USA > North Carolina > North Carolina, 1780-'81 : being a history of the invasion of the Carolinas by the British Army under Lord Cornwallis in 1780-'81 > Part 19
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This regiment was composed of two battalions, ofte of which, under McArthur, was captured at Cowpens.
Next to the Fist was the Hessian regiment-a brutal and ignorant mass of Dutchmen, who had been hired as slaves, and, as Lee expresses it, "mechanized" into soldiers. -
The contract of the English Government with the Prince of Hesse was, that the Prince
"Should receive as Levy money for every foot soldier 30 Crowns Bunco, at 53 Holland Stivers the Crown."
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Three men wounded were to be reckoned, as usual, for one man killed. "Those that are killed shall be paid at the fate of the Levy money.".
The Prince was an avaricious man, loving money more than subjects of human life, and complained that these "mercenaries were not killed in suffi- cient numbers to replenish his empty treasury." The English always reported the missing as wounded, and saved two-thirds of the " Crown's Bunco."
The zist regiment and Bose's regiment of Hes- sians were under Major General Leslie.
Brigadier General O'Hara supported Webster with the 2d battalion of Guards and the Grenadiers. After O'Hara was wounded, this battalion was under the immediate command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Stuart. "He was fifth son of Robert Stuart, seventh Baron Blantyre, in the Peerage of Scotland. The present Baron Blantyre is his grand nephew."+
The 2d battalion of the Guards was in command of Lieutenant Colonel Norton. Both battalions were of the best material and under the most ac- complished officers.
Tarleton's Legion was not equal in material to the other regiments. He had seriously injured its esprit de corps by recruiting its ranks with Tories.
The artillery was commanded by Lieutenant
#New York His. Soc. Collection, IS79, vol. :!. p. 348.
tLarı indebted for this information to David Hutcheson, Esq. Assistant Librarian of the Congressional Library.
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McLeod, with Lieutenant O'Hara, a spirited young officer, as second in rauk. Lieutenant O'Hara was unfortunately killed in the opening cannonade.
The field of battle is undulating ground, mostly covered with forest. If we approach it, as Corn- wallis did, from the westward, until we come in sight of the first American line of battle, we come first to a small creek, a tributary of Horse- pen Creek, and generally known as Little Horsepen. It runs a little west of north, and is about five or six hundred yards in front of the American line. After crossing the creek we climb a long, gently- ascending hill, with fields on either side, making an open country of from four to five hundred yards wide, and skirted by primitive forest. Half way up this hill, on the southern side, is the Hoskin's farm house, which is still standing, and occupied by the grandchildren of the proprietor who owned it in ITS1, and, to whose credit be it said, he never allowed the face of the battle-field to be changed any more than was absolutely necessary.
At the end of the field on the east. the road- which in i;SI was known as the old Salisbury or New Garden Road-enters a dense forest of sturdy oaks, where the ground is nearly level, and this forest extended on both sides to the Bruce Road, which is. by measurement, 750 yards distant. There is a slight ascent from the mouth of the forest for 295 vards, and from there to the "Bruce Road " the road is nearly level. Near the Bruce Road begins the descent of a steep hill about 125 yards long, then across a valley 100 vards wide. On either side of
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this part of the road were old fields; that on the northern side is intersected by a deep ravine, it which, in wet weather, is a running rivulet. Along the road on the north side, and enclosing one of these fields, was a fence grown up with a thick hedge row. Pursuing the road further, we cross a small branch, coming from the south and forming a second valley at an acute angle to the road .; then ascending a short, steep, rocky ridge about fifty yards, we come to the intersection of the "New Salisbury Road." This is a high point overlooking the whole field of battle. From this eminence, which is at the end of a ridge, the descent is steep to the valley of Hunting Creek, one hundred yards distant; then crossing a little fertile valley, the ascent is at first steep, then gradual to Guilford Court-House, four hundred (400) yards off.
From the front line to the court-house is very little less than a mile. A log house, tradition says, stood on the south side of the old Salisbury road just opposite the fork made by the Bruce road. and a spring was used at the foot of the hill, which is now called the "Clyde Spring."# so well known for the purity and refreshing coolness of its water.
Guilford Court-House was the capital of Guil- ford County, which then embraced Davidson and Alamance. It had perhaps two or three hundred inhabitants, the court-house, jail and a large copper- smith shop being its principal buildings; the
*This spring is now beautifully adorned, by a generous donation from Mr. William P. Clyde to the Guilford-Battle Ground Company.
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Lindsays, Whittingdons, Bevills, and Colonel Hamilton, a rich man of his day, being among its citizens. Its name, after the revolution, was changed to Martinsville, in honor of Governor Alexander Martin. In May, 1809, the court-house was moved to Greensboro, five miles southwest, and the old town soon went to decay. It is now a wheat field. there being no vestige of it remaining except an ancient well of pure water, still used, and the scattered rocks and debris of the court-house and jail, and pieces of copper which never corrode.
Tradition has much to say of " Unele Mose," an old slave, who was chief artificer in this curious old shop, and who was allowed one quart of whiskey per day to counteract the fumes of heated copper.
There was an old grist-mill that stood on the west side of Hunting Creek, north of the old Salis- bury road, which belonged to Colonel Hamilton. This was a great convenience to the town and a place of note in 178r. . The race that conveved the water along the hillside is still visible. It lay in the line of Greene's retreat from the old field where the last stand was made, and some graves, near by, are marked with rude headstones of common rock. Who rest there only eternity's roll-call will divulge.
In approaching the description of the battle of Guilford Court-House, I am forcibly impressed with the confession made by Judge Johnson as to the confusion of history in regard to that event. and I may, therefore, be pardoned for attempting to draw my own conclusions instead of "taking up" and
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repeating what has been said by "other writers." That author says:
"Like most other interesting battles, the descriptions handed down to us are very confused, and although all the incidents may be gathered from a careful examina- tion of the several accounts, the connection and depend- ence of the several incidents are involved in much obscurity. This is the necessary result of the manner in which such narratives are collected and transmitted. Each party publishes an account most favorable to him- self; these are taken up by writers under the influence of opposite partialities and seldom collated by those who follow with the patience necessary to the attainment of truth. Nor is it always practicable for the most labori- ous investigation to detect the errors or impositions practiced upon the public, since it is in the power of parties interested to conceal material facts, at least from the existing generation, and as to motives, by a com- parison with which alone can a fair estimate of the merits, talents and success of the parties be formed, they may forever lie in the bosom that conceived them."
The Memoirs of Lee are roughly handled by Johnson, and Johnson in turn has been roughly handled by the critics, who accuse him of magnify- ing his hero and disparaging all others who are rivals for the honors of history gathered around him. The truth is not yet established by the ver- dict of history and the matter is open for further testimony and additional argument. No one need be deterred from entering this field of discussion
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and contributing what facts he may have collected or presenting such conclusions as have been formied in his mind.
We have seen that General Greene had examined this battle-field carefully, on the roth of February. and pronounced it one of the most desirable for the character of his troops and the number of his army. It afforded a forest where the militia could fight from tree to tree for shelter and be protected from . the charge of cavalry; and for the same reason a solid column of bayonets could not be kept together among the undergrowth and trees. The roads that concentrated from the north, northeast and east, ail afforded safe lines of retreat, for his army, to his supplies and reinforcements.
It was in a country loyal to the American cause, where, as Tarleton says, the British " had no friends or partisans, at this period, except those included within the extent of the royal camp."
The British commander had burned all his heavy baggage and stores at Ramsour's Mill, and had consumed nearly all his medicines and much of his scant supply of ammunition.
If he were now crippled in battle and incumbered by his wounded. he must fall a prey to the gather- ing hosts of militia who were preparing to fall upon him on every side, or he must make a precipitate and inglorious flight to the sea, where he could find protection from his ships.
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and against this General Greene had made most certain provisions. He would risk His militia, but he knew that his Continentals, who could not be broken, and his superior cavalry, were able to secure him a safe retreat and constitute a nucleus around which a fresh army could soon be collected and organized.
The order of battle chosen by.the American com- mander was the same which General Morgan adopted at Cowpens, and the progress and result were ex- pected to be the same. With Morgan in command, who had dash and confidence, almost to recklessness, or with Tarleton for an opponent, who had more spirit than endurance, no doubt that the British would have been driven from the field; but it does not follow, therefore, that Greene committed a mistake. On the 20th of February, General Morgan writes to General Greene:
" I have been doctoring these several days, thinking to be able to take the field, but I find I get worse. My pains are now accompamed with a fever every day. I expect Lord Cornwalli: will push you until you are obliged to fight him, on which much will depend. You have, from what I see, a great number of militia. If they fight, you heat Cornwallis, if not, he will beat you, and perhaps cut your regulars to pieces ; which will be losing all your hopes. I am informed, among the militia, will be a number of old soldiers. I think it would be advisa- ble to select them from the militia and put them in the ranks with the regulars. Select the riflemen also and fight them on the flanks under enterprising officers, who
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are acquainted with that kind of fighting, and put the remainder of the militia in the centre, with some picked troops in their rear with orders to shoot down the first man that runs."
Greene was most confidential with Morgan, and Morgan's experience in fighting Southern militia, in his earlier days, gave much weight to his advice.
Greene formed his first line in exact accordance with the advice of. Morgan. The North Carolina militia were placed in the centre, General Thomas Eaton's brigade, from Halifax and Warren coun- ties, was placed at a right angle to the old Salis- bury or New Garden road, behind a rail fence which separated the woods from the fields. Eaton's left rested on the road. General John Butler's brigade, from Orange, Guilford and Granville, continued the line on the south side of the road, Butler's right resting on the road, and his whole line being behind a zig-zag rail fence, the fashion of that day. On the left of Butler's line was the separate com- mand of Colonel Arthur Forbis, of Alamance, in Guilford County. which consisted of about 100 men, Scotch-Irish Presbyterians; Forbis himself being an elder in the pastorate of Doctor David Caldwell.
Between the left of Eaton's brigade and the right of Buttler's brigade, in the old Salisbury road, and a little in advance of the militia line, were placed two six-pounder cannons, under the command of Captain Anthony Singleton, a Virginia officer .*
*Lee's Memoirs, p. 275. Johnson's Life of Greene, vol. 2. p. 6.
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The artillery was thus supported by the North Carolina militia, and, in fact, formed a part of that line. It was compelled to act in concert with the militia, and to be observant of and governed by its movements-to stand when it stood, and retire when it retired. Singleton would necessarily be cognizant of the orders given this line, and be acquainted with their conduct in the battle.
On the right flank of Eaton's brigade a " cover- ing party." as it was called in that day, was placed. It was under the command of Colonel William Washington, of the cavalry, and consisted of Kirk- wood's Delawares," "The Blue Hen's Chickens," about eighty (So) in number, and a battalion of riflemen under Lynch, about 200. They were
"The State of Delaware furnished one regiment only, and certainly no regiment of the army surpassed it in soldiership. The remuant of that corps, less than two companies, from the battle of Camden, was commanded by Captain Kirkwood, who passed through the war with high reputation : and yet, as the line of Delaware consisted of but one regiment, and that regiment reduced to a captain's com- mand, Kirkwood never could be promoted in regular routine-a very glaring defect in the organization of the army, as it gave ad- vantages to par's of the same army denied to other portions of it. The sequel is singularly hard. Kirkwood retired, upon peace, a captain; and when the army, under St. Clair, was raised to defend the west from the Indian enemy, this veteran resumed his sword as the eldest captain of the oldest regiment. In the decisive defeat on the 4th of November, the gallant Kirkwood fell, bravely sustaining his point of the action. It was the thirty-third time he had risked his life for his country ; and he died as he had lived-brave, meri- torious, unrewarded Kirkwood. Lee's Memoirs, p. 185, note.
Captain Kirkwood was a relative of Colonel Julius A. Gra;, of Greensboro, whose grandfather visited Captain Kirkwood at Hills- boro. North Carolina, in 1;So.
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extended in the woods obliquely to the main line, and its right rested near a swamp in a little valley. In the rear of the angle formed by the militia and the "covering party," and in the woods, was the cavalry command of Colonel Washington.
On the left of Butler's line, and obliquely to it, in the woods, was another " covering party," under the command of Colonel William Campbell, of Vir- ginia-he of King's Mountain fame -- and in the rear of the angle formed by these two lines was Lee's Legion cavalry, his infantry being in the line of the "covering party."
The strength of this covering party is estimated by Johnson as only two hundred and fifty, all told, which a moment's reflection will show to be incor- rect; but he has been followed by most subsequent historians, who have not been interested in correct- ing the error, supposing it to be immaterial. It is, however, very material to North Carolina, because her troops formed a large part of that corps, and have been ignored in the reports of the battle.
We have seen in a former page that Colonel Preston joined Pickens on the 25th of February with three hundred (300) " respectable followers," and they adhered to Greene's army until after the battle, and were under Campbell. I am of opinion. however, that Preston's battalion did not exceed two hundred, which was the strength of Lynch's other Virginia battalion.
Campbell had sixty men, and Lee's Legion
Johnson, vol. I, p. 455.
. ..
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infantry numbered eighty men. These low esti- mates would aggregate three hundred and forty men, and to these must undoubtedly be added the riflemen of Surry, under Major Armstrong,# Ico men, and Major Joseph Winston ico men,+ making a total aggregate of five hundred and forty (540) mell.
In the rear of this line, in the forest, under the gentle slope of the hill, and about three hundred yards. distant to the east, was posted the Virginia inilitia. On the south side of the road, with its right resting at a right angle on the old Salisbury road, was Stevens' brigade. In the rear of this brigade was "a line of sentinels extending from right to left at about twenty vards distance from the line. These were chosen, confidential men, selected by General Stevens on personal knowl- edge. and posted there with orders to shoot down any individual who broke from the ranks. This may appear to have been a strong measure, but it is one which, with irregular troops, or troops com- posed of diversified materials, ought never to be omitted. The good effects of it will be presently seen.">
Stevens, "who had been stung by the recollec- tion of the inglorious flight" of his militia brigade at Gates' defeat, had frequently expressed his determination to have them shot down if they
*I am convinced that this was Martin Armstrong. tJohnson .. vol. I. p. 455. *Johnson, vol. 2. p. 6.
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repeated the disgraceful conduct; but the gallant stand of his brigade at Guilford Court-House is not wholly due to this line of executioners, in the rear. as Johnson supposes. Among the troops of Stevens were many veterans of the army of Wash- ington whose terms of service had expired, and on their returir they had been hired as substitutes, or called in occasionally by the draft or by volunteer- ing. It was to these that Morgan alluded in his letter to Greene. Stevens was an accomplished officer and had the entire confidence of General Greene, and his heroic conduct on this field is deserving of honor and praise.
On the north side of the "old Salisbury road," in the forest, with its left resting at a right angle to the road, was Lawson's Virginia brigade of militia. Lynch's battalion had been detached from it, and to this is probably due the weakness of its resistance, as it lost only one man killed in the battle.
The third and last line was drawn up in an old field, around the brow of a hill, in semi-circular formu, on the north side of the old Salisbury road.
I have located the second and third lines at the places indicated by Johnson and Lee, and they are at least five hundred and fifty (550) yards apart by actual measurement. I am quite familiar with every foot of the battle-ground and visit it very often. I have measured all the distances on it .*
*Johnson puts this distance at 300 yards, which is just about half of the real distance.
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This was the line of Continental troops, or regulars, and included two brigades. The first brigade, on the right of the line, was composed of two Virginia regiments, the one under Colonel Green, the other under Lieutenant Colonel Hawes, the whole commanded by Brigadier General Huger of South Carolina. These troops, as an organiza- tion. had not yet been in battle. The second brigade was composed of the first and second Mary- land regiments, the first was under Colonel Gunby, at the opening of the battle, the second under Colo- nel Ford; the whole commanded by Colonel Otho Williams, a veteran soldier of the Maryland line.
The First Maryland was the finest regiment in Greene's army, and had seen service under Wash- ington in all his New Jersey campaigns. It came South, under DeKalb, after the fall of Charleston, in May, 17So. It bore the onset of the whole British army, with the aid of Dixon's North Caro- lina battalion, at Gates' defeat. and Major Anderson, of this regiment, was the only officer who retreated with an organized force to Charlotte. Under Lieu- tenant Colonel Howard it charged and routed the British regulars at Cowpens and finished the defeat of Tarleton on that auspicious day. It was about to add another laurel to its wreath of glory.
The Second Maryland was a new levy and had never been in battle before, and did not remain very long in this one.
Greene placed two pieces of artillery between the
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flanks of these two brigades, at the sharp curve, of the semi-circle, around the hill.
General Greene, during the battle, was with the Continental line, eight hundred and fifty yards from the front, with the forest intervening, and did not have personal observation of the battle until its tide flowed to his position.
Leaving General Greene's army in position, with the exception of Colonel Lee, who, as an advanced guard, brought on the battle, before falling back into the line, I will take the reader to the camp of Cornwallis on Deep River, which was twelve miles nearly west from Guilford Court-House. The Brit- ish commander correctly interpreted the advance of Greene, to a point so Bear his camp, as a challenge to battle and immediately prepared to accept it.
Early on the morning of the isth March. ISI, which was Thursday, he sent back his baggage to Bell's Mill, under the escort of Colonel Hamilton's regiment of lovalists and a few infantry and cavalry, and advanced with his main army directly towards Guilford Court-House by the route which intersects the old Salisbury road at New Garden Quaker Meeting-House.
Lee, with his dragoons and infantry, and a de- tachment from the riflemen under Campbell, were sent out by Greene to reconnoiter and report the position and movements of the enemy. They met Tarleton in the advance, at the point where the present New Garden Meeting-House stands, be- tween four and five miles from Greene's camp, and
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where the Deep River road intersects the old Salisbury road. Here a very sharp skirmish took place. Lee at first made a brilliant charge, driving Tarleton before him, but, venturing too far. he received a galling fire from the advanced infantry, and was compelled to retreat precipitately. Colo- nel Les relates that it was in the early morning, and his horse became so badly frightened at the sheen of the British innskets that he was com- pelled to dismount and change to another in the thickest of the encounter. Lee retreated, reaching the Ameri an line sometime before the battle, and took the position assigned him on the left.
Captain Tate of Virginia, so distinguished at Cowpens, received a ball which broke his thigh: Lieutenant Snowden, of the Legion infantry. was severely wounded also and left behind. The British suffered more severely. Captain Goodricks of the Guards was badly wounded and quite a number killed.
At the cross-roads, near the Quaker Meeting- House, off from the side of the Salisbury road, in a little cove at the head of the hollow or valley, are the graves of about twenty soldiers who were buried there after the skirmish ; friend and foe alike await- ing the final trumpet sound which shall summon them to the common array before the Judge of all the eartlı.
The British now pursued their march unmolested until they wound around a valley which leads to Little Horsepen Creek ; descending this in a gentle
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slope, between the hills, they soon came to the creek and in sight of the American line. Singleton opened on them with his six-pounders, and the British responded with their three-pounders, and a lively cannonade ensued. The British, in the meantime, marched rapidly into the valley of the creek, and, under cover of the hill, "displayed" their line.
"The zist regiment, Scotch Highlanders, known as the 'King's Own Borderers,' and the Hessians. known as the Regiment of Bose, but commanded now by Major DuBuy, formed on the right, or south of the old Salisbury road, and at a right angle to it. These were under the command of Major General Leslie, and constituted the force that was to assail the American left. They had in reserve, as a support, the first battalion of Guards, under Lieutenant Colonel Norton.
"Colonel Webster was dirceted to form the 23d and 33d regiments on the left of General Leslie's division," and on the left or north side of the old Salisbury road, and at a right angle to it. Briga- dier General O'Hara was directed to support Colo- nel Webster with the second battalion of Guards and the Grenadier company of the Guards. Whilst these troops were forming, the Yagers and the light infantry of the Guards remained near the guns in the road, but when the line moved on they attached themselves to the left of Webster's brigade. The artillery. under Lieutenant McLeod, proceeded
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