Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-04-12
a VOICE FROM OLD pIckEns.
Bits Of History that will Interest the D. A. n.
and the Public Generally.

different members of the ID. A. r.
Chapter of Oconee county to fur
nish such matters of historic interest,"
In relation to our Revolutionary an
cestors as ] may have learned from
tradition or otherwise, and without re-
plying separately l take pleasure in
furnishing the following facts for
publication:
- ! am informed by Major James L.
I'D and others, among our oldest
Inhabitants, that the following persons
who engaged in that long, bloody
struggle for our independence are
buried in this community at the
places named: William Smith, near
what is now Ebenezer church, in
oconee county, grave unmarked, but
can be located; William Hughes, in
the family graveyard on Gary place,
grave unmarked, but can be located J;
Franklin Neighbors, at Grow Creek,
(now Keowee) church, Pickens
county, grave unmarked, but can be
located; Whitmire, near Newry,
Oconee county, grave unmarked, but
can be located; John Grey, in pri-
vate graveyard on place now owned
by Isaiah Hammond, near Little
River bridge, on Seneca road, in Oco-
nee county, grave unmarked, but
can be identified; John Wilson, near
1he site of Fort George, on Keowee
River, in Pickens county, grave en-
closed by rock wall. Major Boyd
informs me that he was well ac.
quainted with this hero of the Revo-
luton, who participated in the battle
of Fort George, between the British
and American forces, and that in the
engagement Wilson received
wound in the face from the butt end
of musket which greatly disGgured
him for life. He did not die from
the wound, but lived many years
after peace was declared, and by his
own request was buried on that
CORY battle field where the wound
wasinflicted. Major Boyd says Wilson
always claimed that five hundred
British soldiers and hostile Indians
perished in that battle and that all
their bodies were buried underneath
one immense mound, near the river,
and he says further that the mound
was prominent there for years. Capt.
Robert Steele now owns and resides
on the plantation where this battle
was fought.
No evidence of the fort remains.
but to this day tomahawks, leaden
bullets, beads, arrow heads, Indian
trinkets and rude implements are un-
earthed in the cultivated fields near
by. Fort George will be remem-
bered as the point from which the
Indian maiden, Cateechee, made her
celebrated walk, or run, of near
one hundred miles in one night to
Ninety-Six to inform Gen. Greene
that the American forces, stationed
IN rthe Fort, were completely sur
EsGnded and absolutely cut off from
water by the British. 1t is a histo.
rical fact that by the intrepidity and
daring of the dusky heroine the
Americans and their Indian allies,
who occupied the fort, were saved
from massacre and enabled to win a
great victory. 1t is said all the
streams crossed by this Indian wo-
man on her perilous journey were
named by her Mile Creek, Six Mile,
Gyelve Mile, Eighteen, Three and
Denty, Six and Twenty, etc. These
water courses are known by these
names to-day. There is tradition
that Cateechee was in love with
dashing young American soldier,
who afterwards married her, hence
her devotion to our cause.
On Keowee River, on the Pickens
side, three miles above the sight of
the Old Pickens Court House, repose
the remains of John Craig, Revo-
lutionary hero on whose tombstone,
according to his own directions, were
inscribed the patriotic words, estate