Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-04
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"REMINISCENCES Of YORK.

KEMlNlSCENUES UF 1uhh.
Valuable Bits Of Local History Pre-
served by a Septuagenarian.
Dr. Maurice Moore in The Enquirer of 1870.
By accident my mind has been caused
to revert to some incidents and anec-
dotes I had we'll nigh forgotten, which
may be of a moments amusement to
my readers.
Some days since, man with his wife
and two children, stopped, In passing
my door, wanting employment. I did
not need their services; but in an old
mans fashion I asked their names,
where they were from, etc. The woman
told me that she had been raised in
York county, and knew who she was,
when she said, in answer to my inquiry
that she was a granddaughter OF
Abram Moss. He was an old man, as
I remembered very we'll, and one high
" esteemed for his goodness of heart
and honest intentions. The Moss fam
lily were among the few in York who
espoused the cause of the king in the
Revolutionary struggle. They all en-
listed in his service. Abram served two
years with the Royalists, but his con-
victions changing, he became a Whig
and was a good fighter in our cause.
When he applied for pension for his
services in the patriot army, he caused
it to be inserted in his declaration that
he first fought against the United
States, but became convinced Of his er-
ror and afterwards Joined the Ameri-
can army. Congress granted him a
pension in consideration of his two
years service.
At the time of the battle of King s
Mountain, Abram Moss had Joined the
Partisans, but his brothers, seven in
number, were on the other side, all In
Ferguson's command. A curious fatal
ity marked them on that day. They
were all men of large stature, each be-
ing over six feet in height. After the
battle they were all found lying behind
the same tree, dead.
In none of my sketches have dwell
ed upon the two important engage
ments of the Revolution fought on the
soil of York. They are matters of his
tory and come not within the scope of
my theme. The events, too, of Houck' S
defeat and Kings Mountain, have been
canvassed and rewritten until all
within the circle of my readers are ia
miliar with the general details of each
engagement. However, there is one
fact, not generally known-one which
had only learned in late years myself
which had an important bearing on the
battle of Kings Mountain. I will relate
it here. I have wondered, in thinking
of it, and have heard others express
surprise that Tarleton did not come to
Ferguson's assistance. Ferguson did
apply to Lord CORVALLIS, then at Char
lotte, for aid, and sent an express to
him at that point, asking it. This ex-
press was ridden by Abe Collins, the
celebrated counterfeiter; but fortunate
ly an old Mr.. Caldwell, living in the
forks of the Catawba, took Collins pris-
oner and kept him three days. Thus
the dispatches were delayed three days
and CORVALLIS did not receive them in
time to send Tarleton to Ferguson S
aid.
After Ferguson's disaster at Kings
Mountain, Lord CORVALLIS Immediate
ly began to retreat from Charlotte to
Winnsboro. Between Old Nation ford
and the present town of Chester, he
called a halt at the house of an Irish
man named Johnnie Service, and sur
prising him, took him prisoner. This
man, to use vernacular was a queer
specimen" in many things seemingly
half witted, and was so regarded by his
neighbors. Yet, with all Of his appar-
ent lack of sense, he possessed drollery
and cunning, and had talent of repair
tee that was surprising to those who
knew him. BY Cornwallis's orders, he
was brought before that officer for ex-
animation, and as he came forward, he
looked upon the men in the uniform in
apparent delight, exclaiming, as if in
simple wonder
"Och, but yees a Draw company wi
ye!"
What is your name?" demanded the
British commander.
Johnny Service, at yer service; and
what are ye named?" was the reply.
"Cornwallis," the military interpola-
tor condescended to answer.
"Ony thing related to Tommy Wal
lace, up the road?"
The aides began to smile, and one, to
relieve his lordship, asked
Have you anything to drink?"-of
course meaning spirits.
"Oh, yis, yer honor. Rim, Marcy
addressing his wife), land bring some
butter milk frae the spring"
The officers, in default Of better cheer
did not disdain the refreshment offered
and Marcy soon brought up from the
springhouse a pailful of the cool white