James Stephen DILLARD

Notes:

                   NOTE:
From the Noble Deeds of American Women, by Jesse Clement, Courageous Act of Mrs. Dillard:
The day before the battle at the Green Spring, in the Spartanburg District, South Carolina; Colonel Clarke of the Georgia Volunteers, with about 200 men, stopped at the house of Capt. Dillard and were cordially welcomed to a good supply of refreshments.  In the evening of the same day, Colonel Ferguson and another officer named Dunlap with a party of Tories arrived at the same house and inquired of the mistress as to whether Colonel Clarke had been there. She gave a direct and honest answer.  He then inquired in reard to the time of Clarke's departure and number of his men.  She cold not guess that number but said that they had been gone a long time.

She was then ordered to get supper, which she did, though in a less hospitable spirit than she prepared the previous meal.  While a work, she overheard some of the conversation of the officers, by which she learned that they were bent on surprising Colonel Clarke, and would start for that purpose when supper was dispatched.

As soon as food was on the table, Mrs. Dillard hurried out the back door, bridled a horse that stood in the stable, and mounting without a saddle, rode until nearly daylight before reaching the Green Spring where Clarke had encamped, and where was to be attacked by Ferugson at the break of day or sooner.

She had just aroused the Whigs and notified them of their danger, when a detachment of two hundred picked mountain men commanded by Dunlap rushed into the camp.  They found their intended victims ready for the charge, were quickly dirven out of camp, and glad to escape by flight.  Thus, fortunately for the friends of freedom, ended this battle, which, for the daring of a single patriotic woman, would doubtless have resulted in the annihilation of the little band of Georgia volunteers.