Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-22

done their duty,-had they but stoo,
the first round-had they but returned
the fire Of the foe. The Continental
alone bore the brunt Of the conflict
and they were victorious until isolated
and overborne by numbers.
The prisoners, among whom is in
cluded Colonel Walton, were roped b!
the command Of Tarleton. and formed
not the least imposing portion Of th'
triumphal procession Of the victor, OF
his return to Camden. De Kalb dieC
Il few days after in the arms Of Dl
Buysson, his aide. His last word:
were those Of eulogy upon the gallan
! troops whom he had so well trained
and who, justifying his avowed con-
fidence in them, had stood by him, II
the previous struggle, to the last.
My brave division!"
| These, in broken accents and imper-
feet English, were his last words
While expiring, his eyes blazed up fol
a moment, as If the ardor Of the strife
were again burning in his soul
and then it's light went out fol
ever. His name can never be erased
from the history, nor his memory for
gotten by the people in whose cause
he perished.
A different fate awaited the other
prisoners, to many Of whom like
death would have been a glad reprieve
The vindictive feelings Of Lord Corn
wallis were yet to be satisfied. The
banquet of blood which the late bat
| tie had afforded, had quickened and
made ravenous the appetite which, al
| the same time, it had failed to satisfy
There was much in the circumstances
of the period to provoke this appetite
in, the British commander, though
nothing to Justify its satiation to the
gross extent to which 1t carried him
He had seen much of his good labors
in the province entirely overturned
Deeming the country utterly conquer
ed, such had been the amount Of his
communications to his king. The work
had now to be begun anew. The coun-
try, so lately peaceable and submis-
sive, was now everywhere In arms
The swamps on every side OF him be-
gan to swarm with enemies; and his
own victory over Gates and the Conti-
nentals, though unqualified and con-
elusive. was burdened with tidings of
the performances of Sumter on the
Wateree, of Marion on Black river,
and Of many other leaders, not so dis
tinguished as these, but highly prom
ising for the future in the small sue
cesses Of the beginning. These tidings
gave just cause Of irritation to the
mind, which, having first fiattered It
self with an idea Of it's complete sue
cess. now discovers that all its labors
have been taken in vain. He grew
vindictive in consequence, and per-
Suading himself that a terrible exam
pie was necessary, If not for justice,
at least for his cause, he ordered Sc
ection to be made from among the
prisoners in his possession, who were
doomed to expiate the guilt Of patriot
ism upon the gallows.
The streets Of Camden were filled
with lamentations the day upon which
his determination was made public.
This was three days after the battle
time enough, surely, having inter-
vened for the subduing of his sanguin-
airy temper. Twenty victims were
.hosen either for their great populsr-
ity, or for their reputation as special
milignants. The former class was Sc
ected in order that the example might
be an imposing one; the punishment OF
particular offences was the ground up
on which the others were ito be justi-
fed" Yet reasons, If plenty as
blackberries," were not readily fur
nished, or cared for, on the occasion.
Even the trial which preceded their
execution was Of a most summary and
nominal character. The stern COM
mander himself presided, with gen.
eral officer on either hand. The pris-
oners were brought before him singly.
why has this man been chosen?'
was the inquiry of CORVALLIS to Lord
Rawdon.
violation of protection. my lord;
this man is one Samuel Andrews, who
was quiet and pacific enough-full Of
professions-until the rebel army came
to Lynch's creek. He was taken on
The field"
Take him away, marshal" was the
immediate order. ITO the tree with
him!" The man was removed. WHO
are these?"
Their names are"-Lord Rawdor,
I'm reply, read from a paper which ne
held in his hand-"Richard Tucker,
John Miles, Josiah Gayle, Eieazar
Smith, LOrimer Jones'
mo more" cried CORVALLIS. inter
rupting the reader Enough Of that.
They are all brought up under the
same charge-are they?"
"All but one: the man Gibson, there,
in the blue stripes, is little better than
an outlaw. The charge against him,
in particular, is, that he shot Edward
Draper, soldier in the Queens
Guards across the Wateree river and
was subsequently taken alone, without
connection with any military body
whatsoever"
"The insolent outlaw! Advance
him, guard-bring him forward"
The man was singled out from tne
group. His arms were lashed behind
him with cords, but he moved forward
as If perfectly unbound, and no figure
could have been more erect. He had
on neither coat nor jacket; his shirt
was torn, bloody, and open at the
breast. displaying beneath the fair bo-
som of a youth, but the full muscular
development of the man. He ap-
preached the table. unshrinkingly,
striding boldly forward to where Corn
wallis sat, and, with an upward eye,
met the tsern glance Of his judge, in
tended to be an overwhelming one
with a corresponding look OF defiance.
stand where you are, sir!-we de-
sire you no closer" cried his lordsnlp.
You hear the charge against you?'
The man did not stand where he had
been ordered, but continued to ap-
proach until the table only intervened
between himself and the lordship. The
latter repeated his inquiry. -,
You hear the charge against you!
Il dot is the truth. l shot Edward
Draper, a corporal in the queens
Guards. across the Wateree."
with what purpose?"
ITO kill him."
LAY, we suppose that-but what did
you propose to gain by it?"
Justice"
"Justicel-what had he done?'
Beaten my mother"
why did you not apply for justice
at the first station, instead OF taking
1t into your own hands?"
81 id:-Lord Rawdon, there, VIII
tell you why l took it into my own
hands"
We'll"
He denied it to me"
1T Is false. my lord" exclaimed Lord
Rawdon; Draper was severely re-
.rimanded."
MY mother was beaten, ana the
man who beat her waS-reprlmandeu
| did not think that enough OF JUSTICE
and shot him."
The evident discrepancy between the
original wrong and it's punishment by
Rawdon, could not but appear evident
to all parties and CORVALLIS himself
was almost disposed to look faVoraply
upon the offender. But example,
terrible example-was supposed 10 De
necessary to keep the Drapers OF the
army from being shot on all occa-
sions: and, with this belief, he was
I 70 cbiald M victim from