The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-12-22
XLNu
ARMS n THE MAN.

name Oh lfetOn-iny Lord
comnissary general, Charles Stedtnan
damns Colonel Tarleton in q most gen
tlelhanly n for his i'll sueaeSs nj
the Cowpens, and would charge TO his
account personal the failure of Cora
lWallls's plan to crush in detail the pa
triot army of the south.
Now little as 1 love. or have cause to
love, Sir Banastre T~arleton--they tel
me he has been knlghted and now
tWears q major generals sword knot
tits but the part OF outspokcn honest
,enlnity to say that we owed the victory
at the CoWpenS TO no remissneSs on the
part of the young legion commander
who. IL he were indeed the most brutal,
was also the most active and enterpris-
ing of Lord Cornwallis's field officers.
NO, 1T was not remisSneSS nor lack OF
bravery on the part OF the enemy
Twas only that the tiGe had turned.
Kings Mountain had been fought and
Won, and there We're 10 be no more
,Camdens for us.
In he affair at the COW pastures,
which followed hard upon Richards
and my return from flying visit 10
Winnsborough, the very clements
fought for us and against the British.
AS for instance: Tarieton, With his ia
nous legion OF horse. and infantry
enough to make his numbers exceed
ours, began his march on the nth and
was ralned on and mired for -four long
days before he had crossed the Broad
and had come within scouting distance
of lis.
Left to himself. Dan Morgan would
have locked horns with the enemy at
the fording OF the Pacolet; but in the
council of wal our colonel and John
Howard OF the M~arylanders We're for
drawing Tarleton still deeper into the
wilderness and farther from the British
main, which was by this moved UP as
far as Turkey creek. So we broke
camp. hastily and fell Jack into the hill
country, and on the night of the 18th
took post on the northern slope OF Il
low ridge between two running
streams.
For it's backbone our force had some
300 men OF the Maryland line and two
companies of Virginians. These formed
our main, and We're posted OF the Tis-
Ing ground with John Howard for their
commander. A hundred and fifty PAGES
In their front. partly screened in the
open pine, oak and chestnut wooding
of the ground, We're Pickens' Caroli-
mans and the Georgians; militiamen,
1T is true, but skilled ritlemen, and ev-
cry man of them burning hot to be
avenged on Tarleton's %pillagers.
Still farther to the front, disposed as
right and left wings Of outliers, We're
Yeates and his fellow borderers and
some sixty of the Georgians set to feel
the enemy's approach, and In the re-
serve; posted we'll to the rear of the
Marylanders and V%irginians. was our
%colonel's troop guarding the horses
of the dismounted G%eorgians.
Twas when we We're all set in order
my's approach that Dan Morgan rode
the lines and %harangued us. He was
better at giving and taking shrewd
blows thai at speechnialung, but we all
knew his mettle Well by now, and 1
think there was never a man of us to
laugh at his unwonted. g-randiloquence
and solemn periods. In the l%larangue
the two battle lines had their orders;
to be steady, to aim low, and above ali,
to hold their fire till the enemy was
within sure killing distance.
Ills a brave old Daniel" said Dick,
whilst the general vas saving the air
for the benefit of the South Carolinans.
"'Twill not be his fault If we fail. But
you are older at this business than any
of US, Jack; what think you of our
chances?"
1 laughed, and the laugh was meant
to be grim. l knew the temper of the
British regulars, and how, when we'll
led, they could play the hammer to
any body's anvil.
ANY raw recruit can nrophcsy be-
fore the fact" said L. I'VE nave Tar
Teton, his legion, the Seventh, a good
third OF the s~eventy-first, and two
pieces of artillery in our front. Ii they
do not give a good account of them
selves, twill be because Tarleton has
marched them leg-stiff to overtake us"
Dick fell silent for q moment. and
when he spoke again some of Dan Nor
gan's ~solernnity seemed to have got
into his blood.
II have a sort OF coward iGpricfing
that 1 sham come out of this with a
yy-hoJn C1i1oL .IOply md owe - 1,J..
on my mind that mayhap you can take
off. You ave had Madge to yourself
a dozen times since that day last au-
tunln when l asked her for the hum
dredth time to put me out OF misery.
AS L nav said. she would not hear Inc
through. but she gave me a look as /
had struck her With a whip. Can you
tell me Wlly?'
The morning breeze heralding the
sunrise was whispering to the lealess
branches OVERHEAD, and there was moth
ing in all Dalne Natures peaceful set
ting of the scene to hint at the inn
pending war-clash. Yet the war por-
tent was abroad in ali the peaceful
morning, and my mood marched with
the lads when I gave him his answer.
"Truiy, / could tell you, Richard; and
1t is your due to know it from no other
lips than mine. Mayhap, a little later,
when restitution car go hand in hand
WIFI Acquaintance GIN SOl1lCSSlOlk-
NO, no" he cur in quickly. Tell me
now, Jack; your little later inay be
all too late-for ME. Does she love
you?-has She said she loves you ="
.Nay, lear Lad; she desptses me well
and truly, and has never missed
the chance Of saying so. Wait
but a little longer and 1 pledge you o.,
the honor Of a gentleman you shall
have her for YOU very own. Will that
content you.
AT my assurance his mood changed
and III a twinkling he became the
Gauntless soldier VINO fights not to die.
but to win and live.
WITH that word to keep me I shall
not be killed today. 1 promise you.
Jack; and that in spite of this damned
q~ueasiness that was showing me the
burying TRENCH And then he added
softly: God bless, herr"
I could say amen to that most heart
lily: did it, and would have gone on to
add benson of my own, but at the mo-
ment there We're sounds of galloping
horses on u front. and presently
three relocated officers, one of them
the redoutable Colonel Tarleton him