Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 23.djvu/277

 Fort ll'iinhn ,,n tin )'<"//,///. 271

force was now divided, part having fallen hack across the creek, and part having reached the pines cast oi" the building. There was no chance to re-unite, and after waiting until dark, the men withdrew, some reaching Moravian Falls that night. These met the others at "Squire" Hubbard's the next morning. In retreating under the re tire from the fort, the men were compelled to leave the bodies of Linney and Brown. Wade's men afterwards buried them near the fort.

These men returned to Alexander county and raised a large com- pany, a strong force having been brought from Iredell county under the command of Wallace Sh;irpe. On Wednesday the force started towards Fort Hamby. After crossing Cove's Gap a courier was sent back to Iredell county to request Captain Cowan to raise a com- pany and come to their assistance; also another courier was sent to Statesville to an encampment of Federal soldiers to inform them of the condition of things and to ask their assistance. Before reaching Moravian Falls they received a message from Wade, saying: " Come on, I am looking for you; I can whip a thousand of you." It was dark when Holman's Ford was reached. Some one in the woods before the company ordered them to halt. The men thought that the order was from some of Wade's band and were about to fire upon them, when it was found out that this was a company from Caldwell county, under the command of Captain Isaac Oxford, on the same mission. They had encamped near the ford and had thrown out their sentinels. The two companies camped together that night, and next morning marched up the river and crossed at a small ford. They came to the house of Mr. Talbert, who lived on the public road, and there they found a woman dying. She had been shot the day before by the men from the fort, while she and her husband were coming to the ford in a wagon on the opposite side of the river from the fort nearly a mile distant.

Mr. Talbert begged the men to return, telling them that Wade was expecting them, and had sent for re-inforcements. He told them that it was impossible to dislodge them, and to make an attempt and fail would make it worse for the people.

Captain R. M. Sharpe, of Alexander county, assumed command of both companies, numbering several hundred men. W. R. Gwaltney was sent with a small body of men to reach a high hill, overlooking a creek (Lenoir's Fork), and to remain there, while all the others marched around to the north and east of the fort.