Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-10
TO BE CONTINUED.
THE coWPEN's BATTLRFIELp.
4 Texas Preacher Writes Interestingly
L.

The following is an article which
Iappeared recently in the Dallas, Tex
|. Jas, News, contributed to that paper by
the Rev. T. L. Scruggs Of Corsicana,
fTexas:
l see a clipping from the Outing
magazine, in. memory of Gen. Nor
/ gan, quoted in the Sundays News. I
was born and grew up on the old
Cowpens battlefield, where Gen. Nor
gan's monument now stands. where
he and Col. William Washington de-
feated Col Tarleton. My grandfather
was there. I lived with my grand
father some when I was too small to
work. and often sat on his knee and
heard him tell about the great battle.
It only lasted about two hours. but
as Col Tarleton says his little army
was shipped and routed, he rode In
his eommissary wagons to order
retreat and leave the field. Col. Will
liam Washington, rode up to him
and they spoke thus: "This you,
Washington" "This you, Tarle-
tom" They struck at each other
with their swords. Washington hit
Tarleton's sword at the hilt or handle
and broke 1t off and cut Tarleton's
eifttle ffngery-. washing steaS raised to
make the fatal stroke, when Tarieton
wheeled and spurred his horse. His
tory says he jumped a commissary
wagon, but my grandfather said he
jumped the horse or behind the
horses. He made his escape to
Smiths Ford on Broad river. WASH
ington followed him within mile or
so Of Smiths Ford, fifteen miles from
Cowpens. When he stopped at
house and asked a lady, Mrs. Molly
Harper, how long since Col. Tarle-
ton had left, she had to look down
the road to see II they were out OF
sight. She could not see them. "Oh,"
she said. II reckon they are across
the river" She afterwards said that
her husband had been taken by Col.
Tarleton to help him cross the river,
and she said he would be killed II
Col Washington overlook him. She
wanted to save her husband, and so
Washington returned to Cowpens.
Col. Tarleton hurried on to Charles
ton, and while there at a hotel he
heard some ladies praising Col Wash
ington for his bravery as soldier and
officer. Col. Tarleton remarked that
he was a very illiterate man. Some
of the ladies spoke up and said: "Yes,
he may be illiterate, but he knows
how to make his mark" Col. Tarle-
ton looked at his missing finger. bit
his lips with rage and Immediately
left the hotel, and as soon as he
could he left the United States. But
allow me to return to Cowpens and
tell about my grandfather's tales
about the battle Of Cowpens. The
battle commenced about sun up while
the British were at breakfast. They
were surprised and whipped and then
fled, leaving their camps and break
fast which were enjoyed by Morgan
anu Ills nuH6Iy anu 'iiSu SoiuiSt 90
My grandfather bought the land, in
Guiding the Cowpens battle ground.
and settled within a mile Of the noted
place.
1t was called Cowpens Crossroads,
because the stockmen had built a
herding and marketing pen there,
which was the junction Of two noted
public roads, one from Spartanburg;
s. c., to Island Ford, on Broad river.
n. c., the other from the Blue Ridge
Mountains to Smiths Ford.
/ give these particulars because /
lived there and mustered there and
have seen many fist and cuff fights
on the old battle-ground.
My grandfather gathered up Wag-
on load or more Of old muskets, ram
rods, bayonets, cartridge boxes.
swords, etc, and took care Of them
as long as he lived. My father after
ward sent these, things to Washing
ton. d. c., for which the president
sent him a check for one hundred
dollars.
My uncle, Robert Scruggs, had
charge of the Cowpens battle ground
as long as he lived, but since then
have lost track of the noted place of
my youth.
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