Part 9 (1/2)
My heart bled withinHume, where he lay in all the pale beauties of death He was to have beenwoman; but such was his zeal to serve his country, that he ca after he joined us
Gifted with a pretty taste for painting, he had tried his skill, and very successfully too, in sketching the likeness of his lovelyhis bosom, was found, suspended by a blue ribband, (the happy lover's color) a fine likeness of the beautiful Miss ----: the back of the portrait was stained with his blood; but unconscious of her lover's fate, she still wore the enchanting s beauty views the youth she loves
We then proceeded to bury our dead; which was done by digging large pits, sufficient to contain about a hundred corpses Then taking off their clothes, with heavy hearts, we threw theard to order, and covered them over with earth
”Poor brothers, farewell! the storo ceased on the field, and no trace now remains on earth that you ever lived
The worms have devoured your flesh; and the mounds raised over your dust, are sunk back to the common level with the plain But ah!
could your mournful story be read, the youth of Aton, and 'study the art of war,'
that their countryht no more be murdered by military quacks
As a hint to A fact: -- Our fatal attack on Savannah wasA few hours previous thereto, a council of as held; and while it was deliberating, a deserter and spy had the address to bear a musket, as sentinel at the door of thewhere the attack was to be ence to the enemy, as enabled them very completely to defeat us The felloas afterwards taken at the battle of Hobkirk Hill, near Ca the dead, before the count D'Estang hurried on board his shi+ps with his troops and artillery, while we, passing on in silence by the way of Zubley's ferry, returned to Carolina, and pitched our tents at Sheldon, the country seat of general Bull
The theatre of war being, from this period, and for soovernor and council were pleased to reduce the regiments, and dismiss the supernumerary officers
To some of my brethren in arms, this was , thank God, a liberal fortune in the country, and feeling no ATTRACTION to the caer, I was quite happy to hear of this new arrangement, and waited on his excellency to return my commission
Perhaps some may say it was pride in'unfrocked' Why, as to thatmy superiors in those days
But this I h too, for reat Marion; and that he seldo of any other sword than e However, the itation to reduce the regied that, as there was nothing doing, he would allow me to return to my plantation To , 1780, when Charleston was taken by the British; at which tirievously afflicted with the rheumatism Thus by a providence, which, I confess, I did not at that ti kidnapped by the enemy, and also introduced into a field of soreat dishonor to myself However, be this as it e for himself
Chapter 9
Providential escape of Marion out of Charleston -- the British fleet and army invest and take that place -- Tarleton and the British officers begin to let out -- young Scotch Macdonald comes upon the turf -- extraordinary anecdote of him -- plays a very curious trick on a rich old tory
How happy it is forloves him so much better than he loves himself; and has established so close a connexion between his duty and his advantage This delightful truth was remarkably exemplified in an event that befell Marion about this tis, in Charleston, in the house of Mr Alexander M'Queen, Tradd street, he was so frequently pressed to buet drunk 'Twas in vain he attempted to beat a retreat
The coeneral Marion
Finding, at last, that there was no other way of escaping a debauch, but by leaping out of one of the s of the dining-room, which was on the second story, he bravely undertook it It cost hiot about in Charleston, reat fool for his pains; but the event soon proved that Marion was in the right, and that there is no policy like sticking to a man's duty For, behold! presently Charleston was invested by a large British ar Marion was utterly unfit for duty, advised him to push off in a litter to his seat in St John's parish
Thus providentially was Marion preserved to his country when Charleston fell, as it soon did, with all our troops
The spirits of the British were so raised by the capture of our an to scour the neighboring country And never victors, perhaps, had a country more completely in their power Their troops were of the choicest kind; excellently equipped, and co felloho looked on the the conquered rebels They all carried with them pocketlike young spendthrifts on their fathers' last testaments They would also ask a world of questions, such as, ”where lay the richest lands? -- and the finest situations? -- and ere the warirls?” and when answered to their huhs; and flourish their swords, and 'whoop' and 'hoic' it away like young fox hunters, just striking on a fresh trail
Some of them had Dr Madan's faaiously taken, and talked very freely of reducing the system to practice Cornwallis, it seems, was to be a bashaw of three tails -- Rawdon and Tarleton, of two each -- and as a natural appendage of such high rank, they were to have their seraglios and harereatest beauties of the country
”Huzza, my brave fellows!” -- they would say to each other; ”one n and the 'hash' will be settled with the d----d rebels, and then stand by the girls! -- stand by the Miss Pinckneys! and Elliots!
and Rutledges! and all your bright-eyed, soft bosoad! your chari! Charleston shall be our Constantinople! and our Circassia, this sweet Carolina famed for beauties!
Prepare the baths, the perfu forth the violins and the rose buds! and tap the old Madeira, that our souls may all be joy!”
'Twas in this way they would rant; and then, brightened up to the pitch, they would look and grin on each other as sweetly as young foxes, who, prowling round a far of the rooster pullets The reader shall presently see the violent and bloody course of these ruffians, who did such dishonor to the glorious island they ca leave, by way of prologue, to entertain him a moment with a very curious farce that was acted on a wealthy old tory, near Monk's Corner, while colonel Tarleton with the British advance, lay there
The hero of the play was a re Scotsman, named Macdonald, son of the Macdonald of fae, North Carolina Soon after the defeat of his father he came and joined our troops Led by curiosity, I could not help, one day, asking hi reply
”Immediately on the e, I fell to thinking what could be the cause; and then it struck ratitude ”Here now,” said I tomy poor father and his friends, who fled frolish after the massacre at Culloden