Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-08

ScnemeS OF Inelr elleHlleS. T1du olu-
art, Connolly and Dunmore succeed
ed in carrying out their plan, the
cause of the patriots would have been
crushed in the bud. Had they con-
certed no plans, no powder would have
been shipped to St. Augustine AID
Savannah, and Moultrie might have
failed at Sullivan's Island, and Wash
ington at Boston, for the want of
powder. Providentially, We will say,
the plans Of Stuart were frustrated.
Humanity speaking they were wise in
their vastness and minute and par
ticular in their details. They were
however, not so far frustrated as to
prevent all attempts to put them
into execution. The Indian tribes
from Florida to Canada, had been
tampered with and preparations had
been made to violate all treaties they
had entered into with the whites.
All the western sections Of both Vir-
ginia and North Carolina, as well as
the north western portion Of South
Carolina, were in the greatest alarm.
They had unmistakable evidence that
unless checked, the wild savages
would visit the inhabitants with the
tomahawk and the scalping knife.
These fears were not imaginary.
But two days after the British fleet
commenced to lombard Fort Sulli-
van, the Cherokees raised the war
whoop and commenced the work of
carnage in the northwestern portion
of the state. Scovillites, loyalists,
and plundering Tories united with the
infuriated savages in their attack
upon the Wings of that region.
White men painted like savage In
dams and clad in the habiliments Of
these wild children of the forest, en-
tered their ranks that under the ap-
pearance OF savages, they might per-
petrate deeds at which even savages
blush. The Wings had but few arms
and but little ammunition. For safe
ty they fled to the forts. The crops
were committed to the mercy Of wild
beasts. Desolation hovered over the
land an5 hunger, lank and lean,
stared the inhabitants in the face.
"Unless," said one who wrote from
the scene of these massacres at the
time, I'VE get some relief, famine
will overspread our bountiful coun-
try"
To oppose the progress Of the In
dams, and Tories, Col. Andrew Will
Hanson was sent to the scene OF their
operation. His own home was in
this region and consequently the love
of his own fireplace inspired him with
energy. He found the people panic
struck. Each one was disposed to
secure a place of safety for his own
family, before he engaged in pursu-
ing the maddened foe. More than
two weeks were required to raise an
army of five hundred men.
On the 14th of July. a party of
ninety Indians and one hundred white
men made an attack upon Major
Downs, in Fort Lindlay. Downs de-
feated them, taking thirteen prison.
ers, ten of whom proved to be white
men painted so as to resemble Indians
The loyalists had expected the In
dams to spare the families of those
white men who were not in sympa-
thy with the patriots. In this they
were mistaken. The savages used the
tomahawk and scalping knife on
Wings and loyalists indiscriminately
and the property of both was reck-
lessly destroyed by the savages. This
cooled the ardor of the loyalists and
aroused the slumbering energies Of
the patriots. Another thing greatly
changed the state of things in the
Ninety-six region.
About the 22nd Of July, the news
ton, on the 2Sth of June, reached the
up-country. The Tories and loyal
lists were not prepared for such news.
They confidently expected to hear of
Charleston being in the hands of the
British, so soon as the fleet under
Parker arrived. The result of this
news was great depression to the
loyalists and prompted resistance on
the part of the Wings The loyalists
under Cameron. began 10 desert and
straggle, and the patriots to rush by
the hundreds to the camp of William
son. When the news reached Colonel
Williamson's camp on Bakers creek
that the formidable British fleet, rn-
der Sir Peter Parker, had been driven
away from the coast of South Caro-
lima by Colonel Moultrie's battery on
Sullivan's Island. Colonel Williamson
had only seven hundred men. II
was but a few days until he had elcv-
en- hundred effective men and was In
full pursuit of the Cherokees and To-
ries. Their camp was on Oconee
creek. To this point, Williamson
with more than eleven hundred in
fantry and three hundred cavalry
set out. His men We're in good spirits
and although but poorly equipped
they were anxious for the contest
Some were burning with revenge and
longing for an opportunity To chas-
tise those who had sCalped Their
children, wives and neighbors. and
put the torch to their dwellings
Others were anxious to strike blow
in defense of American liberty.
The savages We're aware of the ap-
proach of the patriots and laid IN
ambuscade for them. When Will
Hanson and his men least expected
it, they were attacked in front, and
on the flanks. by a concealed foe
The war whOop was heard all around
them. WilliamsOn's horse was shot
and the whole army i'm an instant was
| thrown into the utmost confusion
Francis Salvador. brave and accom-
pliShed Jew, fell at the first fire anC
was instantly scalped by the savages
For a time a shameful rOut seemed
| to threaten the forces of the patriots
In the midst of this disorder, COlOne
Leroy Hammond of Edgefleld, witt
twenty men, charged upon the say
ages as they lay behind a fence. Or
the approach Of the bayonets of Col