Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-07-18
"HoRsE.sHoE ROBERTSON"
An Interesting Sketch Of the Old Hero
Made Famous In Story.


An Interesting Sketch Of the Old Hero
Made Famous In Story.
The ,Pendleton chapter U. D. c., in
vited Prof. w. s. Morrison, Of Clemson
college, to deliver an address on Me-
mortal Day, May 9Th, upon the history
of "Old Pendleton," and in complying
with the invitation he gave an in
structive address upon the early histo-
ry of Pendleton district, which origi-
nally included the present counties OF
Greenville, Pickens, Oconee and An
derson. Among the interesting sketches
of this section, Prof. Morrison alluded
to the well-known historical novel,
Horse Shoe Robertson" written by
J. P. Kennedy, Esq, Of Maryland, the
hero Of which was native Of Pendle-
ton district and lived on Chauga river
for nearly a third Of a century. His
home Is still standing. Prof. Morrison
read the following extract from an old
newspaper, the Flag Of the Union,
published at Tuscaloosa, Ala, and
dated January II, 1888:
Who has not read Kennedy's de-
lightful novel Of this name, and who
that has read 1t would not give an
half days ride to see the venerable
living hero of the tale of the TORY
Ascendency," the immortal Horseshoe
himself, the exterminator Of Jim
Curry" and Hugh Habershaw?"
The venerable patriot bearing the
familiar sobriquet, and whose name
Mr.. Kennedy has made as familiar In
the mouths Of American youths as
household. words, was visited by us, IN
company with several friends, one day
last week. We found the old gentle
man on his plantation; about twelve
miles from this city, as comfortably
situated with respect to this worlds
goods as any one could desire to have
him. II was gratifying to US to see
him in his old age, after having served
through the whole war Of Independ-
ence, thus seated under his own vine
and fig tree, with his children around
him and with the partner of his ear
ly tolls and trials still continued to
him, enjoying In peace and safety the
rich rewards Of that arduous strug-
gle, in the most gloomy and despond-
ing hour Of which he was found as
ready, as earnest, as Jealous, for the
cause Of liberty as when victory
perched upon her standard, and the
star Of the 'Tory Ascendency was for
while dimmed by defeat, ana IN
which he continued with unshaken
faith and constancy until it sank below
the horizon, never again to rise. The
old gentleman gave us q partial his
tory Of his Revolutionary adventures,
containing many interesting facts res
pecting the domination Of the Tory
party in the south during the times OF
the Revolution, which Mr.. Kennedy
has not recorded In his book. But 1t
will chiefly interest our readers, or, that
portion of them at least to whom the
history of the old hero's achievements
as recorded by Mr.. Kennedy Is famil-
lar, to be assured that the principal
incidents therein portrayed are strictly
true.
That his escape from Charleston
after the capture of that city, his being
entrusted with letter to Butler, the
scene at Wat Adair's. the capture OF
Butler at GudaPs Ford, his s9bse-
quent. escape and recapture, the death
of John, Ramsey and the detection Of
the party, by reason Of the salute fired
over his grave, his capturing the four
men under the command Of the young
er st. Germyn, his attack upon Inez's
camp, and the death Of Hugh Haber-
shaw. by his own hand, and finally the
death Of Jim Curry, are all narrated
pretty much as they occurred, is GER
tain. In the old veterans language,
There, Is heap Of truth In 1t. though
the writer has nightly furnished 1t
up." That the names Of Butler, MIL
dred, Linsay, Mary Musgrove, John
Ramsay, Hugh Habershaw, Jim Cur.
ry, and In fact almost every other used
In the book, with the exception OF his
own, are real and not fictitious. HIS
own name, he informed us, is James;
and that he did not go by the familiar
appellation by which he Is now so
widely known until after the war.
when he acquired it from the form OF
his plantation in the Horseshoe Bend
Of the Chauga creek, which was be-
slowed upon him by the legislature OF
South Carolina In consequence OF the
services he had rendered during the
war. This estate, we understood him
to say, he still owned. -
He was born, he says, in 1859, and
entered the army in his seventeenth
year. Before the close of the war, ne
says he commanded a troop OF horses.
so that his military title is that OF
Capt. Horseshoe. Although In tnfirm
health. he bears evident marks OF nav,
ing been q man Of great personal
strength and activity. He is now at
f1icted with q troublesome cough,
which, In the natural course OF events,
must, in a few years, wear out MS
aged frame. Yet, Notwithstanding his
infirmities and general debility. his eye
still sparkles with the fire of youth, as
he recounts the stirring and thrilling
incidents Of the war, and that SLY,
Quiet humor, so we'll described by Ken
nedy, may still be seen playing around
his mouth as one calls to his recollec-
tions any of the pranks he was wont TO
play upon any Of TORY vagrants" as
he very properly styles them. The old
diality and hospitality, and after par
taking Of the bounties Of his board and
spending a night under his hospitable
roof, we took leave Of him, sincerely
wishing him many years Of the peace
full enjoyment of that liberty which he
fought so long and so bravely to
achieve It will not be uninteresting,
we hope, to remark that the old hero
still considers himself soldier, though
the nature Of his warfare Is changed.
He Is now as jealous a promoter OF
the Redeemer's cause as he once was
in securing the independence Of his
country. :.
Since the above was in type we
have heard of the death Of the aged
partner of this venerable patriot. An
obituary notice will be found In an
other column.
- Truly In friendship.
Signed: THOMAS P. CLINTON.
Within a few weeks after the visit
thus described the old soldier met "the