is time, Lieut. Roger Gordon was
sent out with a party, to patrole on Lynch's creek, and stopped at a
house for provisions and refreshments. While there, he was attacked by
Capt. Butler with a much larger party of tories, who having succeeded
in making good his approaches to the house, set it on fire. Gordon
then capitulated on a promise of quarters; but no sooner had his party
grounded their arms, than they were all put to death. Not long after,
Col. Kalb, Mr. Thomas Evans and some others, were murdered by Gibson, a
coloured man, and his party of tories, in a manner still more shocking
to humanity. In the dead of night, Kalb's own house was surrounded, and
set on fire; he, his wife, and family, and some neighbours were in it,
and in bed, when awaking, they sued for quarters. Gibson promised that
they should not be hurt, if they surrendered; but as soon as the men had
passed out into the light of the conflagration, they were all shot.
We have some time since mentioned the murder of the two Bradleys,
and others, on Lynch's Creek, and lately that of Gabriel Marion. Such
provocations were no longer to be borne. Henceforth, there commenced
such a bloody warfare between the whigs and tories, as is seldom
recorded in the annals of even civil commotion.* Besides the
provocations mentioned, when a tory was taken prisoner, there were
no means of securing him, and he commonly soon made his escape, and
thereafter became a guide to his associates. It was not so with whigs
who were made prisoners, for they could be sent to Georgetown or Camden.
But now, seldom were prisoners made on either side, and if made, that
was no security for their lives: they were sure to be put to death,
either openly or privately, by a few infuriated men, who could be
subjected to no subordination. Enough is said. Let the rest be buried in
oblivion.

* Bella, plus quam civilia; bella, nullos habitura
triumphos.

At and near Snow's island, Gen. Marion secured what boats he wanted; and
burnt those more remote. To prevent the approach of an enemy, he fell
upon a plan of insulating as much as possible the country under his
command. For this purpose he broke down bridges, and felled trees across
causeways and difficult passes. As there was no market in that day, and
the vicinity of a road was dangerous, the inhabitants aided him much in
this design. History furnishes innumerable instances of the good effect
of such a system of defensive warfare.