Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-01-21

r, country south of the Potamac.
sr nc y, ROADS were unusually good in the
summer OF l79S, and for 100 miles around
people had ridden over the hills to hear
wha' the hero Of Kings Mountain"
WV. WY gioried in having been rebel and
oai'or against England, would say
when put on trial for his life on the
charge of rebellion and treason AGAINST
North Carolina.
Inc nigh court did not open until ten
O'Clock, and long before that hour both
the courthouse and the square around
~ were crowded with men in every va
riety OF costume from the uniform of a
general OF North Carolina militia to the
ouskskin shirt Of the Watauga back
woodsman.
They talked, laughed, jostled, dis
puted and apologized to each other after
the fashion of region where you might
Jostie man as much as you pleased
without fatal results, provided you were
suiliciently prompt in expressing regret
for having done it.
The four "groggeries," which were
ample for the needs of the town on ordi-
nary court days, were swamped with
custom, and nothing but the liberal sup
ply OF such pocket pistols" as our colo
NAL ancestors carried with them on
such occasions prevented deplorable
epidemic Of thirst.
AS it was, the crowd kept in good
humor. There had been only one fight
during the morning, and 1t was all too
brief. A landed proprietor from one
OF the tidewater counties had been
promptly Knocked down by "buck-
skin" from what is now the state of
Tennessee for asserting that the whole
country across the mountains was
dominated by outlawed rowdies who
ought to be hanged on general princi-
pies.
In the crowd which hurrahed for this
fight, and for every other which took
place during the day, there was "a tall,
lank, uncouth-looking young man, with
long locks of hair hanging over his face
and his back hair done up in an eelskin
cue" According to Albert Gallatin, his
name was Andrew Jackson and he had
stopped to hear the trial, intending to
proceed afterward to Robertson's
colony on the Tennessee side Of the
mountains. Gallatin says "his dress
WIS singular and his manners those of
n rough backwoodsman. This is un-
doubtedly true, but it has never been
definitely proven that he was the same
Andrew Jackson who afterward ex-
changed shots with Sewer on the road
TO Knoxville.
IT is not necessary for the purpose OF
this history to dwell on that point. II
is enough to say that he had keen eye
for horsehesh, and when three stall
wart backwoodsmen rode up with q
led mare whose slim flanks, clean-cut
limbs and erect head showed her aris'
tocretic blood, he was alert at once.
'I want horse to ride over the noun
tains," he said. "Will you sell or trade p
"This is not my day for trading!" said
the tallest of the three backwoodsmen
as he dismounted and gave the reins oi
his own horse and of the led mare to q
Young man, who, as if by prearrange
ment. pushed out of the crowd to take
them.
Twill give you hundred for her!"
T tell YOU it's not my day for trad
Ing" said the backwoodsman in thu
hunting shirt, briskly. "Come, gentle
men"
With his companions he pushed
through the crowd to the courthouse
door with the air of man who had busi
noss there. To offers of "ahundred and fiji
~ - "two hundred" "two hundred ant
6ftv" for the mare he paid no attention
whatever. The young man in the eel
slim cue. who had followed him half
dozen steps to make them, returned t
tbe youth who was holding the mar
und began to question him. At frs
,,roommunicative to q degree, th'
Young man finally relaxed and said
half bumorously, half fiercely:
Tf YOU want to know who these mel
,re can tell you. They are Maj. jim
Cozby, Capt. Nat Evans and Capt Jacl
Cibson. They were over in this par
~ the country once before when tn
british were licking you people ans
now they have come back to see yo'
hang my daddy, John Sewer"
"Allow me to shake your hand sir
am pleased to meet you, sir, or an.
Thor relative of Col. Sewer" said tn
T..th Carolinian. "The truth is, sii
hat the gentry, who never were any
Ting hut half tories at best, have take1
snssession of this commonwealth, an
,re irving to run it on royalist rathe
1ban republican principles. In tn
aourtbouse there now, your father-th
s.;ord Of Franklin, sir. and the upholde
- tbe rights of man-is being arraigne'
,,afore n Judge who wears an importe
don wig and gown warranted to b
Of the exact pattern worn on the king
Ianob And the sheriff has just gon
,'.n court with a mace and sword cal
'nS M before him as if he were the lor
.ror M Of London. Republican institu
Us IT, will 20 to the devil, sir, If it is no
..onned. and stopped soon"
Having delivered himself of this hal
.,,e without seeming to care whethe
angus :. gould M'l please the bystanders or no
~ tall Young man shook hands twic
9TH s, Young Sewer and turned towar
W. .ho courthouse, followed by a chee
w the "tackies," or plebeians, as b
,. ,'o,,ld have called them in the languag
~ volume of Plutarch he carried i
his saddle bags.
IT ur had a way of his own in gettin
a,gb crowd, and few minute
,a.sr he was In the courthouse and in
Lac "a the railing, talking in low toHe
.o ether Young men whose conveI