“When Gabriel gave the command we had no choice, and what profits it we should have stood up a few seconds longer? The fight is well on, and we have done our part, not as we would have liked, but to the best of our strength.” There were only six of us out of the twenty left alive to surrender, when Gabriel gave the command, and in front of the little party I dare venture to say were no less than two hundred of the enemy. A gallant victory for them in good sooth, and a glorious victory for us, insomuch as we had held this number away, for however short a time, from the path of those who followed General Marion. While one might have counted twenty we stood there facing them in the gloom, which was rapidly decreasing because of the fires which sprung up here and there, showing that a certain number of the enemy had been told off to build them when an attack was made, and then from some one amid the throng, an officer, of course, came the word: “Advance, you rebels, and show yourselves!” Why we were put on parade at such a time, when it was for them a pitiful victory, mayhap thirty or forty to one, I could not fancy, but it behoved us as prisoners to obey, and so we did. Gabriel strode forward proudly, as if he had little heed what might be done with him, we following until having come within four or five paces of the man who had given the command, when suddenly there was a disturbance among those directly facing us, and then from out the mass of armed men came that sneaking, traitorous cur, Seth Hastings! A cry of delight burst from his lips as he recognized Gabriel, and I, unable to hold my peace because of the anger which surged through my heart at sight of him, cried to the officer who had thus put his six prisoners on exhibition: “If the king must needs have such as that miserable Tory’s aid before he can whip us of the Carolinas, do not put us to torture by allowing him here! We will take whatsoever of punishment you may inflict, save the sight of that sneak!” It was even while I spoke, and for this shall I never cease to blame myself, because, had I not allowed the rage in my heart to overpower me, I might perchance have done something toward warding off that dastardly blow. It was, as I say, even while I spoke that the traitorous reptile seized a sabre from the hand of the man nearest him, and running swiftly forward while Gabriel’s face was turned toward the officer, raised the blade, bringing it down on the dear lad’s head with all his strength, cleaving the entire skull. I quivered in impotent rage as I pushed wildly forward, seeing nothing, but having before my eyes that which was like unto drops of blood, and more than that of my own knowledge I cannot tell. Archie Gordon has said that I fell upon that Tory villain before a finger could be raised to stay me, and without weapon, save only my naked hands, I sent his soul into that torment which I firmly believe is to be his forever more.