The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-04-01
DICEY LANGSTON.
Extracts From Early South
Carolina History.
printed for County Educational
Department.

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There was a black-cycd girl baby
born on South Carolina plantation in
tho year 17G0, who was to grow up
with far more Of guile than the fear of
man in her heart, and who was to do
deeds Of daring during the war for
independence that would send her
name down in history along with
those Of Sumter and Marion, Pickens
and Moultric, and other chivalrous
souls of the Southland.
The little maid, Dicey Langston, was
The daughter Of Solomon Langston, an
elderly planter, living in the Laurens
district, on the Enoree River, Il sec
ton overrun with British soldiers,
Tories, and outlaws, who trained with
the Tories during the latter days of
the Revolution, writes Mary and IIar-
ry Green in an exchange. Her moth
er died during her childhood, a period
Of which we have little regard except
that she grew up With her brothers.
learning their lessons and playing
her part in their boyish sports. Ma
less rider and an expert shot along
with her moro lady-likc accomplish
mcnts, and was Il proud, impcrious.
high-spiritcd young woman, rather be-
low the medium height. but graceful
and attractive in face and manner. or
course she became an earnest and
OutspOken patriot, as were her broth
ers, though they had relatives in their
own neighborhood who were strong
sympathizcrs with the policy of King
George.
Old Solomon Langston was an ar
dent Whig, and though incapacitated
by age and infirmitics from active par
ticipation in the struggle, he was al
ways ready with purse and influence
to aid the cause of independence. Both
the sons were in the field and had
been since the breaking out Of hostil-
tiles, in some capacity or other. In
order to save the family from annoy
ance, they did not live at home, nor
visit the some except surrepitiously
at rare intervals, but were in constant
communication with their sister.
ROyalists Numerous.
Living as she did in community
where she was surrounded with Royal
lists, some Of whom were her own rel
atives, the girl found 1t easy to learn
what was going on, the movements
was likely to affect their friends, and
she did not hesitate to secure and use
this information by communicating to
her brother, who was encamped with
a little band Of Wings along the OPP
posite shore Of the river, some miles
away. After a time there began to
arise questionings as to how certain
information could have come to the
ears Of the rebels, and the suspicious
Of their Tory neighbors were turned
toward Solomon Langston and his
high spirited and outspoken daughter.
Mr.. Langston was waited upon by
some OF these same Tories and told
that If there was any more informa-
ton carried he would be held person.
ally responsible for his daughters
conduct. Mr.. Langston was an old
man, and not only his own safety but
that Of his daughter and his property
depended upon these same neighbors,
90 hn ,I ,t,,;, ton c{n 10
Miss Dicey and warned her Of the
danger in which they stood. The
meekness with which the young wo-
man received the admonitions Of her
esteemed parent may be imagined, al
so the mental reservations with which
she promised to carry no more news
to the Whig camps.
"The Bloody ScOuts.'
For time she oDeyed the COM
mand of her father, but the probabili-
ties are that 1t was because she had
nothing worth telling. A few weeks
later, however, 1t came to her cars ac-
cidentally that band Of Tory out
laws called tho "Bloody Scouts" be-
cause Of their ruthless cruelty In wan
tonly killing and plundcring defence
less families known to be sympatbiz-
ers with the patriot cause, were next
day to attack Little Eden settlement
near where her brother and his little
band lay In hiding. She knew that the
band was especially incensed at her