Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-02

freedom and felt strong enough to set
up for themselves in the family of ma
tions and maintain their position.
The sentiment for independence and
entire separation from the mother
country was particularly strong IN
South Carolina-more so than In any
other of the colonies. In the cary early
progress of the war, March oath, ITS,
South Carolina, acting through her
representatives, dissolved all rela-
tions with England, established con-
stitution and became a free and inde-
pendent state Under this constitu-
tion 1t was treason and rebellion to aid
or abet the British government. From
1719, when the colonists overthrew
the Proprietary government and be-
came a royal province, down to the
Revolution, South Carolina had been
crown, and now that 1t was the first
to throw off the British yoke, she be-
came particularly obnoxious to Great
Britain, and great efforts were made
throughout the war to conquer the
state. During the years ITS, '76, III,
'7S and '79, the Whig forces were uni
formly successful. Early in 1870 all
this was changed. On the 18th of
May. Charleston surrendered to the
British.
After the fall of Charleston, all open
opposition to the British in South Car
olina ceased for a few weeks. The
British, in order to make secure their
conquest, stationed bodies Of troops IN
different sections Of the state; and
while the patriots could no longer rea-
sonably hope for success, the spirit OF
liberty burned with quenchless flame
in the breast Of the Wings in this
section Of South Carolina. This flame
was famed by the wanton cruelty OF
the British, and particularly by the
acts of the bloody Tarleton at Wax
haw (Buford's massacre,) in Lancas-
ter county, where, on May 18th, ne mad
put to the sword several hundred Vir-
ginians after resistance had ceased and
quarter was asked. After this last act
of murder and slaughter by Tarleton
the Wings found new rallying cry
Remember Tarleton."
recollect very we'll some years age
when T was travelling in the upper
section Of Lancaster county, / came to
an humble monument enclosed by q
rude stone fence, and out Of curiosity
stopped and examined the monument
It was dedicated to the memory OF
Colonel Buford and his four hundred
Virginians, the majority Of whom We're
slaughtered at that place by Tarleton
in cold blood and after resistance had
ceased. On the monument are In
scribed the words quoted.
The counties, districts them, OF Fair
field Chester, Lancaster and York
were largely populated by Wings, and
to their imperishable honor, history
truthfully records that during all the
dark days Of the Revolution they new
er took the oath Of allegiance to the
British, or were paroled prisoners
While opposition in other parts OF the
state had ceased, this could not be the
case in this section. After the surren-
der Of Charleston, the British boasted
that the conquest Of South Carolina
was complete. But they did not know
the spirit which actuated and the love
of liberty that controlled the Wings IN
the counties Of Fairfield, Chester, Lam
caster and York.
On the oath of May, 17S0, Captain
John Mcclure, with a party Of Wings
attacked and defeated band Of To-
ries uL der Captain Houseman at Beck
hamville in Chester county. On the
26th Of May, two days afterwards, Co
lionel William Bratton and Captain
John Mcclure, with a small body OF
their Wings neighbors, attacked and
routed band Of Tories at Mobleys
meeting house on Little river in Fair
field county. On the Goth Of June
1880, at Ramsour's Mill, on the South
Fork Of the Catawba, the Tories, un-
der Moore and Welsh, were defeated
by the Wings under Colonel Locke.
These attacks, at a time when the
British were boasting Of their conquest
Of the state, showed to them that In
this section Of South Carolina at least
~s,,sA 80 ArfHr cffl
aroused them to greater efforts In or
der to punish the patriots who dared
resist England's rule.
At this time a British post was es-
tablished at Rocky Mount, in Chester
county, under the command Of Colonel
Turnbull. To conquer the Wings IN
this section. as we'll as to avenge the
defeat Of the Tories at Beckhamville,
Mobley's meeting house and Ramsour's
Mill, Colonel Turnbull sent out Cap
tain Christian Huck, with four hun
dred British troops and about five
hundred Tories, to accomplish the
work. Huck made his headquarters
for some time in the neighborhood OF
Whites Mill, now Lando, in Chester
county. From this point he sent out
expeditions into the surrounding coun-
try, whose business it was to encour-
age the Tories and to- subdue the
Wings. Tory bands robbed the Wings
of their property, burned their houses
and even committed murder In cold
blood. During this time the house OF
the Reverend John Simpson, pastor OF
Fishing Creek church, was burned; /;
William Strong, while engaged In
reading his Bible, was cruelty shot;
and many other acts Of wanton cruel
ty and deviltry were perpetrated by
Tory bands.
General Sumter's headquarters at
this time were at Clem's Branch IN
Lancaster county.
In York and Chester counties, the
Wings were active, and Colonel Will
liam Bratton, Colonel Edward Lacey,
Captain John Mcclure and John Mills
were engaged in arousing the Wings
to resistance. Success crowned their
efforts, and in a short time 400 men,
mounted and armed, were gathered In
these two counties. History states that
in this number were included all the
able bodied men fit for service. The
purpose Of the Whig leaders was to
drive the Tories from this section of
the state.
When the Americans gathered, 1t
was at first intended to attack the
British and Tories at Whites Mill
(now Lando). in Chester county; but
on arriving there about sundown on the
18th of July it was found that Huck
had moved his camp to Brattonsville,
in York county, a distance Of about
fifteen miles. 1t was determined to
follow and attack him that night. Ow-
ing to an orders being misunderstood,
some one hundred and fifty or more
Of the Wings returned to the east bank
Of Catawba river, and Colonels Bratton
and Lacey. Captain Mcclure and other
leaders proceeds with less than $50
men. Huck was found encamped in
the neighborhood Of Brattonsville, near
the house of Colonel William Bratton.
From Reuben Lacey, Tory and
hrnttLa,, of Cnlnnal Edward LACEY IL