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VOL. Q3. YOEKYILLE, S. P., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, lgT7. . NO. 7.
?&* jfofg i fife*.
KATE KENNEDY'S GHOST.
BT MRS. HENRY DBAS.
CHAPTER XIV.
Geraldine did oot fail to report to her bosband
the visit to the cabin of the old couple
and her conversation with the latter, and
asked him if he did not think that something
coald be done to alleviate the discomfort of
their present condition.
"They complain of neglect in the agent;
and, indeed, to me everything appears to be in
a very ruinous state, not ooly where they
1 -all alvAiif fkrt nlaAO ^
HVCj UUb AU Auvuii buy ^??w*
"I have come to the conclusion that the
agent is a scoundrel," said the Earl. "I find
he hu paid little or no attention to my affaire
here, and I have serious thoughts of turning
him off. I shall see him this afternoon, however,
and give him a chance to speak for himself,
though I do not see what excuse be can
have to offer for his conduct."
r"I think this must have been a lovely little
place when it was in order," said Geraldine.
k"I dare say you will laugh at me for saying
so, but do you know that I almost like it better
than Desborough Castle ?"
Lord Desborough smiled. "That does indeed
seem to me a singular idea," he replied.
"You surely do not mean that you admire it
more ?"
"It is far plainer and simpler, of course?
and there can be no comparison between the
dwellings, as dwellings?but yet?"
"But yet, what 7" he asked as she paused.
"I was going to say," she continued, coloring,
"That I already feel more at home here
than I have ever been able to do amid all the
magnificence of the castle."
,<rv * kftma of fkft Oi?(*
"UO yOU UUL (UCU icui an uvuiv u? *uv v%?w
tie ? I regret that very deeply, Geraldine,"
was his serious reply. "It has been my earnest
wish, and endeavor, to make you contented
there."
"Pray do not mistake me," said Geraldine
quickly, and fearing that she had spokeu uny
wisely. "I fully appreciate all the evidences
you have given me of your consideration.
You have lavished so much upon me that I
have nutbing left to wish for; but what I
meant was, that the grandeur to which I am
uuaccustomed, oppresses me, somewhat, at
times,.while here I feel a sort of freedom in
the simplicity of everything around me."'
"Would you then prefer to live here?" he
asked.
"Under some circumstances, perhaps I
should," she hesitatingly replied. "But not,
of course, if it was contrary to your desire."
v. "It would be simply out of the question?at
least, as far as I am concerned," he rejoined,
coldly ; "but, perhaps, that would be no objection
to you. You might find pleasure in
staying here alone ?"
"I?had no such meaning, my lord," said
Geraldine, in a tone as cold as his own. She
was too deeply hurt, at his suggestion, to say
?" mora and. turning away with a haughty
air, she commenced to arrange some little ornaments,
which stood on a table near her, in
order to conceal the pain which she really
felt.
"The world might, perhaps, regard such an
arrangement as a singular one," continued the
Earl, "and, unfortunately, we are compelled,
f to a certain extent, to conform to the established
customs of society, no matter how irksome
we may find the obligation." So saying
be walked out of the- room, giving her no
chance, even bad she desired it, of offering
any protest against the mistaken meaning he
seemed to impute to her words.
Geraldine, in a sort of impatient despair,
caught up her hat, and opening the frontdoor
went out, taking care to turn her steps in the
contrary direction to that which, from the
window, she had perceived her husband take.
She felt too greatly perturbed to apply herself,
just then, to any household occupation, and
though she had spent nearly the whole morning
in rambling about, she thought that a little
additional exercise and fresh air would be
the best antidote to the unpleasant feelings
which had just been awakened within her.
She chose a shady path, leading to a thick
wood in the rear of the house, and after strolling
along for a time, sat down to rest, being
somewhat fatigued, on the fallen bough of a
b tree that offered a convenient seat, near the
side of the road.
|H While sitting thus alone, many painful
thoughts crowded into her mind. Her first
excitement bad passed off, and a subdued sadr
ness took its place. Would there never be
anything but coldness and misunderstanding
between the Earl and herself? Only a little
while ago, she had felt differently?had begun
to hope for better things. He had seemed so
cordial, so unreserved ; had looked and spoken
once or twice in a manner that was almost
affectionate, or she had been foolish enough to
fancy so. But she had been childish and absurd
to build her hopes on so slight a foundation.
Had she not already sufficient proof
that he did not love her, never could love her ?
" 1 *- > ?u:; e
XI a a 8De Dot KUUWU miss nuui i,uc ucgiuumg t
Why had she allowed thoughts and possibilities
so far from the reality to take possession
of her? He was kind and polite to her, he
treated her with all outward respect as his
wife, surrounded her with luxuries, saw that
gflg she lacked nothing befitting her rank, exactjJJZ
ed nothing at her hands. What more could
she expect. What more had she a right, under
the circumstances, to desire or look for?
Nothing, surely I Yet her aching heart cried
out for something more?something which,
freely given, would have made her life in the
humblest home one of perfect happiness and
) content; without which, all the splendor of
wealth was but a_mockery and empty show.
"Oh 1 mother," she murmured bitterly to
herself as she brushed away the hot tears that
had forced themselves unbidden to her eyes, j
"Itis you who have brought this misery upon
me. Why could you not let us go our separate
ways in peace ? Joyless as my life was
at home, it was better than the humiliation I
am now compelled hourly to endure?the humiliation
of feeling myself thrust an everlasting
burden upon one who married me from
compassion, and tolerates roe from motives of
generosity alone!"
0 A rustling amid the trees at some distance
offstartled her, and turning her head quickly
around she saw the figure of a man in a rough
dress, and two fierce-looking eyes regarding
her from the shadow of a broad slouch hat.
A reddish beard concealed the lower part of
the face, the general expression of which
1 . *
struck her, however, as being threatening and
stern. An involuntary feeling of terror seized
her. She was at some distance from the cottage,
and it was not pleasant , to encounter a
tramp, or perhaps even a worse character, in
such an unprotected situation. She did not
know whether to try to effect a retreat, or to
Iteep'still and trust to bis passing on without;
nbolesting her. While hastily deliberating on
the best course to pursue, to her increased
alarm, he suddenly approached her and placed
himself directly in her path.
"Lady, can you tell me if this place belongs
to the Earl of Desborough ?" he asked abruptly,
yet not without a certain respect in
his tone, which somewhat reassured her.
"It does," she answered quietly, and looking
him full in the face; for whatever apprehen
' * ? a 1 J
sion she might reel, see naa Beii-powewiuu
enough to resolve not to betray it.
"And is he here now ?" he questioned in
the same abrupt manner.
Prudence forbade a direct answer to this
inquiry, for she did not know what his motive in
making it might be.
"Why do you wish to know ?"she rejoined.
"I have a very particular reason for wishing
to know," he answered with a scowling
look, which quickened the beating of her
heart. "I have business with him."
She now perceived that although using correct
English, he spoke with a Scottish accent,
and his physiognomy also appeared characteristic
of that nation. He would have been
good-looking but for his unpleasant expression,
and his reckless, vagabond air.
"I do not know where the Earl is at pres- i
ent," she coldly answered, at the same moment
rising to her feet, as if to move away ;
but he still stood in front of her, and she could
not pass him in the narrow foot-path without
forcing a way through the thick undergrowth^ i
on either side, or else brushing directly againBt
bim.
"All I want to know is if he iB staying
here, on this place," he said, doggedly. "I
don't care whether he is at home or not."
"And that I Cannot tell you," she rejoined. '
"Why not?" 1
"Because the Earl expressed his intention
of leaving to-day, and has probably already
gone."
She told the falsehood steadily, it was but
half a falsehood after all, for Lord Desborough
had spoken of going over to the village
before the hour appointed' for meeting Mr.
Peterson, the agent, at his own house. But
she would have uttered a more difect one to
save him from danger, which, somehow or
other, she fancied threatened him in the event
of bis meeting this man.
"When will he be back ?"
"That I do not know, either."
"Are you telling me the truth ?" he roughly
asked, at the same moment catching hold
of her Bleeve. Geraldine drew back haughtily.
"I am not accustomed to being addressed
in such a tone," she said with flashing eyes.
"Remove your hand directly, and stand out
of my way."
He let her sleeve go and retired a step- or
two, though still impeding her path.
"-*7- - *-11 1-JI_ ? i i:_j _
" 1 ou IU1K. very grauuijr, uc icpiicu iu a
tone that was half respectful, half contempt- 1
uous. "You tak6 me for a servant, I sup- '
pose." *
"I take you for a very rude, insolent per- '
son," said Geraldine, whose anger had almost
overcome her fear. "I know no servant who '
would be as uncivil to a lady as you are." <
"You are Lady Desborough, 1 suppose?" 1
"It matters not, in the least, to you, who I 1
am. Once more, let me pass," she said, impe- <
riously, and slightly stamping her foot to en- 1
force the command. Whether he would have I
shown any more deference to her wishes this 1
time than he had done before, is doubtful, 1
bad not the barking of a dog and the sound '
of approaching footsteps, at that moment in- i
terrupted the interview, and to Geraldine's
intense relief, Judson, the valet, came in i
sight. '
"I'll find a chance of meeting the Earl,"
said the rude Btranger, nodding his head with i
a menacing air, as he turned off, and in a <
moment more he disappeared -in the wood.
Judson camg quickly forward, with a sur- i
prised look on hiB face.
"Has that fellow been troubling you, my 1
lady ?" he asked. <
"Not exactly. He frightened me a little, i
however, by appearing so suddenly. Where I
is your master now, Judson ?" i
"He is out somewhere, about the premises,
my lady. I was just looking for him. Mr.
Peterson has come and is waiting to see him i
up at the house." <
"Send Alice to me in the orchard," said <
his mistress, "and, Judson, be careful how
you admit that person you saw just now, if
be should go to the house. He pretended he
wished to see Lord Desborough on business,
but I did not like his looks at all."
"There's a good many tramps around here,
I .fancy, my lady. It's a lonesome kind of a
place, and they're after no good. I'll keep a
good look-out."
Geraldine cast many an apprehensive
glance around, as she retraced her steps toward
the orchard, where she intended to wait
until the agent should have transacted his
business with the Earl, but saw no farther
signs of the unwelcome intruder. She dreaded
his meeting her husband, and was greatly
relieved when Alice, joining her in obedience
to her summons, told her that she had just
seen Lord Desborough go into the house.
She did not meet the latter again until dinner-time,
and then he was silent and stiff,
speaking only in monosyllables. Apparently
business matters annoyed him, for as soon as
the meal was over he buried himself in a pile ,
of papers, which the agent had left with him,
and pored over them with a frowning and j
perplexed brow. Had be been in a different
mood, Geraldine would have spoken to him J
of her encounter with the rough stranger;
aud her own fears in regard to him. But!
with his present forbidding manner to restrain i
her. and with the memory of their interview j
in the morning still fresh in her mind, she j
had not the courage to venture upon any- j
thing like . conversation, and the evening
passed off as uncomfortably as possible, form- j
inga complete contrast to the cheerful socia- {
bility of the previous one.
Geraldine's chamber window commanded,
from the rear of the cottage, a view of that
portion of the orchard directly opposite the
cabin of the old mau and his wife who were j
in charge of the place. It was a bright moonlight
evening, and long after she had retired
to her room and Alice was asleep, she sat by
ber open window, gazing out with a sad heart
upon the lonely, yet picturesque landscape <
before here. i
Suddenly, ?s she looked, she perceived
something that sent a chill through her veins 1
and made her heart almost stand still. She '
saw, amid the pendant boughs of the trees in :
the orchard, as they swayed gently, to and fro 1
in the night breeze, a figure, all in white, i
slowly gliding along. From that distance !
she could not perceive whether it was a man I
or woman; but her thoughts naturally re- i
verted to her former experiences, and sup>er- i
stition lent her fancy aid to invest this new 1
apparition with as wierd a form as the other <
one had worn. It moved on until it reached i
the old, ruinous well, to which her notice had <
that day been attracted, then stopped, und* i
bending forward, with uplifted, waving arms i
extended over the stone Which shut down the
top of the well?a gesture of entreaty, or of 1
prayer, or of invocation, indescribably pathet- 1
le and awful, in its effect, in that ghostly
light For a brief while it lingered thus,
while Gerakiine, spell-bound, watched it with
a fearful fascination, unable to withdraw her
eyes, scarcely daring to breathe?then turned
and vanished as it had come, amid the shadows
of the trees.
With swiftly hurrying steps, Geraldine, impelled
now by a terror which fo? the time held
her completely under its away, sought the
chamber of her husband, where a light still
burned. For sleepless like herself, he had
been occupied in writing, and was just putting
aside his papers as she knocked at the
door. Scarcely waiting for his answer to her
Bummons, she entered the room, and in an
agitated voice related what she had just seen.
"That old well?it has haunted my fancy
more than once,"said the Earl. 'Co-morrow, ]
the first thing in the morning, I shall have the 1
3tone removed. Who knows what we may find I
beneath ?" i
i
I
CHAPTER XV. ,
Mr. Peterson had left Lord Desborough, (
upon the termination of their interview, with f
a temper by no means placid and serene. He ]
.v ti i _ J .
was, io fact, terribly angry, tnougn ne oaa \
managed, while in the presence of that august f
nobleman, to keep his anger under control, t
For the Earl had informed him, after impart- (
ing to him his knowledge of various mbde- ^
meanoro of which he had been guilty, and of i
lib gross failure in dbcharging his duties rel- [
itive to the place whose interests he had ncrai- j
aally been guarding, that he had no longer c
need of his services, and would not only im- t
mediately place the management of the properly
in more trust-worthy bands, but hold bim I
responsible for certain large sums which had t
passed into hb keeping, and for which be c
3ould render no account. Now to raise these c
sums at present was an absolute impossibility, (
and he did not doubt that the Earl, whose in- (
flexible disposition he knew and stood in awe c
if, would bring the penalty of the law to Isear ?
upon him, in .case of hb not doing so with in a c
stated time. Putting this difficulty aside, he c
felt, too, the keenest mortiGcation at being j
thusignominiously discharged from his lucra- j
tive post. His employer, as liberal as he was
strictly just, had always paid him a high price j
for'his services, and this, iu addition to the [
boo or he felt it to be, in a measure, in the t
confidence of one so high in rank, had made ]
aim regard this post as one of immense value.
Bitterly chafing in spirit, therefore, he e
ought the lodgings where he was at present v
established, and shutting himself up in his a
room, cogitated fruitlessly over his disgrace c
*nd racked his brains for ways and means of c
sxtricating himself from the difficulties in a
which he had suddenly become involved. He v
bad, indeed, a long course of dishonesty und r
fraud too look back upon, and the results t
would be only the more severe from the num- v
ber of years during which he had keen carry- c
ing on bis peculations undiscovered, while B
Lonj} Desborough was either abroad, or too 0
much occupied with other affairs to investigate i
bis conduct. Q
His defalcations amounted to several thou- j|
sands of pounds, and the payment of these,
even should he be able to accomplish it, 8
would run him so heavily into debt elsewhere fc
els to involve him into almost total ruin. t
There seemed but one mode of escape for }:
him?a mode which was certainly a cowardly
one, and would only have suggested itself to a
& cowardly mind?and that was, secret flight c
from the country. He could in time, by hard a
and steady work, should he remain at home, v
replace his fraudulent expenditures, but this t
he had no mind to do. Rather would he seek v
some foreign shore, where he and his dishonesty
would be alike unknown, and where, by 8
careful management, he could avoid pursuit t
and detection. As to his wife?an estimable
and accomplished lady?and their numerous s
family, he gave them only a passing thought fc
in connection with his plans. He certainly l8
had no idea of taking them with him, nor a
did he very much care what might become of
them when he should be gone. p
One trifling obstacle, however, lay in his [
way?the want of means to carry out this c
project of flight, and the uncertainty where
to obtain them. Rut here a brilliant idea ;
i
struck him. Why not go to a certain bank in t
London, where he had often drawn money t
for his late employer, and present a check
with the Earl's signature, for any amount he j
might 6x upon ? To be sure, this would be l
forgery, and forgery was an ugly thing, in ^
name and in deed, aud, above all, in its re- e
suit, should it be discovered. But then he f
would be too clever to allow it to be discov- j
ered, and it would only be one more little i
item added to the long list already scored up \
against him. Iu for a penny, in for a pound ; e
and his conscience was too thoroughly sea- j
soned by this time for him to fear its prick- {
ings. As long as he could keep out of the t
reach of justice, he desired nothing more. t
No sooner waB bis resolution taken, than j
he commenced his preparation for putting it s
into effect. He packed up the few articles
he had about him in his portmanteau, which {
would be all the lueeaee convenient for him ,
to carry with him. There was an early train ?
which started for the city at four in the morn- e
ing, and by this he qieaot to take his de- \
parture.
"I wonder what crazy Clement will do (
without rae?" he soliloquized, as he went on t
with his work. "He'll feel rather at a loss 8
when he finds I have disappeared. Should 8
not wonder if he went and threw himself into
Desborough's hands!?accidentally, of course;
for he stands in mortal dread of him. I
wonder if the fool is raising any money to- j
night. I'll find out, before morning, and get
it out of bim before I start. After that, he
can keep his winnings, if he gets any, to himseIf.
Much good they are likely to do him."
"Crazy Clement," was not at his accastomed
haunt that night. An erratio impulse?one
which had moved him more than once before?had
driven him to a spot which had a
horrible fascination for him, and from the
neighborhood of whicti he had, for years,
been unable to tear himself away. Pierced
1- 11? < L-J
by a remorse wnose aeaaiy rangs anu emeu
into bis very soul; pursued, relentlessly, by
so avenging spirit that permitted him no rest,
be lingered, bound by a spell from which he
:ould not escape, within reach, almost within
light, of the scene of the darkest deed of
which he had ever been guilty ; thus continually
strengthening its memory within him,
ind sharpening the edge of his torment afresh.
Stealing from his bed and wrapping about
bim a white coverlet, the nearest article upon
which he could lay hir hands, he left his hiiing-place
with cautious steps, and traversing,
unseen, the outskirts of the quiet village,
reached the open fields'-that lay between it
ind the Cottage lands. Crossing these, he
ipeedily found himself within the limits of
Lord Desborough's property. Well he knew
bis way, by the most unfrequented paths, to
;he old orchard'where his dismal secret lay
concealed. It was no ghost which Geraldine
law from her window in the mqonlight, bendine
above the haunted well, but a conscience
stricken mortal, the prey to a despair which
it times completely overthrew his reason, and
irove him whither it would. One of these
Frenzied fits was upon him now, and under its
nfluence he shrank from no rash deed, but
:ast all thought of caution to the winds, save
:he caution of coming which had led him to
eave his abode by stealth, lest he should be
lindered in accomplishing his object All
through the night he wandered restlessly to
ind fro amid the trees, ever and anon returnug
to the spot where Geraldine had seen him,
;o mutter some frantic ejaculations or give
rent to a flood of self-reproach, then hurry
)ff again to resume his aimless walk. At last
'atigue overpowered him, and wrapping his
ight covering more closely about bis shiverng
limbs?for the air was keen and frosty as
laylight came on?he stretched himself on
he ground in a corner of the fence, and fell
wleep. His head was very heavy, and hot
vith the delirium that possessed him; and
lis sleep, ere long, became a sort of stupor^
>roken by fitful moanings and restless tossDgs
on his hard couch, while cold tremors
irept through bis exhausted frame, alternaed
by flushes of fever heat
Peterson did not find him in his room when
te went there to seek him; but be bad no
ime to hunt him up now, and muttering a
jurse or two on the "crazy idiot" for being
tut of the way just when he wanted to see
tiro, he dismissed all thought of him from
lis mind, and bent his steps, without farther
lelay, to the railway station, where, at the
ippointed hour, he took the train and set
iff without let or hindrance for the city, no
me suspecting his design or being at hand to
>ut any impediment in the way of its accomdishment.
Lord Desborough's excited feelings did not
>errait him to sleep late that morning. He
tad, indeed, sought his bed somewhere beween
two and three o'clock, but obtained ony
snatches of repose, and was awake with the
larliest streak of dawn. He arose and dressid
himself at onee, and summoned Judson, in
rhora he placed the most entire confidence, to
accompany him on his expedition to the orihard
and assist him in discovering the seiret,
if secret there was, which lay enshrined
v 11 m_i_:
.t the bottom ot the ruinea weu. lamng
rith them some necessary apparatus for the
emoval of the stone, they repaired at once to
he place, and set about their undertaking,
rhich they soon found to be a more difficult
>ne than the Earl had anticipated. The large
tone bad not only been rolled over the mouth
if the well so as completely to cover it, but
lad also been fastened in its position by means
if cement, hermetically sdhling it, and requir g
no small skill and force for its removal.
"You and I together can't do that, ray lord," 1
aid Judson, after a careful examination had
teen made. "I'll have to get some help off
he farm. A couple of hands will come over
f I go for therh."
"That is just what I particularly desire to
.void," said his master. "A parcel of gaping,
urious louts, to speculate upon my motives,
.nd spread idle tales about the village! No,
re must manage it alone. It will be no easy
ask, I know, but I think, with a little effort,
re can accomplish it."
"Very well, my lord," said Judson, subraisively.
He still adhered to his first opinion,
?ut was quite williog to lend 'his aid, to the
>est of his ability, to gratify his master's deire.
They worked with a will, and by-and>y
the hard crust of cement began to break
md give way beneath their efforts, until, gradilly,
it was loosened all around.
"There, I told you so," said the Earl, as be
>aused to rest and to wipe the moisture from
lis flushed brow. "With a crowbar the stone
:an be moved now, easily enough."
More easily said than done! Many and
rain were the efforts made by the co-workers?
he man being almost as unaccustomed a^
be master to labor of such a violent sort?
ire they were rewarded by the slightest promse
of success. More experienced workmen,
letter understanding the nature of their task,
vonld nrnhahlv. have broucht less bodilv
itrength, and more sleight of hand, into play
or its accomplishment. However, muscular
)ower and energy of purpose won the field at
ast, and inch by *inch the ponderous mass
jegan to stir. Having once moved it, though
sver so little, the rest of their task was commratively
light. And as the rising sun Bhed
ts first beams upon them, a little more than
,wo hours from the time they had commenced
owork, with one mighty heave they dislodged
t from ita resting place and rolled it to one
tide of the well.
"Look down, Judson," said the Earl, with
i tremor of excitement in hiB voice which he
:ould not express', "and tell me what you
lee." He sat down on the big stone, as he
poke, to recruit himself a little before venturng
upon any investigation.
Judson obediently peered into the dark
hasm. where at first he could distinguish
lothing, so obscure were its depths; but after
i brief scrutiny he raised bis bead with the
uccinct reply?
"Stones, ray lord."
"More stones I" exclaimed the JDarl. 1
"Small stones, ray lord, all piled in a beap^
)itched in promiscuous-like." i
"Any water there?"
"Not a drop, my lord." i
, /
Lord Desborongh himself advanced to the'
brink and looked down.
"Those stones have evidently been thrown
in there for a purpose," he exclsimed. "There
is something hidden underneath, I'll wager
my life I Judson, how are we to get them
out?"
"With a bucket, and a rope strong enough
to bear, I'd go down myself,"-ffcaid Judson ;
"but this 'ere old rope is no good, my lord."
"Certainly not. I would not have yon peril
your safety," rejoined his master. "Go at
once and hunt op a proper rope, or a chain,
and a bucket. If there are none on the premises,
ride over to the farm; no doubt you can
- - w *ii _1 x t
find tbera tbere. i win wan aooui uum uutil
you return."
While the valet was gone, Lord Desborough,
in a reflective and anxious mood, remained
seated on the stone, to which he had
returned after an examination of the well.
Suddenly a wild, shrill and startling ory, close
by, rang upon his ear, and springing up, he
turned and confronted a spectral figure,
which, with extended arms, haggard face, and
staring eyes, bent upon the open mouth of
the well, rapidly advanced towards tfie spot
"My day of doom 1 My day of doom I" he
cried with anguished voice. "The stone is
rolled away and the deeds of darkness are
brought into light I Woe is me, my vision
has come true !"
"Edward Wilberton I" exclaimed the Earl,
in an agitated tone. But without a reply, the
unhappy man rushed forward, and would
doubtles have flung hynself into the well had
not Lord Dee bo rough seized him and drawn
him back. Then turning his bloodshot eyes
for an instant on the face of the latter, he burst
into an insane laugh, and directly afterwards
fell in a fit upon tbe ground.
[to be continued.]
gtwtorg of Carolina.
HI8T0EICAL SKETCHES
OP THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV, ROBERT LATHAH.
. ? l
INCIDENTS OF GENERAL GREENE'S
RETREAT.
No sooner bad Cornwallis learned, with
certainty, that General Greene, with his i
whole force and all his baggage, was over the
Dan, than, with a heavy heart, he directed
his course to Hillsboro, the capital, at that
time, of North Carolina. All that mortals |
are capable of doing had been done by Cornwallis
to thwart the purposes of the American j
General, and yet be had failed, signally failed.
That Greene's army might be destroyed, i
he had deliberately destroyed his baggage, ,
marched his men night and day for near'a ,
month through mud, over swollen creeks and
rivers, and in all sorts of weather. Bravely
the British soldiers pursued the Americans
amid teeming rains, drifting snows and pelting
sleet. But all accomplished nothing. On ,
the morning of the fifteenth of February, j
the British Ear] looked beyond tbe Dan and (
saw the American army quietly encamped in j
Halifax county, Virginia. Cornwallis knew (
that Greene, for the present, was safe. With- ]
out giving his army but a single day to rest,
he wheeled about and marched to Hillsboro. t
Here, on the twentieth of February, he |
erected the royal standard, published a na- '
ming proclamation and invited the loyalists j
of the surrounding country to join him in his ,
efforts to subdue the Whigs.. This proclama- j
tiofl of Cornwalli8 is in some respects a most ;
remarkable document It scarcely contains <
a syllable of truth. The first sentence is a ;
lie in that it was intended to deceive the un- |
suspecting loyalists. "Whereas" he starts,
"it has pleased the Divine providence to pros- {
per hie Majesty's arms in driving the rebel t
army out of this (North Carolina) province; ,
and whereas it is his Majesty's most gracious |
wish to rescue his faithful and loyal subjects j
from the cruel tyranny under which they have ;
groaned for many years." Neither of these j
statements contained in this proclamation was ]
ftniA on/) pArntuollifl IrnaiD if PTo tnom that 1
the British had suffered more by the escape
of Greene across the Dan, than the Americans
had ; he also knew that his Majesty was not
desiring to rescue his subjects from cruel tyranny.
The truth is, Cornwallis never did approve
of the course which the British government
took toward her American colonies. In 1770,
Lord Camden protested against taxing the
American colonies He was joined in that
protest by four young peers, one of whom
was Corn wall is. Chief Justice Mansffeld
said, with a sneer, "Poor Camden could get
only four boys to join him." As a statesman,
Cornwallis was opposed to the American war,
but as a soldier, he did everything in his power
to advance the arms of the King of England
and quash the rebellion.
In his proclamation, he invited the loyal
North Carolinians to repair to his standard,
"without loss of time, with their arms and
ten days provisions." Straws show which
way therwind blows. In this proclamation,
which begins with a boast that North Carolina
is subjected, it is, at the same time, intimated
that he who had conquered the province
could neither arm nor feed his recruits. In
the next sentence of this proclamation, it is
admitted that there is still in North Carolina \
"the remains of rebellion/' and the loyal {
people of the country are requested to combine
with his Majesty's army in attempting j
to suppress it. ?
"Like murder, the truth will out." So far c
from being able to provide for recruits, Corn- (
wallis was unable to feed the soldiers then un- i
der his command. The supplies in the coun- i
try around Hillsboro were soon exhausted, <
aad although the British army remained there t
only ten days, bo great was the scarcity of t
food that Stedman, one of the officers of the |
British army, was obliged to take a file of c
men and gather up supplies from the citizens (
of the place. This he did by going from c
house to house and taking whatever he could s
find in every family. This was no plundering
party, acting without or contrary to^or- t
ders of the commanding officer; but a regu- 1
larly constituted party of men acting in obe- t
dience to the directions of Cornwallis. Sted- ^
man 01'uoa no an ptpiibp for ?nnh rpmarkahlfl s
UiWU 6,TVW w" TTT- "T"?conduct,
the pressing necessities of the Brit-, t
ish array. Jo other words, the army of Corn- 1
waljis w?s, whilst at Hillsboro, reduoed to i
anch a strait that it was either take, by force, 1
the bread out of the mouths of helpless wo- t
men and children, or Btarve. (
The friends of the British from the adja- 1
cent country, came into the camp of Corn- ]
.... .. > i
wallis, and with him and his officers talked
over the condition of things in the country.
Recent events had very materially cooled the
ardor of the tories and loyalists. The British
had made great promises bat performed
nothing. For this they were not censurable.
Taking it for granted that all the promises
that Cornwallis had been making to the loyalists
of North Carolina, since he arrived at
Camden, South Carolina, in August of the
preceding year, were made in good faith, and
that it was his honest purpose to fulfill them
all, he was excusable for havpg, up to this
time, done nothing, because the American
army uader Greene, Morgan, Lee, Williams
and other leaders, would not permit him to
assist his friends. His own preservation and
that of the army under his command, re*
quired all his time and attentipn.
The loyalists who visited Cornwallis, all
expressed themselves as desirous that peace be
restored to the country and that the English
government be established; but few if any at
all of them were willing to join the standard
of the king and assist in restoring the so-much
desired peace and in establishing the English
government. The fact is manifest, that the
more sensible of the loyalists feared the Whigs
and had lost all confidence in the British
army. They saw that Greene, over the Dan,
was in a better condition than Cornwallis in
Hillsboro. The toriee, proper, cared nothing
for either party. All they had in view was
plunder. To them war was better than peace,
and anarchy better than any government.
They hated law# and order because they delighted
in thieving. In addition to this, notwithstanding
the declarations of the British
geueral about driving the American army
out of the province of North Carolina; he had
rarnAlv nrrivfid at Hillsboro until the Amer*
ican cavalry were in sight of his camp','.cutting
off his foraging parties, interrupting his communications,
and in a variety of ways keeping
him in a state of continual solicitude.
This seems to be the proper place to mention
the fact that before Corn wallis left Winns
i.
boro, he ordered Colonel Balfour to send from
Charleston, South Carolina, a detachment,
under convoy of a naval force, to take possesaion
of Wilmington, North Carolina. To this
poiat it was contemplated to ship army stores.
These supplies, it was thought, could be conveyed
on the Cape Fear river to the army of
Cornwallia. In obedience to his instructions,
Balfour sent Major Craig, with four companies
of the eighty-second regiment and two
hundred men. These, with a supply of army
stores, came up the Cape Fear as as Wilmington.
Craig fortified the place, making
it a military post, from which' Cornwallis
might obtain supplies for his army. The distance
between Wilmington and Hillsboro, together
with the presence of the American cavalry,
rendered the supply from that quarter
precarious. #
The moment Greene's army crossed the
Dan, things began to present a different aspect
Every man was conscious of having
done and suffered what the circumstances of
his bleeding and down-trodden country rev
mi x i_i r i.i i. ...
qmrea. iae trouoies 01 me put wore uairated
with real delight. The American sol*
diers never, for a moment, thought that they
bad been driven out of North Carolina.
Reinforcements began to pour in from various
3ections of the country. - Not in largo numbers,
but composed of men good and true.
This was what Greene desired. General
Stevens, as we have seen, was sent with some
militia, whose time of service was nearly expired,
to conduct the prisoners, captured by
Morgan, to Charlottesville, Virginia. This
done, he led the militia to Pittsylvania Court
Bouse. There their arms were deposited and
the men disbanded.
From Pittsylvania Court House, General
Stevens repaired to the Scotch-Irish settlements
of Augusta and Rockbridge counties,
where he collected a considerable number of
men. With these hardy sons of the mountains,
he joined Greene in Halifax county,
North Carolina. Greene was also, at this
time, reinforced by two companies of Marylanders,
under Captain Oldham, and by a
body of militia under Andrew Pickens. Afterward
an<f before the battle of Guilford
CJourt House, reinforcements from Virginia,
?J? n 1 T - . ??
JiiUtSf VJOUOmi jjanouu I iivui vw*v?*_
3a, under Colonel Cleveland?one of the heroes
of King's Mountain?and from Mont-,
goraery county, West Virginia, under Colonel
Preston, came in* a
Two things conspired together to prevent
General Greene from lying inactive for any
considerable length of time. v The restless naiure
of the troops which otinposed the body
>f his army, made it necessary that they be
constantly employed. The existence of his
irmy depended on its being kept constantly
n motion. Again, notwithstanding the fact
;hat the loyalists were disheartened because
>f the neglect with which they had been
.reated by the British, still, as Cornwallis,
vith his army, was in their midst offering
;hem' protection, they could soon be induced
;o espouse heartily the cause 6f the enemy.
With a perfect knowledge of these fhcts,
-? ? -~ i J n.i i T
jrenerai ijrreene oraereu i*oiontu utw, ui iue
Cavalry, together with Brigadier-General
Pickens who had recently joined the Army
with a corps of South Carolina militia, and
Captain Oldham, with two companies of Ma'ylanders,
to recross the Dan and gain the
ront of Cornwallis and keep as close to him
is was compatible with their own safety.
On the morning of the eighteenth of February,
Lee, Pickens and Oldham, with their
ieveral commands, crossed the Dan and set
>ut in the direction pf the enemies' camp.
Dn the same evening, they encamped on the
oad leading from the Haw river to Hillsbo*o.
Two exploring detachments were sent
>ut?one towards Haw river and the other in
he direction of Hillsboro. General Greene,
hat he might more fully communicate his
dans to Lee, Pickens and Oldham, left his
samp on the Dan, and under an escort of
Colonel Washington's cavalry, reached the
;amp of these officers late in the evening and
pent the night with them.
Early on the morning of the nineteenth,
he scouts sent out in the direction of the
Haw returned to camp. They had ldkrned
hat on the day before their arrival, Colonel
rarleton, with a body of cavalry, infantry
ind artillery, had passed through the counry.
How many were in the body it was not
earned, but the object of the British officer,
t was ascertained, was to cross the Haw, colect
a corps of loyalists and act as an escort
o them whilst on their way to Hillsboro,
General Greene set out for his camp, on the
Dan, qd the morning of the nineteenth, and
l<ee, Pickens and Oldham, set out in search
of Tarleton. The nineteenth and twentieth
were spent in various marchings and countermarchings,
for the purpose of gaining oorrect
information respecting the number and movements
of the enemy. *
On the twenty-first, the Americans crossed
the Haw and learned, as they had suspected,
that the loyalists between the Haw and Deep
rivers were making rapid preparation to' join
Cornwallis at Hillsboro at an early day.
From Ephraim Cooke, a sort of half way
tory, they ascertained that Tarleton's forces
consisted of four hundred foot soldiers, two
small brass field pieces and the larger number
of his-oiwn legion. From the same individuaLtfcey
learned that Tarleton was encamped
only about three miles ahead. Cooke said,
Tarleton, thinking himself in no danger, had
ordered all the horses to be nnsaddled. *The
American officers at once determined, although
their numbers were less than those of
the British, to make an attack at once/ They
calculated, from the reports which they had
just heard, that they would be able to surprise
Tarleton. They formed themselves for
the attack and dashed forward as stealthily
as possible. On arriving in sight of the
camp, they discovered that the British, were
' gone. A few cavalrymen dashed np to the
farm-house at which the British detachment
had been recently camped. Two officers, who
had remained behind to settle their bill with 4
the owner of the farm, were captured. From
these prisoners it was learned that Tarleton
hod gone to the plantation of Colonel William
O'Neil.
This Colonel William OVNeil was professedly
a Whig, bat in reality an ignominious
swindler. At the oat breaking of the war he '
was poor, bat before the war ended had grown
rich. One of the ways by which be increased
his wealth, was to cause the rich in the community,
and all the sons of large and dependent
families, to be drafted for the army and
then, for pay, furnish them with a substitute
or permit them to remain at Jiome to be in a
short time drafted again. From those who
were unable to pay him money to get off from
going to the army, he would take horses, and
when he had collected a drove would send
them off to be sold. He always managed to
keep at a respectable distance from the enemy,
'ana consequently was never in a battle. The
unrighteous acts of this Colonel, pretending to
be acting in accordance with the commands
of the American government, greatly incensed
many of the citizens of the country between
the Haw and Deep rivers. So great was
their indignation towards the in&mous O'Neil,
that they lost all affection for the American
cause and determined to give their assistance
to the British.
On learning that Tarleton was at O'Neil's,
Lee, who evidently was the master spirit of *
the American detachment, determined to resort
to stratagem in order to capture him.
IWorMn t.hfi MV*lnr nf Tjm'i LSffion and
that of Tarleton, there was a striking resemblance.
Persona net accustomed to scrutinize
men closely, would be likely to mistake the
one for the other. The South Carolina militia,
under Pickens, were so placed that they
would be as much out of sight as possible,
and Lee announced to his men that his intention
was to pass off for Colonel Tarleton, and
his men were ordered to favor the stratagem.
In front of the whole, at the distance of ^ ft? hundred
yards, was a small scouting party.
The Legion, with Colonel Lee, accompanied
by the two prisoners, at its head, followed.
The prisoners were ordered, on pain of death,
to favor the deception.
In this order, they had not gone , far when
the van was met by a couple of young men,
mounted On splendid steeds. Joy beamed in
their countenances. They were Evidently
young reoruits, and knpw nothing of the wiles
of war. The van of the Americans, feigning
to be Tarleton's men, halted theoa and asked
to whom they belonged. These unsuspecting
young soldiers replied that they belonged to
Colonel Pyle's command, and had been sent
out by their commander to find CoL Tarleton's
camp. In the simplicity of their hearts,
the two young cavalrymen staled frankly all
about the intentions of their commanding officer.
They were at once sent back to Colonel
Lee, with an American soldier, who was to
give a correct account of all that had trans- *
pired. The two young loyalists saluted Col.
Lee as CoL Tarleton, and Leereturned the
salutation. The Adjutant of Lee's Legion
was sent to Pickens, requesting him to keep
his riflemen concealed.
-"Just at this time Captain Graham bad join*
ed Lee, and his forces were with Pickens.
All was intense excitement. A body of unsuspecting
loyalists were about to be caught
in a trap. "Every thing is fair in war" is a
motto that will not bear to be closely examined.
Lee, however, designed nothing more
than to disarm Colonel Pyle and.his men and
send them back to their own fire-sides, or give
them a chance to come out and fight for their
country against tne JJntisn. ine tning turned
out far differently; but still Lee was not to ?
be blamed. '
One of the loyal young soldiers was sent
forward to bear Colonel Tarleton's compliments
to Colonel Pyle and to ask him to so
dispose his troops on the side of the road, that
his weary forces could pass without inconvenience.
Colonel Pyle promptly replied
that he would be happy to comply with the
request Lee, the pretended Tarieton, accompanied
by the other unwary horseman of
Pyle, now advanced. Pyle had drawn up his
men as requested, and wsis himself at the end
of the column most distant from the approach
of Lee and his men.' As Lee rode along the
road past Pyle's men, he complimented them
for their good looks and praised their horses.
The poor dupes smiled most graciously. At
last Lee reaohed the position occupied by
Colonel Pyle and advanced towards him.
Then all along their line the loyalists and tories
shouted "God save the king 1"
The understanding was, that so soon as
Lee would grasp the nand of Pyle, that the
cavalry of Lee would close in'upon the loyalists
and demand an unconditional surrender.
It so happened that at this moment the militia,
under Pickens and Graham, w?re discovered
by the loyalists on the left. They saw
that they had been led into a trap, and commenced
firing on the rear guard of the American
cavalry, commanded by Captain Eggleston.
The fire was promptly returned by
Eggleston and soon became general. Pyle
commanded four hundred men, ninety rf
whom were, in a few moments, lying dead,
and a large number of the remainder badly
I wounded. Pyle himself was severely wound- .
ed. In the confusion, he fled to a pond of
water near by and lay concealed beneath the
water, all except his nose and mouth,, until*
dark, and then crawled opt Those of the
| loyalists not wounded, lied in every direction.
The Americans did not pursue them. '
Such is war and such it ever will be. It?
said that Colonel Pyle and his men had been
carousing about in the community for several
days, enjoying a kind of drunken holiday,
before setting out to join Cornwallis. Lee
taught both the loyalists and British a very
salutary lesson. Pyle's defeat was a terrible ,
episode on the proclamation of Cornwallis. ,
It was now discovered that the rebels were
not conquered. This event took place only
five days after Cornwallis had proclaimed
that it had pleased Divine Providence to
drive the rebel army out of the province of
North Carolina. Most probably, the Earl .
now thought it had pleased Divine Provi- ^
denee to bring the rebel army back into thA|k$
province of North Carolina.