Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-13
SOUTH CAROLINA m
TaE REVOLUTION
How the Spirit of Liberty Was Kept Alive By an
UncOnquerabe People.
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1875
INSTALLMENT XIV.
Battle of Ramsour's Mill.

| After the QlScOmnture Oh BuIOTu d'
Waxhaw, Tarleton repaired to Camden
The facts in the case were soon COM
municated to Sir Henry Clinton, the
commander-in-c chief OF the British
forces in America Over the affair at
Waxhaw, the British were jubilant
After the fall of Charleston they
thought the state of South Carolina
was subdued. Now they were sure OF
it. On the third Of June, Sir Henry
Clinton wrote that there were very few
people in South Carolina who had not
returned to their former allegiance to
the British government. On the fifth
of June, Sir Henry full of bright hopes,
and cheered by the prospects that the
thirteen colonies would be in a short
time made as formerly a part and par
eel Of the British government, set out
with the main body Of his army for
New York.
The British army in the south was
left in command of Lord Cornwallis,
Before leaving for New York, Sir Hen
ry Clinton issued a proclamation, In
which the paroles Of citizens were null
lifted and all were required to take up
arms for the purpose Of crushing out
as speedily as possible, the rebellion.
No neutrality was allowed. Whoever
was not for the British government,
was to be regarded as against It, Cit
izens were required to enter the Brit
ish army and assist in subduing their
fellow citizens. This when viewed In
one aspect, was a wise step; but when
viewed In another aspect, was very un-
wise. Sir Henry Clinton, no doubt
thought the people of South Carolina
were in sympathy with the govern
ment of England. At least, he thought
from all external signs of the times
that the great majority Of the people
of South Carolina had despaired Of the
success Of the colonies. His past ex-
perience ought to have taught him diff
ferently. The people were not subdued.
They were only quiet. Those who had
rebelled against the government of
England were still, in heart, rebels.
Necessity was forcing them to remain
in a neutral state. Besides multitudes
of individuals had left the state and
were, In connection with the citizens of
other states, preparing for renewing
the conflict Pickens, Sumter, Nc
Call, Hammonds, Hampton, Liddle and
Rutledge together with multitudes of
other South Carolinians of little less
note, had sought voluntary exile for
time. The same course had been pur-
sued by Hawley, Clark and Dooley OF
Georgia. Like Alfred, one of England's
early monarchs, these men had secret
ed themselves amongst the back wa
ter men, and were waiting like Alfred
for a proper occasion to pounce down
upon the invaders of their country.
Both Clinton and CORVALLIS were
mistaken. South Carolina was not
subdued. Her patriots only made a
virtue of necessity and kept quiet.
The massacre of Buford's command
drove the inhabitants Of the Waxhaw
settlement in various directions. Most
of them sought shelter and protection
amongst the Wings Of North Carolina,
in the regions adjacent to Charlotte
The widowed mother Of Andrew Jack
son, with her two sons, found home
In the house Of Widow Wilson, in Su-
gar Creek congregation. In this Whig
region the tale Of their suffering was
told. The massacre Of Buford's COM
mand was narrated and the hornets
nest" region was thoroughly aroused
Generals Rutherford and Davie called
out the militia and the Rev. DR.. Nc
Whorter poured his patriotic soul into
speech to them Everybody was full
of patriotic sentiments and anxiously
dc sired q fit time to strike blow, To
defend the rights of their country, and
avenge the blood Of their massacreo
countrymen. Gen. Davie having been
wounded in the thigh at the battle oil
Stono. on the Goth Of June, 1878, had
now sufficiently recovered to take the
field. With part Of his cavalry ne
undertook to reconnoitre the country
between Charlotte and Camden. The
militia were dismissed with instruc-
tions to put their arms in proper re-
pair and be ready to meet Gen. Ruth
erford at a moments warniung.
North and South Carolina were orig
inally one and under the royal gov
ernment of England: and today they
r,maIn twin sisters. The region about
Charlotte and the upper section OF the
state of South Carolina, was settled by
people from the same country, by a
people entertaining the same political
notions and the same religious creed
and worshipping God in the same way
For more than two hundred years they
have preserved their type clear and
we'll marked. The struggles and tri-
umphs of South Carolina were the
struggles and triumphs Of North Car
olina When Charleston surrendered
both wept. When Buford's command
was butchered both were incensed
WUt
Iannihilated at Kings Mountain. rep
resentatives of both states were there
and the joy was mutual.
| The object OF the British officers
was to station garrisons in various sec
tions OF the state Of South Carolina
gather up and embody the loyalists
and as soon as the crops Of wheat were
harvested in North Carolina, march in
TO that state and put its inhabitants
under the yoke. CORVALLIS was anx-
ious to form junction with the 10y
al Scotch in the region Of Fayetteville
Here the romantic Flora Mcdonald
had landed in 1875 and espoused with
all her soul the cause Of George the
Third. Unfortunate woman, she In
turn hazarded her life both for the
house of Stuart and the house of Han
over: and in her own language was
mo great gamer by it,"
When Sir Henry Clinton set out fol
New York, Lord CORVALLIS returned
to Charleston, leaving Lord Rawdon ir
command at Camden. Knowing thai
the Waxhaw country was a nes
of determined Wings, and also futile
region of country, Lord Rawdon estab'