Marlboro County ScArchives History - Books .....Chapter XIII Progress Of Revolution 1897
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/scfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 5, 2007, 1:44 am

Book Title: A History Of Marlboro County

CHAPTER XIII.
PROGRESS OF REVOLUTION.

  If hitherto the patriots in Carolina had occasion for rejoicing that they had
gained some victories, and generally held their own against superior forces, the
year 1780 opened with gloomy prospects for the cause of liberty. The approach of
great armies threatened their feeble defenses. Charleston was again to be
besieged, and the Pee Dee militia were called to aid in its defense. A portion
of the regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel Kolb and another division under Colonel
Hicks, with Major Tristram Thomas, all men of Marlboro, were put upon the march
to the scene of conflict, while another detachment under Major Benton remained
upon the Pee Dee under arms to watch the movements of the Tories, who were
always especially active in predatory warfare when any considerable portion of
the available men were away from home. Charleston was taken after a heroic
defense of about forty days. Tidings of the British success, and surrender of so
many of the best men of the land, filled the inhabitants of the whole country
with consternation and alarm. The approach of Wemys with his troopers, to reap
the fruits of victory, intimidated many into an enforced allegiance to British
rule. His progress was marked with blood, destruction and conflagration, and it
is not surprising if many submitted, while others yielded in form, with a secret
reservation to resist when opportunity offered. Few were bold enough to answer
as old Thomas Ayer did when urged by his neighbors to accept the protection
tendered: "It is not a question of property, but of liberty " And yet the
cruelties perpetrated by the British and Tories inspired a spirit of resistance
and revenge that atoned in large measure for their partial temporary
demoralization. Wemys did not long remain at Cheraw, but moved down the river to
Georgetown, and thence to Broad river, where he was captured by General Sumter,
and is said to have experienced unexpected humane treatment from the men he had
wronged. The men whom he plundered—whose houses he had fired, had the honor to
treat him as a prisoner of war.

  In June of this year, 1780, Major McArthur, with his regiment of Highlanders,
came from Camden to Cheraw to have a convenient correspondence with the Tories,
and strengthen their cause, and forage upon the wealthy planters of the Pee Dee.
For a little while he made his headquarters at Long Bluff. There it is said he
"offered a reward for the capture of Thomas Ayer," a noted Whig of Marlboro and
a terror to the Tories. He had led a band of daring scouts against a nest of
Tories, whom he severely punished by hanging a number of them. McArthur's reward
was soon won by a company of Ayer's Tory neighbors. They tied their captive with
buckskin strings, which of course would stretch when wet. But about the time
they reached Hunt's Bluff on their way to "Headquarters," a terrific
thunderstorm broke upon them. As the river was to be crossed and several miles
traveled before reaching Long Bluff, it was decided to keep their prisoner
guarded in an old out-house near the river till the next morning's dawn, and
then resume their journey. Thinking that the prisoner was secure, some of the
party, including the leader, went off in search of supper, leaving, as they
supposed, a sufficient guard. In the meantime Hartwell Ayer, the brother of
Thomas, got word of what was going on, and in the darkness of the night dashed
up to the door of his brother's prison. In a rage he dispatched most of the
guard, and sent Thomas back to his home to relieve the anxieties of his
household, while Hartwell and his party went in pursuit of other game and left
bleeding and wounded two more of the party they had so unceremoniously cheated
out of the coveted reward. McArthur was terribly incensed when he heard of the
fatal miscarriage of his cherished scheme and crossed the river with a
formidable party. Mrs. Ayer with two sons, Lewis Malone and Zaccheus, had barely
time to escape to a hiding place in the swamps. Foiled again, the desperate
McArthur burned the dwellings, killed the stock, sparing only a barn filled with
corn, which he probably meant for his own horses, but which was hastily removed
and secured for the family when the British left. An humble, faithful neighbor
by the name of James Sweat (a kinsman of the family, of that name now living in
the county), in the kindness of his heart, fed Mrs. Ayer and her boys for
several weeks. Mr. Sweat afterwards became a Baptist preacher of useful life in
the State of Georgia. Nathan Sweat, the brother of James, was caught about this
time by some of McArthur's party and was held as a prisoner for some days.
Discovering which was the fastest horse in the camp, he managed to mount him one
day and instantly made a dash for liberty. The friendly swamp received him and
stealthily he worked his way to his mother's door for a morsel of food, and as
she hastily reached it to his hand she cried "Nathan, the enemy is upon you";
quick as thought the spurs were applied and again he flew, his pursuers at his
heels. The steps lengthened between them, and McArthur was worsted again and
Sweat caught no more, but "lived to fight again."

  But in the progress of events, it was thought needful: to withdraw the force
under McArthur to a situation less-exposed. Reports of advancing Continentals
caused the advanced posts like Cheraw, where McArthur had returned, to be drawn
in. Accordingly about the last of July, preparations were completed. A portion
of the troops, along with the sick and a number of negroes whom they had
captured and persuaded to leave their masters, were to be sent down to the river
on boats to Georgetown. Somehow or other the Whigs in the neighborhood conceived
the idea of capturing this flotilla. James Gillespie a man of much influence,
has been awarded the praise for this bold idea. As he moved down the river with
a few trusted neighbors, the patriotic citizens gathered to give aid. Major
Tristram Thomas was given command. Hunt's Bluff was chosen as the point of
attack. In a sudden bend of the river, a battery was thrown up immediately upon
the bank. Was it armed? Yes, with threatening looking" cannon, but wooden,
harmless guns. After awhile the silent garrison beheld the floating armada
slowly descending the stream. Thomas made as formidable a show of his little
command as he could; some of them armed with pieces as harmless as the pole
cannon mounted upon the bank. Yet he boldly demanded an unconditional surrender;
and it was made, and more than a hundred prisoners were sent to North Carolina.
Scarcely had the bloodless action ended before a large boat on its way from
Georgetown to Cheraw with supplies for McArthur hove in sight, as it was being
pushed up the stream-It too, was turned over to the American army. It were well
if all the enterprises of the American army could have been as successful and
bloodless. But not so.

  A few days after the events just recorded General Gates made his appearance on
the Pee Dee at and above Cheraw, with a considerable force, on his way to
Camden. His presence revived the hopes of the people wonderfully. He offered"
pardon to all who had subscribed paroles imposed upon them by the hand of
conquest," excepting, of course, such as had turned their hand against the
patriot cause. Hope again came to the despondent. Hope, which alas, was to be
tried most sorely by Gates' defeat at Camden and his consequent retreat through
the country into North Carolina  For a time the warfare on the upper Pee Dee
again became desultory and irregular, but of a most distressing nature. Nobody
knew when a band of Tories would sweep down upon a quiet neighborhood, drive off
the stock, set fire to the buildings and fences, and murder some well-known
Whig. But towards the end of the year the coming of General Greene in the State,
and to the Pee Dee, inspired confidence again. Although the results of the
year's campaign had been, on the whole, against the cause of liberty, it
required but a spark to set the people all ablaze with enthusiasm for the cause
they had espoused. Their spirits, sometimes disheartened, but never crushed, now
revived again. Sufferings chastened but could not extinguish the love of
liberty, nor could disaster quench the purpose to defend their rights to the
bitter end.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF MARLBORO COUNTY,
WITH
TRADITIONS AND SKETCHES OF NUMEROUS FAMILIES.

REV. J. A. W. THOMAS, AUTHOR.

A wonderful stream is the river Time
  As it runs through the realms of tears 
With a faultless rhythm and a musical rhyme,
And a broader sweep and a surge sublime
  As it blends with the ocean of years.
                        —TENNYSON.

ATLANTA, GA.:
THE FOOTE & DAVIES COMPANY,
Printers and Binders.
1897.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sc/marlboro/history/1897/ahistory/chapterx21gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/scfiles/

File size: 9.4 Kb