isoners captured at the Cowpens, he was arrested in his
progress by the swollen waters of the Catawba river. Being thus foiled
in his expectations, supposing he had Morgan _almost in his grasp_,
Cornwallis fell back about five miles from the river to Forney's
plantation, having been conducted there by a Tory well acquainted with
the neighborhood. Here Cornwallis remained encamped for three days,
consuming, in the meantime Forney's entire stock of cattle, hogs,
sheep, geese, chickens, a large amount of forage, forty gallons of
brandy, &c. His three horses were carried off, and many thousands of
rails and other property destroyed. But the extent of his losses did
not end here. Cornwallis had been informed that Forney had a large
amount of money concealed somewhere in his premises, and that if
diligent search were made it might be readily found. This information
set the British soldiers to work, and, aided by the Tory conductor's
suggestions, they finally succeeded in finding his gold, silver and
jewelry buried in his distillery, the greater portion of which he had
brought with him from Germany. Whilst this work of search was going on
without, his Lordship was quietly occupying the upper story of the
family mansion, making it his headquarters. Forney and his wife being
old, were _graciously_ allowed the privilege of living in the
basement. As soon as he was informed his gold, silver and jewelry were
found, amounting to one hundred and seventy pounds sterling, he was so
exasperated for the moment that he seized his gun and rushed to the
stair steps with the determination to kill Cornwallis, but his wife
quickly followed and intercepted him, thus preventing the most
deplorable consequences--the loss of his own life, and perhaps that of
his family. But the prudent advice of his wife, "Heaven's last, best
gift to man," had its proper, soothing effect, and caused him to
desist from his impetuous purpose. It is hardly necessary to inform
the reader he was punished in this severe manner because he was a
zealous supporter of the cause of freedom, and his three sons were
then in the "rebel army."

The log house in which his lordship made his headquarters for _three
days_ and _four nights_ is still in existence, though removed, many
years since, from its original site to a more level location in the
immediate vicinity. In this humble building he, no doubt, cogitated
upon the speedy subjugation of the "rebels," and that subsequent
g