Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-08-12
NEW sHlsrns. NO. sso. voLUarH In NO 50.

closely followed by myself and q
drummer boy with his drum. both
on q bay mare, fled into North Caro-
lima, nor stopped until We reached
Charlotte. We made a sorry figure
when We rode into the village. Sum-
ter without hat; was without a
coat; and the drummer boy, sitting
astride behind me, was nearly naked,
having just come out of the creek
in which he had been bathing. Our
horses were without saddles
"What then 2" asked.
G"Actionl Only Marion was then
in the field with the Wings, in South
Carolina. Sumter Immediately went
to the upper country, where a few
of his men who had escaped, joined
him, and many volunteers fooked to
his standard. We were then all
mounted, and were soon joined by
other parties. We had an opportu-
nifty, presently, to show Tarleton
that Americans could strike heavy
blows as well as the British. He
chased us late in November. We
had encamped at Blackstock, on the
Tiger river, in Union district, when
Tarleton overlook us with a part of
his force. We fought desperately,
and at dusk set Tarleton running for
life and liberty, leaving about two
hundred of his men on the field,
nearly one hundred of them dead."
81 have heard there were many
brave women in that region" 1 OBJ
served.
"Brave! Why they helped the
cause almost as much as the menl
There were Grace and Rachel Mar
tin, Mrs. billiard, Dicey Langston,
and scores of others in that lonely,
country left at home by the men in
arms, and they performed their part
in the contest. Grace and Rachel
were the young wives of two SONS of
Mrs. Martin, of Ninety-Six district,
who were in Greene's army. These
young women were with their
mother-in.law. One evening they
were informed that British courier,
with two guards, would pass that
way, with important dispatches for a
British post beyond. They put on
their husbands clothes, provided
themselves with arms, and lay in am
bush by the side of the wood. Late
in the evening the courier and his
escort came along, when the young
women suddenly sprang before them,
presented their weapons and bade
the travellers surrender with their
papers. Utterly surprised, they
obeyed, and were paroled. Return
ing they stopped at Mrs. Martins
and craved accommodations for the
night. On being asked why they re-
turned so soon, they said they had
been made prisoners by two lads, and
showed their parole. The young
womed allowed their captive guests
to depart the next morning, ignorant
that their captors had entertained
them. The dispatches were sent to
Greene.
"Who was Dicey Langston ?" I
inquired.
GA girl as brave and patriotic as
Joan of Arc, and not so old-only
fifteen OF sixteen. She was the
daughter of Wing in Laurens dis.
trict, whose son was in my company
in Sumter's army. She was con-
tinually getting valuable information
about the movements of the Tories,
and informing the Wings. At one
time she heard that Cunningham and
his "Booty Scouts" were about to
attack a settlement in which her
near relatives lived. She determined
to give them warning. Leaving her
home near midnight, she sped
through swamps and thickets, and
across running streams, until she
reached the Tiger river. 1t was
swollen, and the ford was dangerous.
She pressed into the river in the
darkness, and in the channel, neck
deep, she became confused. But she
reached the shore, and gave the
warning, and when the scouts
came, the inhabit nts had fled
to place of safety. One
day she was captured by some
Tories, and ordered to give informa-
tion about a Wing neighborhood
from which she had come. She posi-
lively refused. The leader, placing
a pistol to her breast, said, Tell, or
you shall die in your tracks, She
snatched off a long handkerchief,
which covered her neck and bosom,
and said, Shoot me, if you dare!
will not tell He was about to fire
when companion threw up his
hand and saved the brave girls life.
| might tell you hundred stories of
our brave women, but it is getting
late"
"rell me, please" said, "where
wero you at the time of the battle of
Kings Mountain?"
"In it," he promptly replie3 uI