They all went out to see his dead body, but Beard had recovered so as to sit up

Wonderful coming across the minutiae of history when doing genealogy. An account involving my 7th great grandmother during the Revolutionary war. A wily and determined lady it appears. Source

James Drake of Wheeler's History fame was born in 1726, died about 1791. He married twice, first to Sophia Valentine, by whom there were nine children, three sons: ALBRITTON, JAMES, SILAS; and five daughters. His second marriage was to Mrs. Hartwell Hodges Davis, daughter of Benjamin Hodges and his wife Constance Goodrich (for her ancestry see S. V. F. -m1.s.218) of Isle of Wight, later Southampton. She was the widow of Thomas Davis of Isle of Wight. By this marriage there were two sons: JOHN HODGES DRAKE (See later), and BENJAMIN DRAKE.

Wheeler in his History says: "During the Revolution, about 1778, Captain Beard attacked the house of JAMES DRAKE, Esq. of Nash County, N.C. with a band of Tories. There was no one in the house but Mr. Drake, his son ALBRITTON then about seventeen years of age, and Benjamin Bridgers his half brother, Nathaniel Nichols, Henry Massenger and Robert Pilland.

"Albritton, who was one of a corps of light horse and had been on active duty, scouring the country for these very men, ran out and fired. The Tories then surrounded the house and or dared a surrender. Old Mr. Drake seized a gun and advanced on the foe. The Tories, headed by Beard, sword in hand, rushed into the house; Beard was met by young Albritton Drake with a cutlass, but at the first blow, young Drake's cutlass struck the joist above his head and broke off at the hilt. The old man then joined in the melee, with his gun clubbed, but was soon cut down by the sword of Beard, and was so seriously wounded that he was a gore of blood.

"Seeing her husband cut down, old Mrs. Drake rushed in, not with a weapon, but a "jug of old Nash" even to this day celebrated for its excellent flavor. Her entreaties, and the more potent influence of the liquor produced a parley. She plied them so liberally with the brandy that peace was restored. Beard had been an aspirant for the hand of her daughter.

During this time Captain Peter Goodwin with a troop of horse, galloped up. Albritton Drake threw up his hat and gave a loud Halloo; Goodwin made a furious attack and Beard and his men made a precipitate retreat. He was encountered by Bridgers, who was near; Bridgers gun missed fire, and Beard used his sword, but was knocked down by Bridgers, who thought he had killed Beard, and went to the house and informed them that he had killed Beard. They all went out to see his dead body, but Beard had recovered so as to sit up. He was then taken into custody.

A Negro man, Simon, who had a wife at Drake's, caught another one of the band named Porch. There were taken to Col. Seawell in Franklin County. They were there tried by Court Martial and both forthwith hung. Such was the end of Captain Beard.

Mr. Drake died in 1790 in the 65 year of his age.

His brave son Albritton, married and then settled in Robeson County, N.C. where his son John lived; then moved to Kentucky. He raised a large family. (See later) His son Col. JAMES P. DRAKE, commanded an Indiana Regiment in the war with Mexico. He died at 80 years of age.

We think of the serried ranks of Continental and British soldiers, marching to war, but much of the war was local and involved courage, liquor, strong women, brave sons, misfortune, tragedy, and dark comedy.