Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-05-30


bodies: his own brigade was led on
by Colonels. Middleton, Polk, Taylor
and Lacey in front and under the
shelter of some negro houses, from
whence they CALLED the enemy, but
were not able to dislodge the foe.
On the 9Th Of September, 1881, Col
onel Lacey was in the great battle of
Eutaw Springs. under the command of
Lieut.. Col. William Henderson. (3S)
The South Carolinians, on that day,
were more exposed than any troops on
the field; they had to stand a cross
fire, and stood 1t like veteran soldiers.
Never was the constancy Of men
more severely tried" After the bat
tie of Eutaw, Sumters headquarters
were at Orangeburg; Colonel Lacey's
regiment Of mounted infantry was
stationed at the Four Holes, to act as
a patroling party. and penetrated as
far as Dorchester in their operations.
Its duty was to stop all intercourse
with Charleston. especially to prevent
the Tories from carrying supplies to
the British.
About the last Of February, 1882,
General Sumter sent In his resigna-
ton. Early In March, Lieutenant Col
onel Henderson was appointed brig
adler general and took command OF
Sumter's brigade. He sent Colonel
Lacey's regiment with some others to
Edisto Island. While here, Colonel
Lacey received intelligence that a
company of plundering British SOL
diers had landed eight or ten miles
from the point at which he was sta
toned. There were only few men
in camp, but he took fifteen or twen-
W and went in pursuit Of the marau-
ders, succeeded in capturing the men
left by the British to guard the boats.
sunk the boats in the river. where
the hulls are to be seen to this day.
(3s). Lacey remained on Edisto Is
land till near the time Charleston was
abandoned by the British in Decem-
ber, 1882.
1t Is well known that many Of the
officers of Marion's brigade never pre-
sented claims for military service
against the state. 1t was known that
South Carolina, at the heels OF the
Revolution, was much embarrassed.
by paying pensions to poor soldiers.
II appears that Colonel Edward Lacey
was fired with generous patriotism,
for the writer has been told by ]. Au-
gustus Black who has made pension
rolls a study and Is perhaps our best
antiquarian. that Edward Lacey had
never presented an account OF his
Revolutionary services against the
state and of course never received
any remuneration. Worthy to be re-
membered are the words Of Samuel
Farrow. "Time, or the Statute OF
Limitations, never ought to prevent
the payment of the just claims Of any
Revolutionary Soldier"
Soon after the Revolution Col
onel Lacey was elected a brigadier
general, and was appointed one Of
the first county court Judges (4O) In
Chester District. He was sent by
Chester District to the general assem-
bly, of South Carolina; he served un-
til 1898, when he declined reelection,
and retired from political life. In
very limited circumstances in the fall
Of 1897. General Lacey immigrated
west. First he located in Montgomery
county, Tennessee, and remained there
for two years, he then removed to
Livingston county. Kentucky, near
the Ohio river. He was soon after
ward made a county Judge, position
which he filled with credit to himself,
and satisfaction to the county.
Toward the close Of life General La
cey was subject to attacks Of catalep-
sy. It often attacked him while on
horseback and he would ride for miles
oblivious of everything about him. In
one of the unfortunate fits Of insen-
sibility he rode into Deer Creek, a
large water course then flooded by
back waters from the Ohio river, and
he was drowned, March Goth, 1913. In
his seventy-second year.
In 1853 the only surviving children
of General Lacey were Major Edward
Lacey and Joshua Lacey, both quite
advanced in life and In very moderate
circumstances
Your author has thus humbly at
tempted to give a concise, plain and
unadorned biographical sketch Of Ed
ward Lacey, who was one Of our most
active partisan leaders during the
dark period Of our Revolutionary
struggle. He consecrated, freely, all
his energies and means to the COM
plete overthrow Of British tyranny.
and to the establishment Of our Amer
lean independence. Perhaps he was
In more important engagements than
any other officer In the state. yet his
torians barely. in three or four name
his presence.
In conclusion, In all candor let me
add, In keeping up the chain Of events,
now and then put In traditionary
link. but
Nothing extenuate,