Robert Long was another lesser-known hero of the Little River Regiment of Patriots.
Robert’s parents were Daniel and Susannah Long. Daniel died when Robert was 4, and his mother remarried Joseph Adair, Sr. Robert married Sarah Adair, one of Joseph’s daughters. He is buried along with second wife Elizabeth and daughter Susan at Duncan Creek Presbyterian Church.
That he has no record of his age but was told by his Mother that he was born in the
County of Antrim in Ireland about the year 1763 or 4—when 4 or 5 months old his father
emigrated to Pennsylvania, and in two years after to this State to the place where he now lives &
has ever since that his father died when he was four years old; that he had only one brother who
died in 1776—that his father’s people lived in Scotland originally & in Charles the fifth’s time
opposed his tariff or ship money and being of that kind of Presbyterian called Covenanters in
Charles the Second’s time, fled to Ireland to escape his persecution.
Being left at his father’s death in a neighborhood of Whigs in the Revolutionary War between them and his father’s policy & above all the all-wise Providence of God; he was a Whig, that He made his way perfect.
Six separate tours of duty summarized as follows:
1st – 1778, April – August – He volunteered in the militia under Col. James Williams’ Little River Regiment of South Carolina on horseback. The object of the campaign was to take St. Augustine; he served under Capt. Josiah Greer, Lieut. Col. Robert McCrery, and Brigadier General Andrew Williamson.
2nd – 7 January 1779 – volunteered his services under Capt. Josiah Greer under the immediate command of Lieut. Col. Robert McCrary in conjunction with Majr. Brandon [Thomas Brandon] of Col. Thomas [John Thomas, Jr.’s] Regiment and marched in pursuit of Col Boyd in Savannah.
3rd – 1779, June and July – against the British to Stono, under Capt. Joseph Greer (who had succeeded his brother Josiah), and Major Robert Gillam of the same Regiment.
4th – 1779, 2 months after July – against the Creek Indians, on horseback, under Major Gillam and
Brigadier Gen. Andrew Williamson.
5th- 1780, March – May – Augusta, GA at the time of the siege of Charleston. He then marched to the siege under Col Andrew Pickens, but Charleston surrendered before they got there. Then marched to Camden to see Governor John Rutledge who sent them home, this all on foot.
6th- 1780, November – escaped a refugee from the British and Tories 1 November 1780. Served on horseback under Col. Joseph Hayes of the Little River Regiment of South Carolina Militia & Capt. Samuel Ewing. Skirmishes with Tories, and under Genl. Andrew Pickens & Genl. Daniel
Morgan at Tarleton’s defeat 17th January 1781. Detached to go with Genl. Morgan to drive cattle under Capt. Neel of Georgia. After crossing the Catawba the battle being disposed of, he joined Capt. Samuel Ewing again and with him continued with General Morgan till about the time he crossed the Dan after which he took the small pox & then the ague; after which he returned to South Carolina & served under Capt. James Dillard and Col. Levi Casey whenever needed till the end of the war.
Not expecting any advantage, but liberty; for the above service has kept no memorandum of it save his memory, he has only to boast he never was drafted through the whole war.
Thomas Entrekin…sworn on his oath saith that he was well acquainted with Robert Long in the
Revolutionary War; that he served in the Little River Regiment of Militia of South Carolina in
expedition to East Florida a tour of about four months under Brigadier Genl. Andrew
Williamson; under Lieut. Col. McCrary and a tour of two months with the Creek Nation; and a
tour of three months at the time of the siege of Charleston under Col. Andrew Pickens & Lieut.
Col. Robert McCrery. That he (Robert Long) served as a refugee from the British in the
American Line under Col. Joseph Hayes in Genl. Pickens’ Brigade till the end of the war that the
was with Col. Hayes in a fight at Col. Dugan’s’ and with Cols. Washington & Hayes at the defeat
of Col. Moore on Bush River and also at the battle at the Cowpens viz Tarleton defeat…
Thomas Entrenkin Pension Application
… that he served a four months tour in the same regiment with him then a boy in the year 1778—and in the months of April, May, June, July & August of said year. And also a month in the beginning of the year 1779 after Col. Boyd of the Tories. And that after the reduction of Charleston he escaped a refugee from the British and Tories and joined the American army under the command of Gen. Thomas Sumter about the first of November in the year 1780 & served in Col. Joseph Hayes’ Regiment and in the company commanded then by this deponent to the end of the war; that the was with him at Col. Moor’s defeat of the Tories under Col. Hayes and Washington and also in the battle at the Cowpens 17th Jany. 1781 and that he continued to serve in some company under him till the end of the war…
James Dillard Pension Application
…that he served as a private in the Little River Regiment of Militia of South Carolina, under Colonel Joseph Hayes of said Regiment; that he came a refugee about the first of November in the year 1780 and joined General Sumpter [sic, Thomas Sumter], in Captain Samuel Ewing’s company that Colonel Hayes Regiment joined General Morgan that he was along with Colonels Washington & Hayes at Colonel More’s [sic, Moore’s] defeat on Bush River about 28th of November 1780 & in the Battle at the Cowpens viz. Tarleton’s defeat on the 17th January 1780 [sic, 1781] that he saw him after crossing the Yadkin River in North Carolina in Captain Ewing’s Company near Guilford Court House — that he has good reason to believe and does believe that he continued to serve in the American Service until late in the war.
Golding Tinsley Pension Application
NOTE: Robert Long also gave a statement of support in Golding Tinsley’s pension application
that he joined the American Army under General Sumter some time before the Battle at Blackstocks in Colonel Hayes Regiment Captain Ewing’s company of Militia
James Tinsley Pension Application
Above all sourced and excerpted from the Pension application of Robert Long S7157
Notes from the Logan Manuscript
Statement of Robert Long, of Laurens District, S. C. made evidently in 1843
Statement of Robert Long, of Laurens District, S. C. made evidently in 1843: Born in Antrim Country, Ireland, about first April, 1763, brought first to Pennsylvania in his infancy, and at about 27 years old to where he now lives.
That being under age he did no military duty till the 15th April, 1778, when he volunteered on horseback under Capt. Josiah Greer, of the Little River regiment of South Carolina militia, otherwise Col. James Williams. Capt. Thos. Dugan’s company of same regiment and Capt. Greer were ordered by Col. Williams over Saluda after some tories who had set off for East Florida to join the King’s people; after crossing Saluda and going as far as the Piney Woods House, they returned to Col. Williams’ plantation, when Lieut. Col. Robert McCrery, of same regiment, took the command, and Capt. Benj. Kilgore’s and Capt. Robert Ritchey’s company joined us. Ritchey’s lieutenant was Richard Golding, Kilgore’s lieutenant was John D. Cue, Dugan’s, Levi Casey, and Green’s, Matthew McCrery and Jas. McNees. Lockley Leonard was adjutant; James Dillard, Sergeant Major, and Charles Smith, Quartermaster. After crossing Saluda and Savannah rivers, we then joined Brig. Gen. A. Williamson; his staff, Benj. Crafton, Adjutant-General, as he was called, –Purves, Major of Brigade, John E. Calhoun, Wagon-Master General, etc.
The object of this campaign was to take St. Augustine. We crossed Ogeechee, at Gov. Wright’s plantation, and he forded at the precise time of the notable eclipse of the sun, 24th June. July 4th over Cat Head Swamp had 13 guns fired there for independence; 2 or 3 days after, crossed the Altamaha river, then Little Satilla and Great Satilla, then St. Mary’s. Gen’l. Robert Howe, of the Continentals, with 3 or 4 regiments of South Carolina regulars were there, as also Gov. John Houston, Georgia. His army was composed of regulars, minute men and militia.
Gen’l. Williamson’s army consisted of Col. Hammond’s regiment commanded by himself and Maj. Pickens; Col. (John) Winn’s, commanded by himself; Col. Goodwin’s, the same; Col. Thomas’ regiment commanded by Maj. Thomas Brandon; Col, Lyle’s by himself, and Williams as above, amounting, as was said, to 1,300 men. Had no fighting except that Col. Clark did at Brown’s Battery on Alligator Swamp, Major Pickens was sent there with 500 men. Brown was gone. A council of war was called, and they determined to return home,, where we arrived 14th August, being about four months out.
The next time he volunteered against Col. Boyd of the Tories, under same Captain J. Greer and Lieut. McCrery; Lieut. Col. McCrery and Maj. John Williams of said regi-ment, and Major Thomas Brandon of Thomas’ regiment. Having heard of a refractory spirit North (of) Enoree river, in now Spartanburg, Maj. Brandon and Capt. Palmer had been sent with 30 men to allay it, but the Tories were then too numerous for them. Capt. Greer, having notice, raised 30 men to reinforce them, of whom he was one, when there was found that they amounted to 500. We got reinforced to about 250 in two or three days, and pursued after them, crossing Saluda, Little River and Rocky river to Savannah river. Col. Pickens defeated them in Georgia. Set out about the 7th of January, 1779, and got home about the 13th February-37 days on horseback.
On a two months tour on foot, in 1779, 1st June to last of July, 61 days, under Capt. Joseph Greer commanded by Maj. Robert Gillam of same regiment, Capts. Charles Saxon, Wm. Milner; Hugh Saxon, Adjutant; Robert Ross, Sergeant Major; George Neely, Commissary, against the British at Stone in South Carolina, crossed Saluda and some forks of Edisto, 2 months.
August 10th, 1779, against the Creek Indians same regiment and company officers, and Brigadier A. Williamson and Col. Andrew Pickens, crossed Saluda, Little river, Rocky river and Savannah river. Got home 8th October- 58 or 59 days out on horseback. The object was to take a certain Cameron, superintendent for the British over the Cherokee Indians, then at the Big Shoemake, in the Creek Nation. Cameron, having got notice of their object, slipped out of the way, supposed by Gen. Williamson, then a traitor.
March 1st to June 7th, 1780, under Capt. Joseph Greer, Lieut. Virgin, and Lieut. Col. R. McCrery; Robt. Ross, Sergeant Major; Joshua Pickens, Quartermaster; Capts. Saxon, Milner, and Stevens,-crossed Saluda and Savannah rivers; lay in camp 3 miles South of Augusta six or seven weeks at the time of the siege of Charleston, then crossed Savannah with 138 men to go to the siege. Joined Col. A. Pickens near the Ridge, Major Noble of the line, and Major Bowie of brigade, the whole of the command amounting to about 300 men. Charleston having surrendered, crossed Congaree river, went up to Camden, then home 7th of June, crossing Broad river. Col. McCrery surrendered to the Tories with Capt. Greer’s company of 30 men.
November 3rd, 1780, he escaped as a refugee from the British and Tories, and joined the American army under Gen. Thomas Sumpter; served on horseback in the fragment of the Little River regiment then commanded (after Col. J. Williams’ death) by Col. Joseph Hayes and in the company formerly commanded by Capt. Greer, but now by Capt. Sam’l. Swing and Lieut. James Dillard.
When Sumter had crossed the Enoree, he went to take a view of Col. Tarleton’s camp at Sherer’s Ferry on Broad river; immediately on his return to. his former camp, he odered Ewing’s company of 14 men to cross Dunkin’s creek, and reconnoitre the country towards the fort the Tories had on Col. Williams’ plantation; and upon our returning to Sumter’s camp, he had decamped, having gotten certain notice that Tarlton was advancing upon him. We followed Sumter’s trail, crossing Enoree, found Tarlton was between us and Sumter; took two of his men and escaped. This is the reason we were not in the battle of Blackstocks. Crossed the Tyger Fair forest, and joined Col. Brandon next day, and took a number of prisoners and came up with our prisoners to Sumter’s camp on Pacolet at Buffenton’d Iron Works, then crossed Pacolet to Gondelock’s; from there Col. Lacey, Col. Tyles, Col, Hayes, Col. Bratton, Lieut. Col. Nixon, and Major Fair, with about 100 men, were sent across Pacolet, down Broad river near the British camp, near which had a skirmish with ’em in the night; Col. Nixon was killed and two or three others on our part. Crossed the Tyger and Broad rivers that night, and Sandy river next day, and on to Col. Watson’s, near Hill’s Iron Works. In a few days marched to Love’s Ford on Broad river-that is, Capts. Casey, Ewing and Harris, commanded by Col, Hayes; joined Col. Brandon there; from that to 3rd or 4th December lay by not a day, -no, nor night either, but marching and counter-marching, occasionally crossing and re-crossing Broad river, Pacolet, Tyger, and Enoree,- sometimes Cols. Brandon and Hayes together, at others detached in companies as the service seemed to require, or as the enemy receded or advanced. 3rd or 4th December at night at Holanswith’s [Hollingsworth]Mill near Broad river, Col. Hayes with Capts. Casey, Ewing and Harris of his own regiment, and Capt. Blasangam of Col. Brandon’s, about 40 men, crossed the Tyger and Enoree next day, and by next night rode near 40 or 50 miles to Col. Dugan’s place; at dark attacked Major Lantrip with about 60 Tories; wounded 8 and took 10 prisoners. Col. Hayes, and Capts. Harris and Blassengam, Capt. Casey, and Capt. Ewing, re-crossed Enoree, Tyger and Broad rivers, about 20th December; again on 24th crossed Pacolet in the night, Grindal’s Shoal; 35th Gen. Morgan joined us with 500 men; 36th Col. W(ashington’s) cavalry, 84 (in number); and 27th at sunset crossed Pacolet. Col. Washington’s 84 cavalry, and Cols. Brandon and Hayes about 200 militia, rode that night about 16 miles, and next day about after crossing Tyger and Enoree, attacked Col. Moore and about 500 Tories on Bush river; killed and wounded a great many, took 40 or 50 prisoners, and dispersed the rest and also Will Cunningham, with 100 more a mile or two from Moore’s camp; and on the next day the fort at Williams’ plantation. On our return to Gen. Morgan’s, South of Enoree, met Cols. Thomas and Roebuck with 300 men, and just on the North of it, met Col. A. Pickens just escaped from the Tories at Ninety-Six, and 95 men with him. Crossing the Enoree, Tyger and Pacolet got to Morgan’s camp. Provisions and forage being scarce in that part; Pickens about that time advanced to command the brigade, crossed the Pacolet with his own, Col. Brandon’s and Hayes’ regiments, and moved down Fairforest as a body of observation, and to encourage our friends to turn out, which they did then considerably after Moore’s defeat.
January 12th, 1781, Pickens at Fairforest meeting house got notice from his’ spies that Tarleton was advancing fast towards Morgan’s camp. We crossed Fairforest at dark, and Pacolet at Skal Shoal, 16 miles, then marched to Morgan’s camp 8 miles. On hearing Pickens’ relation, Morgan beat a retreat. Marched up the road towards Cowpens, and Pickens up Pacolet through the hills; camped that night, the 13th, on a very high hill. 14th joined Morgan, camped together that night, Cols. Thomas as Roebuck also with 200 men; 15th passed Brushfort on Mickelty; 16th marched close order all day till in the night; set the woods on fire in two or three places, which no doubt retarded Tarleton’s pursuit each time at least a fourth of an hour; which brought sun up before he was in sight of us.
The 17th (January) the infantry marched out in sections, and divided two and two as they got ten paces of Hayes’ regiment already formed across the road. Hayes regiment then moved to the right of the infantry, 70 or 80 yards in advance; Major McDowell, of North Carolina, in advance of us 70 or 80 yards, and Major Triplet, of Virginia, in our rear; Cols. Thomas and Roebuck in the extreme right. The left wing was similarly formed of militia. The cavalry in rear of infantry. The watch-word was on being hailed, viz.: “Who are you?” Answer: “Fire.” Reply, “Sword.” So the word was fire and sword. By this we were to know our friends from foes.
Hayes’ regiment having advanced too far were to retreat and form on our old ground; when the North Carolinians were retreating in order to be ready to cover their retreat; failing of this the Virginians broke before we got to them. We were not rallied until Gen. Morgan did it in person. At that time Tarleton brought 200 or 300 cavalry round in the rear of our left wing of militia. Col. Washington charged them with his cavalry; at the same time our infantry charged the British with the bayonet, and took their field pieces, while those on the right and left surrendered or retreated.
Crossed Broad river next day, and on to Gilbert Town, where we left the arms taken from the British. General Pickens with the militia, took the prisoners through the spur of the mountains; and Gen. Morgan with the infantry and cavalry pushed on for Ransom’s Mill, South fork, and Sherard’s Ford, on Main Catawba, where he crossed. The British crossing in a few days, particularly the first day of February, Morgan crossed the Gadkin.
Immediately before Tarleton’s defeat, A. Pickens was made Brigadier-General, and James Jackson his Major of Brigade; Capt. Levi Casey Lieut. Col. under Col. J. Hayes, Jared Smith his Major, and James Dillard, Lieut, under Capt. Ewing. Under Capt. Ewing (Lomg) continued to serve with Pickens and Morgan till about the time they crossed the Dan, and till 1st April, 1781, (except while in on small-pox). Being then destitute of every clothing, had to quit the service, and to work to obtain clothing; from that, and a long, tedious and severe sickness, he did not get back to South Carolina till 1st March, 1783.
He then entered under Capt. James Dillard of the aforesaid company (Capt. Ewing having resigned) he succeeded him, John Jones was Lieut. under him in said company.
Cols. Hayes being killed tory Will Cunningham and the Tories, Levi Casey was Colonel, Jared Smith Lieut. Colonel, and Thomas Dugan Major. Under and with the above officers he served till in February, 1783.
The last service he did was under Lieut. Jones, of said company, after a company of Tories who were making an incursion into the Little River regiment, but they went off before we got up with them. This service, namely from the 1st of March, 1782, ’till in February, 1783, he can give no particular account of, as sometimes he served 1/2, and other 1/3, and some but 1/4 of his time, just as circumstances required. However, he has no doubt in saying that he served at least one-third of that time. (End.)
This was made to secure a pension. L. C D.
ROBERT LONG’S MEMOS.-After Blackstock’s Battle, he was in a skirmish under Col. Lacey, at the mouth of Tyger River; and afterwards in another under Col. Joseph Hayes, at Col. Dugan’s; then at Col. Moore’s, of the Tories, defeat, on Bush river, under Col. Washington; and next day under Col. Hayes at the taking of the fort from the Tories at Col. Williams’.”
Another memo, speaks of the affair at Ninety Six when Cunningham commanded the Scofielites, and attacked Col. Williamson,-formerly over 3,000,-latter scarce 500 ; 5 swivels carrying one and a half pound balls; only one Whig killed in the three days Tory firing: This statement by Robt. Long, of Laurents County, S. C.
ROBERT LONG’S ACCOUNT OF COL. SAM’L HAMMOND’S SERVICES
States on oath that he was acquainted with S. H. in the Rev. War, and more particularly after the reduction of Charleston,-about the 1st of July, he saw him in Laurens Dist. in command of a small company of men on his way to join the Northern army; that he stopped 2 or 3 days in bounds of the Dunkin’s Creek company of the old Little river reg’t of militia, to give time for some Whigs to prepare to go on with him,-in which time he piloted 4 to his company, this was just before the fight at Musgrove’s Mill, which he must have been in; that some time after he saw him (Sam’l. Hammond) in General Sumter’s camp; that he must have been with Sumter in the fight at Blackstock’s.
You passed as Captain on Friday night before the fight at Blackstock’s-you came with your company to John Odle’s on Enoree, and went with us into Sumter’s camp at John Smith’s just as Sumter returned from Therer’s Ferry. Fourteen of us under Capt. Ewing were sent out to reconnoitre towards Williams’ Fort; when we returned Sumter had retreated towards Blackstock’s, and Tarleton between us and Sumter. We knew nothing of this till we came up with Tarleton’s rear and took two of his men prisoners.
Capt. Inman, James Dillard and Isaac Greer were sent by General Morgan in the night before the fight at Cowpens to notice Tarleton’s approach, etc.
(Now resume deposition of R. Long’s.)
That deponent knows that Capt. Hammond was in Tarleton’s defeat, but thinks he was then promoted to Major; thinks he commanded on the left wing front line, and this deponent was under Col. Jo. Hayes, next to Col. Howard’s infantry; that he saw him afterwards both in South and North Carolina with Gen. Pickens till, he was attached as a Major, or Captain to Gen. Sumter’s State troops or cavalry.
Adds that he sends the deposition of James Dillard, Sen’r., also of Laurens.-No date, except elsewhere on the paper has the year “1832” on it.-L. C. D.
These MSS. of Robert Long were sent to Dr. Logan, by D. C. Long, only surviving son of Robert, June 10, 1858,-of Dallas Co., Ala., P. O. Uniontown, Parry County, Alabama.
COL. SAM HAMMOND.-Miss Susan Long, daughter of Robert. Long (of Abbeville)-says: “It was on this same plantation that Robert Long, in a deep ravine that runs up from Miller’s creek, concealed and fed-Hammond, and a Whig from Georgia, till having induced some 14 or 15 Whigs to join him, and whom he (Long) led to the ravine at night, when he sallied out.
In after years Squire Long met Hammond at the State Convention in Columbia, in 1832, when Hammond pointing to Long said to the company at that table, “That man, when a boy of 16 fed me, in Laurens, on Joe Adair’s plantation till I was strong enough to venture out in spite of the Tories.”
NOTE: Miss Susan Long was Robert Long’s daughter, also Joseph Adair, Sr.’s granddaughter.
THE RING FIGHT.-Miss Susan Long’s tradition says:
In the Ring Fight in the Indian nation a young man named Thomas Ellison was one of the participants-from Duncan’s creek-he was of great muscular strength, and sustained a desperate hand-to-hand struggle with a powerful Indian. The Indian, it seems, was so oily, that Ellison could get no hold of him, while Ellison having very long hair, the Indian had a great advantage of him. Ellison lost his knife in the struggle, but after a great effort he got the Indian’s who gave up at once, when Ellison killed and scalped him. He was astonished when he looked up to find the whites victorious, help having just come up.
On one occasion (says Miss Susan Long) Col. Nixon and Col. Joseph Hayes (of Hayes Station) attacked a station of Tories in a house on the Tyger, in the lower part of Union. Nixon was shot down as they approached the house. Hayes rushed to the door, and by means of a rail broke it down, and had got some distance into the building, when looking back he found himself deserted by his men. He then fought his way out, and made his escape. Nixon was shot in the back and lived till next day, lying where he had fallen. No Whig dared to go to his help for fear of the sharp-shooters in the house. It was said that a hundred dollars were offered any man who would bring him off. When Hayes was pushing in the door, the lady of the house rushed out by him, doubtless a Tory, but frightened, and after running some distance from the building received a ball shot by one of the Tories-whether by accident or design, is not known. Her screams moved the sympathies of the Whigs, and they intimated to the Tories that they could send out and remove her to the house; they did so,-whether she survived was never ascertained. The Whigs had divided into four companies as they attacked the house-Hayes burst open the door with a rail-Nixon was shot from a window. They had to abandon the siege.
Dr. Thos. Weir, of Laurens, S. C, is a brother-in-law.
An article dated May 31, 1859 in the Charleston Mercury, entitled
“From the Laurensville Herald, Old Recollections,”
“In the “Annals of Newberry,” pages 41 and 42, it is clearly proven that Col. Tarleton [of British infamy] left Tea Table Rock in Newberry District, S.C., on the 9th of January 1781, en route for Cowpens; and that he was eight days marching from that point to Cowpens, a distance of 75 miles. History has represented him as pursuing Morgan at this time with all haste. But here seems a discrepancy, and I think the authority given above sufficient to establish the fact of Col. Tarleton’s leaving the Tea Table Rock on the 9th of January – the battle of Cowpens being on the 17th. This difference in the statements in history, has suggested the inquiry in my mind as to where Col. Tarleton was during those eight days. Failing to glean additional light from all histories of that period within my reach, I have endeavored, through other sources, to trace it out. As yet, I have only been able to find out where he spent one-and-a-half days of that time. As the fact of his spending one-and-a-half days in Laurens District at that time, and his object in so doing is not generally know, the following recollections, for which we are indebted to a friend, may not prove uninteresting to your readers:
“Col. Tarleton, after leaving “Tea Table Rock” on the 9th of January, proceeded to what was then known as Duncan’s settlement on Duncan’s Creek, which runs through the northeastern portion of Laurens District. Here he halted at the house of Robert Long, a well-known Whig, who had done enough hard fighting in the cause of liberty to render Tarleton particularly anxious to capture him. Here (at Long’s), Tarleton fixed his headquarters. Dwelling in the same neighborhood, and not far from Long’s, lived another prominent Whig, named McCrary – whose descendants still live there, as also do those of Long- whom Tarleton was eager to capture also. Long was absent from home when Tarleton took possession of his house; but when returning, and being within a few miles of his home – his heart beating with the fond anticipation of meeting his wife and children, and in their arms for a moment to forget his toils, and to gather new strength to battle for his bleeding country – he was astonished when, on meeting a friend, he was told of the occupation of his house by Tarleton. Turning aside, he wended his way to the house of his friend McCrary, there to seek shelter and concealment. Tarleton, with his lynx-eyed followers, was not long in finding out that McCrary and Long were both at the house of the former. He immediately sent out a patrol to capture them. McCrary and Long seeing the patrol coming along the road, ran out the back of the house, endeavoring by that mode to escape; they were quick in this attempt, yet not enough so to elude the vigilant eye of the patrol, who gave chase. McCrary made his escape through the woods, but Long was captured and brought back to the house, which they fired, and proceeded to a convenient tree for the purpose of hanging their prisoner, their orders being to kill them in case of capture. The patrol remained mounted, except the few whose duty it was to hang Long. The rope was placed around his neck, and one of the party had begun to climb a tree for the purpose of fastening it to a limb, when several loaded guns in the house, which they, in their hurry, had not discovered, coming in contact with the flames of the burning building, began firing off, one at a time. The Tories, suspecting it to be a party of Whigs coming to the rescue, put spurs to their horses, leaving Long standing beneath the tree, from which he immediately escaped. The alarm was given in camp, and another patrol sent out, but they failed in finding an enemy.
“Long lived many years after the war, to enjoy the liberty he fought so hard to obtain. The spring, from which Tarleton procured water, is upon the plantation of Dr. Thomas Weir. Recently, whilst making some excavations below the spring, a cartridge box full of balls were found about six feet below the surface. It was presented by Dr. Weir to the museum at Greenwood, which has since been removed to the Laurensville Presbyterian College. [signed] LAURENS”
source http://oursoutherncousins.com/mccrary.html
Listed as a Private on the roster of the First Spartan Regiment
Listed at Carolana.com Privates list, with details
Members of the 21st General Assembly – 1814 to 1815
House of Representatives – Laurens
Robert Long’s mother was Joseph Adair Sr.’s second wife, Susannah.
He married Elizabeth Adair, and was mentioned in Joseph Sr’s will as his son-in-law.
Miss Susan Long provided a great deal of information to Lyman Draper.