William Sparks--in Nacogdoches, where he used to eat off Delftware

An episode in the military career of William Sparks:
"In less than a year after my return from the campaign against the Cherokees above detailed, a party of Tories, about 150 in number, robbed my Father, taking a horse, saddle, and bridle, six guns, all our pewter (we had no delftware in those days) and whatever else they could carry. My company was immediately called out and others amounting in all to about one hundred and fifty mounted gunmen under the command of Col. Benjamin Cleveland. We pursued the above named Tories a distance of between 60 and 70 miles and overtook them in Coxe's settlement near the Virginia line. They were feasting, frolicking and many of them drunk. We killed and wounded 25 or 30 of them in a fight, made prisoners of nearly all the rest, of whom [we] hung five or six, the balance of the prisoners were discharged by Col. Cleveland upon their promise not to molest the patriots for the future."