{"id":4861,"date":"2020-12-01T19:57:40","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T19:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=4861"},"modified":"2020-12-01T20:00:31","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T20:00:31","slug":"i-surrounded-them-myself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/i-surrounded-them-myself\/","title":{"rendered":"I Surrounded Them Myself"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pulling<\/a>
Pulling Down Statue of George III – Painter Unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the most bizarre – if true – stories from the American War of Independence tells of a Sergent McCarthy on a mission for General Marion<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Times were bad in the war, and to link up with Greene
\nMarion selected McCarthy to be scout…
\nAs they held on by the woods to hold out best they could
\nTo link with Greene McCarthy set out.
\nSome say it it true, more say its a tale,
\nWhether true or a tale the tale I tell,
\nFor if true or a tale this tale I regale
\nLet it honour those who in that war faught and fell.<\/p>\n

It was a hot August day as he made his way
\nBack from Greene to where he though Marions camp aught to be…
\nHe heard voices about, being wary as a scout
\nHe climbed for vantage the scene to see…
\nThere not nothing to be seen, but the voices were clear,
\nSo with caution onward he advanced,
\nAll at once, in a clearing, at ease twenty odd English sat,
\nNot a sentry on this group upon which McCarthy chanced!<\/p>\n

What luck for an Irishman, it got better he saw,
\nDown in a pile by the bushes were all their guns,
\nLazing in the heat the trees shades beneath
\nSat dozing some of Brittanias best sons.
\nSlowly, one by one, each gun McCarthy seized,
\nIn undergrowth not far away there them he his,
\nTill with whistle to command men who were not there
\nAs captives to obey him the English he bid.<\/p>\n

“Prudence is the better part of valour” said McCarthy with a smile
\n“We have you in these trees here surrounded,
\nTurn your backs and follow the commands that I say”
\nMeekly the English obeyed, all dumbfounded.
\n“Step it on and stay looking forward” was McCarthys command
\n“Woe be to the fool who turns back his head,
\nFor I shall and I am am an of my word
\nI shall shoot each and every one dead.”<\/p>\n

In time on the march he reached Marions camp
\nThe Captain came out of his tent,
\nSaw twenty one English amassed under gunpoint there stood,
\nLooked puzzled at that this all meant.
\nWere the deserters or what, was what went through his mind,
\nThen he saw McCarthy with the gun,
\nWith a wry smile he looked at the chancer with a nod
\nTo acknowledge the prisoners he had won.<\/p>\n

McCarthy in army style preformed the salute
\n “In the name of God how did you do it…” the Captain cried
\nMcCarthy just smiled, and enjoyed the moment before giving the retort
\n“I surrounded them myself” he calmly replied…
\nIrishmen fighting abroad have often done strange deeds,
\nOf them and more forgotten are stories told,
\nUp there with the best is McCarthys guile and gall
\nWhether true or a tale it will not grow old!!!<\/p>\n

Notes<\/p>\n

(i) General Marion – General Francis Marion<\/p>\n

Source:
\nStory from “The McCarthys in Early American History”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the most bizarre – if true – stories from the American War of Independence tells of a Sergent McCarthy on a mission for General Marion Times were bad in the war, and to link up with Greene Marion selected McCarthy to be scout… As they held on by …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4373,20,1],"tags":[4375,4376,4374,4377],"class_list":["post-4861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-american-war-of-independence","category-irelands-wars","category-uncategorized","tag-american-war-of-independence","tag-derring-do","tag-gneral-marion","tag-irish-soldier","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-1gp","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5173,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/turning-the-big-one-hundred-a-north-longfordman-remembered\/","url_meta":{"origin":4861,"position":0},"title":"Turning the Big One Hundred – A North Longfordman Remembered","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"21st February 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Dad would have been 100 if alive today. 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Glossary to be added, as some of the stories make sense\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Family Stories","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/family-stories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"How it finished - the last photo of dad and ma in relative health","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/How-it-finished-the-last-photo-of-dad-and-ma-in-relative-health.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5227,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/angels-cry-for-gaza\/","url_meta":{"origin":4861,"position":1},"title":"Angels Cry for Gaza","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"13th December 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Poets record history As only they could: Armed with pencils History written in their blood The bombs rain down All are guilty living there Mothers, children artists are not militants Israelis do not care. The Angels cry for Gaza History will tell the tale When the world looked the other\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Obituaries"","block_context":{"text":"Obituaries","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/obituaries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Refaat Alareer - poet killed in Palestine in the 2023 Gaza War","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Refaat-Alareer-poet-killed-in-Palestine-in-the-2023-Gaza-War.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2863,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/three-men-dead\/","url_meta":{"origin":4861,"position":2},"title":"Three Men Dead","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"22nd June 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"On listening to a talk about three men killed by firing squad in Birr castle in 1922 during the Irish Civil War. They were killed for breaking and entering, not as a combatant element. No poems written, no ballads sung Yet feted as hero's, from life's bottom rung Shot as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Birr"","block_context":{"text":"Birr","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/birr\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"In this archway the three Republican prisoners were executed by Free State forces at Birr Castle","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/In-this-archway-the-three-Republican-prisoners-were-executed-by-Free-State-forces-at-Birr-Castle-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":608,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/a-tale-of-two-wolves\/","url_meta":{"origin":4861,"position":3},"title":"A Tale of Two Wolves","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"18th September 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nKpmwR9oo8Q The Germans a story tell American natives tell one like it as well Of two wolves that in us dwell In each and every man That howl to the sky of our soul An in our lives each play a role In their own way make mankind whole Have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Life"","block_context":{"text":"Life","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/life\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/nKpmwR9oo8Q\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2582,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/abduction-at-legan-bridge\/","url_meta":{"origin":4861,"position":4},"title":"Abduction at Legan Bridge","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"19th June 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Bride abduction is thankfully very rare in Western Europe now, apart from Albania and Montenegro, and most commonly heard of from Kyrgistan where its known as Ala kachuu (\u0430\u043b\u0430 \u043a\u0430\u0447\u0443\u0443) but in more dangerous years it was very common in Britain and Ireland... this poem tells one tragic tale from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Civil Rights"","block_context":{"text":"Civil Rights","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/civil-rights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Horse Drawn Carraige","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Horse-Drawn-Carraige.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":19,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/shot-sentry-forgotten-remembered\/","url_meta":{"origin":4861,"position":5},"title":"Shot Sentry Forgotten, Remembered","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"8th June 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"\"I'll wake him\" said Mac Eoin to the British officer on finding the soldier asleep at the gate of Athlone Barracks, and promptly shot the boy through the temple. 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