Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-07-06

Once we forget the simple, wise men
who shaped the early destiny of thi!
republic, we will blot out the guiding
stars which have kept the ship of state
on her true course through calm anc
tempest. We should gather and care
fully treasure all local traditions be
fore it is too late. Senator Bate, O.
Tennessee, told me an anecdote O.
Colonel Tom Sumter that I have
never seen in print.
Senator Bates mother was named
Patience Dowell and she was grand
niece of Sumter, and, by the way, this
gallant Tennessean is said to very
much resemble Sumter himself. Sum
ter was a great big giant of fellow
with voice like q fog horn. 1t is said
his "holler" could be heard for miles
On one occasion, when he was off on
foray, the Tories came and stripped
his plantation of everything on it, and
worst of all, captured his good wife
MOLLY" and carried her off. When
"Old Tom," returned his rage knew nc
bounds. Hastily gathering together
such forces as he could, he put of on
the trail of the Tories. He over
took them on the third day and hung
about until night. Then he deployed
his forces around the Tory camp and
told them to await his orders to fire.
He was afraid of Molly being shot in
the meelee. So when he got everything
ready, he let forth yell that fairly
made the earth tremble. clay down
Molly, lay down Molly" and Molly
recognizing those stentorian tones, fell
fiat on the earth. Then came the com
mand sire" and "charge." The To-
ries were as badly frightened at Sum
ter's yell's as at the firing, and fled in
dismay. Molly was recaptured with
out scratch and carried home in tri'
umph.
The published records are singular
ly incomplete about Sumter. Senator
Mitchell, of Wisconsin, told me some
thing that may be of interest. He
says that DR.. Draper, of Wisconsin.
collected a great deal of material pre-
paratory to writing life of Sumter,
and died before he could carry out bis
intention. This material is now in the
archives of the state of Wisconsin,
and it seems that our state might have
it examined, and, if advisable, pub
lished in some enduring form.
In this section, the hated memory
of "Bloody Bill Cunningham" still
fingers. In command Of band oi
Tories, not far from here, he captured
fort, and after promising protection,
put every man, woman and child to
the sword. He committed the same
atrocity at Hays station, in Laurens
county. Cunningham had fitting
compatriot in "Bloody Bates" who,
with his Indian allies, received the
surrender of Gowan's fort, and then
murdered every one except one wom-
an, Mrs. Thomas, who was scalped
and left for dead but who for nearly
so years afterwards lived, think,
near where the city of Greenville now
stands. "Bloody Bates" met a tragic
end. After the war he was put in Jail
under a charge of horse stealing.
At the time of the massacre at
Gowan's fort, there was a family
named Motley. The mother, father,
and every member of the family were
killed except one boy, who was not in
the fort at the time. This boy was
now a young man, and learning that
"Bloody Bates" was in Jail, he left the
field where he was at work, went
straight to the Jail, and putting a
pistol to the head of the jailor, forced
his admission and shot Bates dead.
There is a similar incident related
of General William Butler at Ninety
Six. His mother aud father had been
murdered by the Tories, one of whom
was named Loveless. Horse stealing
seemed to have been one of the many
accomplishments of these Tory marau-
ders, for Loveless was on trial for the
same offense as Bates. There was no
evidence against him, and the judge
directed the jury to bring in verdict
of acquittal, which was done. Before,
however, Loveless could get out of the
dock, Butler and file of men walked
in, and taking Loveless, in the very
presence of the court, carried him out
in front of the courthouse and hung
him in the presence Of large crowd
who had assembled there. The judge
was named Burke, and being but re-
Gently arrived from Ireland, was great
ly Mortified. He adjourned court at
once, and went post-haste to his home
in Charleston, and when some one
asked him why he did not prevent
such an outrage, he replied, "Why,
they would have hung the court,
too"
There were great leaders in this
section, and while the heroic deeds oi
Morgan, Pickens, Williams, Bratton,
Mcclure and others are carefully
treasured, we should NOT forget the
unknown and unnamed dead. On the
battlefield of Cowpens, as on any
other that dots the bosom Of this fair
land, are humble and forgotten graves,
where rest ashes as worthy of distinc,
ton as those to whom we have reared
mighty columns of granite and mar
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