Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/14

 8 Southern Historical Society Papers,

Mobley's meeting-house in Fairfield district, and defeated and dis- persed them.

A strong detachment of British troops under Colonel Turnbull was then stationed at Rocky Mount in Chester district, just over the Fairfield line, for the purpose of overawing this portion of the colony. The news of the success of Bratton, Winn and McLure drew down upon them the vengeance of the British officers, and Captain Houk was detached at the head of four hundred British cavalry and a con- siderable body of Tories, all well mounted, "to push the rebels." On the nth July, Houk came with his whole command to the house of Bratton, against whom the British ire seems most to have been excited, and ordered Mrs. Bratton to provide a repast for himself and his troopers. He asked her where her husband was, to which she fearlessly replied "in Sumte'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 royal service. She answered with heroic firmness she would rather he should die in the service of her State. For this patriotic and heroic reply one of Houk's soldiers attempted to take her life. The troops were removed and quartered for the night at James Williamson's house adjoining Brat- ton's, sentinels were placed in a lane before the house, the rest of the party slept the soldiers in their tents and the officers in the house. Colonel Bratton, who was then with Sumter at Mecklenburg, having heard of this movement, concluded that it was aimed at him and his associates in the attack at Mobley's. He gathered his neigh- bors, who were with him at Mecklenburg, and they hastened with all dispatch to prevent the impending mischief. He arrived in the neighborhood after dark with but seventy -five men. Concealing themselves in an adjoining swamp they waited for dawn to commence the attack. In the meantime Colonel Bratton himself reconnoitered the position and actually passed through the line of sentinels, satis- fying himself of their positions and negligence. He then selected his men, placing one against each sentinel of the enemy. With his per- sonal knowledge of the place and of the British station, he advanced at the head of half of his men down one end of the lane and pene- trated between the sentinels of the British into their very camp before the alarm was given. Captain McLure with the other half advanced from the other end of the lane with equal silence and success. They cut off the troopers from their picketed horses and opened so brisk a fire as to prevent the British forming a line for action. Houk and Ferguson, who was with him, succeeded in mounting their horses,