Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-05-08

the road, to intercept the Hessians, in
case the enemy had got notice of theil
approach. and had ordered those Hes.
slams to Charleston before morning.
In the course of the night an orderly
sergeant of the enemy, from their main
army. rode in amongst the American
troops and was taken prisoner. No
material paper was found upon him
that night, which was very dark before
he made his escape, except some re-
turns which contained the strength of
the enemy's main army, and their
number on the sick list, which was
very great. AS soon as daylight ap.
peared Mayhem, with those under his
command, advanced to the British
post, and sent in confidential person
to demand an immediate surrender of
! the garrison, who in a few minutes re.
turned and reported that the officer
commanding would defend the post to
the last extremity. Shelby then pro.
posed to Mayhem to go himself and
make another effort to obtain surren-
der, which he readily consented to.
Shelby approached the garrison, and
assured the commander in chief that
should he be so mad as to suffer
storm, every soul within would be put
to death, for that there were several
hundred mountaineers at hand, who
would soon be in with their tomahawks
upon the garrison. The officer enquired
of Shelby if they had any artillery, to
which he replied that they had guns,
which would bow him to atoms in a
moment, upon which the officer said,
VI suppose l must surrender" and
Immediately threw open the gate,
which Mayhem saw and advanced
quickly with the detachment. 1t was
not until this moment that the Ameri
can officers saw another strong British
post, five or six hundred yards to the
east, which they understood was built
to cover landing on Cooper river.
The garrison about one hundred strong,
and forty or fifty dragons, marched
out as if with design to charge the
American troops, but soon halted,
seeing that the latter stood firm and
were prepared to meet them. Mayhem
took one hundred and fifty prisoners,
all of them able to have fought from
the windows of brick building which
was there, and from behind the abatis;
ninety of them only were able to stand
or march that day to the American
camp, which was nearly sixty miles
distant. Mayhem paroled the remain
der, most of whom appeared to have
been sick, but were then convalescent.
Gen. Stuart who commanded the main
army, eight or ten miles above, made
great efforts to intercept this detach-
ment on its return, but Mayhem, with
those under his command, arrived at
Marion's camp about o'clock the
morning following. And there it was
announced before sun rise, that the
whole British army was in the Old
Field, three miles off, at the outer end
OF the causeway which led into Ma
rion's camp. Sewer and Shelby were
ordered out with their regiments to at
tack him, should he approach the
swamp, and to retreat at their own dis.
cretion. On receiving information that
Marion had been reinforced with q
large body of riflemen from the west,
the enemy retreated in great disorder
near to the gates of Charleston. About
the 2Sth of November, Shelby obtained
leave of absence to attend the Assem-
bly, of North Carolina, of which he was
a member, which was to meet at Sa.
lem early in December, whence in a
day or two after his arrival it adjourn.
ed to meet again at Hillsboro, in April,
17S9. In 1889, he was again a member
of the legislature where being ap-
pointed to.adjust the preemption claims
in Cumberland and to lay off the lands
allotted to the State troops in the Cont
mental army, in the winter following
he performed that service with his col
leagues appOinted for the some mr.
poses, and Immediately afterwards set
tied where he now lives in Kentucky.
Sewer with his troops reached home
early in January, 1889.
Continued next week.