Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-03-02
Are Full as Marvellous as the lnven
tions of Romance.

Are Full as Marvellous as the lnvsn-
tions of Romance.
David Ramsay's house was situated
on a by-road, between five and six
miles from Musgrove's mill, and at
about the distance Of one mile from
the principal route Of travel be-
tween Ninety-Six and Blackstocks.
In passing from the military post that
lhad been established at the former
place, towards the latter, Ramsay's lay
off to the left, with piece Of dense
wood intervening. The byway, leading
through the farm, diverged from the
main road, and traversed this wood
until 1t reached the cultivated grounds
Immediately around Ramsay's dwell
ing. In the journey from Musgrove's
mill to this point of divergence, the
traveller was obliged to ride some two
or three miles upon the great road
leading from the British garrison, a
road that, at the time Of my story, was
much frequented by military parties,
scouts and patrols, that were concern
ed in keeping up the communication
between the several posts which were
established by the British authorities
along that frontier. Amongst the Whig
parties, also. there were various occa-
sfons which brought them under the
necessity Of frequent passage through
this same district, and which, there
fore, furnished opportunities for colli-
sion and skirmish with the opposite
forces. Dc,
It is a matter of historical notoriety
that Immediately after the fall OF
Charleston, and the rapid subjugation
of South Carolina that followed this
event, there were three bold and skill
full soldiers who undertook to carry on
the war Of resistance to the establish
ed authorities, upon settled and d.
gested plan Of annoyance, under the
most discouraging state Of destitution,
as regarded all the means Of offence,
that, perhaps, history records. 1t will not
detract from the fame Of other patriots
Of similar enthusiasm and Of equal
bravery, to mention the names Of Mar
ion, Sumpter and Pickens, in connection
with this plan Of keeping up an ap-
parently hopeless partisan warfare,
which has the promise neither of men,
money, nor arms-and yet which was
so nobly sustained. amidst accumulated
discomfitures, as to lead eventually to
the subversion of the "Tory ascenden-
cy and the expulsion of British
rover According to the plan Of oper-
ations concerted amongst these chief
tains Marion took the lower country
under his supervision; Pickens the
southwestern districts, bordering upon
the Savannah; and to Sumpter was al
lotted all that tract Of country lying
between the Broad and the Catawba
rivers, from the angle Of their juno
tion, below Camden, up to the noun
tain districts Of North Carolina How
faithfully these men made good their
promise to the country, is not only
written in authentic history, but 1t Is
also told In many legend amongst the
older Inhabitants of the region that
was made the theatre Of action. 1t
only concerns my story to refer to the
fact, that the events which have occu-
pied my last five or six chapters, oc-
CURED in that range more peculiarly
appropriated to Sunpter, and that the
high road from Blackstock's towards
Ninety-Six was almost as necessary for
communication between Sumpter and
Pickens, as between the several Brit
ish garrisons.
On the morning that succeeded the
night in which Horse Shoe Robinson
arrived at Musgrove's, the stout and
honest sergeant might have been seen,
about o'clock, leaving the main road
from Ninety-Six, at the point where
that leading to David Ramsay's sepa-
rated from 1t, and cautiously urging
his way into the deep forest, by the
more private path into which he had
entered The knowledge that Innis
was encamped along the Ennoree,
within a short distance Of the mill, had
compelled him to make an extensive
circuit % reach Ral1say's dwelling,
whittier he was now bent; and he had
experienced considerable delay in his
morning journey, by finding himself
| frequently in the neighborhood of small
foraging parties of Tories, whose mo-
tions he was obliged to watch for fear
Of an encounter. He had once already
been compelled to use his horses heels
in what he called fair flight" and
once to ensconce himself, full half
hour, under cover Of the thicket af-
forded him by swamp. He now,
therefore, according to his own phrase,
| "dived into the little road that scram-
bled down through the woods towards
Ramsay's, with all his eyes about him.
looking out as sharply as a fox on
foggy morning." and with this cir
cumspection, he was not long in arriv-
ing within view Of Ramsay's house.
Like a practised soldier, whom fire.
quent trays has taught wisdom, he re-
solved to reconnoitre before he ad-
vanced upon a post that might be In
possession of an enemy. He therefore
dismounted, fastened his horse in a
fence corner where field of corn con-
cealed him from notice, and then
stealthily crept forward until he came
Immediately behind one Of the out
houses.
The barking of house-dog brought
out negro boy, to whom Robinson in
stantly addressed the query
rs your master at home!"
No, sir. He's got his horse, and
gone off more than an hour ago."
Where is your mistress?"
Smelling beans, sir"
Il didn't ask YOU" said the sergeant,
what she is doing, but where she is
"In course, she is in the house. sir"
replied the negro with a grin.
ANY strangers there?"
There was plenty on 'em a little
while ago, but they've been gone a
good bit"
Robinson having thus satisfied HIM
Golf &c to the safety of his visit direct