The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-12-28
MURPHY'S DECISIVE SHOT.
Marked Turning Point of the Revo-
luton, Says Mr.. O'Brien.

The name of Murphy is not with
out honor, but it will be news to
many, even loyal Irishmen, that a
man named Murphy fired the bullet
which was the turning point of the
Revolution" Such is the contention
of NJ. ]. O'Brien, of New York city,
who writes about it to the Sun. That
Timothy Murphy was no historical
myth, he says, may be seen by con-
sulting the following authorities on
the events of the Revolution: Camp
bells History of Tryon County"
Simms's History of Schoharie
County," Doty's History of Livings-
ton County," Lossing's "Field Book
of the American Revolution volume
l, and Col. w. L. Stones ''History of
the Battle of Saratoga"
Murphy was one of that band OF
the frontiersmen from the Shenan-
doah valley who composed the cele-
brated rifle corps commanded by Col.
Daniel Morgan, of Virginia. This
gallant aggregation of fighting men
wore upon their breasts the motto,
Liberty or DEATH" Losing says:
"A large proportion of them were
Irishmen, who were not very agree
able to- the New Englanders." The
men attracted much attention
throughout the Revolutionary strug-
gle, and on account of their sure and
deadly aim they became terror to
the British. Wonderful stories OF
their exploits went to England, and
one of the rifemen who was carried
there a prisoner was gazed at as a
great curiosity.
In describing the battle of the
Heights of Saratoga on September
10, 1777, Losing says:
It was evident that the fate of the
battle rested upon Fraser, and this
the keen eye and sure judgment of
Morgan quickly perceived. Calling
file of his best men around him, he
said, as he pointed toward the Brit
ish right:
THAT gallant officer is Gen. Fra
ser. I admire and honor him but it
is necessary he should die; victory
for the enemy depends on him. Take
your station in that clump of bushes
and do your duty"
Within five minutes Fraser fell
mortally wounded. The rifleman who
killed Gen. Fraser was Timothy
Murphy. He took sure aim from a
and saw Fraser fall on the discharge
and saw Fraser fall nthe discharge
of his rifle. As soon as Fraser fell
panic fell upon the British line. They
fed precipitately within the intrench-
ments of the camp. All efforts to
rally the panic-stricken English and
Hessian troops proved unavailing.
They could not again be brought into
action, and before morning dawned
the remnant of the British army had
retreated to a more secure position
at Fort Edward, the Americans TAX
ing possession of the evacuated Brit
ish camp.
The ubiquitous Murphy is again
mentioned as participant in the
battle of Schoharie and Monmouth,
and his heroic part in the expedition
of Gen. Sullivan thorugh central
and western New York, and especi-
ally in defense of the fort at Middle
burg in October, 1880, reads like
chapter from a romantic novel. He
is described as man of handsome
features, of great muscular power,
fleet of foot and as wary as an Indian.
While he was not man of any edu-
cation he was possessed of a strong
1QCS1l6CC dUU udu LII uCu lAlluCASO O'SA
his, associates. His skill in the de-
sultory warfare with the Indians
gave him so high a reputation that,
though not nomina1ly the command
er, he usually directed all the move
ments of the scouts that were sent
out, and on many important occa-
sions the commanding officers found
it dangerous to neglect his advice.
He used a double-barrelled rifle,
which was something of a curiosity
in those days and the Indians, see
ing him fire twice without stopping
to reload, supposed he could fire as
often as he pleased in the same man
ner, and they usually fled in terror
when they learned that the dreaded
Murphy was in their immediate
neighborhood.
A volume could be written about