Born in Larne or Dublin, Ireland in 1761, son of Ezekiel and Jane Robinson Evans who landed in Charleston in Feb. 1767 (one ref. indicates 1774) aboard the ship Irish Volunteer. Another reference says they landed first at Baltimore, Maryland, and later came to Charleston, South Carolina.
Married 1784 Rose Kyle. Served in Capt. Andrew Pickens' company, Fifth Regiment, South Carolina Continentals, James being a scout under Gen. Greene and Gen. Pulaski. DAR marked their graves in 1912.

A memoir dated April 30, 1850, written by his son Samuel Robinson Evans, described the Revolutionary War service of his father, James Evans (DAR #A037546), and his grandfather, Ezekiel Evans (DAR #A037517). It was in the possession of his granddaughter, Mrs. Augusta Evans Inge, of Corinth, Mississippi, who joined the Daughters of the American Revolution on this lineage. Mrs. Inge was the wife of Col. William Murphy Inge, speaker of the House of Representatives of Mississippi. Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston stayed in their home prior to the Battle of Corinth and it was also to this home that the general's body was carried and laid out after the Battle of Shiloh. Mrs. Inge was Honorary President of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and "Poet Laureate" of the Sons of the Confederacy.

Samuel R. Evans' 1850 account of the death of his father's first cousin Andrew White in 1780 at age 17 is interesting when compared to the Logan Manuscript written by Dr. John Henry Logan, nephew of Andrew White (Historical Collections of the Joseph Habersham Chapter, Daughters American Revolution, Vol III., 1910.) Dr. Logan was the author of History of the Upper Country of South Carolina, Volume I (1859) and the Logan Manuscript was the incomplete, unpublished Volume II written more than a decade after his cousin Samuel Evans' memoir. It is likely that a copy or partial copy of the Samuel Evans memoir came into Dr. Logan's possession at some time.




"On June 11, 1776, James enlisted, at age 15. in Capt. Picken's Co., 5th S.C. Regiment along with his father. Served throughout the war. James was at the siege of Savannah, Cowpens and Eutaw Springs."

Sources:
DAR lineage books, Vol 38, 57, 74 & 90 on.
DAR Patriot Index - 1966 p. 224 Evans, James: b 1761 d. after 1802 Pvt. SC.
"History of the Evans Family & Particularly of the Exploits of James Evans During the Rev. War", written by Samuel Robinson Evans, (son of James), in 1850 and now in possession of Sarah Martha Evans.
Certificate of Service in Rev. War, by Sec. of State of SC.
DAR Lineage Book , Vol. 57, Page 249


Genealogy
Ezekiel Evans b.1737, youngest of 12 children (9 daughters, 3 sons)
Children of Ezekiel Evans & Jane Robinson:
Sarah Evans 1758-1763 m. Abraham Howard (d. aft 1820 Pendleton, SC)
James Evans Sr 1761-1822 m. Rose Kyle
Ezekiel Jr 1763 d. 1774 at sea
Second daughter unknown c1765 d 1774 at sea
Third child unknown c1767-1774 at sea
Samuel Evans 1769-1794 Abbeville unmarried
(?Lewellen Evans 1771-1842 m. Mary Harris) (not listed by Samuel R. Evans but claimed by some)
Mary Polly Evans 1772-1863 (some say d1840?) m. Nathaniel Thacker
Fourth child unknown died 1774 at sea

These children were first cousins of Andrew White (1763-1780) of Abbeville, S.C., though the exact relationship is not stated. It is probable that Andrew White's mother was an Evans or Robinson, or perhaps a Logan relative. Or perhaps the mother Ezekiel Evans or Jane Robinson was a White or relative of the Whites. James Evans' daughter Elizabeth married James Wier, whose Hamilton and Boyd relatives married Whites. Some of these families went to Marissa, Illinois, together. John Kennedy White married Margaret Jane Hamilton, granddaughter of Robert Hamilton and Martha Ross of Ballymena, Antrim, N. Ireland, and Chester Co., S.C. Some family trees say this Robert Hamilton was a son of Archibald Hamilton.

James Evans and Rose Kyle had 9 or 10 children, including 6 or 7 boys:
1. Joseph Evans (c1782 -1788) per some family trees
2. Llewellin Evans (born 1785-7 per some researchers). Some say born 6 OCT 1771, died 22 JAN 1842 (m. Mary Harris). Some say the one born 1771 was his uncle, though the family history by James' son Samuel R. Evans lists no uncle Llewellin
3. Ezekiel Evans (1788- ) (or 1798?)
4. John Evans (c1790?)
5. Mary Evans m. ___Lowry & died in childbirth
6. Samuel Robinson Evans (1794-1874) m. Mary Cowan
7. Robert Evans (1797-1857) m. Ann Smith
8. Sarah Evans (1802-1885) m. John Russell s/o Wm Russell & Griselle Houston, d/o Samuel Houston & Ann HAMILTON (dau of Andrew Hamilton & Jane McGill), descendant of the Leslies and Stewarts; if the Kyle lineage is correct, he was a 6th-cousin of his mother-in-law Rose Kyle Evans
9. James Evans (1803/5-1822)
10. Joseph Evans (c1806 -) m. Mary Gilmer (per some family trees)
11. Elizabeth “Betsy” Evans (1809-1863) m. James Wier (According to some charts online, there was a Betsy Evans c1782-87 who died young; if correct, then the younger Elizabeth “Betsy” was named for her. More likely, however, these charts are estimating her birthdate 1782-87).


Evans links have been removed from this memorial by Findagrave.
Therefore, I will add the article here that readers were formerly directed to from those links.
Evans History
The following narrative is a copy of an unfinished article by Samuel Robinson Evans, grandfather of Drs. J.A. and J.S. Evans of Houston, MS and great, great grandfather to Mr. James L. Kimball. It was copied from the original by Dr. Clytee R. Evans. The original was owned by Mrs. William Inge of Corinth, a daughter of Dr. S.R. Evans.
30th Day of April 1850
My Dear Children:
Having sometime back promised you to commit to writing some of the scenes of the Revolutionary War in which The United States gained independence, I comply more cheerfully to the task as the time is fast rolling or if indeed it is not already come when the deeds of those who fought for their country will be forgotten except those whose names are enrolled in history and how few comparatively have their names so enrolled! Thousands who fought, bled, and died whose names, yes their existence are among the things that are never again to be mentioned. There are thousands again who fought and bled for their country and afterwards enjoy the blessings of freedom, were honored and respected; but time with all withering hand has swept them one by one until they are nearly if not entirely obliterated from stages of action, and thousands, of those perhaps have left no traces or biographical information behind to enlighten their children, so that their children may again convey it to their children. Among the last numbers I now stand.
But, being willing, and at your request I now will endeavor to comply. You will have always to bear in mind the narrative which I am about to write is given to you entirely from memory of what has been told me by my grandfather, my father and also my mother as she too had to bear her part in the trying scenes. If I err in anything it will be an error of the head and not the heart. My memory may not lead me always correctly but being so often contemplated in the early days of my youth and the scenes so thrilling it is not to be supposed that they will ever be erased from my memory. They seem as fresh in my memory almost as the day they were told to me, and I do believe they will be the last thing of an earthly nature I shall ever forget. What I shall here write shall be as nearly correct as it is possible for my pen to express. And in writing I may not arrange my narrative strictly according to date as it would occasion and arrange the dates of each transaction but I give it as near as possible; and if I err history will set you right.
In writing this narrative I think it proper to commence with a small history of my grandfather and what was his reason for leaving Ireland together with his troubles, and trials both before the revolution and what happened to his family and him during the revolution. My grandfather's name as Ezekiel Evans. He was a person very tall being over six feet high, of a large square frame, not encumbered with flesh, red haired, in his younger days few men were found to be his equal in strength. His weight ranged from 200-240 pounds. He was a descendant of one of two or four brothers who fled from Wales on The United Cause, the Cause being in that day called "United", It was a conspiracy against the principles of Popery and Monarchy. Being he who bore high commissions and noted for republican principles and popularity, they were prescribed by England as being of the number who could not be pardoned. They had no recourse but to submit to certain death or leave their country. They choose the latter and escaped to Ireland when Ireland was an independent nation, and settled in either County Entiarn or County Tyrone. I do not remember which. They there started all the race of people I have ever met who spell their name Evans. We are therefore Welsh-Irish, and you take for granted when you find a man who spells his name Evans you have found a relative or one who has sprung from the same stock of people.
And now to give you briefly an account of my grandfather. He was the youngest child of twelve children, nine daughters, and three sons, and at the age of eighteen years he commenced his career on the stage of action by volunteering for the freedom of his country in what is well known as the "Turn Out of the Hearts of Oak". Whether he was in any action or not I do not know. It is certain they had to surrender, he with a large amount of the Whigs or Rebels as they were termed were put in prison and a number every day taken out and executed until it pleased The King to bestow a pardon on all under a certain age. My Grandfather came under that denomination and so escaped. I know nothing more of his history until the trouble consequent or occasioned by the British Governments's oppression of her N.A. colonies. Then parties ran high in Ireland and Grandfather, being of a family who stood high in the Whig ranks and having once himself taken up arms against the king, was strangely suspected and watched. The least movement or word of his would have been construed into treason; and then to use his own words, "I had to use every precaution and sell all my land and property privately and take passage on board The Old Volunteer, a very old and unworthy ship". This was the last trip he ever made. His family consisted of eight children, four of which he buried in the sea and four he brought with him and landed at Charleston, South Carolina. Two of his children were boys and two were girls. My father was then thirteen years of age and the oldest of the boys. My father's name was James Evans. The other son, my uncle, was named Samuel Evans. He died at the age of twenty-five years, a bachelor. I was at that time three months old. The two daughters names were Sally (or Sarah) and Polly. Sarah married a man by the name of Abraham Howard. They both are dead and their children are living in Tennessee. Polly married Nathaniel Thacker, they are both dead and their children now live in Tennessee. By this time you see you have no near relatives by your name as my father is all who propagated the name from his father. And now I will return to the history of my grandfather and continue it until his death. As I said he landed at Charleston with nothing but his own means to depend on as he was not permitted to claim the bounty of land which was then given to all who apply and came under certain order as he came under the order of those who had rebelled or taken up arms. His proud spirit would never have condescended to take the oath of allegieance to The King. Consequently you can view him at Charleston with four children living (four he had buried at sea) in a strange land, and that land from shore to shore with dark and portentous clouds hanging over it. He made his way for the country and settled in Abbeville district in the latter part of the year seventy-four. He purchased land two miles north of where Abbeville Courthouse now stands and lived there until his death.
In two years, after the war commenced, a company of Tories came to his house and surrounded him and my father to meet at a certain Tory camp or rendezvous in order to be enrolled in a band to fight for their king on the pain of death. They at the same time drove off all the stock he had as they said for the use of the King's troops or properly speaking for their own use. (At the time he had eight head of horses. In those days there were thousands of wild horses and it is reasonable to suppose they had cost him nothing but a mere trifle if he bought from the Indians, or perhaps he had only tamed them). He was not long in making up his mind. On the Savannah River in the southwest corner of Abbeville District there was a fort erected by the Whigs. To this place he fled with his wife and three children. My father was then fifteen years old and well grown. He begged his father to let him enroll with General Pickens to which he consented. Now we will leave him until we get through with the old man. When Grandfather arrived at the fort he had to enlist for one year. He got one dollar bounty and protection for his family. At the end of that year he returned home and was not distured by the Tories any more as I ever heard of; about that time the Whigs erected a fort where Abbeville courthouse now stands and it was the headquarters of General Pickens during the war. The strong guard kept there was the reason for his security. After the war he still lived on his land as above stated until his death which happened in the year 1807, honored and respected.
And now to return to my father; we will find him with General Pickens throughout the war. I do not recollect to have read in history anywhere. I find myself at a great loss now to arrange my tale to make it agree with the dates of history respecting the time when the several transactions took place. However I will give it as correctly as possible. For two or three of the four years of the war I think there was little done with the exception of building forts, skirmishing with the Tories, excursions into the Indian country, and collecting provisions, arms and ammunition for the forts, until the time General Lincoln was sent from the north as Commander in Chief. You will see by references to the biography of General Lincoln during his whole campaign except at the surrender at Charleston.
I think for some reason General Pickens and his regiment were sent home to guard the frontier to his station at the backhouse, or fort at Abbeville Courthouse, and I will trace his career until at least after the siege of Savanna and perhaps for sometime after in fall of seventy-nine. You will find by history that the memorable assault on Savannah took place on October 1779. Father took great delight to dwell on the many scenes he went through while lying before Savannah where he got acquainted with the illustrious Polasky and volunteered with him repeatedly to prowl around the walls of Savannah during the night. He says Polasky never missed a night but he was prowling around the walls making all the discoveries he could and also bringing in all horses and cattle that he could find. I suppose this stock belonged to the Americans. The horses they stood in need of were for the regiment of light horse of which he was Commander and Chief; the other stock served for provisions for the army. On these mighty excursions which were of such special benefit to the army he frequently selected Father as one of his companions. He had the consent of the other officers to select from the ranks all such daring young men who were willing to go with him on such dangerous duty.
Here let me give you one account of this illustrious character, Polasky, that I have never seen portrayed in history. Father says he was cruel and blood-thirsty, with something of a deep restless malignity. It was his custom during the siege of Savannah to sleep only one hour a night. I think his great anxiety for success and his invitation at the time by the French commander made him restless and made Father form that opinion of him. Father said he was one of the most daring men he ever saw. In the biography of General Lincoln you will find an account of the attempt to hang a soldier by the name of Ficklin and his miraculous escape. Father was one of the guards on duty that occasion and tells a tale a little different in some respects to the biography. On the morning that Ficklin was to be hung he told the guards that his savior came to him in the night and told him he should not be hung. They took him out to a stooping tree and the rope was tied to the limb or tree. Then two men raised up Ficklin, and the officer put the limb around his neck. At a signal the men let loose and Ficklin fell on his feet unhurt. he says the rope untwisted. The cry for mercy was very great but the adjutant who had control ordered him to be a second time haltered. Here the biography says a new rope was procured; Father says it was the same rope doubled, and the Sergeant Major weighing 240 lbs. swung by, and then four other men all swung by but it appeared they were all unable to break it. Ficklin was a second time haltered and again the rope broke without hurting him in the least. Here Father says he never saw such a sudden flash of mutiny with any preconsent. The thing as he expressed it was terrible. Muskets and bayonets rattled, the guard gathered the adjutant with their guns presented at him and swore that if Ficklin was not pardoned instantly there should not be a commanding officer in one hour. The Adjustant begged time to gallop to headquarters as he had it not in his power to pardon him. He was permitted to do so by promising to bring his pardon which he did. You see the substance of what I write as I said before in the biography of General Lincoln which I request you all to read and meditate on the infinite goodness of God for although he seldom shows such miracles, he is always able to protect us. Here let me say after hearing my father so often tell this tale I was surprised that no history had made a record of it somewhere. I found one man in my father's life time, a Mr. Pursley, who was present and who corroborated the account given by Father. After Father and Mr Pursley were dead and after I moved to Georgia, I became acquainted with John Neilly whom I think you all remember. He stated he was present and likewise corroborated Father's tale most minutely and gave me further particulars respecting the affair which neither Father and Mr. Pursley had mentioned. It is probable they had never heard the particulars themselves.
Mr. Neilly says Ficklin was a very religious young man and had been several days on the sick list and had retired some little distance from the camp to pray when he found some wild greens and made use of them and thought they helped his complaint which is now termed dysentery or running off at the bowels. He would retire every day to the same place to pray and to gather some greens. A soldier who had been watching him accused him of attempting to desert to the British camp then only two miles apart on the opposite side of the river. The order was struck. Mr. Neilly also states that two weeks after the transaction the same man who had sworn against Ficklin was accused and found to be guilty of being a British spy and he says he saw him hung and heard him confess he had sworn Ficklins life away wrongfully. Ficklin was again suffered to join the army and continued in it till the end of the war; and in the year 1840 was still living in the state of Georgia. I saw him at a great dinner given at Macon, Georgia for the interest of the election of General Harrison. I have lengthened the record on this case you may think to an unreasonably long one, but you will excuse me when I inform you it was done with a view to call to your mind the great miraculous power of divine providence, and that you may rank this as one of the most striking interpositions of providence perhaps you will ever become acquainted with. I am sorry the case is not more known or referred to in the histories of our country. Perhaps it may be disbelieved; if so, so much it is to be pitied as I am fully persuaded it is strictly true.
After the fall of Charleston the British over ran South Carolina, and it was during the space between that and the ? battle South Carolina suffered most and this was the darkest hour for her. If Father was on any excursion it must have been one against the Indians or Tories as it was about this time that Bob Miller, Bill Cunningham and Ezech Polk of North Carolina did so much damage, committed so many murders and rapes, and plundered so as to astonish even the most profilgate of the Tories; previous to this such had been kept under, but now Gates army had been destroyed, all was confusion. Generals Marion and Sumpter were I think almost all that kept a small army together and attempted to raise the drooping spirits of their countrymen.
I have nothing more to record until The Battle of Cowpens. At what point Father joined Morgan, I do not know but it appears he was there and belonged to what they then called the mounted militia. They were ordered to alight and to tie their horses at each extreme and according to previous arrangements, they retreated. This retreat led the British into an ambush and broke their ranks for in place of fleeing the militia only ran to their horses, mounted, and formed behind the regular line and acted as a support. I have heard Father tell of the day with great enthusiasm and I do not think he went any further with Morgan but returned home with General Pickens to guard the frontier.
I think it was on their return they found Ninety-six Cambridge in the southeast corner of Abbeville District in possession of the British and Tories. This was a great annoyance to the settlement and a headquarters where Tories and British would rally forth in the country in order to provide provisions for the garrison. On one of these occasions a considerable battle was fought at a place ever afterward called "The Battlefield" on the Reedy Branch on the Abbeville road from the Abbeville Court House to Augusta. This was a sharp battle, for as well as I can recollect Father stated one hundred were killed, that I suppose was all counting both sides. It was at this place that Joseph Pickens, brother to General Pickens, was wounded with a musket ball and in a few days afterwards died. I was once in company with Father through this battleground and he pointed out to me where the army on both sides were formed before they commenced. The Whigs were victorious. It was seldom if ever that they were defeated as the Tories even if they were double the number would not stand more than one or two fires and then flee for the fort at ninety-six.
In the next active operations we find him at the siege of Ninety-six under the command of General Green. Here he first saw General Green, and Green must have formed a high opinion of him as I have heard him speak of being sent by Green on several dangerous trips through the country. On one occasion when they were making ready or trying every day to make the British think they were intending to make an attack, they all drew up in lines and the British drew up on an opposite hill some distance. A large black steed horse escaped from the British and came running down the hill to the branch of water in the valley between the lines. There was great excitement and disposition in the ranks to break. Orders were given for them to not break, but just as the order was being given about two hundred broke. The minute Father saw the first man break he did so too. As soon as the British saw them break they commenced to fire with muskets. The balls hit the ground before them, the dirt struck them frequently on the breast yet none of them were hit. Father passed all the others, jumped astride the horse, seized the bridle, and galloped him up to the lines. They were ordered under arrest and kept under arrest until after dark when Father's cousin [apparently this refers to Andrew White (1763-1780)] who was on duty as guard and had noticed where the bridle was put, contrived to let Father escape. Father took the horse and ran him up to his father's before midnight (25 miles), told his father what he had done and that he had done it because he was afraid the officers would take the horse from him.
His father was much alarmed and his mother got to crying. Grandfather saw that the horse was not in any condition to go back. In about an hour he and Father took the road and before day landed at the camp where he awakened General Pickens and delivered Father. Pickens did not know he was gone, and told Father he was sorry he had done so as in the morning the crowd would be tried and pardoned and he had planned to have Father mount the horse which belonged to him, because he had caught it. Father kept the horse until it died. It was said to be a horse brought in by Colonel Tarleton as a brood horse. Tarleton had no other idea but to conquer the colonies and he was made a lord over a portion of South Carolina. Frequently after that Father was threatened with being sued by men who stated they had orders for Tarleton to the effect, but they never did it.
Shortly after that Green determined to break up his encampment as it was known a strong reinforcement was coming against him from Camden or Charleston and not thinking himself able for both the forces sent Father and his cousin, Andrew White, through a dangerous settlement of Tories to acquaint some detachment which he expected to join him as Ninety-six of his determination. On arriving there they found the detachment had disappeared and they then made the best of their way home which was within three miles of where General Green was to have formed his camp. As General Green found out he could not stay there on account of the scarcity of provisions he broke up his encampment and went over to Lawrence (Laurens) District. Father remained at home a few days to rest and again joined General Green who upon finding they were not pursued by the British and that the British were making off towards Charleston, gave chase and overtook the British at Eutaw Springs where the celebrated battle was fought. Father always said this battle was not only one of the greatest battles he was ever in but one of the severest fought battles of the revolution. No flinching or cowardice there. Green considered himself worsted and retired that night eight miles from the field of battle, and the next morning by sending out scouts found that the British had camped near the field of action and after kindling up fires for a show had marched off in the night. Gerneral Green did not pursue, but marched slowly to Charleston where after a short time the British surrendered the town, took to their ships, and sailed off, left our shores (S.C.) forever.
Father said the most imposing, and joyous scenes took place at the surrender of Charleston. The British formed at the upper end of town, the gates were thrown open, the Americans formed their lines about forty yards in their rear and then commenced their march. All along the streets the most enthusiastic scenes were exhibited by the ladies, a great many of whom had been imprisoned in cellars and different places for no other crime than expressing themselves in favor of the Whigs. Some had not seen the light of the sun or indeed the light of day for so long a time that they looked so pale and emaciated, their most intimate acquaintances hardly recognized them. Such hollering, screaming, crying for joy perhaps never took place in any other town in the U.S. For his story gives no account of any other of the British Generals acting so brutish, and unbecoming towards the ladies as did Cornwallis, Tarleton, and Roddin. No wonder the ladies were so rejoiced that they and their town were freed from such monsters.
This brings me to the end of the war and as I have only given the most noted actions, it remains for me to give some of the many skirmishes which took place between scouting parties as they were called in those days. It will be entirely by memory I have to write as I do not think I ever heard any date fixed to any transaction.
As I mentioned before that as soon as Charleston fell in the hands of the British the Tories broke loose plundering the whole country as far as was in their power. This was the darkest hour for South Carolina. Those Tories were headed by three principal men: Robert Miller of Abbeville District, Uncle to the same Judge Miller of Pontotoc, William Cunningham of Lawrence (Laurens) District S.C., and Ezekiel Polk, grandfather to President Polk. It is evident their principal object was plundering, rape, and murder. No man, woman or child was safe in their hands for they destroyed property, burned houses, drove helpless women, and children to the woods while their husbands and fathers were with the army or out on scouting expeditions.
The most brilliant action Father was in was The King's Mountain Battle which was fought near the North Carolina line in York county. You may wonder how Father came to be there and to satisfy you on that score I will have to give you a good long tale. Perhaps it may amuse you to read it as it does me now to write it. It transports me back to the days when I have listened to Father relating his many hardships and the scenes he passed through and it seems I could sit and write all day without ever getting tired. But to begin I must state that Mr. John Browne of Abbeville District after the battle at the siege of Savannah was sent home by Lincoln with a Captains commission to scout and protect the frontier settlements which constitutes the upper part of Abbeville District. But unluckily he was attacked by rheumatic pains and had to retire to Pakolate Springs on the Pactah River on the north edge of N.C. His wife wishing to go to see him applied to General Pickens for someone to go with her. He sent Father then not more than nineteen years old. Father went two different times with her and on one of the trips, Mrs. Browne having a young suckling child, (she was the daughter of Col. Reid, and Aunt to Thomas Reid on the Pontotoc Ridge, and Mrs. Gates, and Mrs. WM. Baskin), the child took sick on the road. Being in a Tory settlement they were afraid to apply to any of the people on the road for assistance; They simply stopped on the side of the road, did all they could for the child but it died with nobody present but them. Father told Mrs. Browne, Tory or no Tory he intended to have the child buried; mounted his horse, and gathered some of the neighbors to the place where Mrs. Browne and the child were. They were kind enough to take them to one of their houses and have the child buried.
Here let me drop a little from the thread of my story to lead you a little into the character of your Grandfather. Although at that time young he had inherited a strong prejudice for the Tories and had also become daring in the extreme, for all the time they were in the company of the settlement where the child died, he could hardly open his mouth but what it was an oath against the Tories calling them "Damned Tories". Mrs. Browne said in my hearing in Father's house she trembled for she expected any moment to have them knock his brains out. They let them pass on without injury. There were two things I am persuaded had a great influence: First General Pickens sent with them a certificate of who they were and that the lady was a daughter of Col. Reid, a noted character. Perhaps they concluded if they disturbed them in any manner it would bring vengeance down on their own heads which it most assuredly would have done. Right here I will state some things that will prevent you from falling into an error or perhaps to lead you out of an error you may already have fallen into. You might ask the question if the Tories were as numerous as the Whigs why should they be afraid to interrupt our travelers. In the first, I think the Liberty or Whigs were the most numerous and all determined and one-sided. The Tories were divided among themselves and a great many were Whigs at heart but had come in at the King's expense and had been granted bounty and had sworn to be true to The King. All who were of this description were seldom if ever disturbed by the Whigs and were not driven off by the British as refugees. It might have happened that all of those present might have said "Amen" to what Father said. After burying the child they pursued their journey in peace.
Now to go back to where I left off giving you a description how Father came to be at "Kings Mountain Battle". It was at one of the times he was out with Mrs. Browne that while out someone came calling for volunteers. He shouldered his musket, mounted his horse, and made his way to the Whig camp. I think this happened three days before the battle. Soon after the battle he returned to where Mrs. Browne was.
Now I will give you an account of several transactions which took place with him during the seven years he was out in camps. I will not confine myself to dates as it would be impossible for me to do so. I shall commence with brushes he had with the Indians for he was in many battles with them. On one occasion he had his horse shot out under him, indeed he had several horses killed under him during the war. On one occasion in pursuing the Indians, they had found their camp or where they were concealed in a cane break, he and a good many more were sent to lie in ambush on the banks of the Genester River where was their camping place while the rest were to wait outside the cane break. One large Indian completely naked came dashing past him but the cane break was so thick he could not get a shot until he dropped his rifle and plunged into the river. It seemed very deep. Father rested his rifle on a log ready and fired when the Iindian reached the opposite side. He saw the blood spout out of his back and the Indian fell backwards and sank forever. This was the only man, Indian, or white one he knew he killed though he expected he killed many that he was not certain of. he says the Indian gave a scream which I have heard him mimic. I have often thought it always hurt his feeling as he so often repeated it and always in such a way as led me to believe it hurt him. He took up the Indian's gun and kept it until the stock rotted off. Then he took the barrel and made a band for one of his wagon wheels. The gun was a British rifle carrying seventeen balls to the pound.
On another occasion General Pickens sent a number of wagons to go over for corn to the Saluda River. The wagons camped four miles from Abbeville Court House the first night, and not being the least apprehensive of an attack a number of the guard were permitted to go home to be back early the next morning. Father went home. About day break they were surrounded by a large number of Indians and Tories and several men were killed; twenty-three were taken prisoners. My father's full cousin Andrew White was taken prisoner. General Pickens immediately sent Col. Anderson with a force to retake the prisoners. Father was with him. The Indians and Tories made for the Indian country. The Tories gave up the prisoners to the Indians and flew for their lives. Col Anderson came so close on them that at a certain branch or creek the water was running muddy. Anderson demurred and would go not further. Father rode over the creek and called on several to go with him as they could be no distance before them. Anderson would not give consent. Father then cursed him for all cowardice and then reported him as a coward. What was done with him I do not recollect but one thing I do know it settled him forever for he never rose any. This blot follows his family.
By some means they got word that the Indians with their prisoners were then lying in hearing of the whites and the prisoners heard every word spoken and as soon as the whites marched back and were out of hearing, the Indians commenced killing the prisoners by knocking them on the head with clubs in this manner; they were gagged and tied together or to a long rope and made to stand in a ring and some squaws who were along commenced going around and hitting them from behind with clubs while the men danced and sang. After they were all down they shot them and left them dying on the ground, a prey to the buzzards. In about three or four weeks Father tried to get someone to go with him to bury them the best way he could. He said his cousin Andrew White's skull had a bullet hole in the forehead.
There was a small boy, 10 years old, by the name of Smith taken and his people thought he was killed but after 15-20 years he came back and stated that an Indian woman took him and adopted him as her son. He had married an Indian and only came back on a visit and then returned to the Indians. He said that if Anderson had come on he could have taken the prisoners.
Bob Miller was at the head of all this and as he figured much at these times I think will not be amiss to give you a bit of his history. He was General Picken's nephew's sister's son. His father was a ceceder (seceder) preacher but had been silenced, but as soon as the war came off both he and his son fought for the King. The older man went off with the British and on the retreat of the British from Ninety-six to Charleston, he was taken by some of the Whigs and hung up to a tree without judge or jury. I have often heard Father say he helped to hang him. Bob Miller stayed in the country at the head of a company of bandits, plundering everything they could lay their hands on, committing a great many murders. He at last had to run away with the British. He went to the Spanish in what is now Louisiana and there raised a family. About two years after the war was over he came back, but had to be concealed three months on the beams of his mother's house to keep from being murdered. Gen. Pickens frequently sent out scouts to drive his sister and her family out of the country. They always took pity on her and let her stay. She died on the same place.
Father was one of the men who went with the intention of going to take St. Augustine. This was a failure and he saw hard times on the expedition. A great many died, a great many got drowned and the rest nearly perished and would have done so had it not been for the cabbage palmetto.
Another circumstance I will relate. It is in reference to an old man who had come in on the bounty and was conscience bound not to fight against the King although he was a Whig at heart. The Whigs would not believe him and so Father always made it a point to go with each scouting party sent out in order to save the old man. One time they saw him at his house and were about to make an attack on him from where they were concealed. Father kept them back for some time.
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To my Dear Nephews & Nieces & Children:
You will all have your own histories and stories to tell as time passes, to your children, and grandchildren. This narrative is only a small link of a very long chain. Hopefully it will be added to as the years pass. It only serves to remind us that we are all indeed a part of the chain, separated by great distances at time, but always connected by our heritage. Please know that above all else you are loved..................................
Mary Kimball Maranto
30th Day of April 1993