Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-16
HORSE SHOE
ROBINSON
A Tale of the Revolutionary Struggle In
Upper Carolina.
By JOHN p. KENNEDY.

ly affected, In any visible degree, tne
cheerfulness of their demeanor.
They reached at length, the confines
of cultivated country-a region which
was known to be inhabited by several
Tory families. To avoid the risk Of
exposure to persons who might be
unfriendly to their purpose, they
thought 1t prudent to delay en-
tering upon this open district until
after sunset, that they might continue
their Journey through the night. The
difficulty Of ascertaining their road In
the dark, and the danger of seeking in
formation from the few families whose
habitations occurred to their view,
necessarily rendered their prog
ress slow. The time was, therefore,
passed in weary silence and persever-
ing labor, in the anxious contempla-
ton Of the probability Of encountering
some of the enemy's scouts.
At the break Of day they stopped to
refresh themselves; and the contents
Of Horse Shoes wallet, unhappily re-
ions, were distributed amongst the
party. During this halt, John Ramsay
commanded the ensign to exchange his
dress with him; and our faithful ally
was converted, by this traffic, for the
nonce, into a spruce well-looking, and
gay young officer Of the enemy's line.
The most hazardous portion Of their
Journey now lay before them. They
were within few miles of the Saluda
from whence at its nearest point, 1t
was some six or seven more down
the stream to the block-house-the
appointed rendezvous, where 1t was
yet a matter of uncertainty whether
Williams had arrived. The space be-
tween the travellers and the river was
a fertile and comparatively thickly-
peopled region Of which the inhabi-
tants were entirely in the Tory inter-
est. The broad daylight having over
taken them on the confines Of this
tract, exposed them to the greatest
risk of being questioned. They had
nothing left but to make bold effort
to attain the river by the shortest
path; and thence to pursue the bank
towards the rendezvous.
Courage, John" said Horse Shoe,
smiling at the new garb of his COM
rade; "you may show your pretty
feathers today to them that are fond
of looking at them. And you, my
young ciodpo!e, ride like an honest
Whig, or mought find occasion to do
a discomfortable thing, by putting a
bullet through and through you. Ex-
cuse the liberty, sir, for these are
ticklish times; but shall undoubtedly
be as good as my word"
Our adventures soon resumed their
journey. They had come within a
mile Of the Saluda without Interrupt
ton, and began to exchange congratu-
lations that the worst was passed,
when they found themselves descend
ing a sharp hill which jutted down
upon an extensive piece Of pasture
ground One boundary of this was
watered by brook along whose mar
gin a fringe of willows, intermiXed
with wild shrubbery Of various kinds,
formed a screen some ten or fifteen
feet in height. AS soon as this range
of meadow was observed, our cautious
soldiers halted upon the brow of the
hill to reconnoitre; and perceiving
nothing to excite their apprehension,
they ventured down, upon the track of
an ill-defined road, which took a di-
rection Immediately over the broadest
portion of the field.
They had scarcely crossed the brook
at the bottom of the hill, before they
heard the remote voices of men in con-
versatiOn, and the tones of a careless
laugh. On looking towards the upper
section of the stream, they were aware
of a squad of loyalist cavalry, who
came riding, in the shade Of the will
lows, directly towards the spot where
the travellers had entered upon the
meadow. The party consisted of sew
en- or eight men, who were, at this
instant, not more than one hundred
PAGES distant.
They are upon US. sergeant" ex-
claimed John Ramsay. Make sure OF
the prisoner; retreat as rapidly as
you can. Leave me to myself Make
for the Block house, will meet you
there"
With these hasty intimations, he
pricked his courser up to full speed.
and shaped his flight directly across
the open field, in full view of the enc
my.
Horse Shoe, at the same moment,
drew a pistol, cooked it, and throwing
the rein of st. Jermyn's horse into the
hands of the rider, he cried out
Back across the branch and into
the woods Push for 1t, or you are
dead man! On, on" he added, as he
rode at high speed Immediately be-
side the ensign; "a stumble, or a
whisper above your breath. and you
get the bullet. Fly-your life is In
your horses heels?"
The resolute tone of the sergeant
| laQ llS effect upOll Pl iSOiiSA'
/ yielded a ready obedience to the press
ing orders, and bounded into the
thicket with as much alacrity as II
flying from an enemy.
Meanwhile, the troopers, struck
with the earnest haste of one whose
dress bespoke a British officer, speed
ing across the field, did not doubt
that they had afforded this timely op-
! portunity for the escape of prisoner
from the hands of the Wings.
Wheel up, lads" shouted the lead
er of the squad, "it is the ensign!
Wheel up and form a platoon to cut
off the pursuit. We have him safe
out of their clutches?"
Impressed with the conviction that
a considerable force of Whig cavalry
were at hand, the troopers directed all
their efforts to cover what they be-
lieved Ensign st. Jermyn's retreat,
and were now seen formed into a
platoon, and moving towards the mid
die of the plain. in such a manner as