Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-08-10

that Capt. Christian Huck, who fell at
Williamson's on the 18th of July, 1880,
led this party. These iron works were
justly regarded by the British as Of
great value to the patriots. When they
were burned, the Wings in all the up
per section Of South Carolina and the
adjoining counties of North Carolina,
regarded 1t as a sore calamity. Some
idea of the value set upon these works
can be obtained from following the an
ecdote: Some time whilst the struggle
for independence was going on, the
good people of portion of Rutherford
county, North Carolina set apart a
day for public prayer. A Scotch Irish
man, by the name of John Miller an
elder in the Presbyterian church, was
called upon to lead in prayer. With
reverence and in his native tongue, the
venerable man proceeded as follows:
Good Lord, our God, thou art in
Heaven. We have great reasons to
thank thee for the many favors we
have received at thy hands; for the
many battles we have won. There is
the great and glorious battle Of Kings
Mountain, where we kilt the great Gin
eral Ferguson, and took his whole
army; and the great battles Of RAM
sour's Mill and Williamson's; and the
ever memorable battle Of the Coopens,
where the proud Gineral Tarleton run
down the road helter-skelter; and good
Lord If you had ma suffered the cruel
Tories to burn Belly Hell's iron works,
we would ma have asked any mair ia
vors at thy hands,"
The party entrusted with the de-
struction set out from Williford's Mill
on Fishing creek and proceeded up the
Catawba as far as the place now known
as India Hook. Here they commenced
the work Of destruction. On the plan
tation now owned by William N. Sim
ril, there lived at that time man by
the name of James Simril. In the
orchard Of William N. Simril stood the
barn of James Simril. This together
with four horses, was burned by the
Tories This accomplished the party
set out IOT lIle iron WOThS.
On their way, they forced a man by
the name of Henderson, (the same man
that was accustomed to kill deer at
the Adickes, corner in Yorkville), to
show them a ford on the creek below
the works. The people had been, for
some time, expecting that an attempt
would be made to destroy the works
and had taken most Of the cannon balls
and thrown them into hole in the
creek not far below the works. These
balls are in the creek yet. After Hen
derson had piloted the party across the
creek, and given them all the informa-
tion they desired, they stripped him
and whipped him severely and then
went off and left him tied to tree.
William and Robert Hill, sons Of
Col. William Hill, part owners Of the
iron works, determined that they
would resist the attempt of the Brit
ish to burn their fathers property. AL
though but boys they prepared a
swivel, which carried pound ball, and
mounted 1t on top Of stump on the
high hill north of Allison creek. When
these brave boys learned that the Brit
ish were approaching, which fact was
announced to the whole neighborhood
by the burning Of Simril's barn, they
took their stand behind their swivel
and waited for the advancing foe
They thought that the Tory party
| 10 ha tunrxq from
the direction Of Allison Creek church.
In this direction they had pointed their
loaded swivel and In this direction they
looked for the Tories. Before they
were aware, the party noiselessly ad-
vanced up the creek and they were
surrounded. They were made prison.
ers for the time and their swivel was
taken by the Tories and thrown into
hole in the creek Some time after the
war ended, some one was fishing In
the creek. His hook became entangled
and whilst freeing the hook, he found
| the swivel. Some twenty-five years
since, this swivel was over charged and
bursted. Fragments Of 1t still remain
at Mr.. Alexander A. Barron's, near
Clay Hill.
| On the road leading from Dallas to
Rock Hill, about ten miles from the
latter place, between Rocky Allison
creek and the residence of Mrs. Gill
llespie, lived Col. Samuel Watson, the
grandfather Of Rev. Samuel L. Wat
son, the present pastor Of Bethel con-
gregation. The house was for that
time a substantial building, being con-
structed of brick and stone with, as
was the case with most the houses OF
that time a cellar beneath. From all
accounts, Col. Watson was a man OF
stirling integrity and a true Whig. In
consideration of his uprightness he was
made by common consent of his Whig
lneighbors, a kind Of a commissary and
his house was a depository for any
supplies that the Whig organization
might have on hand. Salt was very
scarce In the country and any quantf-
ties of this article that might be cap
tured from the British were sent to
Col. Watson to be distributed. A peck
was by some arrangement, allowed al
one time to each woman whose hus-
band or sons might be in the army
Women were accustomed to mount
their horses and ride from the lower
edge of Chester county to Col. Wat
sons, after their share Of salt.
After the defeat Of Huck at William
sons, the mother of Capt. John Nc
Clure, in company with some of her
neighbors set out for Col. Watson's.
Mrs. Mcclure was at the time between
seventy and eighty years of age. When
the party of women came to the grave
of Huck. Mrs. Mcclure said to Mary
Johnston, the grandmother Of James
Johnston of Blackstock. Chester coun-
ty, South Carolina: Mary as old as l
am feel like getting down and dane
ing on that grave; but that would be
wrong God is just and will avenge
his own cause"
AS Tarleton and his men passed
through the country in search Of the
heroes of Kings Mountain, they Wis
90 o1 Lii oil