mp, from
whence, at midnight, he got into Georgetown.*3* Two of Horry's prisoners
proved to be American soldiers; "the sergeant belonged to the 3d
Regiment of South Carolina Continentals, and a drummer formerly belonged
to my own Regiment (the 5th). The drummer was cruelly wounded on the
head; the sergeant was of Virginia, and wounded on the arm. They said
they had enlisted from the Prison Ship to have a chance of escaping and
joining their countrymen in arms,"*4* and would have done so that day
but that the British captain was in the rear, and they dared not. Horry
rejoined Marion in safety with his prisoners.

*1* MS. Life of Horry by himself, pp. 84-87.

*2* MS. of Horry, p. 89.

*3* Weems, speaking for Horry, tells us that he met with
Captain Merritt after the war in New York, who recognized
him, and told him that he had never had such a fright in all
his life as upon that occasion. "Will you believe me, sir,"
said he, "when I assure you that I went out that morning
with my locks of as bright an auburn as ever curled upon the
forehead of youth, and by the time I had crawled out of the
swamp into Georgetown that night, they were as grey as a
badger!"

*4* MS. of Horry.--

Captain Melton was not so fortunate. He came in contact with a party
of Tories, much larger than his own force, who were patrolling, under
Captain Barfield, near White's Bridge. A sharp, but short action
followed, in which Melton was compelled to retreat. But Gabriel Marion,
a nephew of the General, had his horse shot under him, and fell into the
hands of the Tories. As soon as he was recognized he was put to death,
no respite allowed, no pause, no prayer.* His name was fatal to him. The
loss was severely felt by his uncle, who, with no family or children
of his own, had lavished the greater part of his affections upon this
youth, of whom high expectations had been formed, and who had already
frequently distinguished himself by his gallantry and conduct. He
had held a lieutenancy in the Second South Carolina Regiment, and was
present at the battle of Fort Moultrie. Subsequently, he had taken
part in most of the adventures of his uncle. Marion felt his privation
keenly; but he consoled himself by saying that "he should not mourn
for him. The youth was virtuous, and had fallen in the cause of his
country!" But this event, with some other instances of brutality and
murder on the part of