As published: Carolina Spartan Issue: August 19, 1882 Written by: Wm. T. LEWIS Louisville, Miss. 1885 part 2 Thomas BRANDON was of Irish descent and was born in Pennsylvania in 1741 and emigrated to Union county S.C. about the year 1754. He married a Miss McCool, and settled on Brown’s Creek three miles from where Union C H now stands, in the Vicinity of Wm. KENNEDY, his brother-in-law, where he was residing during the revolutionary war. Col. B. was over six feet in height very active and of great muscular strength. When the revolutionary war commenced, he had a broad sword fashioned out of a saw mill blade, with which he could cleft the head of a bullock. At the battle of Musgrove’s Mill Thomas YOUNG, one of Col. BRANDON’s men, was in a hand to hand fight with a tory, who was about to prove too much for YOUNG. Col. BRANDON discovered the crucial condition of his friend, rushed to his aid, with his broad sword in hand, and with one fell swoop, he severed the Tory’s head from his body. During a skirmish on Enoree river Col. B. came in contact with a tory by the name of John HOUSTON from Chester Co. S.C. and aimed a blow at his head with his broad sword, but the sword glanced a deep wound in his face. HOUSTON fell bleeding profusely and was left on the battle field apparently dead. After the contest was over and each party had retired, on of Col. B’s men visited the battle ground and found HOUSTON still alive weltering in his own blood. He was cared for and recovered from his wound, and was known during the balance of his life as “one eyed John Houston. ” In his old age he emigrated to Mississippi with his two sons, Thomas and Samuel, and finally died on Noxapater creek in Winston County. Col. BRANDON bent his broad sword when he struck John HOUSTON over the head and had to straighten it before he could use it again. Lyman C. DRANER in his “King’s Mountain and its Heroes” says that “On the retreat after the battle of King’s Mountain Col. BRANDON discovered that one of the tories who cad been carrying two of the captured guns had dodged out of the ranks into a hollow sycamore tree by the roadside, and that the Col. Dragged him from his hiding place and completely hacked him to pieces with his sword. Judge O’Neal in his “Annals of Newbrerry” says: “Capt. Philemon WATERS captured a tory who was particularly obnoxious to Col. BRANDON. After the skirmish, when the prisoners were presented to Col. Brandon he, on seeing WATER’ s prisoner, drew his sword and was in the act of running upon him to slay him, when WATERs threw himself between them and announced to his superior (Col. B.) that the prisoner was under his protection and “should not be harmed”. The purpose of vengeance was not abandoned, and Captain WATERS was peremptorily ordered to stand out of the way . “Africa,” said the Colonel to his servant, “ bring me my rifle.” No sooner said than done. WATERS with his rifle in his hand and an eye on that never quailed, said to the Colonel, “now strike the prisoner—the instant you do I will shoot you dead.” The blow was not struck, and the prisoner was saved.” free post Lisa