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Reminiscences of Dr. William Read, Arranged From Notes and Papers (Part VIII) There are digressions and little concomitant incidents, which may have been left out of this grave narrative of facts; but, to return to the thread of the story. Dr. Read continued his march, industriously laboring to reach Virginia. His orders were to watch over the prisoners, and to deliver them to Major Hyrne, on meeting him. Several prisoners made their escape, aided by the country people, who were generally disaffected to the Republican cause. Among the prisoners taken in Georgia, Dr. Read distinguished a very tall, sickly youth, and felt peculiar interest in him. He would often converse with him, and give him extra diet from his mess. The lad was intelligent, and gave a sad account of Gen. Howe's campaign against Florida. This prisoner was in the habit of marching along, and keeping pace with Dr. Read in the van, and the soldiers would jocularly call him the Doctor's aide-de-camp. This sly fellow never once indicated that he was a man of this country, and that he was approaching his home; but one day, coming to a fork of roads, he advised Dr. Read to take a right hand road; when he said no! that he was advised to avoid all right hand roads. The lad appeared confused; it was his father's plantation he was approaching. He stepped along, as he had done some times before, and reached the house, and there he, no doubt, made himself known, and settled a plan of operations. Dr. R.'s party arrived, and were most graciously received, by a lady and two daughters. They got a comfortable meal, and seemed very obliging. Dr. Read was instructed always to put under confinement every individual of any family he spent the night with, for fear of information to our enemy, and treacherous combinations against his party. These women were given to understand this, likewise they were informed that the house must be searched for incendiary papers. At this they were much shocked; however, search was made, and a pile of addresses to the people were found, well calculated to rouse the energies of the country people to "turn out in the cause of their country, and second the efforts of their friends to subdue the rebels, and serve their righteous King, the Lord's annointed," &c., &c. These the gentlemen of the party amused themselves with reading, and committing to the flames. The women said that a man had been there, and left the papers. These women were put into a chamber, and some women in a loom-house put under guard. The Doctor's party lay down in the hall. In the morning a march was ordered, and the department moved off; enquiry was made for the young man prisoner, but nobody had seen him. He was in the practise of walking off before the party, and Dr. Read, concluding that he had done so at this time, was easy at his absence; but, on proceeding further, and not seeing him, he became apprehensive, and, on reaching a ten mile rivulet, where they were to breakfast, and not finding the tall boy (as the soldiers called him), he became suspicious of his having made his escape; and some symptoms appearing, he concluded that he had been seduced away by the family which he had just left. Dr. Read now resolved to ride back in pursuit of him, called for two volunteers to join him, and take the runaway prisoner. McGuire, an Irish soldier, first offered his services, Carr, a Scotchman, next. Several American soldiers then came forward, and begged to be employed, but Dr. R. preferred the first offers. They were ordered to chose the best horses, arm themselves, and come on. Many gentlemen of North Carolina were in camp a short distance off, and, on hearing of the expedition, came to Read's camp and remonstrated against it, called it rash and useless, held up the prospect of meeting Col. Tarleton, or some of his detachments; spoke especially against the jeopardizing the two soldiers for vainglory. On Dr. Read's persisting in his intention, and being about to march, a Mr. Shelton offered to lend two fine horses to the soldiers. Dr. Read was mounted on his horse, the Irish grey. The soldiers armed to their liking, they both proved skilful horsemen. The party rode off, and in less than an hour reached the plantation of Davis. Mr. Shelton informed Dr. Read that it was a family of notorious Royalists, that the pamphlets he found in the house were such as they were in the habit of receiving and distributing for their cause; that their eldest son was a notorious malefactor, a felon and convict, that he had been proclaimed an outlaw by the Government; that he had fled to Florida, but may have returned with the advance of British arms; that he was of gigantic size. He cautioned Dr. Read against such a man. On approaching Davis' house, the party distinctly saw the tall boy running towards a swamp. McGuire spurred on at full speed, and Dr. R. and Carr leaped a set of bars and rode up to the house. Carr stopped a minute at the bars to see if there was any one approaching. On Dr. Read's riding up to the door, with pistol in hand, he was met by the sally out of a gigantic man, brown as a mulatto, with a long bushy beard, his features, in fact, obliterated by the excessive growth of hair, black and shaggy, with a rifle to his shoulder. Now commenced a scene too terrific for narration. Dr. Read's horse, with more than common instinct, appeared to see his danger, reared and neighed, and pawed towards the assailant. Dr. Read pointed the pistol; but, from the flowing main of his horse, and the unsteady seat he had from the upright position of his horse, he could not take aim and fire. His situation was terrible, but he was nothing dismayed. At the moment he perceived Carr at his right hand, on foot, with his musket at a charge. Dr. Read said, "Carr, do your duty." In a moment he plunged the bayonet into the body of the assailant. It was driven through him, entering to the right of the umbelicus, and formed a blue spot on the left side of the back-bone, on examination. The monster fell, with dreadful screams and lamentations; endeavored to scramble off, but fell, beat his legs and arms about for fifteen minutes, and expired. Thus he was made the executioner of the outlaw. The mother and two sisters now came out, and criminated him, saying, that "he had brought ruin on the family." Several women came out of a loom-house, and made a talk against the deceased, enumerating his crimes committed on both sexes, and children, and of house burning. McGuire having pursued the fugitive prisoner as far as his horse could go, in vain, returned. The women had rallied in a most extraordinary manner, and became abusive, and lamenting the death, and threatening. McGuire drew his sword, and laid on them with its flat side, and drove them into the house. Dr. Read followed, lest he should be provoked to give the edge. On entering an inner room, he saw a pair of feet under a cupboard, and found an old man in great trepidation; he dragged him forth and criminated him. In the meantime Carr had turned over the dead man, and showed the effects of his bayonet. On measuring him with his musket and bayonet, he seemed above six feet five inches, and prodigiously brawny withal. Carr cut off his beard, and carried it away with him. Dr. Read's party now retreated, carrying the old man with them, whom he told the women that he should detain as prisoner until her young son should deliver him self. On reaching camp the old man was known to the party of gentlemen, and they claimed him as a victim of crime, he being accused of acting the incendiary and spy ever since the war. Dr. Read, however, plead his being his prisoner, and interceded for his life, and after some hours carried the unfortunate parent back a mile or two, and turned him loose; the runaway prisoner never appeared. Carr was entitled to a reward, which Dr. Read certified, and hopes that he got. McGuire, he thinks, fell in the bloody battle of Guilford. The hospital department now proceeded on slowly, from insufficient teams and broken wagons; they halted at the plantation of a Mr. Spencer, a good Republican, who was then in arms in the field. Dr, Read, with his officers, and others who accompanied him, consisting of the medical gentlemen, Baron Glanbeck, Capt. Saunders, a wounded man, &c., which made a considerable cavalcade, some of which (soldier attendants) were in scarlet coats, taken off of the dead at the Cowpens, spent the night in the house of said Spencer. Not doubting the patriotism and good feelings of this family towards him, Dr. Read omitted to keep under durance the family. The gentlemen of the department, for pass time, used to call Dr. Read Lord Cornwallis, and Baron Glanbeck (blank), which Dr. Read rebuked with severity, reminding the young gentlemen of the impropriety of any equivocation, situated as we were; still, the joke was sometimes sported, and it was nearly attended by a fatal scene. Dr. Read was in the habit of leaving off his officers in the rear to watch over and bring up stragglers. The prisoners (the Queen's rangers), showed a strong inclination to desert and join the country people. On this occasion it was his good fortune to leave Dr. Brownfield in that situation. Dr. B. halted at one Frey's, five miles short of Dr. Read's camping ground; and, hearing a rumor that Lord Cornwallis and suite were in advance, a party of Republicans assembled at Frey's and were organized to go forth and attack the party. Dr. Brownfield, convinced that it was the hospital department, and not Lord Cornwallis, prevailed on this armed party to desist from an attack, and to accompany him to the camp at daylight, when they were convinced of the real state of the matter. When Dr. Read took possession of the quarters, there sat an old man in the chimney corner, who seemed superannuated; but behold, he had enough of Republican ardor in him to rouse his energies. He, on hearing the appellation, Cornwallis and Baron, supposing that it was really the British party, stole off, mounted, and rode through the country and raised the above force, and nothing but the prudence and circumspection of Dr. Brownfield prevented a murderous scene. The purpose of the party was to attack the harmless men while they slept on the floor of the house, by firing through the logs, and then rushing in with tomahawk and hatchet. This anecdote is in Garden's compilation. The department now proceeded on. They came to a settlement of superior size and accommodation, gave notice to the owner that they should want about six hundred rations, and some assistance in tools, and stuff to repair wagons. Dr. Read was called to the road by thirty or forty gentlemen, on their retreat, who told him that he had halted at the house of a determined Royalist, and to beware of him. Dr. Read thought there was a supercilious air about this man, that was uncommon with people of his condition. It seems that he counted on their being intercepted by Col. Fletchall, who was in the field with a strong Tory party, in consequence of which he became bold and confident. He had, on the approach of the hospital department, driven off his flocks and herds; and when Dr. Read demanded of him 600 rations, he replied, "you do?" He soon found that he had a determined character to deal with. Three young men arrived at this man's house after mid-day, much splashed and fatigued, man and horse. When Dr. Read demanded of them where they had been, they equivocated; he drgged them out one by one, and severely questioned them. The master of the house was in the meantime made prisoner. At length, pointing to a rope, and the limb of a tree, he drew from these lads that they had been to drive off the cattle, sheep and hogs. The purpose was easily seen through, and soon promulgated, and now commenced a scene of depredation that beggars all description. The soldiers running down poultry, picking or singeing off the feathers, and laying them on the fire; hunger was the plea, and revenge the cause of action. The gentlemen complained, but Dr. Read remarked that hunger could not be restrained, and made the man remark that the most active of the marauders were the lads in green and crimson, the Queen's rangers. Not a feathered thing was alive that night. Mr. Frey contrived to get a beef by next morning, but it was too late to save his poultry, and he became a loser, as Dr. Read on marching next day gave him a certificate only for 600 lbs. of beef. The party marched on without molestation. The next day, on enquiry for distances, and means of support, and reception as to accommodations for the sick and wounded, he was told of one commodious place a little short of Henry Court House, the owner and inhabitant of which, Capt. Howard, a sworn Royalist, had vowed that he would shoot the first Rebel officer that came to his house. Dr. Read treated it with levity, and continued to march on. Some North Carolina gentlemen joined in the march, and spoke of this terrible old gentleman; that he had killed an antagonist at a blow, &c., &c.; but Read, intent only on the good of his department, which had been so solemnly committed to his care by his commanding officer, and being informed that Howard's place afforded the best barracks, and means of support, determined to brave the danger. On the day following he was met by a respectable man, who told him that Howard continued in the same resolution and entreated Dr. Read to march on and avoid Howard's house; but, the convictions above named, of accommodations, &c., he determined to reform and conquer his opponent, and rode steadily on. He looked well to his pistols; wearing a hussar cloak, they were concealed. On entering the yard alone, he perceived a very big man standing in his door, which he filled up, a gun in his hand, with the butt floored. Dr. Read, in a moment calculated to shoot as soon as this terrible bravo should lift the gun from the floor. On nearing his antagonist, and perceiving his enormous size, he smiled at the idea of a sure shot, when Howard reached his arm out to the right, uttering: "By God, I cannot shoot a man that smiles in my face." He then asked him if he had intended to shoot him. He affirmed his intention; and Dr. Read, showing him his pistol, told him the manner in which he should have treated him. Howard then yielded the contest, invited the Doctor in, and they soon became reconciled. Dr. Read's officers arriving, he, at Howard's request, sent them over the river to Henry Court House with the prisoners, as being more removed from the probability of an attack and rescue from the Tory Colonel. Dr. Read was well accommodated, and his guard, and certain patients put into negro houses as barracks. Dr Readd soon discovered that Howard's house was frequented by a set of gamblers, among them two certain Colonels, who were Howard's ill advisers. They would argue on politics, and reason on the iniquity of rebellion, and the ingratitude of the Provinces, &c., &c., all calculated to keep up resistance. At length Howard, listening to Dr. Read, became convicted and convinced, and after some time authorized Dr. Read to clear his house of these sophists in politics. He did so, and thereby did what Mrs. Howard and daughter desired above all things, got rid of a set of gamblers. At length a scene commenced, and soon terminated appalling, indeed, and almost too much like romance for narration. Dr. Read's guard of thirty men continued to do their duty throughout the march; they were frequently drilled, and behaved like soldiers A wagoner, with a team of very worn-out horses, joined the cavalcade at Yadkin and continued along, but was not recognised for rations and forage. He alleged that he had been employed by Gen. Robert Howe, on the Florida expedition, and had worn out his team, demanded Dr. Read's certificate to that effect; but he, knowing nothing of it, refused a certificate; and, as the wagoner was addicted to liquor, and made much noise, he ordered him away; he did not go, but rather rudely demanded a paper, and remained in camp. He was not idle, but persuaded the men of the guard to desert, go over the mountain, and there be free; no magistrate, no law, but land enough, plenty of girls and provisions. These things appeared delightful to the soldiers. All but three fell into it, and had made up their mind to do soto plunder the hospital store, to carry off Mrs. Howard and daughter, a lovely young woman, who had lately come home from school. They were to rob Howard's stables, with Dr. Read's fine horses, and to kill any one who made opposition to them. These things were known to three men, who continued true to their colors, and to Dr. Read's interestCarr (his old friend), Brown and Jamieson (Englishmen), and they informed Dr. Read of it, but he could not believe it. At length, one night, a tap at his window roused him, and he was told that they had begun, and Miss Howard said they were breaking open the storehouse, and showed Dr. Read what ten or fifteen of them (armed) were actually at. He saw them handing canteens to each other filled with the plundered rum. Howard and wife, Dr. Read and Miss Howard, met in the front room, and sat in sadness. Several guns were now fired at a house where Carr lay, whose wife was in childbed, and just now an uproar was heard at the stable; blows were heard, and bitter oaths, and then they ceased. It seems that two men had engaged to bring off the horses, and in accomplishing it they had to unloose a chain and bolt, in attempting which the two men who continued true, and Dr. Read's faithful man, Billy, having armed themselves with clubs, would stoop out of the hay-loft door and strike their hands. The swearing was from their pain and discomfiture. Not succeeding in getting the horses, they halted a while, and placed the wagoner in an advanced situation, as a sentinel. Dr. Read proposed to go out and quell this riot. The Howards opposed it, and would dissuade the Doctor from going out, but he determined to do so, and taking up a club, which was of mulberry root, worked partly into a bow, he walked towards the barracks deliberately, and coming to this sentinel, he enquired calmly why this riot, and suddenly struck the tall, stout fellow on the side of the head, and he fell helpless. Dr. Read followed up the blow by three others and laid him quiet. He then called out, "I thought it was no other than that drunken rascal the wagoner." He then called for a torch. One was speedily brought, and walking leisurely towards the barrack, he heard a clattering of cartouch boxes, and, on going into the barrack, he saw all the men under blankets on their bed of ware. He then repeated, "I am glad my lads that it was nobody but that rascal the wagoner," and he retired; but things had gone too far to be winked at and passed over. He sent a son of Howard's to Gen. Greene with a letter describing the state of things. The distance was forty miles, and the young man, on a very fine horse, probably made the ride in three hours, for by nine next morning Dr. Read saw a squad of horse coming over the hills. He immediately went to the barracks, and called out to the company to turn out for drill. They turned out with alacrity all except two, who, it was alleged, had sore handsthe broken hands received at the stable-door. It was, however, admitted, and the rest were drilled, ordered to stack their arms and march. At this moment the dragoons rode up, and made the twenty-seven mutineers prisoners; they were securely tied. The soldiers took some refreshments mounted, a prisoner behind each dragoon, and conveyed them away. The battle of Guilfold was to be fought the day following. Gen. Greene in order to strengthen his ranks, had proclaimed that all men under arrest, or any way implicated, should be forgiven if they joined in battle and did their duty, these twenty-seven mutineers probably took advantage of the amnesty, fought, and were killed, or deserted. Dr Read never met with one of them again. The two young men with broken hands probably made off, as they could not possibly bear arms. Dr. Read was next ordered to Perkins' Station, on the Dan, the army advancing. He next repaired to Guilford Court-house; and, after organizing the hospital and leaving the sick with Dr. Brownfield, &c., and the good offices of the excellent Quaker inhabitants of that place he, with a party of staff and medical officers, marched across a trackless country towards CharlotteGen. Greene having marched to Camden. This journey was attended by some interesting circumstances, in one of which Dr. Read's presence of mind saved his party from a surprise and probable massacre. In his march to Virginia, a circumstance took place of a thrilling nature, which he has felt loth to narrate, as it was brought upon him by his imprudence. On his crossing Smith's River, which divides North Carolina from Virginia on that route, and fixing on a spot for encampment, he returned wading and swimming. Dr Read being mounted on his fine horse, and bearing fatigue better than any other man, concluded to recross and inspect the rear rather than send one of the other gentlemen of his department. On crossing he saw two of his party, invalids, standing behind the rocks, waiting for his coming. On chiding them for loitering there, they appealed to his benevolence, telling him that they were two young men who had been recruited in that country for the Florida war; that they had grown up in the service, and now were near their parents and native home, from which they had not heard for four years, and they petitioned for a furlough. Their case was a singular and moving incident, and it induced Dr. R. to deviate from his rule not to give leave of absence, and he gave his consent for two weeks, when they were to meet him at Henry Court House. These men, observing Dr. Read wet and cold, and knowing that he had been comfortless, and on horseback all day, advised him to go to a house down the river, which they named, where he and his servant, a soldier boy, might get some refreshment. They went, found it a manufacturing place, having a loom. He was referred to the dwelling-house for fire and something to eat. On Dr. Read approaching the house, a lady came out and offered to hand him some victuals, but forbid his dismounting, telling him that there were bad people about there; he, however, regardless of that advice, persisted in alighting, and going in, asking for something to eat, and proceeding to take off his boots and stockings to dry them. His boy did the same. The woman seemed horror struck at this proceeding, and begged Dr. Read not to stay; he, however, did stay, and dried his clothes, and ate in comfort. This good woman, in the meantime, seemed unhappy; went listening at a back door. At length Dr. Read, having accomplished his purpose, offered the landlady payment, which she refused, but hurried him off, telling him that there was a good passing place lower down the river, where he would see lights, as there was a recruiting party there. Dr. Read was just in the act of going to the door to depart, when two men rushed in from the back door, and with a wild shout exclaimed, "here is one of them!" This was what the good woman was apprehensive of. Dr. Read, under great trepidation, concealed his feeling, and replied that he was a. non-combatant, a surgeon, and he thought not liable to hostility. The most prominent of these men said, "yes, but I know who you are, I have been two nights in your camp." Some women came from the room and said, "that wretch is a spy." This exclamation he treated with severity and threats. He now attempted to be cheerful and sportive with Dr. Read in a back country slang, and was very provoking. The other man was the man of the house, and seemed to be very drunk. The British officer (as he proved to be), now signified that he would introduce Dr. Read to Lord Cornwallis that night; he should, by Gd, be his peace offering. On perceiving the landlord very much in liquor, Dr. Read, conscious of his own skill and strength, determined to resist. He was peculiarly situated with some of the gentlemen of his family, differing for argument's sake on the merits of our cause, and its ultimate result, and this sudden absence might be construed or distorted into an act of deserting his colors, and he was determined to resist to the death. Dr. Read had no arms, and there was none perceptible on his antagonist; he wore a split-shirt, which covered a much better dress. The conflict now commenced. The soldier boy, approaching the scene, was laid hold of by the landlord, thrown on the floor, and tied severely. On seeing this, Dr. Read was convinced of the inefficiency of this drunken man to assist his companion, and he saw his situation more deplorable; added to this, they uttered some enquiries about an expected third person. Dr. Read was then embarked in a deadly conflict. The purpose of the officer was to get possession of Dr. Read's hand, which he resisted, with heavy blows in his face. The contest went on, blows, argument, imploring, wrestling and grappling, and continued two hours. The unfortunate gentleman frequently said, "I will not hurt or disfigure you, but introduce you to Lord Cornwallis a decent prisoner." In the meantime the old man would rise as though he would interfere, when his wife would push him back and speak to him, and she frequently warded off blows levelled against Dr. Read. His antagonist would say, "is this possible?" on being floored by Read. The dress of split-shirt was now torn off, and a scarlet coat displayed. The landlady took a decided part for Dr. Read, and called in the women weavers to assist her in extricating him from captivity, but the officer said, "I will put my dirk into any woman that enters the house." Horrible was the scene, and Dr. R. expected. nothing less than death, and would have welcomed the catastrophe but it pleased God to decree it otherwise. Dr. Read, by a decided, calculated blow between the eyes of the man, felled him, jumped on him, and was searching for a side arm, which in their latter struggles he had felt on his thigh, when the old man raised up from the bed, and struck Dr. Read a blow under the short ribs that laid him senseless. On his coming to, by chafing with vinegar by the good woman, he found himself bound by ligatures, and seated on a bench. The boy pointed out the instrument by which he was struck the fatal blow. Dr. Read's horses were led around to a back door, and all things ready to carry him to the British camp, which he said triumphantly was not more than fifty miles off. His face was so battered as to be disfigured already. Dr. Read begged for water, which delayed the march a minute, when footsteps were heard, and in an instant two men burst into the front door; they had halted at the loom, and were told by the weavers the state of things, when they ran and burst in as described above. Horror and dismay struck the officer; he ran towards an end door, and endeavored to draw his side arm, but one of these men seized hold of him, threw him on the ground, and disarmed him; he scarcely resisted. The other soldier laid hold of the old man, and loosening the ligatures on Dr. Read's arms, tied the landlord. The old scoundrel was in tears, supplicating for mercy, and quite submissive. All this was observable to Dr, Read, but he could not speak. He fainted, and when recovered found himself on the bed, the good woman chafing his temples with vinegar, and speaking kindly to him. He saw the old man on the floor tied, the soldier boy fixed in a position with a musket for shooting him, in case of an attempt to escape. The two soldiers had hold of the gentleman, dragging him to the back door. Dr. R. saw with deep concern the intention, and would, if he could, have spared him but he could not speak. He saw the poor victim struggle hard; having his shoulder to the door post, he made resistance, and roared out for mercy. In about half-an-hour's time the two men returned, one of them having a large bundle on his bayonet. They now hurried Dr. Read on his horse, and mounted the boy, and placing the landlord behind him, proceeded on to the lower ford. Dr. Read was still unable to speak, and scarcely able to sit on his horse. On crossing the ford, he was surrounded by a number of men, recruits, lifted off his horse and laid down. The two friendly soldiers returned, after telling who he was, and the whole story, and they mentioned the kind behavior of the woman. After two hours' repose, Dr. Read awoke refreshed, and, although much in pain, called for his horses, and with a guide proceeded on to his department, reached it about two o'clock, P. M., and lay down in a wagon. The scene was divulged by the boy, although he was cautioned to the contrary, when Dr. Read met with much sympathy. [Here end Dr. Read's notes from which the foregoing has been prepared.] (From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 2, pp. 248-293) Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 2, p. 248g Date: various |
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