The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-04-05
COWPENS Battlefield.

COWPENS Battlefield.
Whence the Name-Morsan-Col Vim. Wash.
inston and Tarleton.
[Chester Lantern.
By special request of that noble man
of God, ED. L. R. scruggs. now enfeebled
by paralysis, the following account of the
battlefield of the Cowpens, clipped from
the Dallas News, is here given:
I see clipping from the Outing maga-
zine, in memory of Gen. Morgan, quoted
in Sundays News. I was born and grew
up on the old Cowpens battlefield, where
Gen. Morgan's monument now stands,
where he and Colonel William Washing.
ton defeated Colonel Tarleton. My
grandfather was there. I lived with my
grandfather some when I was too small
too work, and often sat on his knee and
heard him tell about the great battle. 1t
only lasted about two hours, but as Col.
onel Tarletcn says his little army was
whipped and routed, he rode to his com
missary wagons to order retreat and
leave tbs field. Colonel William Wash
ington, u cousin of George Washington,
rode up to him, and they spoke thus:
"This you, Washington" "This you,
Tarleton?" They struck at each other
with their swords. Washington hit
Tarleton's sword at the hilt or handle
and broke it off and cut Tarleton's little
finger. Washington raised to make the
fatal stroke, when Tarleton wheeled and
spurred his horse. History says he jump
ed commissary wagon, but my grand
father says he jumped the horse or be-
hind the horses. He made his escape to
Smiths Ford on Broad river. Washing.
ton followed within a mile or so of
Smiths Ford, fifteen miles from Cow
pens. When he stopped at house and
asked a lady, Mrs. Molly Harper, how
long since Colonel Tarleton had left, she
had to look down the road to see if they
were out of sight. She could not see
them. "Oh," she said, II reckon they are
across the river" She afterwards said
her husband had been taken by Colonel
Tarleton to help him cross the river, and
she was afraid he would be killed if Col.
onel Washington overlook him. She
wanted to save her husband, and SO
Washington returned to Cowpens. Col
onel Tarleton hurried on to Charleston
and while there at hotel he heard some
ladies praising Colonel Washington fol
his bravery as soldier and officer. Col
onel Tarleton remarked that he was 8
very illiterate man. Some of the ladies
spoke up and said, eyes, he may be illit-
crate, but he knows now to make hi
mark" Colonel Tarleton looked ut hi.
missing finger, bit his lip with rage ani
Immediately left the hotel, and as soor
as he could he left the United States. Bu
allow me to return to Cowpens and tel
about my grandfather's tales about tht
battle of Cowpens. The battle com
menced about sun up while the British
were at breakfast. They were surprised
and whipped and then fled, leaving theil
camps and breakfast which were enjoyed
by Morgan and his hungry and tired SOL
diers. My grandfather bought the land
including the Cowpens battle-ground, and
settled within mile of the noted place
1t was called Cowpens Crossroad, be-
cause 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 bat
tie ground.
My grandfather gathered up a wagon
load or more of old muskets, ramrods,
bayonets, cartridge boxes, swords, etc.,
and took care of them as long as he lived.
My father afterward sent these things to
Washington, D. G., for which the presi'
dent sent him check for 800.
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.-(Rev.)
T. L. scruggs, Corsicana, Tex, in Herald
As to the Request Blanks.
COLUMBIA, March 29.-Gov. Hayward
today decided in the matter of the use OF
the dispensary request blanks in Lee
county that the State board is the body
to enforce the use of these blanks.
The governor said that the only man he