The Penn's Grove record., 1923-03-23
THE LIFE
or
WASHINGTON
BY REV. MASON L, WEEMS
Formerly Rector of Mt. Vernon
Parish
CHAPTER Y

Commissioners to Amcrica-ClintOn
Evacuates Philadelphia - Washing
ton Pursues Him-Battle of Mon
mouth-Arnold's Apostasy = Andre
Observation-Disclosures His Char
acter.
Washington now waged the war
with various success. On the one
hand. his hero of Saratoga Gates
was defeated with great loss, at Cam
den: on the other, the British lost, on
the Kings Mountain, the brave Colo
mel Ferguson, with all his army, loo
men. Colonel Ferguson and his men
were supposed by the British, the
most exquisite markSmen alive. And
indeed. to hear their brayadoes, one
would suppose, that give them but
guns of a proper calibre, and they
would think it a light affair to snuff
the moon or drive the centre of the
fixed stars. But the American Rifle
boys sOon let them into a truer way
of thinking. For in a few rounds they
pink'd the brave Colonel and put 300
of his exquisite marksmen asleep;
which struck such a whole some panic
into the survivors that they threw
down their sh~ooting-irons and like
thrifty gentlemen called out right
Justify for quarters.
Of the Americans there fell but
few; but among these was one, whose
fame "Time with his own eternal lips
shall sing l mean the brave Col.
Williams. He it was, whose burning
words first kindled the young farmers
at their ploughs, and led them to the
Kings Mountain, to measure their
Youthful rifles with Ferguson's
heroes. On receiving the ball which
opened in his breast the crimson sluice
of life, he was born by his aids, into
the rear; where he was scarcely laid
down. fainting with loss of blood, be-
fore a voice was heard, loud eXclaim-
ing, "Hurral My Boys! the day is
our own, the day is our own! they are
crying for quarters. Instantly he
started. as from the beginning sleep of
death, and opening his heavy eyes,
eagerly called out, "My God! who are
CRYING for quarters-"The British! The
The British" replied the powder
bIackened rifemen. At this, n last
beam of JOY lighted in a smile on his
dying face; then family whispering,
God be praised! he bowed his head in
everlasting peace.
Joy follow thee my brother to His
BIest Presence who sent thee a pillar
of fire to blast the mad efforts of
men fighting against themselves! On
earth thy fame shall never fail. Chill
dren yet unborn shall lisp the name
of Williams. Their cherub lips shall
often talk of him whose patriot eye
beheId them afar off, smiling on the
breast, and with a parents ardor
hasted toward from their guiltless
heads the curses of monarchy.
After the defeat of Gates, Washing
ton sent on his favOrite Greene to
head off the southern army against
the victorious CORVALLIS and Tarle-
ton. With Greene he joined the
famous Morgan, whose riflemen had
done such signal service during the
war.
To draw Cornwallis's attention from
a blow meditated against the British
post at Ninety Six, Greene detached
Morgan at PauIet's river, near the
neighborhood of CORVALLIS and Tarle-
ton. Immediately the pride of Tarle-
ton rose. He begged for his friend,
Lord Rawdon, to obtain for him the
permission of the commander in chief
to go and attack Morgan. "By
Heaven, my lord, (said hey | would
not desire a finer feather in my cap
than Col. Morgan. Such a prisoner
would make my fortune" "Ah Ben,
(replied Rawdon, very cooly) you hao
better let the old waggoner alone" AS
no refusal could satisfy, permission al
length was granted him; and he in
stantly set out. At parting, he said
to Lord Rawdon with a smile, "My
lord, if you will be so obliging as to
wait dinner, the day after to morrow,
till four o'clock, Col. Morgan shall be
one of your Lordship's guests" every
well, Ben (said the other) we shall
wait; but remember, Morgan was
brought up under Washington."-
There followed Tarleton to battle
about 1000 choice infantry and 25(
horse, with two field pieces. To op-
pose this formidable force, Morgan
had but 500 militia, 300 regulars, anC
rs horse. His militia We're but militia
but his regulars We're the famou
Maryland Line led by Howard; mel
who would have done honor to thu
| plains Of Austerlitz. The intrepid
f DesaiX, who turned the tide of war i
the bloody strife of Marengo, wa
only equal to Washington, Colonel o
4 the horse, Morgan had no wish t
fight; but Tarleton compelled him; TO
about two hours before day on tn
18TH of .TgDUar7- 1871 a,r7o of Wash