salmon

"George Salmon, the father of the writer's mother, was attached to the commissary
department during the Revolutionary War. He had the smallpox in 1780, and was sent out
of camp. On his return he was captured by the British and was in [Major Patrick]
Ferguson's camp on King's Mountain when the Americans attacked it on October 7, 1780.
Salmon described the battle very vividly. When the fire became hot the British soldiers
sought shelter wherever they could. So many got behind wagons that they had overturned
them. He said wagons had wooden covers in those days. The firing had grown terrific.
Confusion prevailed generally. He approached the officer in charge of the guard and
asked: "Am I to stand here and be killed by my own people?"
     The officer replied, adding an oath: "Every man must take care of himself now."
     Salmon ran down the mountain. The first man he met was an American captain, an old
acquaintance. His salutation was: "My God, Salmon, have you turned Tory?"
     "No, I am just escaping from the British" was the reply.
     George Salmon's wife, Elizabeth Young, was then a girl of about 16. She was staying
with an uncle. The British came and encamped on the plantation. The ladies retired into a
room, and closed the door. Major Ferguson occupied a room across the hall.
     He came to our door [Elizabeth Young recalled] and said: "Ladies, you may open your
door. I am a gentleman, and will see you are not molested." We opened the door. The
major came in and was seated. He entered into conversation, and asked me: "My daughter,
where is your uncle?"
     "In the Whigs' camp, sir."
     "If he had as much sense as you have he would not be there, would he?"
     "I think he would, sir."
     He then began telling us that he was in the habit of fooling the rebels, that in action he
wore a short coat and acted with his sword in his left hand. "They have wounded me
eleven times, but can't kill me." I was told that it was the method our officers adopted to
distinguish them from the enemy while in battle. Soon after the British left, an American
scouting party came along. They were informed of the boasts of Major Ferguson. I was
told that our troops made it a point to fire at the British officer carrying his sword in his
left hand.

     The major's ruse failed that time: he was killed - almost his whole army killed or
captured. One thousand one hundred and ninety-eight constituted the British loss -
American loss, eighty-eight.

Major John Ford (NOTE: Father of Salmon's son-in-law, William Ford), had his
plantation and house robbed by a band of Tories. They carried off the clothing of an infant
child. One of his neighbors, whose name will not be repeated, headed the infamous
expedition. Ford swore vengeance. He obtained a furlough, learned the Tory was at his
house, armed himself, and was in the Tory's room before he took the alarm. The leader of
robbers was taking his supper with his gun across his lap. It was now useless. An attempt
to raise it would have invited instant death. Ford told him of his crime, perpetrated on
innocent women and children, and that he had come to kill him. Ford struck him on the
head with his sword. The Tory's wife was aroused. She screamed, and begged so
piteously for her husband's life that Ford relented, telling the cowardly thief he could go.
     The reader will say: "What do you mean by introducing these old things?" Simply this:
when one comes of fighting stock, he has the right to be proud of it.

2

     The writer's great grandfather, by the mother's side, was in the employ of Lord Fairfax
of Virginia at the same time Washington was. Our grandmother {Elizabeth Young], saw
the great man on many occasions. She said he was tall, and had a commanding presence.
"He was the finest looking man I ever saw," were her words. She was also acquainted
with General Francis Marion (know historically as The Swamp Fox) She described him as a rather small man, with a French cast of features. He was simple in his manners, blessed with good sense and a sound judgment. She heard him relate, long before it appeared in print, the incident of asking the British officer to dine with him and having nothing but sweet potatoes to set before the military representative of Great Britain.
     She spoke of Colonel [Peter] Horry, one of General Marion's favorite officers. ...."

     "In 1781 or 1782 the Indians and Tories made a descent upon the country adjacent to
Greenville Courthouse, South Carolina. They killed the writer's great-grandmother by the
father's side (Major John Ford's mother). They were very old. Their cold-blooded slayers
placed the muzzles against their heads, and blew their brains out. The holes are reported to
have been as large as one's fist.
     A Tory named Bates, a leader in these sanguinary operations, went to the house of a
gentleman names Motlow, and murdered his wife and children, Motlow not being at home.
The Tories afterwards managed to capture him. He was undaunted and ready to meet the
fate seemingly in store for him. Bates began plundering his person. He was stooping down
taking the buckles from the prisoner's shoes. Motlow said; "Bates, can't you wait until
after you have killed me before you rob me?" Just at that moment, a gun was fired. The
ball passed through Motlow's body; he fell upon Bates. The latter raised himself up, and
placed Motlow on his feet again. Motlow ran, and was pursued some distance. The blood
was gushing from his wound. He held his arms over his breast and endeavored to staunch
the flow. He reached a precipice on a stream, made a leap, alighted unhurt, and escaped.
His bloodthirsty pursuers did not dare to make the effort he had; they halted. Motlow
recovered from his wound.
     Some years after the close of the war, a man was put in jail at Greenville Courthouse
for horse stealing. Someone told Motlow the description suited that of Bates. Motlow
armed himself, went to the jail, demanded the keys, and obtained them. Finding the
prisoner to be Bates, Motlow carried him out on the public square and shot him. Such was
the infamous reputation of Bates, the red-handed assassin, and such the state of feeling in
the community that no one dared to interfere with Motlow while enacting the tragedy or to
call him to account for it. They felt that a just retribution has overtaken a bloody fiend.
     It was during one of these raids of Indians and Tories that our grandfather, George
Salmon, piloted a party of men to a store which the Indians had robbed. They were on a
big spree, and could have been whipped easily. The men did not wish to attack. While
Salmon was endeavoring to persuade them to fight, and Indian shot him through the body.
He said that to cleanse the wound a silk handkerchief was passed through it from side to
side several times.   He lived to do good service afterward. "

Salmon Pension Affidavit

The State of South Carolina      )
Greenville District                     )
                                                       To Wit
On this Sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
thirty three personally appeared in open court before the Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas now sitting George Salmon a resident citizen of Greenville District in the State of
South Carolina aged seventy nine years, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth
on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of
Congress passed June the 7th 1832. That he was born in Amelia County in the State of
Virginia on the 4th day of February 1754 and removed to Spartanburg District in South
Carolina in the year 1774 and entered the service of the United States in the year 1776
bearing a Lieutenants commission in Capt John Woods company which he has lost, and
was stationed at (Fortunebury's) Fort in what was then called Ninety Six District where he
remained in active service for nine months- That he afterwards joined Capt William
Wood's company of volunteers and was by Capt Wood appointed Commissary to furnish
provisions for the Station which he did for some months and then marched and joined some
Georgia and North Carolina Troops commanded by Maj Williamson from Georgia, was
attacked by the British and Tories in Camp on Pacolet River in So Ca. That then he and a
portion of his company joined Lt. Col Williamson and Major Cunningham and marched to
the First Siege of Augusta, after which he returned to SoCa and was taken prisoner by the
Tories and carried to Ferguson's Camp - A short time before the battle of King's Mountain
he was released, then he Set out for Augusta Ga. by way of Ninety Six where he found
Generals Green and Henderson in Camp and carried an express from them to Genl. Pickens
who then commanded at Augusta, and remained till Augusta was retaken by the Americans.
He then returned to South Carolina in charge of some wounded men, afterwards he sent by
Genl Henderson over the Mountains with an express to Col Shelby, returned with an
express from him to Genl Henderson. He then joined Col Roebuck's Regiment and
marched to Orangeburg in SoCa and served as Quarter Master for two months in the year
1781. That he served always as a volunteer, nine months as Lieutenant and three years and
three months as a private in the service of the United States as a soldier and bearer of
dispatches, during his service he was commanded by different officers, that he has no
written discharge or other documentary evidence of his said services, but offers the
affidavit of John Young Esquire to prove his said services. that from the lapse of time, his
advanced age and consequent decay of memory the deponent is unable to give a more
minute and detailed account of his said services -
      He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the
present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State.
       Sworn and subscribed to before me the day and year aforesaid.

Before me                                          Geo Salmon
Jno Daniel
C.C.P.

State of Missouri )
Morgan County   )
                              Be it remembered that on this seventh day of September in the year of
Our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred and Forty four, before the subscriber one of the
Judges of the County Court in and for the County aforesaid, personally appeared Ezekiel
Salmon who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his Oath depose and say that
he has known the annexed Record Marked " A" as the family Record of George Salmon
and Elizabeth Salmon for the space of Twenty years past or thereabouts and verily believes
the same is genuine that the said Record was transcribed from the Original Record by the
said George Salmon which Original Record was left in Greenville District in the State of
South Carolina. That the said George Salmon was a pensioner of the United States at the
time of his death and that he drew his pension from the agent of the United for paying
pensions in Charlestown in the State of South Carolina up to the ___ of March 1837 and
that the balance due him at the time of his death was drawn by Elizabeth Salmon, widow of
said George Salmon, that I was the legal administrator of the Estate of George Salmon
deceased and that I settled with Elizabeth Salmon as the widow of George Salmon. and
that for the space of twenty years past or thereabouts the above mentioned Record has been
in the care and custody of Elizabeth Salmon. That it was written by George Salmon about
the year 1824 or 1825 and that George Salmon the husband of the Declamant Elizabeth
Salmon died on the 18th day of August one thousand Eight Hundred and thirty seven and
that she the said Elizabeth Salmon has not intermarried but remains the widow of the said
George Salmon deceased and is now living in Morgan County Missouri,

Subscribed and      )
sworn before me    )
the day and year    )                                            E. J. Salmon
above written        )
Charles M. Brooking Judge M.C.C.

I certify that Ezekial J. Salmon who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing Deposition
before me is a credible witness which I certify from my personal knowledge. Given under
my hand this 7th day of September 1844.
                                                           Charles M. Brooking Judge

December 21, 1773, Unconnastoloh, Willinawaugh, and Ewe, three principal Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation of Indians, to George Pearis of said Cherokee Nation, for Lb 100 lawful money of South Carolina, a tract of land in the Cherokee District, crossing the middle fork and noo fork of Saluda River and the head branches of Enoree River, near the middle fork of Tiger River on the Indian Boundary.
Unconnastoloh (mark) (LS); Willinawaugh (mark) (LS); Ewe (S)(LS).

Witnesses: John Prince, James Beall, Abraham Hite, Joshua Geth, George Sammon, John San, Samuel Bathlean, William Caine, James Hite.

Proved by the oath of James White before Rowland Rugely, J.P. 13 April 1775.

Recorded 11 July 1782