Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-25

reached this point when they encoun
tered a picket of the enemy, which, af'
ter a few shots, retired hastily up thu
mountain.
The little outpost had scarcely begur
to give ground before the leading com
panies of the Wings had their atten'
tion drawn to the movements Of {
small party Of horsemen who at tina
moment appeared in sight upon the
road, some distance in advance. They
were approaching the American col
umn; and as If taken by surprise at th'
appearance Of this force, set spurs t.
their horses and made an effort t.
lride beyond the reach of Cleveland!
fire, whilst they took direction VI
the mountain towards Ferguson!
stronghold. From the equipment o.
these individuals, 1t might have beer
inferred that they were two gentle.
men Of some distinction connected
with the royal army, attended by theil
servants and now about arriving, af-
ter a long journey, at the British
camp. The first was habited In the
uniform of an officer, was we'll mount
ed, and displayed a light and active
figure, which appeared to advantage
in the dexterous management Of his
horse. The second was a gentleman
in a plain riding costume, Of slender
and well-knit proportions and mani
festly older than his companion. He
rode a powerful and spirited horse
with a confidence and command not in
ferior to those Of his associate. The
others In attendance, from their posi-
tion in the rear and from the heavy
portmanteaus that encountered their
saddles, we might have no difficulty In
conjecturing to be menials in the SER
vice of the two first
The course taken by this party
brought them obliquely across the
range of the fire of the Wings.
1T Is a general officer and his aide, y
exclaimed one of the subalterns in the
advance. "Ho there! Stand. You
are my prisoners!"
Spur, spur. and away! For Gods
sake, f1y!" shouted the younger of the
two horsemen to his companion, as he
dashed the rowels into his steed and
fed up the mountain. Push for the
top-one moment more and we are out
Of reach!"
stop them at all hazards!" vocifer-
ated Cleveland, the instant his eye fell
upon them. Quick, lads-level your
pieces-they are messengers from
CORVALLIS. Rein up or / fire." he
called aloud after the flying cavalcade.
The appeal and the threat were un-
needed. A score of men left the
ranks and ran some distance up the
mountain side, and their shouts whis-
tied through the forest after the fugi-
tives. One of the attendants was seen
to fall, and his horse to reel round
and run back, with frightened pace,
to the valley. The scarlet uniform Of
the younger horseman. conspicuous
the mountain, showed that he had
escaped His elder comrade, when the
smoke cleared away. was seen also be-
yond the reach of Cleveland's fire;
but his altered pace and his relaxed
seat in his saddle, made 1t apparent
that he had received some hurt. This
was confirmed when, still nearer to the
summit, the stranger was seen to fell
upon his horses neck. and thence to
be lifted to the ground by three or
four soldiers who had hastened to his
relief.
These incidents scarcely occupied
more time in their performance than
have taken in the narrative; and all
reflection upon them. for the present,
was lost in the uproar and commotion
of the bloody scene that succeeded.
Meanwhile, Campbell and Shelby,
each at the head of his men in the
centre division of the army steadily
commenced the ascent of the noun
tain. A long interval ensued, in which
the soldiers and few words of almost
whispered command, as they scaled
the height; and it was not until they
had nearly reached the summit that
the sleeping echoes of the mountain.
Campbell here deployed into line
and his men strode briskly upwards
until they had come within musket-
shot of the British regulars, whose
sharp and prolonged volleys, at this
instant, suddenly burst forth from the
crest of the hill. Peal after peal rat
tied along the mountain side and VOL
umes of smoke, silvered by the light
of the sun, rolled over and enveloped
the combatants.
When the breeze had partially swept
away this cloud, and opened glimpses
of the battle behind it, the troops of
Campbell were seen recoiling before
an impetuous charge of the bayonet
i'm which Ferguson himself led the
way. A sudden halt by the retreating
| Wings, and a stern front steadfastly
opposed to the foe, checked the ardor
of his pursuit at an early moment
and, i'm turn, he was discovered retir-
ing toward his original ground, hotly
followed by the mountaineers. Again
the same vigorous onset from the roy
alists was repeated and again the
shaken bands of Campbell rallied and
turned back the rush of battle towards
the summit. At last, painting and
spent with the severe encounter. both
parties stood for a space cycling each
other with a deadly rage, and waiting
only to gather breath for the renewal
of the strife.
At this juncture, the distant firing
heard from either flank furnished evil
dence that Sewer and Cleveland had
both come i'm contact with the enemy
The uprising of the smoke above the
trees showed the seat of combat to be
below the summit on the mountain
sides, and that the enemy had there
half way met his foe: whilst the shout
of the soldiers, alternating between
the parties of either army, no less