BOOK III. CHAP. III. 449 



their fituation, foon forced nn entrance, nnirthered the ovcrfcrr and 

 another perfon, and nmngled the dodtor, till they fuppofed him dead; 

 in this condition they drew him down fev^eral fteps bv the heels, and 

 threw him among the other murthered perfons: his limbs flili appear- 

 ing to move, one of the rebels exclaimed, that " he had as many lives 

 as ^pnj's-" and immediately difcharged four or five flugs through his 

 back, fome of which penetrated the bladder. This gentleman was fo 

 dreadfully wounded, that the two furgeons, who afterwards attended 

 him, were every day fatigued with the multiplicity of bandages and 

 drelfings, neceflary to be applied upon almoft all parts of his bodyj 

 fo that his recovery was next to miraculous. 



After this exploit, they ravifhed a Mulatto woman, who had been 

 the overfeer's kept miftrefs ; but fpared her life, at the requcfl: of fome 

 of the Eflier Negroes, who alledged, in her favour, that Hie had fre- 

 quently flived them from a whipping, by her interceffion with theover- 

 feer; confidering the hands into which fhe had fallen, this was thought 

 an a£l of very extraordinary clemency ; and, in faft, not owing really 

 to any merit on her part, as the overfcer bad only chofe to let his for- 

 givenefs appear rather to come through the importunity of another, 

 than from the lenity of his own difpofition. The do(ftor, notwith- 

 flanding his wounds, recovered afterwards. Yankee, a truliy flave 

 belonging to this eftate, behaved on the occafion with fignal gallan- 

 try; he was very aftive in endeavouring to defend the houfc, and 

 affift the white men; but, finding they were overpowered, he made his 

 efcape to the next ellate, and there, with another faithful Negroc, con- 

 certed meafures for giving immediate notice to all the plantations in 

 the neighbourhood, and procuring auxiliaries for the white inhabitaiUs, 

 The rebels, after this atfion, turned back to Heywood Hall and Bal- 

 lard's Valley, where they picked up fome frcfli recruits, fo that their 

 whole party, including women, Increafed to about four hundred. The 

 fatigues of the opening their campaign had lb exhaufted their fpirits hy 

 this time, that they thought proper to refrefh thcmfelves a little before 

 they renewed their hoftilities; havin:^ therefore a cood maoazine of 

 hogs, poultry, rum, and other plunder of the like kind, they chofe out 

 a convenient fpot, lurrounded with trees, and a little retired from the 

 road, where they fpread their piovilion, and began to carouze. The 

 white inhabitants, alarmed by Mr. Bayley, had aflembled in the mean 



Vol. II. M m m time 



