ces of Cosito were called in requisition, and being try than any other living man. Indeed, all his an expert horseman, he soon brought back the ani- laurels have been acquired by his labors in this parmals from their rambling frolic across the Prairie, ticular department. While Prescott and others when the mystery attending that stampede, was have expended their genius upon foreign themes, fully explained. It seems that P., to whom refer- and have thereby illustrated and adorned the anence has been made, after refreshing himself with nals of distant countries, he has been contented to a bath in the lake, before retiring to rest, proceed-look nearer home, to explore the rich and almost ed to the grazing ground, that he might ascertain unappropriated fields of American story, thus conwhether his servant, who had the first watch, was ferring upon his country the benefit of his genius. It awake. Finding him asleep, P. had attached an seems strange to us that this course is not more freignited bunch of fire-crackers, to the skirt of his quently adopted-nay, that it is ever deviated from, coat. The explosion immediately produced great consternation among the horses, causing them to loosen the pegs to which their respective ropes were attached, from the ground, but it is doubtful whether the alarm of the poor negro, on awaking, surrounded by fireworks, did not exceed that of the horses. With my own fright in the narrow escape from killing poor P., all visions of fancy had vanished, and like the condemned criminal the night previous to execution, a profound sleep overcame thousandth time, that Brutus killed Cæsar, that the the senses, which was only disturbed by the sound Moors were driven from Spain by Gonzalo, and of the horn, and baying of the dogs, as our party that Cromwell was Protector of England; but the were proceeding on a deer hunt the next morning. poet forgetting the soft azure of our own skies, Thus terminated our first bivouac, on Isle Or- the delicate beauty of our own fair daughters ange, a night fertile in events, which never can be the majesty of our rivers, and the sublime granfully eradicated from memory in the dark vista of deur of our mountains, must prate of Italian time, and which forcibly impressed upon my mind the care of a benign Providence, and gave another assurance that

considering the many great original characters, and the many important events which are here presented to the pen of History. But that it is not adopted often is a fact which, though to be lamented, cannot be denied; and one, the pernicions consequences of which are felt more or less in every department of our literature, except, perhaps, the comparatively unimportant one of fiction. For not only must the historian tell you again for the

skies, of Spanish beauty, of Rhenish majesty, and of Alpine sublimity. This is certainly a great evil, and one which should be corrected. For until this can be done, until American genius can be persuaded to employ itself upon American themes, we must ever plead guilty to the charge of having no characteristic literature of our own. Had Scott sung of the Tiber and the Po, instead of the Tweed and the Yarrow; had Moore composed Ital ian instead of Irish melodies, they would neither of thein have added any thing to their country's literature, nor would they, as they now do, have de

LIFE OF WILLIAM RICHARDSON DAVIE, served its gratitude.

GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA,

BY FORDYCE M. HUBBARD.

Prof. Sparks, we have said, is an exception to the general rule. He is an American writer, and as such has achieved for himself a very enviable reputation. As the result of his last effort, we are presented with a new series of biography, compriThe above is the title of a work contained in sing fifteen volumes, and making twenty-five with the fifteenth volume of the new series of Ameri- ten volumes of the old series, formerly published can Biography, conducted by Jared Sparks. As under his direction. Of the latter it is scarcely in social life, we form our first estimate of the necessary to speak, as it is already well known and character of an individual, by the standing of established. The former, containing thirty-four the one who introduces him, so in the literary world lives, includes under the variety of its subjects, we frequently make up our first judgment of the Statesmen, Warriors, Philosophers and Founders merits of a work, from a consideration of those of States, and covers in its extent a very large of the person under whose auspices it is presented portion of our colonial and revolutionary history. to the public. In this particular, the Life of Davie Several of these lives were written by Prof. Sparks has every advantage that could possibly be desired. himself, but the greater number were composed by For surely, no biography of any American citi- different individuals, though, of course, subject to zen, could have a better recommendation than his supervision and final approval. One of the the sanction of Prof. Sparks, who is confessed-great merits of the work is, that the writers seem ly better acquainted with the history of the coun- to have searched into all the sources of informa

tion, which were accessible, and each life has, deemed valuable, which was so nobly saved by a therefore, a separate authority of its own. Independently of the literary pretensions of the work, the character of the persons whose lives are therein commemorated, is sufficient to excite the interest of all who desire to be familiar with the great men of our country. Among them may be noticed Robert Cavalier de la Salle, the first explorer of the Mississippi; Patrick Henry, the prime mover of the ball of the Revolution, and in Mr. Jefferson's opinion, the greatest orator that ever lived; James Oglethorpe, Roger Williams, and William Penn, founders respectively of the States of Georgia, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania--a class of men whom Sir Francis Bacon ranks among the greatest of the great; John Sullivan, Charles Lee, Nathaniel Greene, Benjamin Sinclair, and Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Major Generals of the Revolution, and therefore entitled to the attention of all true patriots; Count Pulaski, the celebrated partisan leader, famed for his heroic devotion to the cause of liberty; Stephen Decatur and Edward Preble, naval heroes, the former of whom sans peur et sans reproche,' may be called the Chevalier Bayard of America and William R. Davie, an officer of the Revolution and Governor of North Carolina, whose life is the subject of this

stranger, at the imminent hazard of losing his own. We quote the language of the biographer:

"In the charge of cavalry which has been menhis horse. Disabled as he was, he retained his tioned, Major Davie was wounded and fell from hold of the bridle. While his whole troop, not waiting to meet the enemy and dispirited by the fall of their leader, were in full retreat, a private of another company whose horse had been shot under him, and who was carrying off his saddle, ble to mount, his wound having deprived him of saw the Major standing beside his horse, but unathe use of his thigh; and though the enemy were within twenty yards, this man placed him on his horse, and deliberately led him from the field. Having brought him to a place of safety, his bold deDavie saw no more of him and had no opportunity liverer resumed his place in the ranks, and Major to evince his gratitude for years.

sketch.

William Richardson Davie was born in England on the 20th of June, 1756. When but seven years old, he was brought by his father to this country, and was adopted soon after his arrival by an uncle, a Presbyterian divine, who resided in the Waxhaw Settlement, in the State of South Carolina. It may perhaps be necessary to observe here, that Davie himself never resided in the last-mentioned State, until the decline of his years, after he had retired from public service, and that he was not therefore, as some northern writer has styled him, a distinguished South Carolinian.

"At the siege of Ninety-six, some two years after, at which Davie was present as CommissaryGeneral to the southern army, on the morning of the attack, a stranger came to his tent and introduced himself as the man at Stono. The hurry of preparation for the assault, allowed but a moment for recognition and thanks, and the soldier left him, promising, if he survived the dangers of the day, to visit him again. This was their last interview. The body of his humane benefactor was found among the dead, when the troops were called from their fruitless attempts to storm the fort."

After having recovered from the effects of his wounds, Major Davie resumed his legal studies at Salisbury, and was soon admitted to practise in the county and superior courts of the State. "But," in the language of the writer, "his military enthusiasm had not yet abated, and his country seemed to him to demand his services in the camp more than in the court room; and in the winter of that year he obtained authority from the Legislature of North Carolina to raise a troop of cavalry and two After having passed through the usual prepara- companies of mounted infantry. With this force, tory course at Charlotte, N. C., he entered Prince-he protected the southwestern part of the State, ton College, at which institution he received the from the predatory incursions of the British troops degree of A. B. When very young, Davie seems in South Carolina, and secured the well-affected to have yielded to the promptings of a patriotic and martial spirit. For while yet a matriculate, we find him serving with the consent of Dr. Witherspoon, the President of the College, as a volunteer in the vicinity of New York, A. D. 1776.

from the dread of the loyalists, who were in great numbers in that region. In this service he was always on the enemy's lines, and the duties to which he was called were no less hazardous than important; and in the practice which they gave him, he rapidly developed those qualities, and acquired those habits, which soon made his name second to that of none of the famed partisan officers of the south."

After graduation, he returned to North Carolina and commenced the study of the Law at Salisbury. But very soon we find him again in the service as Lieutenant of a company of dragoons, This last is an assertion, which, though true, will which at his request was attached to Pulaski's le- not perhaps be generally admitted. Why, it will gion. In this corps he rose to the rank of Major, be asked, have we heard so little of Davie hitherto ? and with it served until the action at Stono. In Why do the inhabitants of his own State, know this action he participated and was wounded. An so little of his history? These questions admit of incident is here related, which almost savors of an easy answer. It is because Carolinians have romance, and which is worthy of being recorded, been untrue to themselves and their fathers. They as it shows that the life must even then have been seem to have forgotten that the actions of the gifted

and the noble should be commemorated in order to subjection, established military posts throughout encourage an imitation of their example among fu- the country. Among others, were those of Hangture generations; or if they have remembered it. ing Rock and Rocky Mount, near the confines of they have been too indolent to undertake the task. | North Carolina, the former on the eastern, the lat As they have neglected their own, others, as a matter on the western side of the river Wateree. These ter of course, have imitated their example. And posts were near enough together to support each these remarks are not confined to North Carolina.other, and as they were the cause of much misThey apply to all the south, except Virginia. When chief, by encouraging the loyalists to assemble in asked to point to our distinguished men who have large numbers and commit depredations, it became figured in past times, we stammer hesitatingly forth important that they should be reduced. Colonel a few names, which the querist receives with as-Sumpter marched to the attack of Rocky Mount, tonishment, and the remark that he never heard of while Major Davie was ordered to make a diver them before. Ask a New Englander the same sion in his favor at Hanging Rock. question, and he will overwhelm you with an all-but countless catalogue. Why is this? It is not because we have not had men of eminence, nor because the "genial and sunny South" is more unsuited to the development of our nobler faculties, than the cooler regions of the north. Our great men have lived, have died, and have been forgotten, because, forsooth, there was no one to tell their story. Well may their shades, contemplating the neglect of their memories upon earth, exclaim with Alexander, while viewing the tomb of Achilles, "Fortunate, fortunate Achilles, to have a Homer to write thy history!"

“Major Davie's detachment,” says the writer, "consisted of forty mounted riflemen. and about self obliged to alarm the enemy in their camp, at the same number of dragoons. Considering himall events, the same day, he approached the Hanging Rock about ten o'clock and fortunately, while he was reconnoitring their position to select the point of attack, he received information that three companies of their mounted infantry, returning from some excursion, had halted at a farmer's house, situated in full view of the camp. The house was placed in the point of a right angle, made by a lane of staked fence, the one end of which opened to the enemy's encampment, and the

In the series now before us, of all the thirty-other terminated in the woods. The Major adfour biographies, only three, we believe, are of vanced toward the part next to the woods, and as the riflemen were not distinguishable from the loysouthern men; those of Patrick Henry, Nathaniel alists, they were sent round to the other end of the Bacon, and William R. Davie, for which last, lane, with orders, on gaining it, to rush forward North Carolina can claim no credit, as it was writ- and fire on the enemy. The dragoons were diviten by a stranger who has recently taken up his ded, so that one could occupy the lane, while the abode within her borders, and who has thus assum- other half entered the field. This disposition was ed the duty of teaching Carolina's sons the history excite the attention or suspicion of the enemy. The made with such promptitude and silence, as not to of their fathers. We most earnestly hope that he rifle company, under Captain Flenchaw, passed the will continue to perform this duty, and that he will camp sentries without being challenged, dismountalways be as successful, as in the present instance. ed in the lane and gave the enemy a well-directed To do North Carolina justice, however, we will fire. The astonished loyalists instantly fled, and state, that a historical society has been formed at driven back in great confusion. On meeting again were charged by the dragoons at full gallop and the University, by many intelligent and patriotic the fire of the infantry, they all rushed impetuouscitizens, of which, Hon. David L. Swain, the dis-ly against the angle of the fence, where, in a metinguished President of that institution, is the head. ment, they were surrounded by the dragoons who Old Rip is thus beginning to awake from his slum-had entered the field, and were literally cut to pie bers. After snoring for half a century, he opens his eyes and sees that his glory is gone and his laurels faded, and is trying to recall the one and to revive the other. So that we may fairly hope, the period is not far distant, when his sons, being asked for the account of his exploits, will not be compelled to make the shameful answer, "there is

ces.

British camp, so that no prisoners could be safely All this was done under the eye of the whole taken. This may account for, and possibly excuse, the slaughter that took place on this occasion, which attached to this party the appellation of the bloody corps. They took sixty valuable horses, with their furniture, and one hundred muskets and rifles. The whole camp beat to arms; but the business was done and the detachment was out of their reach. before they recovered from their consternation. Of course, any interruption, from this quarter, of Cal onel Sumpter's operation at the Rocky Mount, was effectually prevented."

Brilliant and effective as was this exploit, it was but one of a number of such, and by no means equals another, recorded in a subsequent chapter, and which we think, in point of courage, coolness and skill, surpasses any thing of which we have

heard. After the defeat of Gates at Camden, the flanks were hotly engaged with the infantry, but southern army became entirely scattered and dis-the centre were directed to reserve their fire for persed, insomuch, that but very few, if any, re-the cavalry, who had rallied on their former ground, and were returning to the charge. They were mained in the vicinity of the enemy, who dared to again well received by the militia, and galloped off make any show of resistance. In this state of in the utmost confusion in the presence of the whole things, Davie was appointed by Gov. Nash, Colo- British army. nel Commandant of the cavalry, in the western "The legion infantry were now beginning to district of North Carolina, with instructions to turn the Colonel's right flank, and the companies were drawn off in good order, successively coverraise a regiment. Having collected but seventy ing each other, and formed in a single line at the men, he attacked and most signally routed a con- end of the street, about one hundred yards from siderable body of tories, who had been committing the Court House, under a galling fire, all the while, excesses, in the neighborhood of Cornwallis's army, from the British light infantry, who advanced under and who were under the protection of a regiment the cover of the houses and gardens. Their cavof British troops, and almost in its presence. This alry soon appeared again, charging in column by the Court House; but on receiving the fire reservregiment came to their assistance just as Davie had ed for them by a part of the militia, they wheeled finished his work,and his corps was retiring in good off behind the honses. Lord Cornwallis, vexed to order beyond its reach. With his little band of pa- see his troops thus kept at bay, ordered up a reintriots, he continued to hover around the enemy. forcement; and the legion infantry thus strengthskirmishing with its advanced guards, driving back ened. pressed forward rapidly on both the Ameriits foraging parties, and surprising and cutting off can flanks; and the ground being no longer tenable by this handful of brave men, a retreat was orsuch bands of tories as came near him, until, ondered by the Salisbury road. The enemy followed the night of the 25th of September, at 12 o'clock, with great caution and respect for some miles, he took his station at Charlotte, a village seven when they at length ventured to charge the rearmiles from Cornwallis's encampment, and towards guard. The guard were of course put to flight; which that General was advancing. Davie's corps but on receiving a fire from a single company, the cavalry again retreated. The loss of the Amerinow amounted to a hundred and fifty men. cans consisted of Lieutenant Lock and four privates Our author writeskilled; Major Graham and five privates wounded. The British stated their loss at twelve non-commissioned officers killed and wounded; Major Hanger and Captains Campbell and McDonald wounded, with about thirty privates.

"Early in the morning of the 26th, the Colonel's patrols were driven in by the enemy's light troops, and in a few minutes the legion and light infantry were seen advancing towards the turn, followed by "This action, though it subjects Colonel Davie the whole army. The village of Charlotte, situa-to the charge of temerity, and can be excused only led on a rising ground, contained about twenty hou-by the event, and by its exhibition of that zeal ses, built on two streets which crossed each other which we are always ready to applaud, furnishes a at right angles, and at the intersection of which very striking instance of the bravery and the imstood the Court House. The left of the turn, as portance of the American militia. Few examples the enemy came up, was an open common; the can be shown of any troops, who, in one action, right was covered with underwood, which reached changed their position twice, in good order, alup to the gardens. The Colonel was reinforced in though pressed by a much superior body of infantthe night by fourteen volunteers under Major Giary, and charged three times by thrice their number ham; and encouraged by so slight an addition to of cavalry, unsupported, and in the presence of the his force, and relying on the firmness of the mili-enemy's whole army, and finally retreating in pertia, he was determined to give his Lordship an fect order. The British chagrined at this spirearnest of what he might expect in North Caroli-ited resistance and repeated repulse by a detachna. For this purpose he dismounted one company ment of militia, loudly reproached the legion with and stationed them under the Court House, where pusillanimity; and they excused themselves by saythey were covered breast high by a stone wall. ing. that the confidence with which the Americans The two other companies, were advanced about eighty yards, and posted behind some houses and gardens on each side of the street.

acted, induced them to apprehend an ambuscade, though surely no manoeuvre of that kind could have been seriously expected in an open village and in open day."

"While this disposition was making, the legion was forming at the distance of three hundred yards, with a front to fill the street, and the light infantry This is the last of Davie's exploits in the field. on their flanks. On sounding the charge, the ene- For soon after he was appointed, at the instance of my's cavalry advanced in full gallop, and when they were within sixty yards of the Court House, the Major General Greene, Commissary General to Americans received orders to fire. The fire was the southern army, and to the State of North Cargiven with such effect, that they retreated with olina. Though this office was very reluctantly great precipitation. As the light infantry behaved accepted by him, and only through the earnest sowith more resolution, and were pressing forward on licitations of Greene, yet did he discharge its duthe American right flank, notwithstanding a warm ties with his accustomed zeal, energy, and patriotfire from the volunteers, who were too few to keep

them in check, it became necessary to withdraw ism. For surely it must have required a remarkathe two advanced companies, and they were formed ble development of these qualities to have provided in a line with those at the Court House. The for all the exigencies of an army, then quite nu

VOL. XIV-65

merous, in a State whose finances were not only on several occasions; once, upon a resolution to mismanaged but nearly exhausted, whose territo-give the States an equal vote in the Senate, which ries had been laid waste by the ravages of war, and produced this effect at least, that it caused him to which was filled, not only with foreign but domes-be placed upon the committee to which that subtic enemies. The difficulties of this office were ject was finally referred. Having remained in greater than we, who live in this age of peace, Philadelphia until the adoption of the new Consti prosperity, and plenty, can well imagine. Often.tution became certain, he returned to Carolina, in spite of the most unwearied efforts on his part, where the duties of his profession demanded his athe was unable to procure the necessary quantity of tention. Although, for this reason, his name was provisions for the troops, and in one instance at not appended to the Constitution, yet he heartily least, an evidence of the poor reward which the sanctioned its principal provisions and was always. richest merit often meets with, he was accused of one of its most strenuous advocates. He was a detaining them improperly. This accusation was member of the stormy convention which met at coolly repelled by him, and is such as all will now Hillsborough, to determine the question of its adapacknowledge to be cruel and unjust. When the tion by his own State, and there acted a conspicawhole commissary system was finally abolished by ous part. But as the proceedings of that body are the legislature, he invited that body to an investi- not generally known, are in themselves interesting gation of his accounts, which, having been made, and cannot be better described than they have proved entirely satisfactory to all parties concerned. been by the author, we will give them in his own We next find Colonel Davie engaged in the prac-words. tice of the Law, a profession eminently congenial with his tastes, and well suited to his powers of "The Convention met in the Presbyterian Church mind. Adopting a wide range of studies, and pur- at Hillsborough, July 21st, 1788, and consisted of suing them with the same untiring zeal and energy two hundred and eighty members. Among them which he had exhibited in his country's service, it were the leading politicians of the State, and many men whose learning, eloquence, integrity, and po is no wonder that he soon rose to great distinction. litical sagacity, would have won them a high conBut few years elapsed before his fame, as an advo- sideration in any deliberative assembly. I became cate, spread throughout all Carolina. Such was evident, at an early stage of their proceedings, that the character of his eloquence, and such the confi- the enemies of the Constitution were already condence which was universally reposed in his suc-fident of their majority, and had resolved on their cess and skill, that, it is said, there was not a crim-system of tactics. Their policy was to assure the inal case throughout the State, during a period of fifteen years, in which he was not retained as counsel. Judge Murphy, himself a distinguished man, whose opinion is of the highest value, says that "when the subject suited his genius;" as in criminal cases it always did, "he poured forth a torrent of eloquence, that astonished and enraptured his audience. They looked upon him with delight,| Accordingly it appears throughout the session listened to his long harmonious periods, caught bis that the opponents of the Constitution contented emotions, and indulged that ecstasy of feeling and always ad captandum, while almost the whole themselves chiefly with questions, often teazing which fine speaking and powerful eloquence alone debate came from its defenders. And their part can produce. He is certainly to be ranked among was nobly performed. Foremost in their number, the first orators whom the American nation has and the leading spirit in the whole body was the produced." It is very much to be regretted, that late Judge Iredell, conspicuous for his graceful eleno fair specimen of his eloquence has come down cution, for the apt application of his varied learning, to us, and that his fame in this respect, like that of of government, and his manly and generous temhis intimate knowledge of the working of schemes Patrick Henry, the great orator of Virginia, de- per. He was supported by a band of able debapends principally, if not entirely, upon tradition. ters, and able men who were satisfied to follow such 3 One of the most prominent marks of the high es- leader, and whom he could fully confide in; Govtimate which his fellow-citizens entertained of his ernor Samuel Johnson, always calm, lucid and conability and integrity was his election, by the legis-vention, shared in its debates also, as they were vincing, and who, though the president of the Cenlature, as a delegate to the convention which met most of the time in committee of the whole; Coin Philadelphia, A. D. 1787, for the purpose of lonel Davis, too impetuous to be politic, but adding amending the old Confederation. And, if he did a peculiar familiarity with the subjects of discussion not play as prominent a part in that body as might to his always bold and commanding eloquence, have been expected, it was because modesty bade Spaight who had also been a member of the Fedhim yield to those whose years and experience ton, sensible, pointed and vigorous; and by no eral Convention; Archibald McLane, of Wilming were greater. He was not, however, a perfectly means the least among them, General John Steele, silent spectator of its proceedings, but addressed it of Salisbury, laborious, clear-sighted, and, though

doubtful members of their own party and sedure the wavering ones of their opponents, not so much by a frank discussion of the Constitution which they endeavored to prevent altogether as by the statement of plausible objections. As skilful fenand left hardly any art of captions disputation uncers they avoided every exposure of themselves tried which might throw its defenders off ther guard and put them at a disadvantage.