Onslow, or The protégé of an enthusiast; an historical traditionary tale of the South

Front matter

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I

Preface

Whatever part the imagination may be presumed to have performed in the folloAving w’^ork, most of the materials are drawn from historical and traditionary facts 5 furnished the author in some instances by eye witnesses of the scenes, in others by the chronicles of the times. Should the author succeed in animating his readers with the same glowing feeling, which he has so often experienced while listening to some of the actors in the American War of Independence, (a drama so full of extraordinary actions and occurrences, that the fictions of romance are lost amidst its abundant and more thrilling truths,) he will be more than repaid by having successfully invoked a merited tribute to their memory.

The descriptions of the several battles contained in these pages, are mere abbreviations — memoranda — ferry-boats to convey the busy actors over otherwise impassable streams which lay in their course. The brief, graphic and faithful accounts to be found in the ‘‘Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department, by Lieut. Col. Henry Lee,” have occasionally been copied ; and in some few instances the very language has been used, or changed to suit the design of the author, who takes this occasion to acknowledge himself greatly indebted to the writings of that active belligerent, at once the able and accomplished scholar and commander.

There has been sufficient resemblance between a part of chapter 20th of this work, and portions of the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters of the 1st volume of the Monastery, to attract the attention of a friend 5 a glance by the author at those chapters (never perused since the first hasty reading many years ago on the appearance of the work,) has only left a regret that the supposed resemblance is so immeasurably small. As great an one, without having intended it, may be found in a sentence or two of chapter 1 3th, and the language of Dr. Sitgreaves on one or two occasions in the “ Spy and the author now fears that pride, or the dread of becoming a copyist, has prevented him from reading, in some instances with profit, such works as were connected with the incidents similar to those he records.

The design of writing something like the following work was conceived many years ago, before any historical novel founded on our Revolution ha4 made its appearance 5 but the hasty and crude sketch of a mere hoy was thrown aside entirely, to give way to more engrossing topics. And without profiting by his

IV first thoughts, and in the field of the labors of more competent and enterprising writers on the same subject, the author now ventures to make his appearance, with the bare statement that the work was begun, and is finished, under constant attention to avocations liable to sudden and repeated interruptions, and would never have seen the light but for the favorable opinions and advice of a few friends for whose judgment and literary opinions a high respect is entertained.

A TALE OF THE SOUTH.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

Luc. Dost thou speak seriously, Servilius?

Serv. Upon my soul ’tis true, sir. — Siiaks.

It could not have been expected in the outset of the great contest for American Independence, that all who engaged in it would continue firm ; or that, in a struggle so protracted and so prominent in the annals of events, there should not be developments and combinations unexpected to the keenest foresight of the most astute and comprehensive political observer.

The conduct of the British Ministry, in either countenancing or overlooking the cruelty of their armies, resulted in widening the breach and exasperating the colonies. Even the persecuted patriot strugling under unheard-of privations and cruelties, gained fresh strength and found new soufces of encouragement from the contumacious demands and haughty demeanor of his country’s invaders. In the darkest days of rapine and murder, it is related of Marion, that be confidently predicted the overthrow of the King’s authority and the establishment of American Independence. Such acts towards enlightened men, tore the veil from their eyes, and taught them that their only refuge from oppression was in their own determind efforts. A more generous course — conciliation and justice — might have resulted in healing the breach and averting that separation v.^hich cost the mother country such heavy losses in life and treasure, and left so deep a stain of dishonor upon her motives and measures.

Great struggles elicit corresponding virtues and vices; which are sometimes matched in the same individual. Then indeed may be seen the multifarious shades of which he is capable of being compounded. Individuals will stand out in bold relief, stamped with the strong impress of nature ; exhibiting great talents and performing actions remarkable either for their nobleness, or their guilt.

The motives of self preservation were often in direct collision with those obligations which liberty or loyalty imposed, and impelled many, as the one or the other predominated, to take different views and espouse different sides in the great contest. The timid and the base are often allied in their motives to resistance, the one by the preservation of life, the other by the accumulation of wealth, or the disguise of some nefarious scheme ; whilst there are others not absolutely swayed by either, but from indecision of character, or considerations trivial in themselves, endeavor to occupy a neutral position, or vacillate from one side to the other as chance or caprice may prevail. Thus in the war of Independence many who in its inception were flaming patriots, from fear, exhaustion of excitement, or despairing of success, abandoned the cause as hopeless. Others suddenly became enlightened on the duties and obligations which they owed their sovereign. Sometimes a recent victory or defeat would determine their doubts, whilst the spoils of victory had no little share in directing the footsteps of others to the banner under which they assumed it their duty to do battle. Sometimes a spirit of revenge, or a more familiar intercourse with blood and carnage swayed the motives and actions of the belligerents; and such, with many other causes, and incentives, entered into the mighty disruption, and mingled in giving a tone and shading to the various scenes and actors in the long and heroic struggle, in the delineation of which, the most graphic and fruitful imagination might utterly fail to portray a tithe of what was important or interesting.

The close of the campaigns of 1779 was remarkable for the despondency of the Americans. They were doomed to a woful disappointment in the great expectations of aid, raised by the arrival of the French fleet. The army was badly clothed and constantly melting away. Add to these, the depreciation of the continental paper currency, with the darkening prospects before them of a protracted struggle, and it must be admitted they had just grounds of doubt, whether, under all these discouraging circumstances, they were to become independent citizens or subjugated vassals.

It is true that the defeat of the Tories of Georgia and South Carolina at Kettle Creek, with the arrival of Count d’ Estaing, revived for a time the spirit of the South, and the exiles from Georgia returned in high spirits to their homes, only to mark the desolation made by their invaders, and to fly again from the disasters of war. The defeat of the Count at Savannah, his departure from the coast, and the subsequent surrender of Charleston, left the southern patriot without any reasonable hope of success, or any means of escaping death, except in exile, becoming a subject of tlie king, or a prisoner on parole.

About this time proclamations and circulars were issued, calling on the inhabitants to return to their allegiance and duties, as subjects of the king, whilst an unwonted degree of kindness and conciliation was temporarily adopted by Sir Henry Clinton.

With some few exceptions (of whom a handful who adhered to Sumpter and Marion were the principal) the people abandoned all show of further resistance ; and those of Ninety-six, Beaufort and Camden submitted, either as prisoners of war on parole, or as subjects of the royal government. In the mean while, emissaries were despatched to persuade the people to return to their duty ; and all were threatened with death and confiscation who might have the temerity or folly not to fall in with the offers of mercy and pardon, — or who might attempt to obstruct the re-establishment of the just claims of the king to govern his rightful subjects. There was no regular continental force south of Pennsylvania. A dea’d calm hung over the plundered south ; despotism seemed firmly rooted to the soil ! — No wonder then, if the offers of pardon, paroles and protection, with an assurance that all past offences should be forgiven and that there should be a re-instatement of former privileges, followed by a delusive hope of a respite from the calamities of a civil war, should have led most of the inhabitants quietly to submit to their conquerors.

CHAPTER II. “Have I not reason, think you, to look pale?”

One morning, about day break, in the latter part of May, subsequent to the surrender of Charleston, a couple of men rode up to the mansion of Col. Arthur Conway — it was too dark to discern objects at a distance.

“ Is this the house 1” asked one of the visitors.

“ Yes, sir, to be sure it is, unless more fine houses have been built up in these war times,” was the reply of the other.

The first attempt at rousing the family was answered by the hideous barking and yelling of a mingled pack of hounds, curs, and terriers. Our two travelers waited for some time, vainly expecting that some one had heard their call, or, warned by the tumultuous uproar in the yard, would come out to suppress it, or ascertain its cause.

“By jing i” continued one of them, “who would be surprised if old Conway has, at last, made up his mind which side to join 1 I should ’nt be surprised if he has cleared out to North Carolina, and joined the rebels — never too late to do good ; and I have a great mind to keep up the fun by entering my pony Light- wood-knot. Don’t you think, Squire, he ’d hold his own, after what you have seen him do to-night, in any of the grass -fed cavalry scouts, owned by any of the rebel boys'! Nothing’s to be made nowa-days, unless a fellow can get the blind side of Clannagari and McQuirk ; and I ’m not so plaguey certain that they are any better than they should be.”

“Be silent, sir! You are talking about matters of which you know but little and care less — you only make the confusion worse, by exciting the dogs to keep up their noise.”

“More, Squire, than you think for ; and, by jing ! you only follow my example, in rousing old Conway’s kittle of curs and mongrels. But I ’m dumb.”

After repeated calls by each, (for the latter speaker soon forgot his promise) which were successively drowned in the louder and still fiercer notes of the motley kennel and guardians of the yard, some one cautiously opened the creaking door of one of the out-houses which stood a little dfstance from the main building, exclaiming vociferously ; “ Out I you rascals, and you little ratters, good for nothing but to raise a fuss and encourage the hounds — you rabbitscullions ! out with you there !”

The dogs at the well known rebuke reluctantly skulked off; growling and barking in different directions as they felt secure from punishment; but their master was not to be disobeyed. “ I’ll be boiftid I’ll stop your throats,” and instantly using a cow-whip on one of the culprits, the crack

A TALE OF THE SOUTH.

x7 of which resounded like the discharge of a musket, reverberating far and near, silenced every sound except the awakened owl of the forest, whose distant notes were heard answering the receding uproar of the yard.

“Is that you, friend Cato I” exclaimed the talkative visitor.

“Yes sir, the very identical; but you have de advantage of me ; but your woice sounds familiar like.”

“ Why, Cato, don’t you recollect your old friend, big fighting little Captain Timmy Tidder? I should have known your voice in a sixty-foot well, the darkest night that ever put out day light.”

“ Well ! well ! who ’d of thought on seeing your walliant face, dis sleepy time of night?”

The companion of Captain Tidder commanded silence a second time, cutting short the dialogue of the two friends, by asking the servant whether this was the residence of Col. Arthur Conway.

“ Dis he home, sir, when he stay ’bout here.”

“ Is your master now at home?”

“ I will go and see, sir,” said Cato, changing his voice from the negro dialect.

No sooner had Cato left the gate than the dogs struck up, rather irregularly, another attack upon the two travelers.

Cato returned, saying, “Light, gentlemen, don’t mind the dogs ; they never bite a gentleman ; but let a poor nigger and a ragamuffin-white man keep out of their way;” then snapping his fingers, he continued, “or they will swing him as quick as that. I s’pose you have on good looking clothes now. Captain Tidder?” asked Cato, gently feeling the arm of his friend, to assure himself of the fact.

“ To be sure I have, and I’ll be bound as fine as yours, although you belong to a rich old buck, and I am such a poor hard working fellow.”

“ You’ve been werry lucky den, dese war times, since first I have the pleasure of your acquaintance.

“ Oh yes ! Cato, a soldier can do better than a farmer ; a good faithful one like myself, Cato, will always get a good horse, good clothes, and a plenty of grog and victuals, provided he is industrious and keeps out of the poverty stricken districts, and keeps his neck out of narrow places.”

By this time the companion of Mr. Timmy Tidder, as he called himself, became impatient, and again cut short his discourse, by exclaiming sharply,” Will you be silent, sir, until I can ascertain whether

Col. Conway is at home! Then addressing Cato, “ you impudent fellow I is your master at home ?”

Cato, after muttering out something about meaning no harm to his particular friend, replied, “Yes, sir ! but I must first find out your name. In these ticklish times master says we must keep a sharp eye on strange folks ; but as you are along with my friend, the captain, I know you must be a gentleman and a friend.

“ Go,” said the same authoritative voice,” and tell your master that I have important business with him.

The servant still seemed to hesitate, although, from the suddenness of the command, and the tone of authority in which it was delivered, he started as if about to obey. “ Ask the gentlemen to alight, and show them into the parlor,” answered a voice from a window of the house. The quick ear of Col. Conway (for he it was who gave the command) had heard the distant sound of the horses’ feet, long before they reached the gate; and hastily dressing himself, stood prepared to calculate the chances and advantages of a retreat to the woods. He had taken his position behind the half enclosed window, from whence he overheard the whole of the preceding conversation.

A candle having been lighted, the visitors were conducted by Cato into a spacious and well furnished parlor. After the lapse of a few minutes. Col. Conway made his appearance, and bowing to the two strangers, as he entered, one of whom rising, he requested him to retain his seat. A hasty and inquisitive glance soon informed him that his visitors were very different in their personal appearance as well as in their characters; one was a very short, small, well-set, boyish looking man, with red hair, small eyes swimming in tears, and very red round the edges of the lids. The shrivelled skin and plaits of wrinkles about the eyes and forehead indicated that he verged towards forty years of age. Heavy shining freckles filled the face, whilst an air of pert restlessness was seen in every motion of the body. This personage, according to his own introduction to his friend Cato, was big fighting little Timmy Tidder.

The other visitor appeared to be about nineteen or twenty years of age, with strength enough barely to escape being called slender. His smooth and ruddy cheeks richly contrasted with the auburn hair, and keen dark brown eyes, which shot from high arching brows, that verged a little towards each other, and gave, in spite of his modest demeanor, a slight air of sternness to his countenance when in a state of repose. He appeared to be nearly six feet in height, and left the beholder in doubt whether beauty or strength, sternness or mildness, predominated. The stubborn fixedness of the under lip and the restless eye caused Col. Conway to avert his gaze, instinctively recoiling from his glance. “ My name,” said the personage just described, after waiting a minute, “is Julian Onslow; I presume I have the pleasure of seeing Col. Conway V’

“ That is my name,” replied the Colonel, advancing and shaking hands with his new acquaintance.

“ And this, master,” said Cato, “ is Mr. Captain Timmy Tidder — my old friend ever since before you married my young mistress.”

“ That will do, Cato,” said the Colonel as he gave Cato a nod to retire or to hush his ill-timed familiarity.

Cato immediately understood the signal, and as he was starting, his friend asked him if he might go with him ; “No objections if master can spare your company.”

“Just as Capt. Tidder chooses.”

“ Oh yes, gentlemen,” replied the Captain, “ you must certainly excuse me, as I wish to see Aunt Prudence, and talk over old affairs with her.”

Cato was commanded to order some one to take care of the horses, as he and his friend left the room to renew their former acquaintance.

Julian, after apologizing to Col. Conway, for the unusual hour of his visit, handed him a bundle of papers, stating that their contents would perhaps be the best apology he could offer for his intrusive message.

The Colonel drew close to the candle, and read eagerly a couple of letters. Then, as if not contented, he read each over again. Julian, in the mean while, had time to survey the appearance of the owner of the mansion. He was stout-built, deep and heavy wrinkles furrowed a cheek and forehead apparently healthy. The complexion was fair, rather than pale, and, but for the settled gloom which, when the features were relaxed, was evident, the appearance of Arthur Conway might be said to have been manly and prepossesing. His settlement or plantation was in the interior of the State, and bordered on the northern limits of the district of Ninety-Six. He would at first have espoused the cause of ' the Whigs, but some of his neighbors had leaned towards the mother country. Subsequent events left him in constant doubt which party to favor or which cause to join. Always upon the verge of an open declaration of his sentiments, as the one or the other party got the asc(^dancy in the southern states ; or as the fate of war seemed inclined in his more immediate neighborhood ; well acquainted with the causes and the progress of the quarrel, he stood a neutral, though by no means indifferent spectator. But the future was a sealed book to the anxious vision of the Colonel. With sensibility and conscientiousness, he felt acutely his unenviable situation; but the chances of war, its cruelties and liardships, his large fortune, (at least large for his neighborhood) and his domestic endearments, conspired to heighten his embarrassment.

At times, when he heard of unwonted cruelties on either side, he would console himself with his forecast, and the happy position which he had assumed at the cost of much circumspection, and no little prudence. But he lived near enough to the whirling tempest to see distinctly its booming lineaments, as it threw above the horizon the gathered spoils from the forest, and heard and felt its roarings and jarrings as it pursued its path of destruction. But Col. Conway reasoned erroneously; it was more the accidental position of the neighborhood, and the effects of causes altogether beyond his control, that had hitherto preserved the calm at Forest Hill, than forecast or dissimulation. Nature seems to have cursed certain spots with storms and tempests ; others, with the havoc and misery incident on warfare ; and the shallow reasonings of man are as much bounded in the solution of the one as the other ; the hand of Providence, or the often unseen though settled laws of nature, direct and control the whole. The smallest insect has its influence ; the bite of a musquetoe has produced death ; the neighing of a horse has led to the crowning of a king : — the building of a town, the position of a river, even the whim of a woman, or the nod of a man, has determined the fate of kingdoms.

Although a military commission was held by Arthur Conway, it seems to have been given in time of peace, and religiously held from the contamination of active service. The constitutional timidity, or indecision which predominated in the character of the Colonel, were concealed under the exterior of great candor and apparent honesty of purpose ; which, to the superficial observer, passed as the leading traits of his character.

But he had never been brought under the

A TALE OF THE SOUTH.

hand of the assayer, and the coin had passed currently or undetected by either contending party. Such is a hasty sketch of the feelings and character of the owner of the mansion at Forest Hill, when he received this unexpected visit.

A peep in the humble but neat hut of Cato and his helpmate, in consideration of the friendly understanding between them and Captain Tidder, may not now be out of place : Cato and his good spouse, Prudence, could never exactly settle down upon their sir-names. Cato called himself Cato Walden, after the maiden or family name of his mistress, — and Prudence adhered to her maiden name, or rather to the name of her master. The solemn and pompous marriage which united their fates could not obliterate the name of Prudence Conway. Cato proposed to compromise by having the names Prudence Conway Walden, and Cato Conway Walden ; but no reasoning could satisfy Prudence. She contended that giving up her liberty was enough ; — whilst Cato ventured to hint at times that the ancestry of the Waldens were older. It had been a source of much seeming uneasiness and some little discord between the two. They had however in latter years, as they should have done before, agreed to disagree. The two old servants were, both, round sleek and plump — fed from the rich table of their owners, with all the other comforts which they required.

Free from the constant cares of their owners, their time passed as quietly and calmly as their duties were light and healthful. Col. Conway had not, like some others, transferred the broken down racers to be the common hacks and drudges of the yard and neighborhood; except on extraordinary occasions they were supernumeraries ; and yet the two old people firmly believed that the whole domestic affairs would tumble into ruins, were they not to supervise and control them. Prudence (at the time of the visit of Capt. Tidder) had cast into the fire a rich pine knot, and was seated, smoking away her surprise from the late scenes in the yard, with her huge night cap on, and a rich, though rather weatherbeaten brown cloak (the present of her mistress) thrown over her somewhat too ample person ; when Cato suddenly entered exclaiming, ,

“ Lord ! my dear ! guess who we have the honor to have as a wisitor 1” In popped the little man without waiting for an answer, as active as a boy.

“ How are you, Aunt Prudence Conway !

Pm glad to see you look so well, upon honor and valor lam.”

“God bless you. Master Tidder! you have extounded me very much ! How is your wife and family 1” continued Prudence, handing him her only chair, which he obstinately refused to accept. “How many children you gotl tell me every thing about your consarns.”

“ Oh I as to my wife, she is as fat and saucy as ever ; and we have only eight or ten.”

“Who they take after, Capt. Tidder, your small self, or their fine, portly mother 1” asked Cato.

“ First one, and then t’other,” replied the little man, standing upright and as tall in his shoes as he could stretch himself.

Cato, after some persuasion, got him seated ; and taking out a black bottle, he asked his wife and the Captain to join him in a drink, saying as he threw off a good stiff one himself, (the Captain having first set the example,) “ drink a little. Prudence, it will be well enough, for the morning dews are not healthy and you ain’t used to be getting up so early.”

To this Prudence only replied by giving him a significant shake of the head, which he understood meant that he must be on his guard against his usual failing. “I know when to stop at a decent time,” said Cato ; “ but,” continued he, “ you must excuse me. Captain, I must go into the house, to see what your friend may need.”

“ No friend of mine, Cato ; I only came with him, for fear he might get his neck cracked by some of the lads or regulators in these parts.”

“ Well ! he looks like a gentleman any how, which are very scarce now-a-days,” said Cato, as he left his wife and friend to recall the past and to enjoy the present.

Cato reached the parlor time enough to hear .Tulian refuse to drink or to take a bed.

“Is it day, yeti” asked Julian of Cato.

“Yes, sir, I see Wenus rising and all the roosters are crowing, and some of the neighbors are calling their hogs.”

“ The crowing is no criterion,” replied Col. Conway ; “ they are so misled by the lights and talking of the negroes in this neighborhood, that we cannot rely on them.”

“ Oh yes, master, in the spring folks are too sleepy headed to be wasting time in teaching chicken-cocks to learn how to lie ; and don’t you know that about old Christmas eve they will crow any how, light or no light; when you find every cow and beast on their knees at midnight.”

“ That is all fudge, Cato,” replied Col. Conway, “do’ntyou think so, Mr. Onslowl”

“ Perhaps,” replied Julian, “ it may be owing to the fact that the weather is unusually cloudy and dark, and hence the saying of the ‘ dark days before Christmas at all events, the superstition, if one, has furnished occasion for a beautiful allusion by Shakspeare, in Hamlet.

“ Some say, that ever ’gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated,

This bird of dawning singeth all night long ;

And then they say no spirit dares stir abroad ; The nights are wholesome ; then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm.

So hallowed and so gracious is the time.”

Col. Conway was utterly unable to penetrate the character of his visitor ; he, however, assumed courage enough to ask him, “ Are you personally acquainted with Sir Henry Clinton and Admiral Arbuthnot, the royal commissioners'?”

“ A slight acquaintance with the first, none with the other.”

“ Ah ! sir ! how did you leave the good General, I hope he will bring matters to a happy issue ; but I have my doubts whether his plans will take well with the discontented.”

“ I judge it more than certain, if I may conjecture from the frozen looks and gloomy faces I saw in Charleston lately.”

“ Are you an Aide-de-Camp to Sir Henry?”

“ I am not.”

“ Are you a regular in the service of either contending party ?”

“ No, sir.”

The Colonel, thus disconcerted in his queries, and not obtaining an answer, with some little impatience commenced punching the embers, and directed Cato to have some fuel brought in. “ Then, sir, I infer that you are an American officer on parole, and I believe that this call upon the people to return to their allegiance and take paroles as prisoners of war or become subjects of the king, will give general satisfaction if properly managed.”

“ You labor under a mistake, sir ! I am not an officer, and beg leave to differ with you ; I think the next step with those in power will be to take away paroles and compel the militia men to enter into the royal service, and assist in maintaining his majesty’s government.”

“ By Heavens ! I would fight first,” said Col. Conway, rising from his seat, “are you apprised that such a palpable fraud will be practiced on us ?”

“No, sir,” replied Julian, “it is only my opinion ; the people are like the slumbering embers there ; if left undisturbed, they will sink quietly into the calmness of repose ; but the first flaw of wind blows them to a flame.”