USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia: containing brief sketches of the most remarkable events, up to the present day, Vol. II > Part 22
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fare, was to get behind trees where they could shelter their bodies and fire from the side ; gene- ral Morgan ordered them to adopt this mode, and when charged by the enemy's cavalry, that two should hold their fire in reserve. General Mor- gan was assured, that the militia who were present would do their duty, so far as it was practicable when acting against regular troops, as their officers had witnessed their bravery on former occasions.
- Tarleton's corps was composed of two hun- dred and fifty of the legion cavalry, the legion and light infantry, some artillerists, with two four pounders, the 7th regiment, and a battalion of the 71st regiment; making a total of one thou- sand select infantry and artillery, and two hundred and fifty cavalry : his line of march was his order of battle ; the light and legion infantry, and the 7th regiment, with the artillery in the centre, with a captain and fifty dragoons on each flank. composed his van, and the battalion of the 71st regiment, and one hundred and fifty dragoons, composed his rear and reserve.
Early in the morning of the 17th, the British van pursued their march until they approached within one hundred and fifty yards of the Ameri- can advanced corps, under Cunningham and M'Dowell : Tarleton ordered his van to display, and before the line was completely formed, he or- dered it to advance and commence the action, without waiting for his reserve to come up and take their station, From his superior numbers,
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and the quality of his troops, he calculated on a certain and easy victory.
The American advanced corps, under Cun- ningham and M'Dowell, opened their fire and supported it with animation, under a brisk fire from the British, until the bayonet was presented, when they retired and took their posts in the in- tervals left for them, in the front line under Pick- ens. The British advanced, firing, and with loud shouts for approaching victory : Pickens received them with a firmness, with which they were un- accustomed from that description of troops, until the British charged them with the bayonet; when Pickens ordered a retreat to the post assigned to them, on the left of the continental troops. As the militia retreated, they were charged by the British light dragoons of the advance ; by which they were unable to form on the left, and they continued to retreat toward the reserve under Washington. Howard received the British van with firmness ; a warm fire ensued, and the ad- vance of the enemy was not with such a quick step. At this time the British reserve had got up, and were ordered by Tarleton to advance and turn Howard's right : Howard ordered Triplet, Tait, and Beale, to wheel backward on their left, and face the turning enemy ; but this order being mis- understood, the whole of the second corps faced about and retired in good order. Morgan per- ceiving the movement of the continental troops, and that they were retiring in good order and un.
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dismayed, and conjecturing the movement to have originated in mistake, rode up to Howard and in a loud tone of voice, pointing to the rising ground in the rear of the hollow way, informed him that was the ground which he wished him to occupy, and to face about.' The British perceiving that the continental troops retreated, shouted victory, and advanced rapidly and in disorder, within thirty yards of Howard's rear, when that officer ordered his troops to face about and fire : this turn of Howard's, so unexpected by the enemy, caused their fears to take the place of the joy with which his retreat had inspired them : the moment was critical, and Howard ordered the drums to beat the charge-the inspiring roll was promptly obeyed : Morgan ordered the reserve to advance and charge the British dragoons, who were cutting the militia, which was obeyed with promptness and effect ; the militia rallied and advanced on Howard's right, and faced the enemy's reserve ; the British infantry, of the van, retreated in con- fusion ; the corps of artillery, with two pieces of cannon, were taken ; Howard turned upon the British infantry of reserve, who surrendered, and major M'Arthur, the chief of the battalion of the 71st regiment, yielded his sword to general Pickens ; and major James Jackson, of Geor- gia, who acted as major of brigade to Pickens, accompanied M'Arthur and introduced him to general Morgan. The retiring enemy were press- ed in pursuit : the defeat was so sudden, that
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the British cavalry of reserve had never been brought into action, and remained unbroken : Washington attacked them, and for a short time the contest was severe and bloody ; Howard ad -- vanced, and the remainder of the enemy fled with precipitation. It was Washington's custom, to be in advance of his troops in the day of battle ; perceiving that he was near forty yards ahead, with only a small waiter near him, Tarleton with two of his officers, wheeled on him : Washing- ton broke his sword, and was defending himself ; the waiter drew a pistol and wounded one of them, and sergeant-major Perry advancing to the relief of his colonel, parried a cut which was made at him, and disabled the sword-arm of the officer. Tarleton aimed a thrust at Washington, which was parried ; upon which Tarleton wheeled and discharged a pistol at him, and wounded his horse. The pursuit was continued several miles.
The Britsh sustained a loss of ten commis- sioned officers, and above a hundred non-com- missioned officers and privates killed ; and nearly two hundred, of all ranks, wounded; and upward of six hundred, including the wounded, were taken prisoners. Two field pieces, eight hundred muskets, two stand of colours, thirty-five baggage waggons, and one hundred dragoon horses, fell into the possession of the victors.
The American loss, on this occasion, was elev- en men killed, and sixty- one wounded; of the for- mer, three, and of the latter, five, were Georgians.
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The position of Cornwallis, on Turkey creek, was thirty miles from the Cowpens, whither Tarleton had promised to escort general Morgan to dinner : the two positions were equi-distant from Ramshauer's mill, on the south fork of the Catawba river, where Morgan must pass in re- treat, by the upper route ; and from the rapidity of Tarleton's movement, calculations were made that Cornwallis would be apprised of the defeat in three hours. There was no time to be lost : Morgan left the wounded on the field of battle, under the protection of a flag, with surgeons and nurses to take care of them ; destroyed the bag- gage he had taken, and commenced a rapid re- treat, directing the militia to take charge of the prisoners, and proceed higher up toward the mountains. 1
After the action, colonel Howard, in convers- ing with major M'Arthur, expressed his surprise at the precipitate, desultory manner, in which the British troops were brought into action ; the gal- lant Scot observed, " that nothing better could have been expected, when troops were command- ed by a rash foolish boy."
Majors Cunningham and Jackson, with the. Georgia troops, continued under the command of general Pickens, and were engaged in several skirmishes during the march of general Greene through North-Carolina, and the destruction of a party of loyalists at Haw river, who were assem- bling under colonel Piles to join lord Corpwallis
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CHAPTER XII.
GENERAL Pickens was ordered to return to South-Carolina, and endeavour to narrow the limits of the British at Ninety-six, and was joined on his march by colonel Elijah Clarke, who had recovered from his wound. As Pickens was pur- suing his march, he received intelligence that major Dunlop, with seventy-five British dragoons, had been detached from Ninety-six into the coun- try, on a foraging party : Pickens detached Clarke and M'Call, with a suitable force, to attack him. On the 21st of March they came up with Dunlop2 who had halted at Beattie's mill, on Little river.' Clarke sent a party to take possession of a bridge, over which Dunlop must pass in retreat, and with the main body advanced and attacked him by surprise. Dunlop retired into the mill and some out-houses, but which were too open for defence. against riflemen ; recollecting, however, his out- rageous conduct to the families and friends of those by whom he was attacked, he resisted for several hours, until thirty-four of his men were killed and wounded ; himself among the latter ; when a flag was hung out and they surrendered. Dunlop died the ensuing night. The British ac- count of this affair, stated that Dunlop was mur- dered by the guard after he had surrendered ; but such was not the fact, however much he deserved such treatment,
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Having received intelligence of the battle at Guilford Court-house, and of the intentions of general Greene to advance into South- Carolina, Clarke proceeded into Georgia with his troops, accompanied by M'Call and a part of his regiment from South-Carolina. About the 12th of April, both these officers were seized with the small pox: Clarke took a retired situation, with a suitable guard, until he recovered ; during which time, the command of the Georgia troops was confided to lieutenant-colonel Micajah Williamson. M'Call returned into Carolina, and died under the disease.
When the Georgians returned into their coun- try, they dispersed into parties of ten and twelve men each, so as to spread themselves over the settlements, and appointed Dennis' mill, on Little river, for the place of rendezvous. When these small parties entered the settlements where they had formerly resided, general devastation was presented to their view ; their aged fathers, and youthful brothers, had been hanged and murder- ed; their decrepid grandfathers were incarcerated in prisons, where most of them had been suffered to perish in filth, famine, or disease ; and their mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and young children, had been robbed, insulted, and abused ; and were found by them in temporary huts, more resembling a savage camp than a civilized habita- tion. The indignant sigh burst from the heart of the war- worn veteran, and the manly tear trickled down his cheek, as he embraced his suffering
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relatives. There is damning proof of the truth of this unvarnished tale ; and the reader may ima- gine the feelings of the Georgian of that day, and ` the measure of his resentment. Mercy to a loyal- - ist who had been active in outrage, became inad- missible, and retaliative carnage ensued.
Captains Johnston and M'Kay, with a few ac- tive militia, had taken a position in the swamp of Savannah river, and were employed in watching the communication between Augusta and Savan- nah. They had frequently intercepted boats, la- den with provisions and other stores, which they took and secured or destroyed. Colonel Brown detached an officer, with twenty-five regular troops and twenty militia, to dislodge them. M'Kay hearing of the advance of the party, took an ad- vantageous position near Matthews' bluff, and attacked them, though much superior in number to his own, killed the officer and fifteen of his men, and compelled the remainder to retreat pre- cipitately to Augusta.
Hearing that the Americans had entered Geor- gia, and that colonel Harden, with a body of Ame- rican militia, was in the neighbourhood of Coo- sawhatchie, colonel Brown ordered his provincials to repair to Augusta to defend it ; but they were so covered with crimes, that they had no inclina- tion to be cooped up in a garrison ; fearing that they might be taken by assault, and receive the punishment due to them for their former offences : many of them fled to the Indians, and joined them
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in warfare against the frontier settlements. When Brown had collected his troops, he determined to strike at Harden, and selected such regular troops, militia, and Indians, as the safety of the post would admit, and marched for that purpose : he detached a party under captain Wylly, into Caro- lina to reconnoitre, which approached Harden's camp and retired, with information to Brown of Harden's advancing on him, and requesting him to hasten his march. Brown was joined by Wylly, and encamped in a field, at Wiggins' hill, for the night. Harden was joined by Johnston and M'Kay, and had advanced within a mile o. the place where he encamped, not knowing of the near approach of Brown ; but in a few hours he was informed of it, and advanced to attack him by surprise., Brown had been apprised by Wylly of the dangerous position which he had taken, and that it was necessary, when opposing an officer of Harden's enterprise, to be on the alert ; but Brown, always imprudent, and possessing no quality of an officer but courage, retired to a house a few hundred yards distant from his camp, and went to sleep. By some intelligence, Brown's officers were apprised of Harden's approach, and were forming their ranks, when Harden's troops commenced the attack. The contest lasted half an hour, when overpowered by superiority of" numbers and discipline, Harden was compelled to retreat, which he effected in good order, and car- ried off his wounded,
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The American loss was seven killed and ele- ven wounded; amongst the latter, was captain Johnston. The loss of the enemy was about equal to that of the Americans. Colonel Harden retreated to an island in Coosawhatchie swamp, where the wounded were left until they recovered. William Rawls, Cotton Rawls, and Leonard Tan- ner furnished them for some time with provisions and other necessaries ; but unfortunately, Tanner was taken prisoner by some neighbouring loyal- ists, while he was engaged in this service, and murdered because he would not discover the place where the wounded were concealed.
Several prisoners were taken after the skir- mish at Wiggins' hill, by parties of the enemy detached by Brown : one of them by the name of Wylly, who had piloted Brown's detachment to Matthews' bluff, and whom they alleged, had treacherously led the detachment into that diffi- culty : on the bare supposition, Brown turned him over to the Indians, who ripped him open with their knives in his presence, and tortured him to death.
Mrs. M'Kay, a widow, had fled with her fami- ly, from her residence at Darien, in Georgia, into South-Carolina, for refuge : her elder son, Rannal M'Kay, a youth of seventeen years of age, was with Harden at Wiggins' hill, and was taken pris- oner .. Mrs. M'Kay, hearing of the captivity of her son, repaired to Brown's camp, having fur. nished herself with some refreshments, which she
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intended to present to Brown, as a mean of ob- taining more ready access. Brown received the refreshments, but turned a deaf ear to her en- treaties, and would not permit her to have an in- terview with her son, whose fate she already foresaw : she was forced without the centries. Captain Rannal M'Kinnon, a Scots officer, who was a soldier of honour, and unused to murderous warfare, remonstrated with Brown against hang- ing the youth, and gave Mrs. M'Kay some as- surances that her son would be safe. Brown re- turned that night aud encamped at Wiggins' hill, and caused a pen to be made of fence rails, about three feet high, in which he placed his pris- oners, and covered it over with the same mate- rials. Mrs. M'Kay had followed to the camp, but was not permitted to enter it; and captain M'Kinnon, the advocate of humanity, was order- ed on command.
On the ensuing morning, the prisoners, Rannal M'Kay, Britton Williams, George Smith, George. Reed, and a Frenchman, whose name is not. known, were ordered forth to the gallows; and after hanging until they were nearly dead, they were cut down and delivered to the Indians, who scalped them and otherwise abused their bodies in their accustomed savage manner.
The fate of young M'Kay inspired his bro- ther, a youth of fifteen, to join his countrymen and add his strength in avenging the murder of his brother.
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On the 16th of April, lieutenant-colonel Wil- liamson's detachment assembled at the appointed rendezvous, on Little river, and marched to Au- gusta, where he was joined by colonel Baker, with the southern militia ; and by captains Dunn and Irwin, with a few men from Burke county. Colo- nel Hammond and major James Jackson, were employed in embodying the militia of Carolina, near Augusta, and joined them a few days after- ward. Notwithstanding the exertions of those officers, their assembled force was but little su- perior in numbers to their adversary, and vastly inferior in discipline and military equipment.
Williamson took a position at twelve hundred yards distance from the British fortifications, and fortified his camp ; and by the exaggerated re- ports which Brown received of his strength, he was deterred from attacking him. If Brown had moved out and attacked him, the issue would probably have been favourable to the British, as they had the advantage of artillery.
Augusta was placed in a state of blockade un- til the middle of May, when the troops became discouraged by the delay of the expected assis- tance, and were on the point of abandoning their ground. Major Jackson had been accustomed to harrangue the militia in their hours of difficulty and despondence, and on this occasion his enthu- siastic eloquence had the desired effect, and re- tained them at their post. About the 15th of May, colonel Clarke had so far recovered from the small
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pox as to resume his command, and brought a re-enforcement of one hundred men to the camp.
About the time of Clarke's arrival, major Dill collected a party of loyalists, with intention of joining Brown and forcing the Americans to raise the siege. Clarke detached captains Shelby and Carr, with a party of mountaineers and Georgians, to advance on Dill ; whom they attacked by sur- prise, at Walker's bridge, on Brier creek ; killed and wounded a number, and dispersed the rest, without sustaining any loss.
When Clarke believed himself secure against the necessity of a retreat, he sent the horses of his troops, with a guard of six men, to Beech island, below Augusta, where there was plenty of forage to be had : Brown was informed of this circum- stance, and sent a detachment of regular troops, militia, and Indians, down on the river bank, and in canoes, to cut off the guard and bring off the horses. Clarke was apprised of the detachment, and ordered Shelby and Carr in pursuit of it. Brown's detachment succeeded in the enterprise, murdered the guard, and were returning with the booty ; when Shelby and Carr, informed of the result, lay wait in a thicket, near Mrs. Bugg's plantation, and attacked them ; and following the example which had just been set before them by the enemy, they spared the life of none who fell into their hands : nearly half of the detachment of the enemy were killed, and the rest ran away, and the property recovered without loss.
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Clarke was unfurnished with cannon, but had picked up an old four pounder in the field, which had been thrown away by the British ; believing it might be converted to use, he had it mounted, and employed a black-smith to form pieces of iron into the shape of balls; and commenced his approaches by constructing a battery at four hundred yards distance from Grierson's fort, and placed his gun upon it. Powder was so scarce, that orders were given not to use it when the sword could be substituted. He sent an express to general Pickens, stating his situation, and re- questing assistance.
General Pickens, with about four hundred men of Anderson's regiment, was manœuvering between Augusta and Ninety-six to prevent the garrison of that place from re-enforcing Brown, Colonels Branham and Hayes, were hovering on the eastward of Ninety-six to recruit their forces and intercept supplies. Colonel Hayes, with for- ty-five men, was attacked by a detachment of provincials from Ninety-six, commanded by ma- jor Cunningham, and after defending himself in a house until resistance was useless, he surren- dered on conditions, as prisoners of war : their arms were to be left in the house, and his men were to march out and surrender ; which being done, they were every man murdered.
The Indians had re-commenced hostilities on the frontier of Georgia and South. Carolina, which obliged general Pickens to weaken his force, by
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detachments against them and the loyal refugees, Pickens had informed general Greene of the situ- ation of things at Augusta, and requested aid, which was promised him.
Colonel Henry Lee's legion consisted of three troops of cavalry, commanded by captains Egles- ton, O'Neal, and Armstrong, and three compa- nies of infantry, commanded by captains Carnes, Rudulph, and Handy. He was joined by major Eaton, with part of a battalion of North-Carolina militia, and after the reduction of fort Granby, in South-Carolina, was ordered to form a junction with Pickens and Clarke, at Augusta. After a rapid march of seventy-five miles, in less than three days, Lee reached the vicinity of Augusta. He had kept in his front captain Ferdinand O'Neal, with a detachment of dragoons, to collect provisions for his legion and acquire intelligence. From this active officer he received the pleasing information of the arrival of the royal annual pre- sents at fort Galphin, on the north side of Savan- nah river, twelve miles below Augusta, for the Cherokee and Creek Indians, The boats con- taining the goods had a small guard, who had - been attacked by some American militia, ordered from Augusta for that purpose, and had driven them into the fort; but their number was not sufficient to dislodge them, and the boats lay un- der cover of the fort. Colonel Lee filed off with captain Rudulph's company, some other detacil. . ments of the legion, and a field piece, to take pos.
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session of this valuable prize, consisting of am- munition, salt, rum, and many other articles very much wanted by the American army.
The fort was a small stockade around Gal- phin's house, garrisoned by two companies of colonel Brown's infantry. Lee had taken such precautions, that neither Brown nor the command- ing-officer at fort Galphin, had any knowledge of his approach, which he hastened by mounting the infantry behind his dragoons. By a rapid march, he reached the vicinity of the fort early in the morning of the 21st of May, and halted in a pine barren, skirting a field which surround- ed the fort ; and here prepared for the assault. Prefering stratagem to the exposure of his troops, he dismounted some of his militia, who were or- dered to make a feint attack in an opposite direc- tion from his main body, with the hope of draw- ing out a considerable portion of the garrison in pursuit of them. Captain Rudulph was ordered to rush upon the fort, while the remainder of his infantry, supported by a troop of dragoons, were ordered to shield his militia from the enemy. The whole plan succeeded without the loss of a man, except one who died from fatigue, and the garrison with its contents and the valuable Indian stores, fell into his hands. Three or four of the enemy were killed, and a few escaped who took to the woods. Major Eaton, with the residue of Lee's legion, formed a junction with general Pickens at the Cherokee ponds, six miles from
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Augusta. After the reduction of fort Galphin, colonel Lee detached major Eggleston, with the cavalry, with orders to cross Savannah river at Wallicon's ferry, three miles below Augusta, and form a junction with general Pickens and colonel Clarke. When Eggleston reached Augusta, he summoned Brown to surrender, informing him of the near approach of a formidable force from gen- eral Greene's army, under the command of colo- nel Lee, and the investure of Ninety-six. Colo- nel Brown treated the flag with contempt, refused to give a written answer to the letter, and request- ed that communications upon that subject might not be repeated.
The town of Augusta is situated on the south side of Savannah river, upon a level plain, which terminates in thick low woods, interspersed with swamps and lagunes. Fort Cornwallis, which was the principal work, was situate on the north- west side of the town, about two hundred yards from its centre, and about one hundred from the river, having a complete command of the ground to the water's edge, and in every cther direction, to the distance of eight hundred yards. To the west is a lagune, which communicates through a deep gully with the river. On the western mar- gin of this gully was fort Grierson, about half a mile west of fort Cornwallis.
On the 23rd of May a junction was formed by Pickens, Lee, and Clarke : after reconnoitering the ground and the British works, it was deter-
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