MADISON COUNTY. 407 



was severely wounded by a rifle-ball passing through his thigh, 

 by which he was made a cripple for life. He was unable to 

 do further military duty, and was without means to procure 

 due attention to his wound, which threatened his life. In this 



suffering condition he was taken into the house of Harris, 



where he was kindly cared for until he recovered. His grati- 

 tude to the good people by whose attention he was restored, 

 was never forgotten. He laboured for Harris and his family 

 more effectually than any slave could have been made to do. 



After the close of the war, when prosperous times came, 

 Austin Dabney acquired property. In the year 18 — he 

 removed to Madison county, carrying with him his benefactor 

 and family. Here he became noted for his great fondness for 

 horses and the turf, and was seldom without a fine racer. 

 He attended all the races in the neighbouring counties, and 

 betted to the extent of his means. His courteous behaviour 

 and good temper always secured him gentlemen backers. His 

 means were aided by a pension which he received from the 

 United States, on account of his broken thigh. 



In the distribution of the public lands by lottery among the 

 people of Georgia, the Legislature gave to Dabney a lot of 

 land in the county of Walton. The Hon. Mr. Upson, then a 

 representative from Oglethorpe, was the member who moved 

 the passage of the law. The preamble was as follows : — 

 " Whereas, by an act of the General Assembly of the State 

 of Georgia, passed on the fourteenth day of August, 1780, it 

 is stated that the said Austin Dabney during the Revolution, 

 instead of advantacjinof himself of the terms to withdraw him- 

 self from the American lines and enter with the majority of 

 his colour and fellow-slaves in the service of his Britannic 

 Majesty and his officers and vassals, did voluntarily enrol 

 himself in some one of corps under the command of Colonel 

 Elijah Clarke, and in several actions and engagements behaved 

 against the enemy with a bravery and fortitude which would 

 have honoured a freeman, and in one of which engagements 

 he was severely wounded, and rendered incapable of hard 

 servitude ; and policy and gratitude demand a return for such 

 service and behaviour, from the Commonwealth ; and it was 

 further stated in said act that said Austin should be entitled 



