Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-12-21
HuApTEP TX

Till comes the season in the dawn
ing light"
1t was an easy victory, and won
without loss. Wiping his bloody sword
upon the name Of his steed, Major
Singleton rode up to his captives, who,
by this time. were all properly secured
Four persons had fallen in the conflict,
and among these was their leader,
Travis He was shot dead upon the
spot. Clough was severely wounded
in the breast, though perhaps not NOR
tally, and lay gasping, but without
groan, upon the ground where he had
fallen, and around which the surviv-
ing prisoners were grouped. Three
others had fallen, either killed out
right or mortally wounded; two OF
these by the sabre. not including the
corporal, who fell by the hand OF
into the swamp. The prisoners, five
in number, were natives, generally OF
the very lowest class. and just the sort
of men to fight, according to the neces-
sity of the case, on either side. Such,
indeed, were a large proportion OF the
Tories residing in the province. There
were many who were evowedly mon
archists: who had no sympathy with
the Revolutionary movement, and no
belief in its necessity or propriety;
many who were of foreign birth, Ger
man, Scotch and English; and these
were frequently persons Of great
worth, and conscientious in the adop-
ton of their cause, and of these, the
unprejudiced judgment Of our times
has determined that there can be no
proper ground for reproach. But with
the class Of whom we write, and whom
we find engaged in such warfare as
that which we describe, the case Is
different For them, there can be no
apology. They were desperates OF the
worst description-outcasts from sew
eral Of the provinces,-who, taking
refuge at first in Florida-which still
remained loyal to the British crown
had seized the moment Of British as
tendency in the south, to inundate
Carolina and Georgia with their
masses. Without leading princi-
pies and miserably poor-not rec
ognized, except as mercenartes, In
the social aristocracies which must
always prevail in slaveholding ma
tions-they had no sympathy with the
more influential classes-those who
were the first TO resist the authority or
England. The love of gain, the thirst
for rapine. and that marauding and
gipsy habit Of life which was now
familiar to them, were all directly ap-
pealed to In the Tory mode Of war
fare. They were ready on any side
which offered them the greatest chance
for indulglng in these habits. The
Tories forming Huck's cavalry were
I'll of this sort: and the small detach-
ment Just overthrown by Singleton
had no sympathy with their leader
only as his known character promised
them plunder. Defeat had no attrac-
ton in their eyes; and, as that is al
ways the true cause which is triumph
ant. they now freely rendered them
selves, with clamorous tongues, and TO
the no small chagrin Of the wounded
Clough, as recruits for Singleton. The
Briton denounced their pertidy In fear
less language, and threatened them
terribly with the vengeance of HucB
and Tarleton. but the remote rear Il
no fear with the vulgar. They seldom
think in advance of the necessity, anc
the exhortation of their wounded ott1'
Ger had no visible effect. They per-
sisted in their determination to figh
on the right side, and earnestly assert
ed their love of country, alleging tina
force only had placed them in the rank
Of the enemy Major Singleton con
ferred with Humphries on the cours
to be taken in this matter. The latte
knew most of the parties, but ha'
been prudent to keep from sight. an
they had not seen him, only in II
brief glimpse which they had of hi'
in the pursuit when, at such dir
tance, perpetually moving, and VII
his face we'll smeared with the raK
ooze from the creek around him. e
must have been unknown, except upn
the narrowest examination, even
the mother that had borne him. 1t ws
still his policy to keep from sight
connexion with his Whig partisa1;
for. passing in Dorchester as a LOAF
citiZen-a character in part obtaied
through his fathers loudly-voiced L
tachment to the existing powers-ne
was of far greater advantage TO ne
cause of the country than he posSly
could have been even in active nl-
itary service He obtained inth-
gence with singular adroitness. IN
yeyed il with despatch. and plaSeo
enterprises upon the facts he lus
gathered. with no little tact andin-
genuity. To remain unknown, tire
fore. or only known as he had cen
heretofore. in close connection Hth
LOYALTY alone. was clearly the Iicy
of our lieutenant.
There was one man from nom
Humphries seemed willing to wihoio
his confidence. He counsellt MS
commander to accept the servis OF
the remaining four, recommendir that
they should be so distributed nons
the men who had been tried, aso oe-
feat any concert between them, aoulo
they feel any impulse to disaction.
In this manner 1t was also ought
that a proper bias would be zen 10
their minds. which. as they botknew'
were sufficiently flexible to findut lit
tie difficulty in conforming to ~ CIR
cumstances which should fCa mo-
ment take the shape of neceity
But the fifth-the other few-the
blear-eyed-what Of him? "u say
nothing Of him. Humphries.
Singleton pointed through e copse
as he spoke. where the indilual re-
ferred to leaned against IT. Nttle
apart from the rest; his ead cast
down. his arms relaxed blde hlm'
one leg at ease, while the VIE weight
of his body rested upon thether' Ihe
features of his face were de and un-
,raroSSaSSinp-dar and SOW; his