Second Generation
The following except is from "The History of Orangeburg County South Carolina" . 1898
…in May 1782, Captain Watson (Michael Watson) heard of a body of tories in Dean's Swamp, near Orangeburg, and, in conjunctin with Captain William Butler-his friend and neighbor-it was determined to attack them. Watson's ment were mounted militia…(details of attack continue)…
Watson survived until the American reached Orangeburg. In that village he was buried with the honors of war, and his grave was watered with the manly tears of his fellow soldiers. P528
List of Revolutionary War battles fought on the soil of what is now Orangeburg County:
7. (the last one) DEAN SWAMP, May 1782. Captains Watson and Butler attack Tories. Led into ambush. Watson and Vardell killed, Butler defeated. P530
History of Edgefield County From the Earliest Settlements to 1897. 1897
Michael Watson
Michael Watson's first essay in arms with the militia of South Caroilna was in 1762, in the expedition against the Cherokee Indians led by Colonel Grant of the regular army. And after that he was found veryforward, brave, and efficient in opposition to the lawles banditti in 1767 and 1768. I find no mention of the time when Michael Watson's father settled in Edgefield, but he must have been amonst the first I that section of the country. At that time there were no courts nearer than Charlestown. Edgefield, or rather Ninety-Six, for Edgefield was not known until a good many years afterwards, was filling up very rapidly with people from 1760 to 1770, not only with good industrious settlers, but with a great many who were not so. P146
The peace of 1763 turned loose a grat many soldiers on both sides of the Atlantic, who had been rendered unfit for th arts of peace, and who sought to live by preying upon theproperty of others. Many of these sought refuge in the District of Ninety-Six as a secure asylum, and as a good field for their operations, as there were no courts nearer than Charlestown, which was a hundred and fifty or two hundred miles away…But before these courts were established we find that in 1767 a aband of marauders made an inroad among the neighbors of Michael Watson on theRidge, and threatened the life of his father. Michael, William, and their father, with two other men, purued them about thirty miles. Whe they overtook them they found them lodged I a house in which they had taken shelter. The Watson party advanced and were fired upon by those inside. Old Mr. Watson, William, and one other were instantly killed. Michael was wounded, but he and theother survivor rushed into the house before those inside could reload their guns. Michael killed two of them; his friend, whose name is not known, wounded another, but th survivors made their escape. Some fo them were afterwards captured and taken to Charlestown and tried…P147
When the Revolutionary War began Watson was already well known for his courage and patriotsim. In the war against the Cherokees, in 1776, he rendered very efficient service at Little River, when the division was in some confusion, by collecting a chosen band and charging the Indians, driving them back and so saving the division. After the fall of Charlestown, and the British and Tories became dominant in the up country, on one occasion a party surrounded his house at night while he was in bed. He heard them talking at one end of the house about the mode of attack. He did not stay long upon the order of his going (?) but went at once, and seizing his gun he ran out of the door a the other end of the house, and escaped to the woods about fifty yards distant. He then began to cal out, as if to collect a body of men on guard: “Here they are! Come on, boys! Charge!” He then fired off his gun. The Tories were frightened and somewhat disgusted, and left speedily. P148
At another time his house was surrounded in theopen day, when he was alone with his family. He leaped out rhrough a windown and ranfor the woods. The enemy fired at him as long as he wasin sight, but he escaped unhurt, thought his clothes had several bullet holes through them. Afterwards a Tory Colone, Kin Williams, came to his plantation with three hudnred men…Watson was not at home at the time, or he would probably have been killed. They burned every house on the place; killed every hog and cow, and all thepoultry,k and either destroyed or carried away all theprovisions. With the assistance of his neighbors, he made another home about eight miles away, but he was still frequently disturbed. On once occasion a man named Hartley undertook to carry off the only horse he had left. Watson was then at home and was toomuch for Hartley. He fired upon him, wounded him in the arm, and took him prisoner; made him go home with him, dressed his wound, and treated him with greatest kindness. Such kind treatment from Watson and hisfamily had so good an effect upon Hartley that he left the Tories, became a good Whig and served under Watson. Often after the war he was heard to relate these facts.
Watson's career was brought to a close a short time before the close of the war. In May 1782, hearing of a body of Tories in Dean's Swamp, near Orangeburg, Watson and William Butler determined to attack them…(details of attack continue) P148-149