rag> IB-HNOS MOUMTAm HERALD-TuMdoy. Octobw 7. 1980
Mattie Bell, Revolutionary
Not many wore uniforms. Fewer still were
found on the battlefields. Yet countless women
served valiantly during the Revolution.
One whose service was invaluable was Mattie
BeJl, nurse, midwife, lifesaver, spy. Bom in 1735
in Orange County, now Alamance, she married
Cd. John McGee m 1766, a wealthy landowner and
widower with two children. McGee died about the
beginning of the Revolution, leaving Martha with
five young children and the richest widow in
Ran(M>lDh Countv.
William Bell, widower, won over the other
bachelors and widowers who eagerly sought
Martha McFarlene Bell’s hand, and they were
wed May 6, 1779.
I don’t know if Mattie Bell >vas one of our ances
tors or not (my mother’s maiden name is Bell) but
was interested in this heroine of the Revolution
and Grace J. Rohrer, Secretary to the Depart
ment of Cultural Resources, supplied me with her
story.
Frmn the earliest, Mattie supported the Patriot
cause. Her hermsm and acts of oravery were not
merely brief incidents, but covered the entire
Revolution “from the day of <^en hostilities until
peace settled on the ramparts of Yorictown.’’
It was said that Mattie ^‘feared her Maker and
nothing on earth’’ so it was not unexpected that
she took an active part throu^out her life in at
tending to the needs of the sick and needy, going
^en great distances when called. When war came
she dm not flinch at the unsettled conditions of the
area, the bad roads, or highwaymen and
renegades from the various armies. She was well
known among the Toriesfor her Patriot activities,
and her deatn or capture would have removed a
thorn from Tories’ sides.
Often she was accosted by deserters. At one
time, it is said that one of Fanning’s men blocked
her way on the narrow road, grabbed her bridle
and ordered her to dismount. At that, Mattie
pulled her{>istol and threatened to shoot him dead
if he advanced an inch. She to(^ the man prisoner
and drove him home at gunpoint, but he later
escaped.
In 1781, following the Battle of Guilford Court
house, Gen. Charles Cornwallis camped for two
days at the Bell Plantation. He demanded the use
of Martha’s entire idantation for headquarters
and idanned to use her mill for finding com for
his army. As he set forth his demands, Mattie
a^ed if he intended to bum her house and mill
after he no longer had use fiN- them.
The Womans
LIB
By
. Elizabeth Stewart
/
le ger
‘‘Just answer, and then riTexplain,” the defiant
Martha continued.
When Cornwallis assured her he did not intend
to apply the torch to her prc^rty, she explained
that she was fully prepared to burn it herself, then
and there, to deny him the use of it.
During their stay the soldiers plundered the
farm, seizing her grain, cattle and whatever else
they chose. Later, as one particularly insulting
fellow passed her door she wished “his horse
would throw him and break his neck.” A few
miiHites later her wish came tme as the horse
bolted, hurling the soldier down an embankment,
where his head was crushed on the rocks.
When the army retreated to a neighboring farm,
Martha found an excuse to follow them, asking
^estions of every household along the way.
Riding boldly into their camp, wearing her hus
band’s uniform, she ccxnplamed bitterly of the
depredations of the soldiers at ho* plantation, dis
covered, she said, “only after they’d left.” The
information on troop strength and position she’d
gained on her ride was invaluable to G&i.
Nathanael Greene.
Another time, she rode all night with a Whig to
^riLute to
determine Tories’ movement, and the information
led to Col. Light Horse Harry Lee’s successful
raid the following night
Her husband feared to stay at his home at night
and her own activities kept her in constant dan
ger. Once, Tories burned her bam and its con
tents, wounded one son and threatened to shoot
another because they complained.
Tories (Mice threatened the life of Martha’s aged
father, then visiting. As thev approached the
elderlv man with drawn swords, Martha quickly
seized a broadaxe, raised it over her head and de
clared angrily, “If one of you touches him. I’ll
^^^^ou down with this axe. Touch him if you
Overawed by her braveiy and defiance, the sol
diers fled the house, and left her father unharmed.
In the fall of 1781, BeU, returning from a trip,
attempted to sleep under his own roof. Watching
Tories, aware «' his movements, appeared
ixomptly to hang him.
Ihoy arrived, ^nd the house securely closed,
and decided to bum it. Bell leaned out the window
to fire upon them and was immediately knocked
unconscious by a Tory blow to his head.
Martha aroused their teenaged sons from their
beds upstairs and told them to shoot from above,
and in a loud voice ordered a servant to rush to the
neighbor’s to summon “him and the light horse,
for the Tories are here.”
The neighbor had a tro(^ of men at his com
mand, but Mrs. Bell was completely ignorant of
(heir whereabouts. However, her bluff was suc
cessful —the Tories decided retreat was the wiser
course, and once again Martha had saved her
family and her home.
After peace was declared, Martha continued
her career of helping the sick and wounded. She
died Sept. 9,1820, confident she’d helped her coun
try in countless ways.
I li re iiiron lliis liint'K Ih'ikIu
liiirn ill still Ml .mil hri il in stnlc
N'liisi'il 111 n.itiiri's Miri't mi«hl
I rivilom lias the Ihkhi nl lili'
Sunt; iil biril and lall cil pmi
I liittiTiiiK lial on Ill'll tri'i'.
biiTi imirimir ol the iiind
liTi|nilsi' K.iii' to lilx'itil!
lilllllc Ilf KlllliS Mtllllllillll.
I lu ll sill' lili'ii a btiiili' blast.
Siiinmoiu'il ,ill bir iionun lial.
I rli'iiils' till' dis|xit's hour Is pas
I ft biin non oiii ifn>;fanif IffI'
llosi- tiu'i in bfroif mijibt -
I’londsinfn latfil to bi- Iri'f.
Drfii tbf siioitl ol bonoi bnybt
Striifk In I.ikI and I ilxrtv!
C onii'. ii' sons ol patriot siri's
W'lio llu lirants |«iiifr in tbiii
I leri'. iibfii' btirni'il ibiir Ixaion liris,
I it;bl loni loifIll's .ill .nun'
I ill tills inoiinl.nil's yIon inn fifsl
Sinn.iliiin Iroiii sia to si'.i
Sli.ill priKi.iini Ironi I <ist to W ist
llmiiii. IV'.iif .111(1 I ilx'iti'
FIRST FEDERAL SA VINGS & LOAIS
ASSOCIATION
OF KINGS MOUNTAIN
, st-f'
- ■
80 2nDtl[
Anmtierji^i
Battle ‘
lun:
While we are celebrating
The
200th ANNIVERSAR Y
OfThe
Battle Of
Kings Mountain
LET US NOT FORGET THE HARDSHIPS OUR FOREFATHERS ENDURED
IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT ENJOY THE FREEDOMS WE KNOW TODAY
FOR 73 YEARS FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS AREA AND WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE
HAD A PART IN SEEING IT GROW INTO THE THRIVING
COMMUNITY IT IS TODAY
FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS & LOAN
ASSOCIATION
Of Kings Mountain
300 West Mountain Street
(§
Mrs. ( Inn’ l)nri>iiH Mini tun/
KINGS MOUNTAIN BATTLEGROUND ,,„i s, ■
/ he lf//htit inLi tnlc irtis first reiui nl ihc tSS(l (.clchrntit/ii </( the
» •