Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-09-14

IlucIdnCy- III HIS cACitSLichl hC hAdu'
a miscount, infiicting only four hun
dred and ninety nine lashes. In speak
ing OF this, Morgan was accustomed
lever afterward to say that ."the British
government owed him one lash yet"
Physically Morgan was giant HI
was not quarrelsome. but had no in.
clination to keep down disturbances
He was at one time a noted gambler
and at the same time disposed to worl
all sorts Of mischief on his associates
1t so happened that Berryville, the
town which he frequented was sc
noted for the fist and skull fights tr
which he and his associates were en-
gagged, that 1t was known in the COM
munity by the name Of Battletown. Ir
these fights Morgan always came out
best.
All this is calculated to give us ar
unfavorable opinion Of the hero oi
the Cowpens. We must take into con-
sideration the civilization Of the times
One hundred years ago frolic without
a fight was no frolic at ALL We must
not conclude that a man who would
fight any and everybody in the COM
munity who wanted to fight had no in
liuence. Such was not the case. Nor
gan possessed great influence in the
neighborhood Of Berryyille and raised
soon after the difficulties between the
Americans and British commenced, q
rife company Of near one hundred
men, which had no equal in the Amer
Iican army.
1t is not our purpose. however, to
write a biography of General Morgan
at present. The manner in which he
arranged the forces under his COM
mand for battle, at the Cowpens, was
as a military man Of no mean fame
has said. mastery"
A little incident which is related by
himself as having taken place on the
eve Of battle, gives an insight into the
moral character of Morgan. When he
was an old man. broken down with
rheumatism, he would often exclaim
when speaking of the past: "Ah! people
said old Morgan never was afraid-old
Morgan never prayed. They were mis-
taken. I trembled at Quebec, and In
the gloom Of the morning when ap-
preaching the fort at Cape Diamond,
knelt down in the snow and prayed
Before the battle of the Cowpens
went out into the woods and having
assembled a tree, poured out my soul to
God, for protection" The men Of those
times were often much better at heart
than they appeared to be. They had
rough work to do, and He who manages
everything had fitted them for their
work.
One Of the prominent actors in the
battle Of the Cowpens was Colonel Will
liam Augustine Washington. On that
occasion, Colonel Washington was in
command Of the cavalry. These were
less than eighty in number and were
placed in the rear and composed the
main guard. AS we have already seen,
at the moment the discerning eye OF
Washington saw the British cavalry
charging in disorder upon McCall's
militia, he dashed in upon them. This,
together with a we'll directed fire by the
militia under Howard and Pickens,
struck terror among the troops of
Tarleton. They commenced to flee in
the utmost confusion. Tarleton did
Everything mortal man could do to re-
store order, but all in vain. His infan-
try threw down their guns and surren-
dered and his cavalry, deaf to the
threats and encouragements Of their
officers, fed in confusion in every di-
rection. The field was cleared Of every
Briton in a few minutes. Washington
impetously, dashed forward far in ad-
vance Of his men. Tarleton with a
few officers, still fingered on the mar
gin Of the battlefield. A body Of forty
cavalry remained with Tarleton as a
guard. "The rest unmindfup as Tar
Teton says" of their duty had left their
commander unprotected" So soon as
Tarleton saw Washington alone he or
dered his body guard to wheel about
and charge upon the single horseman
In a moment Washington was sur
rounded by British dragons. A hand
life ensued. One of Tarleton's aids
aimed a blow with his sword at Wash
ington. At this important juncture OF
affairs, an American sergeant dashed
forward into the conflict and with vel
guided blow. disabled the arm about to
strike his commander. At the same
moment, another British officer on the
Opposite side of Washington was aim
ing a blow at him with his glittering
blade. A little bugler by the name OF
Ball, whose arm was too weak to WELD
a sword came up at the moment wher
all depended upon promptness Of ac-
tion, and with pistol, wounded Wash
ington's assailant. Tarleton and Wash
to face Tarleton discounted, but still
brave made a thrust at the head Of
Washington. The blow was warded of
and as the heavy saber of Washington
glided down the sword of Tarleton, Il
glided down the sword of Tarleton
Tarleton. Some authorities say tha
some of the fingers of Tarleton were
cut off. This statement is probabl.
} exaggerated.
After the battle Of Cowpens, when th'
British army was on it's way to York
town, Tarleton was entertained at tn,
house of an American Whig. The la
dies were loud and perhaps a little tan
talizing in their praises of Col. Wash
ington. TarletoR could not bear t
hear any one speak favorably Of th'
man who had driven him off the field
To mortify the feelings Of the ladie
and in this way get revenge, Tarletol
remarked that he had understood tina
: Colonel Washington was a very Hitter
ate man, who could scarcely write hi
name" Mrs. Jones, a daughter of Col
Onel Montfort of Halifax, North Caro-
lima was present. So soon as Tarletol
had finished his remark, Mrs. Jone
D replied with keen emphasis. "Ah! Col
D onel you ought to know better, for yo1
4 bear on your person proof that h
: lknOws very we'll how IN make hi