Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-08-23

solved to ride there In the hope ~
finding them and inducing them 20 ut
tack the British force and possibly
rescue her husband
Athol. having been taken before the
officer commanding the British troops
was searched. and bit of paper
crumpled into a hard ball was taken
from his pocket II was opened and
found "a he a statement OF the British
/ forces IN South Carolina. II was Of
i course more of surprise TO Athol
/ than the British officer who had been
| informed 10y Pinckton that If he would
! conceal his men on the Charleston
road that day he would be likely to In.
| tcrcept q man passing with informa-
/ ton for General Marion.
The first Impulse Of the officer was
Ia hang Athol without even trial by
drumhead court martial. Then il oc-
Cured 10 him that the man should
have some time f. make preparation
for death. and he concluded 20 20
through the form Of trial and leave
| the time of his execution to the court
TIL. command was small one aud
there were but half Il dozen officers
connected with IT, These were all con
vened 70 q court, and Athol was
brought before them There was no
doubt that he had been caught carry
ing information. the penalty for which
was death. but he was permitted 10
make an explanation. lie said that
he WAS on his way to Charleston when
arrested In answer to a summons he
had received from there; that he was
neither Tory nor rebel; that he had no
idea how the communication had come
into his pocket. lie asked to see IL
and was permitted to inspect IL. The
handwriting was very like his own,
which added 10 his establishment. Not
a suspicion that his friend Pinckton
had put ii there entered his head.
OF course the case was plain to the
court that tried him. though since they
were convened 10 convict him this
made little difference They brought
IN verdict of guilty and sentenced
him 10 he hanged the next morning.
Meantime Mrs Athol was riding to
the camp of the Continental troopers
She had heard Of Reaching the place
where they had been. she found that
they had moved No one knew where
for troops in war time are not accus
toned to tell where they are going
But the direction they had taken was
known. aud Mrs. Athol started after
them.
While riding She thought of the trap
that it was evident her former sutton
had laid FOR her husband and wonder
ed what ii was that had been dropped
in the atter's pocket. This She could
not divine. She had no idea of the
depth of degradation into which Pinck-
ton had sunk. the trcachery TO one
who trusted him implicitly and consid
cred him II bosom friend. Tears came
into her eyes as she thought of her
husbands unjust speech TO her when
She had warned him
Along the route she took she made
inquiries from time TO time of the
troopers she was chasing and learned
that She was gradually drawing nearer
TO them. Then they were but a few
miles ahead. then n mile. and at last
she came upon them ms they We're
about going into bivouac for the night
She Sought the officer in command and
told him of his proximity TO the Brit
ish troops,
The officer knew of this force and
them TO attack and capture them. but
he had been misinforned rs 10 their
whereabouts and was moving In the
wrong direction. Mrs. Athol offered 10
pilot him to their camp. but begged
him to send few men 10 pinckton's
plantation 10 arrest him. To this the
officer assentcd. and II was agreed that
after supper and rest the command
would saddle up with view TO sur
rounding the Britshers before day.
II was 10 o'clock when they started.
lighted by "A half moon and plotted by
Mrs Athol she described the loca-
ton of the enemy SO that the Ameri-
can force might he divided and ap.
proach from different directions. Be
fore they reached the vicinity OF the
British camp IL was near moonset. and
the night had become dark from clouds.
on reaching the place where her hus.
band had been captured Mrs. Athol
described. three different routes by
which they might come upon the Brit
ish. The separate bodies started and
were each given an hour to get into
position The signal for attack was 10
he two shots In quick succession from
the troops accompanied by the com
manding officer.
When those two shots rang out on
the still night the British sentrlcs gave
nm alarm. and the red'ua sprang 10
arms too late. They were hcmmed
in. aud II did not require q long time
for their commanding officers 10 real.
lie the fact lie was called on 10 sur.
render and did - without firing shot
Aihol not only found himself liherat-
ed but by his wifc's fundamentally.