We must conclude our sketch of North | Col. Turnbull to send Captain Huyck Carolina with a brief account of one of into York district to chastise the rebels the most courageous acts in the history of the revolutionary war in this

state.

"push them as far as he might deem convenient." "The evening before his defeat he arrived at the house of Col, Bratton and demanded of Mrs. Bratton where her husband was. She replied that he was in Sumter's army. He then proposed to her, if she would get her husband to come in and join the royalists, he should have a commission in the British service. Mrs. Bratton replied with heroic firmness that she preferred her husband's remaining and dying in the army of his country." For this bold and spirited reply, a soldier, under the command of Huyck, attempt.

In Ramsay's history of South Carolina, mention is made of an engagement, which took place at Williams' plantation, in the upper part of South Carolina, on the 12th of July, 1780, between "a part of the corps commanded by Col. Sumter," and a detachment of British troops and tories under the command of Captain Huck. The historian does not inform us, however, who commanded this "party" from the corps of Col. Sumter, nor are we told by him the particulars of this brilliant little engage-ed her life, and was prevented executing ment, which was the first check given to the royal forces after landing in South Carolina on the 11th of February, 1780. The following account of it is from the speech of Col. W. C. Beatty of Yorkville, delivered on the anniversary of the battle, in 1839.

Captain Christian Huyck was said to be a native of Philadelphia. He bore the commission of a captain in the British army and was distinguished for his profanity and bloody deeds in the upper part of South Carolina. His enmity to the presbyterians displayed itself in burning the library and dwelling-house of their clergyman, Mr. Linyman. At the moment of his attack and defeat, "a number of women," says Dr. Ramsay, were on their knees, vainly soliciting his mercy, in behalf of their families and property." He had been despatched by Col. Turnbull, the commander of the British forces at Rocky Mount, with the following orders: "You are hereby ordered, with the cavalry under your command, to proceed to the frontier of the province, collecting all the royal militia with you in your march, and with said force to push the rebels, as far as you may deem convenient.”

Previous to the issuing of the above order, Colonel Bratton, Major Wynn, and Captain M'Clure, had attacked and defeated a body of tories assembled at Mobley's meetinghouse in Fairfield district. This gallant adventure on the part of a few bold whigs, had induced

his purpose by the interference of an officer second in command. She was then ordered to prepare supper for Captain Huyck and his officers. While doing so, the idea occurred to her that "she might play," in the language of Col. Beatty, a Roman's part and take a deadly revenge on the enemies of her country." She had poison in the house and could mix it with the food. But a moment's reflection taught her that this food might fall into the possession of the whigs, who were closely watching the footsteps of the enemy. Her own brave husband might, by some mishap, be the victim of her treachery, instead of his enemies. The idea was quickly abandoned.

Huck and his officers slept in Williamson's house the night preceding the battle. His troops lay encamped around it. A road enclosed in a lane passed the door, and sentinels were posted along the road. The guard kept negligent watch, and the troops lay in fancied security—undreaming of to-morrow's scenes - unknowing that they were already marked for defeat and death. On that same day, Col. Bratton, with one hundred and twenty five men, principally his neighbors, left Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, under the conviction that some royal force, would shortly visit. their neighborhood to avenge the defeat of the tories at Mobley's meetinghouse. During the march, about fifty of the men dropped off, and thus only seventy

troops joined the army of Sumter. Thus reinforced, on the thirtieth of the same month, Gen. Sumter made a spirited attack on the British forces at Rocky Mount, and in eight days afterward gained a complete victory over the enemy at Hanging Rock.

After the engagement was over, the officer who had saved the life of Mrs. Bratton the evening before, was about being put to death by the whigs. He asked the favor of being carried into the presence of Mrs. Bratton, who immediately recognised him, related her obligation to him, and implored that his life might be spared, which was done. Thus she had an opportunity of proving that she was as grateful in the hour of triumph, as she had been bold and spirited in the time of danger.

five were left to attack the enemy, in- | effect of embodying the whigs, and in a stead of one hundred and thirty-three, few days afterward, six hundred new as stated in the history of Carolina. With this force, Col. Bratton arrived that night near their encampment. Intelligence of the enemy had passed up, and their number, had been received during the day. After concealing their horses in a swamp, the whigs impatiently awaited the dawn of day, to commence the attack. At length it came, and with it victory. One half of the men, led by Cel. Bratton and Capt. Moffit, came up the lane, while the other half, commanded by Capt. M'Clure, of Chester, a brave and daring officer, were sent round to the head of the lane. Thus the enemy were enclosed, speedily routed and conquered. When the attack commenced, Huck and his officers were in bed, and were aroused from their slumbers by the roar of the American guns. The captain quickly mounted his horse and attempted to rally his men. This he several times effected, but all his efforts were unavailing—the determined spirit of the whigs carried all before them-and as soon as Huck fell, his men threw down their arms and fled. Huck, Col. Ferguson of the British army, and thirty-five or forty men, lay dead on the field or were wounded unto death. How many perished in the woods is not known the rest escaped. Of the whigs, only one was killed—whose name was Campbell, as stated by Col. Gill. The rest, though in the thickest and hottest of the fight, escaped unhurt, to fight other battles and do further service in the cause of their beloved country. This battle is said to have lasted one hour.

This victory was not only brilliant and glorious in itself, but it had the most salutary and important effect on the destinies of the state. It was the first time since the fall of Charleston, that any power dared to meet the hitherto victorious enemy. This victory reanimated the drooping spirits of the country. The citizens were buoyed up with new life and fresh hopes. It brought them confidence, and taught the enemy to dread the vengeance of freemen, fighting for their liberties, their lives, and domestic altars. It had the direct and immediate

Col. W. Bratton, who was chief in command on the occasion, was a gallant officer throughout the American revolution. He was in the battles fought at Guildford courthouse, Hanging Rock, Blackstocks, Rowsam's mills, and Mobley's meetinghouse, beside the one already recounted. In all of these engagements, he fought with great spirit, courage, and determined bravery. In the darkest period of his country's distress, he stood firm in her cause, and by his influence and example, encouraged and cheered on his whig neighbors, and "bid them hope for brighter and better days." As an evidence of his uncommon daring, it is said, that on the night before the battle at Williamson's, he reconnoitred the encampment and advanced entirely within their line of sentinels. By this bold adventure, he acquired information which greatly contributed to the victory which they gained.

The distinction and honor of having killed the famous Captain Huck, or Huyck, as his name was more properly written, belonged to John Carroll, who greatly distinguished himself in many engagements by his extraordinary boldness and daring. Huck was shot while endeavoring to rally his men. This battleground is now known as Brattonsville.

In 1674, Joseph West was elected governor, and exercised the chief authority for several years, with much ability. The principal offices were filled by the cavaliers, although the puritans were in greater numbers; and considerable additions were soon made by the arrival of English dissenters and protestants, driven by religious intolerance from several Roman catholic countries.

The site of the present flourishing city of Charleston, was first occupied in 1673, by a number of Dutchmen from the New Netherlands, now New York, and, the advantages of its situation becoming at length obvious, it was finally taken by the colonists at Oyster Point.

Carolina, and their governors, had been the payment of quit-rents to the proprietors; and Colleton was deposed, in 1687, in consequence of his attempt to enforce it. After a period of anarchy, Seth Sothel assumed the chief-magistracy, in the character of a friend of the people, who unwisely trusted him after his misconduct in the northern colony. They soon however found it necessary to banish him, and elected in his place Ludwell, who had succeeded him in North Carolina.

The introduction of rice into the colony, an event of particular interest, took place during the administration of Governor Smith, the successor of Ludwell. A vessel from Madagascar stopped at Charleston, and the captain presented a bag of that grain to the governor, who distributed it among his friends, and the culture of that valuable staple was thus commenced, with results most important. to agriculture and commerce.

The year 1680 was unfortunately signalized by the first Indian war. A considerable number of prisoners were taken, who were sold as slaves by the governor to West India planters; for which inhuman policy he was removed by the proprietors, in 1683, and Governor Morton was appointed his successor. An Governor Blake, a dissenter (son of Irish and a Scotch colony came out the Admiral Blake), with great liberality, same year. The latter at first settled on sustained religious liberty; but after his Port Royal island, but were soon driven death, in 1700, Governor Moore, susto Charleston by fear of the Spaniards tained by Lord Granville, one of the at St. Augustine. They afterward re- proprietors, by intrigue induced the asturned, when their settlement was laid sembly to pass a bill establishing episwaste in 1686. Governors West, Kyrle, copacy, and thus introduced religious Quarry, and Morton, in turn succeeded to persecution. The majority of the people the chief-magistracy, but in the short being dissenters, many of them prepared space of three years, gave place to Col- to leave the colony; but the house of leton, in 1686. The inhuman practice of lords having voted against the law, and kidnapping and selling Indians was al-Queen Anne having annulled it, the lowed, to the discredit of the colony. threatened evil to the colony was prevented.

A large and valuable addition was made to the colony at this time, by the arrival of many French Huguenot families, who, having been deprived of the protection of the laws in their native country, by the revocation of the edict of Nantes, sought an asylum in the new world. Some of the principal families of South Carolina at the present day, bear the names of some of those refugees; and there, as elsewhere, they have done honor to their principles, and the land of their adoption, by the characters they have sustained in the country of

their choice.

One chief source of difficulty between the colonies of South, as well as North

In 1702, England bring at war with Spain, Governor Moore undertook a wild expedition against St. Augustine, and sailed from Port Royal with a part of the force raised. Colonel Daniel and his enlisted Indians, took and robbed the town: but, while the governor was waiting for cannon to batter the fortress, into which the enemy had retired, two Spanish ships appeared, and he made a hasty retreat. To meet the expense of this expedition, six thousand pounds, the first paper-money, was emitted in Carolina, which depreciated after a few years.

A happy termination was at length