'without offence, to inquire if any part of Washington's army is in this neighborhood?"

And you

"I presume it is known to you,' said Mrs. Slocumb, 'that the Marquis and Greene are in this State. would not of course,' she added, after a slight pause, 'be surprised at a call from Lee, or your old friend Colonel Washington, who although a perfect gentleman, it is said, shook your hand, (pointing to the scar left by Washington' sabre,) very rudely when last you met.'*

"This spirited answer inspired Tarleton with apprehensions that the skirmish in the woods was only the prelude to a concerted attack on his camp. His only reply was a loud order to form the troops on the right; and springing on his charger, he dashed down the avenue a few hundred feet, to a breach in the hedge-row, leaped the fence, and in a moment was at the head of his regiment, which was already in line.

"Meanwhile, Lieutenant Slocumb, with John Howell, a private in his band, Henry Williams, and the brother of Mrs. Slocumb, Charles Hook, a boy of about thirteen years of age, were leading a hot pursuit of the tory captain who had been sent to reconnoitre the country, and some of his routed troop. These were first discerned in the open grounds east and northeast of the plantation, closely pursued by a body of American mounted militia; while a running fight was kept up with different weapons, in which four or five broadswords gleamed conspicuous. The foremost of the pursuing party appeared too busy with the tories to see anything else; and they entered the avenue at the same moment with the party pursued. With what horror and consternation did Mrs.

* It is said, that in a close encounter between Tarleton and Col. Washington, at the battle of the Cowpens, the former was wounded by a sabre cut in the hand.

Slocumb recognize her husband, her brother, and two of her neighbors, in chase of the tory captain and four of his band, already half way down the avenue, and unconscious that they were rushing into the enemy's midst.

"About the middle of the avenue one of the tories fell; and the course of the brave and imprudent young officers was suddenly arrested by 'Big George,' who sprang directly in front of their horses, crying, 'Hold on Massa! de debbil here! Look yon! A glance to the left showed the young men their danger; they were within pistol shot of a thousand men drawn up in order of battle. Wheeling their horses they discovered a troop already leaping the fence into the avenue in their rear. Quick as thought they again whirled their horses, and dashed down the avenue, directly towards the house, where stood the quarter-guard to receive them. On reaching the garden fence-a rude structure formed of a kind of lath, and called a wattled fence-they leaped that and the next, amid a shower of balls from the guard, cleared the canal at one tremendous leap, and, scouring across the open field to the northwest, were in the shelter of the wood before their pursuers could clear the fence of the enclosure. The whole ground of this adventure may be seen as a traveller passes over the W mington railroad, a mile and a half south of Dudley depot.

"A platoon had commenced the pursuit; but the trum sounded the recall before the flying Americans had crossed canal. The presence of mind and lofty language of the wife, had convinced the British colonel that the daring m so fearlessly dashed into his camp were supported by a fo force close at hand. Had the truth been known, and tives pursued, nothing could have prevented the destr