The year was 1781. On the night of June 3, Jack was sitting outside the Cuckoo Tavern in the town of Louisa, VA when he heard the sounds of riding cavalry. He crept softly to the roadside where he saw Col. Banastre Tarleton with a detatchment of troops, known as the Green Dragoons, riding toward Charlottesville, VA. Jack knew at once whom they meant to capture there. Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Harrison, and Thomas Nelson, who had all signed the Declaration of Independence and were all members of the Virginia legislature, were together at Monticello having fled from Richmond on the approach of Gen. Charles Cornwallis. Jack knew he had to warn them, and there was no one else to do it.

He saddled and bridled his bay mare, Sallie, and rode the forty miles from the Cuckoo to Charlottesville. He could not take the only road, for fear of being caught. Instead, he rode across meadows, through thickets, woods and footpaths. There was only the moon to light his way. Branches tore his skin and clothing but his determination kept him going. The troops did not know he had seen them and stopped three times along the way: once to rest their horses, next to burn an American wagon train, and the third time at Castle Hill where two legislators were sleeping. Here, they arrested them in their nightshirts.

Jack rode through the night and arrived at Monticello just before dawn. He pounded on the door and warned those inside that Tarleton's men were on the way to capture them. At Monticello that night were Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Nelson Jr., Richard Lee, Benjamin Harrison, Patrick Henry and Edmund Randolph. Before they fled, Jefferson was able to hide the state papers that the British had hoped to find. Tarleton reached Charlottesville two hours later and found his "quarry" gone.

Jack rode on to his father's inn, the Swan, where other assemblymen were staying. He warned them also, and a few militia rushed to hold the British at the river. Several members of the Assembly were taken to General Stevens, who had been wounded and was too weak to ride. Jack disguised the General in a ragged cloak and helped him mount a nag, while Jack put on a fresh uniform and borrowed his father's fastest horse. When Tarleton saw the bright red coat with epaulets and braid, he thought Jack was an officer of high rank. Jack led the British on a chase while General Stevens slipped away.

The legislature, reconvening in Staunton, promptly voted Jack "an elegant sword and a pair of pistols" in appreciation of his activity and enterprise.

Jack moved the following year to parts unknown to marry. The horse, Sallie, that carried Jack on his ride, became the ancestor of a long line of thoroughbred race horses.

 

Hey Dave....he looks pretty good for a guy damn neer 300 years old :D

 

Hey, I believe this same Jack had a roofing business on the side. :eek:
We're gonna have to start calling him "Jack, dagalloping Roofer"! :lol:

 

oh boy...i just got the image......shorts on a Horse....thats gotta chaf man :eek: :lol:

 

:cheers: Aw Shucks :bb , Mike!

It wasn't anything anyonelese wouldn't have done under the circumstances :rolleyes:

I guess you saw the swords hanging on the wall when you were at our house, didn't you.

As for Sallie, what a great horse! A full 4 horsepower!

Wish you hadn't told everybody this...somethings you just wanna keep secret!

:seeya


[Modified by jackdaroofer, 7:45 PM 4/22/2002]

 

I thought you said the nags name was Bernie. Ooops, wait, that's a different time and different place! :D :lol: :cheers:

 

Nope right time....right place....lmao :yesnod: :yesnod:

Well Jack....I just couldn't hold back anymore.....just had to tell on ya :crazy:

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Too Freakin Funny..

 

On our ferry cruise two weeks ago, Jack was telling us about how they had found the original settlement after thinking it had eroded into the river. I wonder if he had a hand in pointing them to the location from memory :confused: :hat :smash:.

 

So that's where he got the wore out gloves! If he had worn his kilt the British would have surrenderd then and the war would have been over! :lol: :lol: :lol: