188 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



it to me ; when, still keeping a close look out, I called for 

 another glass, and offered it to him. He took it, and I 

 believe if he had been let alone he would never have said 

 anything more about it. After we parted, I mustered 

 the company, and called the roll, when some twenty, 

 refusing to answer to their names, were marked down as 

 delinquents. 



While I was engaged with the affairs of the company, 

 the opposition were endeavoring to raise another com- 

 pany. When I got through my business, I went to them, 

 and told them I was pleased to see them making up an- 

 other company, for tliere were men enough to fill three 

 companies, and that, in this way, every man could be 

 commanded to his satisfaction ; that it was what I really 

 wished to see, and anything that I could, I would cheer- 

 fully do for them. To this I received no answer. 



My company having been dismissed, the people had 

 mostly gone away, with the exception of those who were 

 trying to raise the opposition company. These all came 

 marching by where I was preparing to go home, and 

 formed into two lines, on both sides of a tail-race belong- 

 ing to Hoffman's mill, about twenty on each side, deter- 

 mined to attack and beat me as I should pass the bridge. 

 A friend came and told me that they had adopted that 

 plan to get hold of me before I would know of their 

 design ; and he begged me to take the other end of the 

 road, and thus disappoint them. John McMullen ob- 

 jected to the other end of the road, saying that he never 

 would be driven out of his way one step. I mounted my 

 horse, which was a strong, spirited animal, and moved 

 towards the two lines. The end of the bridge being 

 clear, I gained it ; and when my horse was about to step 

 on it. Shannon reached out his hand to take the rem of 

 my bridle, b"t, I struck the horse so quickly that he sprang 



I 



