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The Hornet's Nest 
 
 Sketch of Revolutionary War 
 at Qiarlotte and the Vicinity 
 
 By MR. HERIOT CXARKSON 
 
 Reproduced from the North Carolina Booklet 
 
 OCTOBER J 0th, J 90} 
 
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 <(L^S^ 
 
 By transrer 
 The Hiite House. 
 
THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 Mr. Gladstone has truthfully said: 
 "Rely upon it, that the man who does 
 not worthily estimate his own dead 
 forefathers, will himself do very little 
 to add credit or do honor to his coun- 
 try." 
 
 That truth applies with equal force to 
 communities and nations. The chroni- 
 cler should be exact, so that we can 
 eschew that which is evil and do the 
 thing that is good. 
 
 "All these things happened unto them. 
 for examples." People of every land 
 who loved liberty and who believed that 
 every man should serve his conscience 
 made America their destination. Two 
 great systems oppressed all Europe. 
 Feudalism of State and Church. 
 
 Wickliffe about the middle of the 
 fourteenth century translated the Bible 
 into English— this was the beacon light 
 in a dark age. "He opened the book of 
 stone and the water flowed out." This 
 was the beginning of the reformation 
 which rapidly spread in England and 
 elsewhere which was planted in Eng- 
 land under Henry VHI and firmly 
 rooted by Elizabeth. The defeat of the 
 Spanish Armada forever fixed it in 
 England. It was established through 
 Martin Luther In Germany. The Re- 
 formed Church and State in England 
 united, and the transition was easier, al- 
 though not without courage and mar- 
 tyrdom. 
 
 The storm-center was in Scotland and 
 Prance, homes of the Covenanter and 
 the Huguenot. A little man — and feeble 
 of body when he became the leader of 
 freedom of conscience — was John Klnox 
 at the age of forty. He was of all 
 Scotchmen most beloved by the Cov- 
 enanter. For two years he served the 
 French as a galley-slave for his convic- 
 tions. "No free assembly," said he, "no 
 free gospel." Mary Queen of Scotts, the 
 most beautiful woman of her day, with 
 all of her wonderful charms and attrac- 
 tive ways, could not swerve him from 
 his purpose. She asked him: "Think you 
 that subjects, having power, may resist 
 their princes?" Knox replied: "If their 
 princes exceed the bounds, madam, and 
 do against that for which they should 
 be obeyed, it is no doubt but that they 
 may be resisted." The divine right of 
 kingrs and queens in the answer la de- 
 
 nied, and the divine right of conscience 
 asserted. These ideas were engrafted la 
 the creed of the Covenanter. In the 
 trials that came to Scotland, thousands 
 of sturdy, heroic men and women were 
 compelled to leave their native land. 
 They scattered through America. From 
 the Scotch settlement in the North of 
 Ireland they came — the Scotch-Irish. 
 Some of them drifted to the Carolinas, 
 and with the shrewd qualities of the 
 Scotch, they settled in the fertile and 
 beautiful Piedmont region of the Caro- 
 linas. The strongest settlement was in 
 the county of Mecklenburg. One in- 
 stance of persecution in Scotland Is 
 sufRcient. In the cemetery at Stirling is 
 a beautiful sculpture which is greatly 
 admired. Two figures representing the 
 "Virgin Martyrs" with an angel fisrure 
 in the background all enclosed in glas3. 
 The story is partly told by Macaulay in 
 his history of England. 
 
 On the 11th day of May 1685, during 
 the persecuting reign of James II, Mar- 
 garet MacLachlan and Agnes Wilson, 
 the latter only eighteen years of age, 
 were tied to stakes at low water in th'? 
 Bay of Wigton and drowned by the ris- 
 ing of the Solway tide. The following 
 inscription is on the marble with S(»veral 
 eniblematic designs: 
 
 MARGARET. 
 "Virgin Martyr of the ocean wave with 
 
 her like minded sister," Agnes. 
 
 "Love many waters cannot quench— God 
 saves 
 His chaste, Impearled one in Covenant 
 true 
 O' Scotia's daughters! earnest scan the 
 page 
 /Ind prize this flower of grace, blood 
 bought for you." 
 
 We turn to France and Geneva — Cal- 
 vin is the center fig-ure. The general 
 massacre of Protestants on St. Barth- 
 olomew's Day shocked all Europe — this 
 was in 1572. France was drenched in 
 blood, but the Protestants never yield- 
 ed. After eight religious wars covering 
 a period of about thirty years. King 
 Henry, of Navarre on April 13th, 1598, 
 signed the famous Edict of Nantes, by 
 which the rights of the Protestants 
 were established, and they were al- 
 lowed freedom of religion. Louis XVI 
 nearly a century after, on October 
 
THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 23rd, 1685, revoked It. The Prot- 
 estants were fearfully persecuted. 
 Their marriages were declared null 
 — children deprived of inheritance — 
 preachers Indiscriminately put to 
 death. France lost by this time 
 more than one million of her most ac- 
 tive, enterprising and industrious cit- 
 izens. About two million continued to 
 adhere to the Protestant religion. Can 
 any nation point to such heroic adher- 
 ence to principle? The fight has con- 
 tinued to the present time and has been 
 recently revive'd by the law known as 
 the "Law of Association Bill." These 
 Huguenots, like the Covenanters, left 
 home and native land, scattered 
 throughout America, and large num- 
 bers settled in the Eastern part of the 
 Carolinas. This was early in the eigh- 
 teenth century, and they then and 
 there planted the principles of civil 
 liberty. About the same time and lat'^r 
 the Scotch and Scotch-Irish (Scotch 
 from Ulster in the North of Ireland) 
 were settling Western Carolina along 
 the Piedmont region. Alexander Craig- 
 head thundered from his pulpit at Sugar 
 Creek Presbyterian church. This 
 church is four miles north of 
 Charlotte; the church has been 
 rebuilt several times. He was well 
 versed in the history of his church. 
 "No free assembly, no free gospel," 
 equal rights to the Protestants of all 
 'denominations. He believed in the rule 
 of the people in church and State. From 
 those fathers of freedom of conscience, 
 Knox, Buchanan. Boston, Erskine and 
 others, he no doubt drew inspiration. 
 Craighead is buried in Sugar Creek 
 church graveyard. In the cemetery 
 (Elmwood) in Charlotte is a monument 
 erected to his memory, and on It these 
 words: "Advocate of American Indepen- 
 dence from 1743" "Inspirer of the Meck- 
 lenburg Declaration." The Presbyterian 
 Clergy one year after his death (176") 
 were for the first time in North Carolina 
 allowed to perform the marriage cere- 
 mony. Who can tell if this was not 
 thro'ugh his influence? Nine years later 
 we find that the May convention of 
 1775. held in Charlotte, is composed of 
 members of Sugar Creek church (the 
 parent church) and the other five Pres- 
 byterian churches in Mecklenburg coun- 
 ty and one in Iredell, (then Rowan). 
 The chairman of that convention was 
 naturally elected from the congregation 
 of Sugar Creek church, the parent 
 church. He was Abraham Alexander, 
 and is buried in old Sugar Creek church 
 graveyard. 
 
 Of the persons chosen to meet in the 
 May assembly, one was a Presbyterian 
 minister named Hezekiah James Balch, 
 and there were seven elders, and other 
 rrembers ot the Presbyterian church- 
 
 in all twenty-seven. While the Coven- 
 anters were meeting in Piedmont Caro- 
 lina the Huguenots and their allies were 
 doing the same in Eastern Carolina, 
 when thf proposition went forth for a 
 general convention of all the States to 
 ci'Titer together for mutual protection 
 against the unjust taxes imposed by 
 Great Britain without representation, 
 South Carolina was among the first to 
 r-'Sfond and appointed delegates. In de- 
 fipnce of the remonstrance and menaces 
 of Lieutenant Governor Bull, a provin- 
 cial Congress of delegates, chosen by 
 the people, met in Charleston on the 
 11th of January 1775. It approved the 
 proceedings of the General Congress. It 
 went further; it selected a committee to 
 see that the recommendations were 
 complied with. On such a committee 
 strong men were needed — men of cour- 
 age — a revolution was at hand — no 
 weaklings were wanted. Christopher 
 Gadsden was made chairman — the 
 Samuel Adams of South Carolina. The 
 following are some of the gentlemen of 
 Huguenot descent we find on the com- 
 mittee, names familiar in South Caro- 
 lina: Isaac Huger, Maurice Simons, 
 Thomas Legere, and others. All had but 
 one end in view, the principles of the 
 various phases of Protestantism — the 
 Puritans, the Covenanters and the Hu- 
 guenots — their opinions are so im- 
 pressed upon the constitutions of every 
 Stat*^ in the Union and upon the con- 
 stitution of tha United States that we 
 c^.nnot but admit that in a large meas- 
 ure the whole superstructure of our laws 
 are built upon religious freedom as- 
 serted by the Puritans, Covenanters and 
 Huguenots. Freedom of conscience in 
 matters of belief — freedom of action ar- 
 cording to faith — freedom to choose 
 teachers and rulers in church and State. 
 The laws of entail and primogeniture 
 were struck down; feudalism in State 
 swept away; every man allowed to wor- 
 ship God according to the dictate of 
 his own conscience; feudalism of church 
 wiped out. The time was ripe — who 
 cares about the dates. May 20th or May 
 31st, or both? It was a citizenship that 
 had come down from independent an- 
 cestry. The Stamp Act — exhorbitant 
 fees by public officials— the restrictions 
 on the clergy other than those of the 
 established church— the antipathy of 
 some to the English government — the 
 dislike to the government on account if 
 the fact that the king had disallowed 
 the charter to the Presbyterian college, 
 (Queen Museum) situated in Charlotte, 
 which had been granted by the North 
 Carolina Legislature — taxation without 
 representation. All these wrongs were 
 keenly felt, and the people were restless 
 and discontented. At the instance of 
 Col. Thomas Polk (a great uncle of 
 
THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 President James K. Polk, who was 
 born in Mecklenburg) the commander 
 of the malitia, two delegates from each 
 company were called together at Char- 
 lotte as a representative committee. It 
 is said that they were notified to meet 
 on May 19th. The men selected were: 
 the Reverend Hezekiah J. Balch, John 
 McKnitt Alexandei', Col. Thomas Polk, 
 Hezekiah Alexander, John Phlfer, 
 Ephriam Brevard, Adam Alexander, 
 James Harris, Charles Alexander, Wil- 
 liam Kennon, Zacheus Wilson, Sr., John 
 Ford, Waightstill Avery, Richard Barry, 
 Benjamin Patton, Henry Downs, Mat- 
 thew McClure, Ezra Alexander, Neil 
 Morrison, William Graham, Robert 
 Irwin, John Query, John Flanniken. 
 David Reese, Abraham. Alexander, 
 Richard Harris, Sr., John Davidson. 
 These men met in the court house, 
 which was then standing on what is 
 now known as "Independent Square." 
 The court house was packed to hear the 
 proceedings. The wisest and best men 
 had been selected. The meeting was or- 
 ganized by Abraham Alexander being 
 called to the chair, and John McKnitt 
 Alexander being selected as secretary. 
 Fiery soeeches were made. A speeclx 
 was being made on the burdens 
 that had been borne by the peo- 
 ple. The unjust taxes that had to 
 be paid, the restrictions put on 
 the non-conformist, and the speak- 
 er expressed the belief that the 
 only hope of redress was Independence. 
 The test had come. An old man, one of 
 the oldest in the convention, arose — 
 "How can we declare ourselves free and 
 independent?" said he. "Have we not 
 sworn allegiance to King George?" A 
 middle-aged man arose — he was cool 
 and deliberate — he turned to the win- 
 dow and looked out — "See that beauti- 
 ful oak yonder, with the leaves on it," 
 said he, "suppose you swear to do a 
 thing as long as those leaves are on the 
 tree, and the leaves fall off, are you 
 bound by your oath?" The court house 
 shook with applause. The tide was 
 turning. The King ought to be resisted 
 as they were taught, if he "exceed his 
 bounds and do against that for which 
 he should be obeyed." Men were see.j 
 to gather at the large windows in the 
 court house looking Southward, (no\y 
 South Tryon street) a horseman is sein 
 rapidly approaching. He passes Queen's 
 Museum — "I^iberty Hall" — the Faneuil 
 Hall of North Carolina — he approaches 
 the court house, he dismounts, several 
 gather around him, he tells them hurrid- 
 ly of the news brought to Charleston, 
 that innocent blood had been spilt at 
 Lexington. In that day the people of 
 Mecklenburg were closely allied with 
 Charleston, as it was the principle place 
 where the people of Mecklenburg and 
 
 the upcountry traded. The young 
 horseman was required to tell the con- 
 vention of the news brought from 
 Boston. The tale was told of how 
 their Massachusetts brethren had been 
 slain. The warm Southern hearts 
 were moved at the wrongs. The oaths 
 were forgotten. General Joseph Gra- 
 ham wrote some years after that the 
 man who in the convention called at- 
 tention to the oath, although a strong 
 patriot, was for years after looked up- 
 on with suspicion. A committee was 
 appointed to prepare resolutions de- 
 claring themselves free and independ- 
 ent. The convention is said to have 
 met on May 19th and adjourned to 
 May 20th. The following resolutions 
 were adopted: 
 
 "1. That whosoever, directly or in- 
 directly, abets, or in any way, form or 
 manner, countenances the invasion of 
 our rights, as attempted by the Parlia- 
 ment of Great Britain, is an enemy of 
 his country, to America and the rights 
 of men." 
 
 "Resolved 2. That we, the citizens of 
 Mecklenburg county, do hereby, dis- 
 solve the political bands which have 
 connected us with the mother country, 
 and absolve ourselves from all allegi- 
 ance to the British crown, abjure all 
 political connection with a nation that 
 has wantonly trampled on our rights 
 and liberties, and inhumanly shed the 
 innocent blood of Americans at Lexing- 
 ton." 
 
 "Resolved 3. That we do hereby de- 
 clare ourselves a free and independent 
 people, that we are and of right ought 
 to be, a sovereign and self-governing 
 people under th^ power of God and the 
 General Congress; to the maintenance 
 of which independence, we solemnly 
 pledge to each other, our mutual co- 
 operation, our lives, our fortunes an! 
 our most saored honor." 
 
 "Resolved 4. That we do hereby or- 
 dain and adopt as rules of conduct, all 
 and each of our former laws, and the 
 crown of Great Britain cannot be con- 
 sidered hereafter as holding any rights, 
 privileges or immunities among us." 
 
 "Resolved 5. That all officers, both 
 civil and military, in this county, be •en- 
 titled to exercise the same powers and 
 authorities as heretofore; that every 
 member of this delegation shall hence- 
 forth be a civil officer and exercise the 
 powers of a Justice of the Peace, issue 
 process, hear and determine controver- 
 sies according to law, preserve peace, 
 union and harmony in the county, and 
 use every exertion to spread the love of 
 liberty and of country, until a more 
 general and better organized system of 
 government be established." 
 
 "Resolved 6. That a copy of these 
 resolutions be transmitted by express 
 to the President of the Continental Con- 
 
THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 gress, assembled in Philadelphia, to be 
 laid before that body." 
 
 These resolutions were unanimously 
 adopted and subscribed by the dele- 
 gates. (A spurious copy of the original 
 f'eclaiation a few yea;s ago wt=' e-otten 
 up in Charlotte with forged signatu'-es 
 on it, for the purpose of sale. The orig- 
 inal was destroyed by fire.) Captain 
 James Jack was engaged to deliver the 
 resolutions to the president of Congress; 
 and also the delegates in dngress from 
 North Carolina. The resolutions were 
 read aloud to the people in Charlotte 
 and proclaimed amidst shouts and 
 huzzas. Capt. Jack, on his way to Phil- 
 adelphia, stopped over in Salisbury, and 
 court being in session Mr. Kennon a 
 lawyer, and one of the signers, read the 
 resolutions aloud in open court to a 
 large assemblage, and they were ap- 
 proved by all present except two law- 
 yers, who afterwards were made to 
 suffer reverely for their disapproval. 
 The Colonial Governor Martin writes 
 this to the Secretary of State in Eng- 
 land: 
 
 State Paper Office, London, America 
 and West, I Vol. 204. 
 
 Bancrofts' Collection, 1775, 153. 
 Fort Johnston, North Caiolina, 
 30th June, 1775. 
 "The minutes of a council held at f'lis 
 place the other day, will make the im- 
 potence of government here as apparent 
 to your Lorriship as anything I can set 
 before you, the Board having been 
 afraid to take a becoming part, I firm- 
 ly believe from apprehensions of per- 
 sonal injury and insult • * * 
 
 The situation in which I find myself 
 at prosent is mdeed, my Lord, most ^.e- 
 spicable and mortifying. * • * • I 
 live, alas! ingloriously, only to deplore 
 it* * * * The resolves of the 
 committee of Mecklenburg, which your 
 Lordship will find in the enclosed news- 
 paper, surpass all the horrid and trea- 
 sonable publications that the inflami- 
 tory spirit of the continent have yet 
 produced: and your Lordship may de- 
 pend, its authors and abettors will not 
 ' escape, when my hands are sufficiently 
 strengthened, to attempt the recovery 
 of the lost authority of the government. 
 A copy of these resolutions were sent 
 off, I am informed by express to the 
 Congress at Philadelphia, as soon as 
 they were passed in the committee." 
 
 The fierce storm of war then began: 
 but fortunately for the Carolinas two 
 decisive battles gave them comparative 
 quiet for several years. The battle of 
 Moore's Creek in North Carolina fought 
 Feb. 26th, 1776, and the battle of Fort 
 Sullivan in South Carolina, fought June 
 28th, 1776. During these stormy times 
 the women were not lacking in their de- 
 votion to the cause of liberty. A cold 
 winter day in the early part of February 
 
 1776, the young ladies of Mecklenburg 
 county gathered at "Liberty Hall" and 
 took strenuous means to ensure the suc- 
 cess of the patriots. The South Carolina 
 and American General Gazette, pub- 
 lished at the time the following con- 
 cerning their proceedings: 
 
 "The young ladies of i:he best families 
 of Mfcklenburg county. North Carolina, 
 have entered into a voluntary associa- 
 tion that they will not leceive the ad- 
 dresses of any young gentlemen of that 
 place, except the bravi \(.lunteers who 
 served in the expediti ni to fc'outh Caro- 
 lina, and assisted in subduing the 
 Scovalite (Tory) insurgents, the ladies 
 being of opinion, tnat such persons as 
 stay loitermg at home, when the im- 
 portant calls of the country demand 
 their military services abroad, must 
 certainly be destitute of that nobleness 
 of sentiment, that brave manly spirit 
 that would qualify them to be the de- 
 fenders and guardians o? the fair sex. 
 The ladies of the adjoining county, 
 l^owan, h.ive desired tne plan of a simi- 
 lar association to be drawn up and pre- 
 pared lor signature. ' 
 
 Time rolls on— newj is bror.ght to ths 
 up country that Charleston has fallen. 
 For nearly three nioritiis ill-fed, ill-clad 
 and undisciplined militiamen under 
 General Lincoln had battled twelve 
 thousand of the best disciplined troops 
 ot Great Britain. This was May iZlti, 
 llao. An instance took place that saved 
 Francis Marion from capture. He was 
 staying at a house in TraUd street, and 
 his host determined that all his guests 
 should drink his wine freely, he locked 
 the door to prevent their departure. 
 Marion would not submit to this act of 
 social tyi'anny and leaped from a second 
 story window to the ground. His ankle 
 was broken and ha was taken to his 
 home some distance ?ro n the city, and 
 thus was spared to his country. Many 
 persons from the Western part of the 
 Carolinas were in the city and sur- 
 rendered. Among them Dr. Ephriam 
 Brevard, one of the sigi^ers, who was a 
 surgeon in the continental army, and 
 who broken by diseas^i, when set at 
 liberty, returned home to I'ie in Meck- 
 lenburg. His grave is unlcnown. Thu 
 Eastern part of South Carolina was 
 absolutely in the power of the British. 
 The interior must now ne subdued. Sir 
 Henry Clinton immediately after the 
 surrender of Chr.rleston sent Lord Crrn- 
 wallis towards the frontier of North 
 Carolina. Cornwallis heard that Colonel 
 Buford with four hundred continentals, 
 who had started to the relief of Char- 
 leston, had left Camden and was re- 
 treating leisurely towards Charlotte. 
 He sent a detachment under Tarleton of 
 nearly twice Buford's in number to 
 overtake him. Tarleton marched in. 
 
THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 flfty-four hours one hiandred and five 
 miles and came upon Buford on the 
 Waxhaw by surprise. Buford sent a flag: 
 of truce, and it is related that while ne- 
 gotiations were pending and flags of 
 conference were passing, Tarleton's 
 cavaly fell upon the unsuspecting con- 
 tinentals and gave them no quarter. 
 This terrible cruelty spread consterna- 
 tion over that region, women and chil- 
 dren took refuge in more distant sett'V- 
 ments. The widowed mother of Presi- 
 dent Andrew Jackson left her home 
 with her two sons, Robert and Andrew, 
 and took refuge in Mecklenburg. They 
 stayed with the widow of Rev. J. M. 
 Wilson and widow Alexander, (mother 
 of Susannah Alexander,) near Charlotte. 
 This cruel treatment made an abiding 
 impression on young Jackson who was 
 then only thirteen years old. Who can 
 tell if his early recollection did not in 
 after life give him nerve and courage 
 to endure and to conquer at New Or- 
 leans the foe of his youth? He and his 
 brother Robert immediately entered the 
 army under General Sumter, They were 
 both made prisoners. The indomitable 
 courage in the after man appeared m 
 the boy, when ordered to clean the mud- 
 dy boots of an English officer, he re- 
 fused and received for this a sword-cut. 
 His mother and two of her sons per- 
 ished during the revolution. His mother 
 died just after leaving Charleston, 
 where she had been to visit friends and 
 relatives who were there in prison. He 
 alone of the family survived. The blood 
 of Buford's men stirred the hearts of 
 the patriots in Western Carolina. Gen- 
 eral Rutherford raised fifteen hundred 
 men whom he brought together at 
 Charlotte, this force was sutticient to 
 discourage Tarleton. On June 22d the 
 Ijoyalist under a Colonel Moore were de- 
 feated at Ramseur's Mill by Colonel 
 Locke, who had a detachment of Rutii- 
 erford's force. General Sumter at this 
 critical period, with a force of Nortn 
 and South Carolians, returned to his 
 State, and on July 12th defeated Colonel 
 Furgerson and Capt. Houck at Wil- 
 liamson's plantation in the Western 
 part of the State. His success brought 
 many recruits to him and he was again 
 successful at Hanging Rock. Many 
 partisan bands now hurried to join 
 Gates who had taken charge of the 
 Southern army and was moving to- 
 wards Camden where he was sent to 
 meet Lord Rawdon and Lord Corn- 
 wallis; but alas! it was a fearful meet- 
 ing for the continentals. Gates was de- 
 feated, the brave DeKalb was left with 
 eleven wounds on him and soon died. 
 General Rutherford was compelled to 
 surrender. This was August 16th. Gen- 
 eral Gates hastened to Charlotte and 
 reached there — eighty miles away, the 
 
 same day of the battle. On his way he 
 was informed of Sumter's splendid vic- 
 tory taking Fort Carey on the Wateree. 
 When Sumter heard of Gates' defeat he 
 commenced retreating up the SouLh side 
 of the Wateree river. He was pursued 
 by Tarleton with his wonderful clerity, 
 who overtook and surprised Sumter at 
 Fishing Creek. It is said that General 
 Sumter escaped in his night clothes. 
 Sumter came to Charlotte a day or two 
 afterwards. He never forgave Tarleton 
 for having caught him napping, and 
 Nov. 20th following engaged him in bat- 
 tle at Black Stock Hill with such severe 
 results that one-third of Tarleton'3 
 privates engaged were killed. Sumter 
 was fortunate in having the mountain 
 country of the Carolinas to draw upon 
 for assistance. In his command were 
 such men as Colonel William Hill, an- 
 cester of General D. H. Hill. It now 
 looked like the Carolinas were subdued. 
 Lord Cornwallis commenced his march 
 toward Charlotte to establish his head- 
 quarters. Behind him he left the un- 
 yielding Huguenots, in front were the 
 determined Scotch-Irish Covenanters. 
 Both were equal to the emergency. 
 Johnson in his Traditions and Remin- 
 iscences of the Revolution, says: 
 
 "Among the most efficient of Marion's 
 men were his neighbors and friends of 
 Huguenot descent, the Horry's, Simons, 
 Ravenels, Cordea", Dubas, et.\" The 
 writer gives two incidents to show the 
 desperate couraae of these men— on 
 Aug. 18th, 1780, Col. H. Horry, with 16 
 militia releases 150 prisoners, guarded 
 by 32 British soldiers. On Nov. 20th 
 1780, Col. James Simons of Washing- 
 ton's troop, with 36 men, routs Col. 
 Cunningham with 150 British militia. 
 We think of Cromwell at Dunbar. "Let 
 God arise, and let His enemies be scat- 
 tered." Nelson at Trafalgar displaying 
 the signal— "England expects every man 
 to do his duty." Wellington at Water- 
 loo as he shouted to his troops: "Boys, 
 can retreat be thought of? Think of old 
 England." Napoleon at the battle of the 
 Pyramids— "forty centuries look down 
 upon you." To inspire the youth of our 
 land, let us remember Washington at 
 Valley Forge and Marion at Snow l3- 
 land. Hope had died in the hearts of al- 
 most every Southern patriot. Marion 
 kindled once more the spark. Who has 
 not heard of the instance? the captured 
 English officer taken to Snow Island in 
 the swamps, the rendezvous of Marion 
 and his men, Marion inviting him to 
 dine with him, and handing the officer 
 cold water and sweet potatoes for din- 
 ner. He asked Marion If that was what 
 he and his men lived on. Marion told 
 him it was. The Englishman said: "I 
 can no longer fight against such brave 
 men and patriots." When he was ex- 
 
THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 changed he returned to England, never 
 more to fight against the Americans. 
 Adversity shows the character of a 
 people. Many of the rich and cowardly 
 sought protection from Cornwallis to 
 save their property from confiscation 
 and for other sinister motives, but those 
 who loved freedom and served thetr 
 conscience sprung by leaps and bounds 
 to the front. No sooner had Cornwallis 
 started towards Charlotte, thinking all 
 behind was safe, than Marion and his 
 men made the patriots' hearts glad 
 with their marvelous exploits. Colonel 
 Henry Lee, (father of the Confederate 
 chieftain) who served with Marion, says 
 of him: — "small in statue, hard in vis- 
 age, healthy, abstemious and taciturn, 
 enthusiastically wedded to the cause of 
 liberty, he deeply deplored the condition 
 of his beloved country. The common 
 weal was his sole object; nothing sel- 
 fish, nothing mercenary soiled his 
 ermine character. Fertile in stratagem, 
 he struck unperceived; and, retiring to 
 those hidden retreats selected by him- 
 self in the morasses of the Pee Dee and 
 Black rivers, he placed his corps not 
 only out of the reach of his foe, but 
 often out of the discovery of his friends. 
 A rigid disciplinarian, he reduced to 
 practice the justice of his heart; and 
 during the difficult course of warfare 
 through which he passed, calumny it- 
 self never charged him with violating 
 the rights of persons, property or hu- 
 manity, never avoiding danger, he never 
 rashly sought it; and acting for all 
 around him as he did for himself, he 
 rLsked the lives of his troops only when 
 it was necessary. Neither elated with 
 prosperity, nor depressed by adversity, 
 he preserved an equanimity which won 
 the admiration of friends and exacted 
 the respect of his enemies." Can higher 
 tribute be paid to any man? Such was 
 the hero who with McDowell, Morgan, 
 Davidson, Lee, Sumter, Pickens and 
 others did so much to redeem the South. 
 We here take leave of these patriots' 
 examples and commend them to the 
 youth of all ages. 
 
 The battle of Camden was foTight 
 August 16th, 1870. Major William Rich- 
 ardson Davie's corps had suffered se- 
 verely with Sumter at Hanging Rock, 
 South Carolina,and he had been escort- 
 ing to Charlotte the wounded to the hos- 
 pital which he had previously estab- 
 lished. After performing this service 
 Davie hastened to the general ren- 
 dezvous of General Gates, Rugely's Mill. 
 He arrived on the 15th, after Gates had 
 moved, and after marching all night, 
 met our flying troops. General Huger 
 informed him of the fate of the Ameri- 
 cans. Malor Davie at once did all in his 
 power to relieve the situation. He had 
 served with Sumter, and, as has been 
 
 mentioned, Sumter was defeated at 
 Fishing Creek by Tarleton a few days 
 after the battle of Camden, so the bur- 
 dens of defending this section were 
 shifted to Davie. Bravely did he bear 
 them. In 1780, he had obtained license 
 to practice law, but seeing the need of 
 his country, he again took up arms. He 
 was now twenty-four years old. He had 
 been wounded near Charleston the year 
 before. The State being too poor he sold 
 the little property he had and raised the 
 funds to equip the troops under him. 
 Such was the man who now returned to 
 defend Charlotte. He had' been a stu- 
 dent at "Queen's Museum." He had 
 heard the eloquent words of Dr. Alex- 
 ander McWhorter, the President of 
 Queen's Museum on June 3rd, when he 
 had addressed the troops under General 
 Rutherford. (One of Dr. McWhoiter's 
 sisters, Jane, married John Brevard, 
 and another, Agnes, married Alexander ( 
 Osborne.) Davie determined that Char- ' 
 lotte should not be taken without re- 
 sistence. This was September 5th. He 
 had been recently made colonel. Corn- 
 wallis was slowly approaching. Davie 
 went forward with his small force to 
 harrass his foraging parties. He was ac- 
 companied by MaJ. George Davidson. 
 They took post at Providence, on the 
 Charlotte road. On the evening of Sep- 
 tember the 20th they decamped and de- 
 termined to strike a blow at the Loyal- 
 ist encamped at the plantation of Cap- 
 tain James Wahab (whose name wa" 
 later changed to Walkup) in the South- 
 western part of Union county, ther 
 Mecklenburg. Many of his troops wen 
 from that section. Early next morninf 
 they gained unperceived the camp of th 
 Loyalist. The house and yard were al- 
 most surrounded by a splendid cornfield. 
 He detached Major Davidson through 
 the cornfield and he himself took the 
 lane leading to the house. The enemy 
 were completely surprised and fied, 
 sixty were killed and wounded, ninety- 
 six horses were taken, and one hundred 
 and twenty stands of arms. The British 
 drums in contiguous quarters then beat 
 to arms. Captain Wahab, the owner of 
 the farm, spent a few minutes halt In 
 rapt converse with his wife and chil- 
 dren, who ran out as soon as the firing 
 ceased, to embrace their protector. Bit- 
 ter followed those sweet moments. The 
 British troops, reaching the house, the 
 commander yielded to diabolical fury 
 and ordered it burnt. Wahab saw his 
 home that £:lieltered his wife and little 
 children, wrapped in fiames, and he un- 
 able to relieve them. Davie made good j 
 his retreat and returned to Providence, j 
 having marched sixty miles in twenty- 
 four hours. Generals Sumter and Da- 
 vidson arrived the evening of his re- 
 turn. They had about one thousand 
 
THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 men and Davie less than two hun- 
 dred. Four days after the affair at 
 Wahab's, Cornwallis put his army in 
 motion, taking the Steel Creek road to 
 Charlotte. This being announced to 
 General Sumter he retired, leaving 
 Colonel Davie who was strengthened 
 by Major Joseph Graham. Major 
 Graham, like Colonel Davie, had been 
 "*i student at "Queen's Museum." He had 
 , .)een in Charlotte when the Declaration 
 >f Independence on May 20th, 1775, was 
 ormerly and publicly made. He was 
 ieeply impressed with the Importance 
 }f the struggle, and no man acted a 
 araver part. 
 
 At midnight, September 25th, 1780, this 
 ittle band of heroes reached Charlotte 
 Vext day the battle of Charlotte took 
 place. I give the account as narrated by 
 Oolonel Davie: "Charlotte, situated on 
 I rising ground, contains about twenty 
 louses, built on two streets which cross 
 ?ach other at right angles, at the inter- 
 jection of which stands the court house 
 (Independence Square.) The left of the 
 town, as the enemy advanced, was an 
 open common on the woods which 
 reached up to the gardens of the vil- 
 lage. With this small force, viz: one 
 lundred and fifty cavalry and mounted 
 nfantry and fourteen volunteers under 
 VTajor Graham, Davie determined fo 
 rive his Lordship a foretaste of what he 
 night expect in North Carolina. For th^ 
 arpose he dismounted one company, 
 nd posted it under the court house, 
 ■^here the men were covered breast- 
 igh by a stone wall. Two other comx- 
 anies were advanced about eighty 
 'ards, and posted behind some houses 
 ■ad in gardens on each side of the 
 .'reet. While this disposition was mak- 
 ing, the Legion (Tarleton's) was form- 
 ing at the distance of three hundred 
 yards, with a front to fill the South 
 Tryon street, and the light infantry on 
 their flanks. On sounding the charge, 
 the cavalry advanced at full gallop 
 within sixty yards of the court house, 
 where they received the American fire, 
 and retreated with great precipitation. 
 As the Infantry continued to advance, 
 notwithstanding the fire of our ad- 
 vanced companies, who were too few to 
 keep them in check, it became neces- 
 sary to withdraw them from the cross 
 street, and form them in line with the 
 troops under the court house. The flanks 
 were "tin .engaged with the infantry, 
 but the center was directed to reserve 
 their fire for the cavalry, who rallied on 
 their former ground and returned to the 
 charge. 
 
 They were again well received by the 
 militia, and galloped off In great con- 
 fusion, in the presence of the whole 
 British army. As the British infantry 
 were now bCiglnning to turn Colonel 
 
 Davie's right flank, these companies 
 were drawn off in good order, succes- 
 sively covering each other, and formed 
 at the end of the street about one hun- 
 dred yards from the court house, under 
 a galling fire from the British light in- 
 fantry, who had advanced under the 
 cover of the houses and gardens. The 
 British cavalry again appeared, charg- 
 ing by the court house, but upon re- 
 ceiving a fire, which had been reserved 
 for them, they again scampered off. 
 Lord Cornwallis in his vexation at the 
 repeated miscarriage of his cavalry 
 openly abused their cowardice. The 
 Legion, reinforced by the infantry 
 pressed forward on our flanks, and the 
 ground was no longer tenable by this 
 handful of brave men. A retreat was 
 then ordered on the Salisbury road, and 
 the enemy followed, with great caution 
 and respect, for some miles, when they 
 ventured • to charge the rear guards. 
 The guards were of course put to flight, 
 but on receiving- the fire of a single 
 company, they retreated. Our loss con- 
 sisted of Lieutenant Locke, and four 
 privates killed, and Major Graham and 
 five privates wounded. The British 
 stated their loss at twelve non-commis- 
 sioned officers and privates killed, and 
 Major Hanger, Captains Campbell and 
 McDonald, and thirty privates wound- 
 ed. In the engagement Major Graham 
 received nine wounds, six with the sa- 
 bre and three n-ith lead. He was mer- 
 cifully spared to his country. This brave 
 youth, only twenty-one years of age, as 
 soon as he recovered from his wounds 
 returned to the army. Cornwallis' stay 
 in Mecklenburg was a stormy one. He 
 had a large army which had to be fed. 
 The Mecklenburg men were determined. 
 Colonel Polk had a mill (old Blssell 
 mill) about two miles Southwest of 
 Charlotte, the British pickets were at- 
 tacked there. On October 5th a foraging 
 party of about four hundred under Ma- 
 jor Doyle went towards the fertile re- 
 gion of Long Creek. While plundering 
 Mclntyre's farm, about seven miles 
 North of Charlotte, twelve men under 
 Captain James Thompson attacked and 
 actually drove the British raiders from 
 the farm. The British loss was so severe 
 that the survivers upon reaching Char- 
 lotte declared "every bush along the 
 road concealed a rebel." Lieutenant 
 George Graham was one of this brave 
 party. He was a brother of Joseph Gra- 
 ham, and was a strong, courageous 
 man. He is buried In the old Presby- 
 terian cemetery in Charlotte. He was 
 active during Lord Cornwallis' stay In 
 Charlotte attacking his foraging par- 
 ties. On October 7th Major Ferguson 
 was defeated at Kings's Mountain and 
 slain. He was one of Cornwallis' most 
 trusted ofllcers. Upon Cornwallis hear- 
 
8 
 
 THE HORNET'S NEST. 
 
 ing of the defeat Charlotte was Imme- 
 diately evacuated. This was on the 
 evening of October 14th. We read in 
 Tarleton's campaigns this about Meck- 
 lenburg: 
 
 "It was evident and it has been fre- 
 quently mentioned to the King's officers, 
 that the counties of Mecklenburg and 
 Rowan were more hostile than any 
 of'ero i 1 / nierica " Wt, read this about 
 Charlotte: 
 
 "The town and environs abounded 
 with inveterate enemies," when later 
 the suggestion was made to go by Char- 
 lotte, he says: "The route by Charlotte 
 town through the most hostile quarter 
 of the Drovince on many accounts not 
 advisable." Cornwallis later on his way 
 North did not go by Charlotte, b'lt 
 went North of Charlotte and crossed at 
 Cowan's Ford. In a letter to Colonel 
 Balfour, of the British army, Cornwal- 
 lis says: 'Charlotte is an agreeable vil- 
 lage, but in a d — d rebellious country." 
 When Cornwallis retired from Char- 
 lotte, he halted upon Robert Wilson s 
 plantation, and himself and staff quar- 
 tered at the house of the patriot. The 
 Wilsons were all staunch Scotch-Irish, 
 and sturdy Republicans. The wife of 
 Robert Wilson, (a brother of Zacheu.s, 
 a signer) had "seven sons in the rebel 
 army," and also her husband. Mrs. Wil- 
 
 son was very courteous, and Cornwallis 
 endeavored to win her to the Royal 
 cause by flattering words. Her reply de- 
 serves to be inscribed upon brass and 
 marble: "I have seven sons who are 
 now, or have been, bearing arms; in- 
 deed, my seventh son, Zacheus, who is 
 only fifteen years old, I yesterday as- 
 sisted to get ready to go and join his 
 trotLor-^ in Sumier's army. Now, soon- 
 er than see one of my family turn 
 back from the glorious enterprise, I 
 would take those boys, (pointing to 
 three or four small sons) and with them 
 would myself enlist under Sumter's 
 standard and show my husband and 
 sons how to fight; and if necessary, how 
 to die for their country." Ah, General, 
 said the cruel Tarleton, "I think you've 
 got into a Hornet's Nest." Cornwallis' 
 reply was: "Never mind, when we get 
 to Camden, I'll take good care that old 
 Robin Wilson never gets back again." 
 
 On the spot where Queen's Museum 
 once stood is the county court house. In 
 front is a handsome monument erected 
 to the signers of the Mecklenburg De- 
 claration of Independence. On one side 
 are the names of the signers. On the 
 other side facing South Tryon street Is 
 a Hornet's Nest, and on it are these 
 words: "Let us alone." 
 

 
 
 
 
 

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