The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-19

they would never return for another eff
fort. A majority of us declared that we
could whip all the recruits that might
come and that we must stay till the fort
was taken, saying, Death is preferable
to the miserable life which they are
causing us to lead, and live or die let
US stay till the work is done" We staid.
And in the arkness we constructed a
new line of breast-works nearer the fort
and keft on shooting at the house for
some time after dark. The enemy fired
no more after it became too dark for
them to see us. We had in, our Alex
ander company a man from Iredell county
by the name of Wallace Sharpe. He
went by the name of Wall Sharpe. His
station was near the spring and between
him and the fort and very near it stood
the old kitchen built Of small pine logs,
covered with boards, and it was very old
and dry. Wall Sharpe, as soon as he
could see signs of approaching day, pull
eG off his shoes and very quietly made
his way to the old kitchen and pushed
some dry trash into a crack and struck &
match and touched it and then ran back
to his station. Soon the whole kitchen
was ablaze, and you may ,be sure that
no fire was ever more eagerly watched.
Very soon the sparks began to fall on the
roof of the fort. And soon little blaZes
sprang up here and there on the roof.
Our men raised a shout of joy.
And then the robbers raised a yell. The
calf for a surrender by one Of our men
was heard. They asked what we would
do with them if they surrendered Wall
Sharpe replied with an oath: wv will
kill the last one of you They came
out with Wade in front. He raised his
hand and touched his hat as though he
would surrender and then darted like an
arrow down the steep hill toward the
river and so on through our line, our men
firing several shots at him, but it being
too dark to see not a single shot hit him.
He ran across the bottom to the Yadkin
river and hid under the bank of the
river. With all our searching we failed
to find him. He told some one after
wards that some Of our men came within
five or six feet Of him. We tracked hin
to the river, but could get no further
trace of him. Such strides as he made
across the bottom, according to his tracks
it did not seem possible to be made by
man. AS soon as the others came out
they were seized by the soldiers, ant
for d few minutes it seemed that they
would be torn to pieces. They were II
the hands Of men whose mothers, wive.
and sisters they had insulted. The whole
company was for a little time an nfuriat-
ed mob. Then for the first time some Of
US were impressed with the fact tina
there is nothing so much to be feared a:
a company Of men so enraged as to lose
their heads.
Men were commanded to climb to tn
top of the house and eXtinguish the fire
so that sufficient time would be had t.
ascertain what was concealed therein
Property of nearly every description
was found. Many fine dresses and ladies
hats which they had taken for the disc
lutte woman who occupied the house
Many fine horses were in the pastur'
near by-about twenty. They were re
turned to their owners. Stakes havin.
been erected for their execution, the.
We're told that they must die. The,
begged to be imprisoned for life, Blu
were told that they must be disposed o
summarily, as they had disposed o
Clark, Henly, Linney and Brown. Pass
, ing with them through the yard to tn
!, place of execution Colonel Sharpe toll
them that they could have a little Will
5 Ito make any preparation for death