The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-21
organization. He held at this time

gave him any legal right TO control
the organization so effected by him.
His men We're, like himself, only vol
unteers. Their organization was pure
u volutarily and equally SO was lheir
selection of Sumter as leader. 1t
was the recognition Of the capabiity
and not of any legal right. After the
formation Of this camp it was not
long before the number Of Sunter's S
command was swelled by the acces-
sion Of Wings from all parts-so that
he soon had nearly 500 men under
his command Of stores, supplies,
arms and ammunition they were at
first nearly destitute.
Says Moultrie in his memoirs:
They sometimes began an action with
not more than three rounds per man.
and We're obliged to wait to be sup
piled with more by the fall Of their
friends or enemies in battle. When
they proved victorious they supplied
themselves with arms and ammuni-
ton from the killed and wounded
and Ramsay states with more
particularly:
:" His followers were in a great
measure unfurnished with arms and
ammunition. and they had no naga-
zines from which they might draw a
supply. The iron tools on the neigh
boring farms were worked up for
their use by common blacksmiths into
rude weapons of war. They supplied
themselves in. part with bullets by
melting the pewter with which they
were furnished by private housekeep-
ers. They sometimes came to battle
! when they had not three rounds
man and some were obliged to keep
at a distance ;iil oy the fall of others
they were supplied with arms. When
they proved victorious they were
Obliged to rife the dead and wounded
of their arms and ammunition to
equip them for their next engage
ment. At the head Of these volun-
teers Col Sumter penetrated into
South Carolina and recommended a
military opposition to the British, af-
ter it had been suspended for about
six weeks
'sThis initiation of organized resist
ance was made at a time When the
inhabitants Of the State mad gener-
ally abandoned all idea and effort OF
further armed opposition, and to
Sumter is due the credit.
Huck's Defeat
action soon followed organization.
The. British had established mil
itary station at Rocky Mountain, IN
what is now Lancaster county. The
conlmandant at this post sent Capt.
Christian Huck-the notorious Capt
Huck-to repair among the Tories
the consequences Of the dispersal OF
|. a party of them shortly before at
| Fishing creek. Huck commanded 35
dragons of Tarleton's legion, 20
mounted infantry of the New York
volunteers and about 60 Tory native
militia. He was, therefore in COM
mand of a force of regular British
soldiers in addition to militia. Huck
in his progress destroyed the forage
| furnace and mill at HilFs iron works
and advanced, destroying the country
and committing offensive outrages on
inoffensive inhabitants until. on the
| 18th July, he had taken post at Will
liamson's plantation, in York county
Here in the early morning Huck was
attacked by detachment Of volun-
teers from Sumter's camp and, after
a short engagement. Huck was killed
and his command entirely dispersed
The British lost between 80 and 40
killed and SO wounded. The Ameri-
cans lost one man killed.
'"rhe effect upon the representatives
great 1t has been we'll characterized
as one of the turning points in the
Revolution. It was the first success
gained over the royal forces since
their landing for investment at Char
| les Town 1t was a success won by
an enemy composed in part at least
of regular British troops. Its resul;
was to reinforce Sumter's force by
600 additional men.
The effect upin the representatives
Of the royal cause was equally great
They had considered the State practi-
cally conquered, and armed resistance
at an end. From this pleasant dream
the fight at Williamson's and the
death of Capt. Huck awakened them
They found themselves faced by
| crna lin organ