Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-09-07
From the Yorkville Enquirer OF 1876
INSTALLMENT xxx.


The Battle of BIacI<stoek.
Immediately after the battle of FISH
dam ford. Sumter crossed Broad river
and was Joined by the partisan forces
in that region. AS already stated plans
had been concerted and preparations
made for attacking Ninety-Six, the
principal British post in the upper por-
ton of South Carolina west Of Broad
river. So soon as the British troops
which had been sent against Sumter at
Fishdam ford, returned to Winnsboro,
Cornwallis sent dispatch to Tarleton,
who was at that time In the region be-
tween the Santee and the Black rivers,
begging him to return Immediately.
In his dispatch to Tarleton. CORVALLIS
says: 'T am under the greatest anx-
iety for Ninety-Six and trust you will
lose no time in returning to me-" The
overthrow of Wemyss and his detacli-
ment filled the mind of Earl Cornwall
lis with fears, lest Ninety-Six and all
the posts west of Broad river would
fall into the hands Of Sumter and his
partisans.
CORVALLIS had really been driven
back from Charlotte and now he be-
gan to fear that in the fortunes Of war,
he might be forced to retire from
Winnsboro to some more safe position.
Tarleton promptly obeyed the orders OF
his commander. Agreeable to instruc-
tions, he left a number Of horses at
Camden for the purpose Of mounting
some infantry. The loyalists In the
Santee river being greatly dispirited.
he encouraged them; and having con-
certed some plans with the commander
at Camden by which intelligence of
any threatened danger to the line Of
posts between Ninety-Six and Camden
might be made known, with the utmost
dispatch he crossed the Wateree river.
Here he was met by a courier from
Earl CORVALLIS, instructing him to
take the most direct route to Ninety
Six. Passing through the southern
portion Of Fairfield county, he crossed
Broad river near the point where AL
ston station, on the Greenville and Co.
lumbia railroad is located.
When Sumter crossed Broad river,
perhaps on the ninth Of November-ne
in connection with the partisan leai-
ers, Clarke, Thomas, Brannon, Brat
ton, Taylor, Chandler, Twiggs, Mccall,
and Hammond, concerted plans for
making an attack upon Ninety Six.
In the region between Broad river and
Ninety-Six, the British had supplies
collected at three points-at Summers 8
mill, at Captain Faust's and at VIII
liams' fifteen miles from Ninety-Six.
At each of these points, few
British troops, were stationed and to
them the loyalists in great numbers
focked. 1t was concluded by Sumter
and the other partisan leaders, just to
take these posts and then concentrate
all their forces and make the contem-
plated attack upon the strong post of
Ninety-Six. 80.
On crossing Broad river at Fishdam
ford, Sumter directed his course down
the river. Col. Taylor of South Car
olina and Colonel Chandler Of Georgia,
with a small detachment, were sent out
to break up the British post at Sum
mer's, bring away the supplies and
gain what intelligence they could of
the movements Of the enemy. Lieu
tenant Colonel Williamson Of Georgia,
and Mai Hammond of South Carolina,
with a detachment similar to that un-
der Taylor and Chandler were sent for
like purpose, against the post at
Faust's. Whilst these detachments
were attempting to accomplished the
object for which they had been sent
out, Sumter received information that
Tarleton had returned from the low
country This fact necessarily caused
Sumter to change his plans. He de-
termined to retreat, but leisurely, that
the two detachments might be enabled
to join him.
Evidently the advance of Sumter to-
wards Ninety-Six had greatly alarmed
the British. When CORVALLIS In
structed Tarleton to cross the Wateree
river and take the most direct route to
Ninety Six, he sent a strong detach-
ment, consisting of the first battalion
of the seventy-first regiment, under
Major Macarthur, and a portion Of the
sixty third regiment, under Lieutenant
Money, to join Tarleton so soon as he
would arrive at Broad river. No doubt
the troops stationed at Summers mill,
at Captain Faust's, at Williams and
at Ninety-Six, had been informed of
the intended attack upon the part of
the Wings. From Faust's and perhaps
from Summers mill, the garrison had
been removed.
Before Tarleton reached Broad river,
he learned that the Americans were on
the opposite bank. That the patriots
might be deceived Tarleton ordered
his troops to conceal their uniforms In
order to deceive Sumter. The Amer
lean militia dreaded Tarleton and his
legion more than any command In the
British army. He was brave and dar-
ing and at the same time wickedly
cruel. The green uniform in which the
legion was clad, made the hearts of the
undisciplined Wings tremble, whilst
they dreaded the red coats but little.
There was a mutual dread existing be-
tween Tarleton and the Whig militia.
At Waxhaw he had acted so cruelty as
to make his very named feared, hatred
and detested by every. Whig. On the
other hand Tarleton knew that he was
doomed man and feared to fall into
the hands of the Wings, for he was
persuaded that his life would be sacri-
feed at once.
Having reached Broad river with
the green uniform Of his legion CON-
cealed, he ordered Major Macarthur to
fire two pieces of cannon at the Ameri-
cans on the west bank Of the river.
AS the Wings had no cannon they were
forced to give way. This was on the
afternoon of the 18th of November. By
10 o'clock in the night all the British