prescott from the midst of
powerful forces both on sea and land.
e men enloyed Barton's exploit
ore than General Lafayette. who re-
nenbered It wildly when he returned
70 America in 1874 Judge Of his sur
prise when he learned that Colonel
Barton. the hero OF the exploit. had
oeea in prison for debt in DanviIIe.
Vermont. for the long period of four
teen wears. Colonel Barton had los, n
suit involving his right 10 transfer q
piece OF land He was 20 sure Of his
right 20 sell the land that he refused 70
suoni. 20 the Judgment OF the court
and IN consequence remained a prison.
er- On learning these facts, LAfav-
cite. from his own purse. secretly sat-
isaed the Judgment and the obstinate
old hero was set free He survived IN
al 1881. when he died in Providence.
in the eigaty-fourth year Of his are.
Frtnoedied IN ISL. aged seventy-eight-
james Parton. in v Y. Ledger.
~ -
Beautiful Place for loaferx
Central America must be a pleasant
country FOR a Lazy man 4 letter from