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 21
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These men of North Carolina did their duty, and after firing every shot possible, before the bayonet was upon them, obeyed orders, and retreated behind the second line, who were in readiness to give the enemy a similar reception.
On Butler's side of the road the North Carolina militia and Forbis' volunteers gave the British a bloody repulse. The Scotch Highlanders, a regi- ment of Leslie's brigade, rested its left on the New Garden or old Salisbury road, and therefore was immediately in front of Butler's militia, chiefly from Orange, Granville and Guilford.
Captain Dugald Stuart, who commanded a com- pany in the 7Ist regiment (called " Scotch High- landers") on that day, when writing to a relative in Guilford County under date of October 25th, 1825, uses the following language:
"In the advance we received a very deadly fire from
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the Irish line of the American army, composed of their marksmen, lying on the ground schind a rail fence.
"One-half the Highlanders dropped on that spot. There ought to be a very large tumulus on that spot where our men were buried."
This letter was written by Captain Stuart to a relative in Guilford County, who had suggested that most of the Highlanders had been killed in the charge on the Continental line, and these particu- lar's were given to correct that error.
The centre of the State had among its popula- tion, at that period, many Irish and Scotch-Irish, and for that reason the militia line was called the Irish line.
The tumulus to which Captain Stuart refers is, no doubt, the two large graves, sixteen feet square and six feet deep, near the Hoskins residence, which were filled with the dead bodies of the English army, thus confirming Captain Stuart's memory in regard to it.
A further confirmation of this positive statement of Captain Stuart is an extract from " Brown's History of the Highland Clans." as quoted by Caruthers, vol. 2, p. 134:
"The Americans, covered by a fence in their front, reserved their fire till the British were in thirty or forty paces, at which distance they opened a destructive fire, which annihilated nearly one-third of Webster's brigade."
The Highlanders, however, were under Leslie,
*Caruther's Sketches, Second Series, p. 134.
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instead of Webster. that day. but joined Webster's right.
The Hessians were opposed by the left of Butler's brigade and the volunteers under Forbis. These lat- ter, Lee confesses, were firm and never gave way except to sullenly and slowly retreat before the English bayonet, and adhered to Campbell's com- mand to the very last ..
It was a North Carolina riffe that brought down the first English officer in this battle.
Colonel James Martin, in his petition for a pen- sion, thus describes the scene:
"I was posted on the front line with a company com- manded by Captain Forbis, a brave, undaunted fellow. We were posted behind a fence, and I told the men to sit down until the British, who were advancing, came near enough to shoot. When they came within about 100 yards, a British officer with a drawn sword was driving up his men. I asked Captain Forbis if he could take him down. He said he could, for he had a good rifle. I told him to let him come in fifty yards and then take him down, which he did. It was a Captain of the British army, and at that instant General Greene sent his aid-de-camp to me to go to him, and I went and asked him his command. He told me as he had begun battle, and I had not a complete regiment, he wished me to go with Major Hunter to the court-house, and in case of defeat to rally the inen, which we did and collected about 500 and were marching them to the battle-ground when I met General Stevens, of the Virginia corps, retreating. I asked him if the retreat was by General
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Greene's orders. He said it was. I then retreated with hiin and ordered the men to repair to the Troublesome Iron Works to outfit, as he had ordered me, which we obered."x
It was stated by Peter Rife, of Virginia, one of Lee's Legion, to Caruthers, that he witnessed the fact with his own eyes, that the men of Guilford fired till the Hessians mounted the fence, and then . clubbed their rifles and fought them back, hand to hand. When asked if this was not done by Camp- bell's men, he replied indignantly, "No, it was the North. Carolinians. I sat on my horse and saw them with my own eyes."
Caruthers then remarked to him, "According to history, the North Carolina militia did nothing ou that occasion," and he replied with some sternness: "Whoever says the North Carolina militia did nothing on that day, says what is false, for I know better"+
I quote further from Caruthers
"William Montgomery, of Guilford County, who was one of Captain Forbis' company and one of the four who stood by him to the last, when describing the scene in after life, usually illustrated it by saying that, after they delivered their first fire, which was a deliberate one, with their rifles, the part of the British line at which they aimed looked like the scattering stalks in a wheat field, when the harvest man has passed over it with his cradle."
"Wheeler's Reminiscences, p. 414. TCaruthers, Second Series, p. 132. *Caruthers, Second Series, p. 134.
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As evidence of the coolness and pluck of the men of Alamance, Caruthers relates the following anecdote :
"William Paisley, father of the Rev. Samuel Paisley, who is yet living, was one of Captain Forbis' neighbors and one of his firmest men. He was one of the last to leave the ground, and when about to retreat, on looking under the smoke, the British were so near that there seemed to be no chance of escape ; and dropping on the ground, he lay with his face in the leaves as if he were dead. Supposing that he was dead, they rushed by without noticing him and engaged with the Virginians. As soon as they had done so, he got up, and on looking around he saw a British soldier who was a very large inan, and so much afraid of the rifles that he was keep- ing a tree between him and danger, peeping first from one side and then the other. He said he thought he would give the cowardly dog one 'pop' at all events. and leveling his rifle he laid him on the ground at the foot of the tree."
Caruthers adds the personal testimony of numer- ous others, either soldiers who participated in the battle or visitors to it next day, and with whom he had conversed, confirmatory of the deadly effect of the fire from Butler's brigade and Forbis' men. Many of these soldiers survived and were cotempo- raries of Doctor Caruthers, who was for many years the distinguished pastor of Alamance Presbyterian Church and successor to Doctor David Caldwell.
I copy from "Jefferson's Correspondence," vol. I, p. 213, the following letter :
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"RICHMOND, March 2ist, 17SI. " To His Excellency the President of Congress;
"SIR :-- The enclosed letter will inform you of the arrival of a British fleet in Chesapeake Bay.
"The extreme negligence of our stationed expresses is no doubt the cause, as yet, why no authentic account has reached ns of a general action, which happened on the 15th inst., about a mile and a half from Guilford Court-House, between General Greene and Lord Corn- wallis. Captain Singleton, an intelligent officer of Harrison's artillery, who was in the action, has this moment arrived here, and gives the general information that both parties were prepared and desirous for action ; the enemy were supposed about twenty-five hundred strong, our army about four thousand : that after a very warm and general engagement of about an hour and a half, we retreated about a mile and a half from the field, in good order. having, as he supposed, between two and three hundred killed and wounded -- the enemy between five and seven hundred killed and wounded ; that we lost four pieces of artillery; that the militia, as well as regu- lars, behaved exceedingly well; that General Greene, he believes, would have renewed the action the next day, had it not proved rainy, and would renew it as soon as possible, as he supposes : that the whole of his troops, both regulars and militia, were in high spirits and wish- ing a second engagement ; that the loss has fallen pretty equally on the militia and regulars ; that General Stevens received a ball through the thigh ; Major Anderson, of Maryland, was killed, and Captain Barrett, of Washing- ton's cavalry ; Captain Fauntleroy, of the same cavalry, was shot through the thigh and left on the field.
"Captain Singleton, having left the camp the day after
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the battle, does not speak from particular returns, note such having been then made.
"I have the honor to be, with very high respect and esteem, your Excellency's mo- tobedient and most humble servant. .. TH. JEFFERSON."
The statement of Captain Singleton, who com- manded the artillery, which was stationed immedi- ately between the two North Carolina brigades on ' the front line, and had the best opportunity to observe their conduct, and who was a Virginian, in no way partial to North Carolina, " that the militia, as well as the regulars, behaved exceedingly well," is certainly entitled to very great weight on this dis- puted point. He was not only an eye-witness and participant in the battle, but his movements depended on the action of the North Carolina militia and his own safety was involved in their conduct. I cannot imagine a witness whose testi- mony could be more pertinent and reliable than that of Captain Singleton.
We may further consider that he did not leave Greene's camp until the day after the battle, and had therefore an opportunity to converse with his fellow soldiers about its incidents and occurrences and to get a correct impression of the conduct of the troops. He was no doubt a messenger to convey tidings of this battle to Governor Jefferson, and had no motive to conceal the truth and every inducement of honor to tell it. His other statements in regard to the battle are correct, and why should we suspect
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that he prevaricated in this one? Where is the motive or the reason for any such suspicion ? There was no man in Greene's whole command who bore a higher character than Singleton or who more heartily despised a falsehood.
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Jefferson could not have misunderstood him, eager, as he evinces himself to be, for news from the battle. We may imagine that the two talked long about it, and if Singleton had said that the North Carolina militia shamefully fled and lost the battle, Jefferson would not have been slow to hear it and denounce it. The conclusion is, that Singleton spoke the truth.
I have thus endeavored to sustain. by the testi- mony of credible witnesses, the affirmation that the North Carolina militia performed the duty assigned then, in this battle, by the order of General Greene, delivered to them in person, on the field, and that this duty was well performed by giving the enemy two well-directed and "deadly" fires.
To summarize the argument on the first point, that the order, to fire twice and then retire, was given to the militia, we have the uncontradicted testimony of Garden, who heard it, of George Wash- ington Greene, who received it as a family tradi_ tion, and of Caruthers, who heard it from numerous soldiers who were in the battle. No author nor writer has ever contradicted or doubted the testi- mony, and the characters of the witnesses are above reproach. The fact is, therefore, established, as far as human testimony can establish any fact.
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On the other point. +bat the order was obeved in letter and spirit, we have the testimony of the Eng- lish authors Tarleton. Stedman and Lamb, who were present and either participating or observing the facts about which they wrote, and of Captain Dugald Stuart, whose men fell under this " deadly" fire.
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On the American side we have the testimony of the Rev. Samuel Houston, a man of exalted char- acter and an eye-witness of what he relates; of Captain Anthony Singleton, of the artillery, who was in, line with the North Carolina militia: and Peter Rife, a soldier, who denounces as false the assertion "that the North Carolina militia did nothing." All these are Virginians-fellow-citi- zens of Lee and Campbell; Rife, a soldier in Lee's command.
To these we may add the evidence of William Montgomery, of Guilford County, who was well known to persons vet living. and whose character as christian, patriot and soldier no man would dare assail where Montgomery was known.
With such a " cloud of witnesses," may we not be pardoned for disbelieving the account written by Lee in ISog, twenty-eight years after the battle, from memory alone ? That memory, too, was so treacherous and inaccurate, in regard to this very battle, that, in describing the positions of the American troops, lie placed Lawson's brigade of Virginia militia on the front line, and speaks of it as receiving the charge of Webster's brigade; and
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placed all the North Carolina militia on the south side of the New Garden road-errors so palpable that no subsequent author has ever repeated them If Lee could not even remember where the North Caro- lina militia were, how could he recall the picture of their flight, as he rhetorically describes it? The errors of Lee, in his Memoirs, are so numerous that Johnson. after exposing many of them, speaks of the "general inaccuracy " of the whole narrative. But Lee has written so charmingly that his book has become a popular favorite, and, indeed, when he is accurate. no one describes the incidents of that period with more force and beauty than he.
Campbell's statement is contained in a letter written to the Rev. Mr. Cumming, in September, 1781, and says "a whole brigade of North Carolina militia abandoned their party from the first onset."* Lee does not confine the abandonment to one brigade, but ineludes both in his exuberant fancy. Of such like inconsistent accusations it was said, in Holy Writ. " but neither so did their witness agree together." Both Lee and Campbell profess to describe what they saw, but they did not see it alike, or did not see it at all.
We will resume the narrative.
The British not only received a galling fire from the front, but Washington's corps on the right and Campbell's on the left poured in a heavy fire on their flanks.
*Gibbs' Doc. History.
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It was so heavy on the left flank that Colonel Webster wheeled the 23d and 33d regiments to the left, so as to face Lynch and Kirkwood, while the Light infantry of the Guards and the Vagers, under General O'Hara, turned obliquely across the field and formed to their extreme left, and the front of the battle, at that point, was nearly at a right angle to the former line. This movement left a vacancy in the British line next to the old Salisbury road, formerly Webster's right flank, and into this the Second battalion of Guards was marched and continued to move eastwardly, resting their right on the road.
Lynch and Kirkwood being hard pressed, re- treated under cover of Washington's cavalry and formed on the extreme right of Lawson's brigade of Virginians.
Colonel Webster was now free to readjust his old line and make it co-extensive with the Virgin- ians in his front, the only change being that the Second battalion of Guards now formed his right.
The North Carolina militia had left the field and retreated towards the Court-House. Their retreat was disorderly and resulted in a flight. They were without discipline, and the flight became a rout, and in this consisted their misfortune that day ; one common to militia everywhere.
On the left of the American line the militia had generally been driven from their position, but the
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fire from Campbell's corps became so deadly that Colonel Norton, with the First battalion of Guards, was ordered to join the British line on the right and oppose themselves to Campbell.
As the Hessian' regiment passed the line of the militia, it wheeled to the right, and, in line with Norton, faced Campbell. Campbell was reinforced by many of Butler's brigade, who retreated in that direction, and by all of Forbis' men, who formed on Campbell's right. Lee's Legion was on that flank. The ;Ist Regiment, of Highlanders, continued on its course up the road and soon engaged Stevens' brigade of Virginians.
It had been the intention of Campbell to fall back and put his corps in line on the left of Stevens, but the Hessians passed so rapidly in his front as to cut him off. He was also delayed by his conflict with Norton on the left. The riflemen, retiring deeper into the forest, took to the trees and made it so hot for the Guards that they were compelled to retreat in great disorder. Cornwallis came in person to their rescue, and by riding in their front and exposing himself to imminent danger, succeeded in rallying them. The Hessians being now joined again by the Guards, made a combined charge and drove Campbell to the south, and entirely separated his command from the American army, so that in fact two distinct battles were raging at the same time.
About one-quarter of a mile on the southeast of
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Campbell's first position, Cornwallis, who was fol- lowing up Norton and the Hessians, had a large iron-gray horse shot from under him. The spot is now marked by a persimmon tree, a century old, whose identity is well authenticated by tradition.
Campbell would retreat and fire, then the British would fall back, and using the bayonet, push the riflemen back again :. so it raged and alternated between them until Campbell was driven to a high range of hills, or a little mountain range, as it is sometimes called, about one mile from Campbell's first position. Here the riflemen began to gain a decided advantage and to drive the Hessians before tliem, when Lec, unexpectedly, left Campbell's flank and Tarleton appeared on the scene.
We must now return to the front of the Virginia line.
The British artillery had advanced, supported by Tarleton's Legion. Lieutenant O'Hara of the artillery had been killed early in the action. Corn- wallis had abandoned the right and come to the left of his line, riding a dragoon's horse.
Singleton had retired with his guns and taken his position on a high ridge to the left of the Mary- land brigade, where the new Salisbury road intersects the old Salisbury road, west of Hunting Creek, and quite a commanding eminence.
The right of the British line being weakened by the engagement of the Hessians and First battalion of Guards with Campbell's corps, the 23d joined
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the 7ist in its assault upon Stevens, while Webster assailed Lawson with the 33d, in conjunction with the Light infantry and Yagers on his left, and the Second battalion of Guards on his right.
Lawson's, brigade soon gave way, and in its retreat wheeled upon its left flank as a pivot, so as to bring the brigade to the south side of the road, in the rear of Stevens, and thence moved along that side of the road, avoiding the field at the Bruce road, and clinging to the forest to escape from Tarleton's dragcons. Washington conducted them to the new Salisbury road, and Kirkwood and Lynch marched to a position on the right of the Conti- mental line: Washington remaining on the ridge in the new Salisbury road, where he could overlook the field and protect the left flank of the Conti- mental line.
The contest between Stevens' brigade and the 7Ist and 23d was protracted and stubborn.
Mr. Houston, who was in this brigade, says that they drove the British back three times and were as often compelled to retreat before the bayonet. Lee having gone south with Campbell, and the left of Stevens' brigade being thus without any protec- tion, Tarleton was ordered to charge them on that flank, and they were compelled to give way. Gen- eral Stevens had. in the meantime, been shot through the thigh and was unable to remain on ' the field.
Colonel Webster having driven Lawson from his
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front, moved rapidly through the forest in a direct line with the 33d and the Light infantry and Yagers. The Second battalion of Guards were dropped, per- haps, to assist in the assault on Stevens.
Webster soon reached the Bruce road, on the western edge of the old field, in which the Conti- mental line was drawn up.
They were about 200 yards apart at this point of the American line. The hill from either position descends rapidly, and in the valley was a ravine where the water runs in wet weather. The old field had not been in cultivation for some years, and was grown up with weeds, and here and there were small scrubby pines and bushes, but not so as to obstruct the view across it.
Colonel Webster did not stop to count the odds against him, or to wait for the Second battalion of Guards, but immediately sounded the charge in front of the ist Maryland regiment and Hawes' Virginians. The Americans waited for the charge until the British line was within forty (40) paces of their front, when they poured in upon them a miost destructive fire, and followed it up with the "push of the bayonet," as they did at Cowpens. Webster's line at first recoiled, then broke and fled in disorder to the forest, out of which they had emerged.
The Marylanders followed up this brilliant charge until the British troops under Webster were routed and scattered in the forest. Colonel Webster
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himself received a musket-ball in his knee, from which he died a few weeks thereafter."
The battle on the American side had so far been a counterpart of Cowpens, and it only remained for Greene to push his victory to completion as Morgan did. To do this, however, would have required a general advance of the whole Continental line. If the movement succeeded, the victory would be com- plete and glorious, but if his left were to give way, or it should be true, as he then feared, that Campbell had been driven from the field and the Hessians were coming on his flank and rear, then the advance would have been a disaster.
Prudent and cautious, as well as brave and stub- born in fight, Greene determined not to risk his army for glory-not to sacrifice the only remaining army in: the South to personal ambition. The con- duct of the 2d Maryland soon demonstrated the wisdom of his decision. The ist Maryland was ordered to fall back to its original strong position on the brow of the hill across the ravine. It had hardly begun this retrograde movement before the Second battalion of Guards, now under Lieutenant Colonel Stuart, O'Hara being wounded, swept around the hill, at the fork of the Bruce road, and moving along the valley, to the right and south of the old Salisbury road, struck the ed Maryland regiment, under Colonel Ford. Scarcely any resist-
*I have in my possession a silver knee buckle, with the initial W on it, found near this spot.
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ance was made by this regiment; it is not even said in history that they fired a gun.
Colonel Washington, who was on the ridge above this little valley with his cavalry, witnessed this inglorious flight of the Marylanders. He had with him one company of North Carolina cavalry, forty men, under the Marquis of Bretigny, and a fine company of Virginia volunteer cavalry from Prince Edward, under Captain Thomas Watkins, and in this company was Peter Francisco the giant."
Washington sounded the bugle for a charge, and pushing down the slope of the ridge, leaped across the branch in his front and rushed in a full gallop upon the rear of the Guards, and passing through, slew them right and left. Lieutenant Holcomb, of Captain Watkins' company, relates "that the strong arm of Francisco leveled three of the enemy during one charge and eleven before the fight was over."
In Foote's Sketches of North Carolina+ it is said :
"The carnage was dreadful. At this time it was that Lieutenant Holcomb related to Dr. Jones, of Nottoway, that the noted Francisco performed a deed of blood with- ont a parallel. In that short rencountre he cut down eleven men with his brawny arm and terrible broad- sword. One of the Guards thrust his bayonet, and, in spite of the parrying of Francisco's sword, pinned his leg to the horse. Francisco forebore to strike, but assisted him to extricate his bayonet. As the soldier turned and
*Foote's Sketches of Virginia, First Series, p. 403. ¡Foote's Sketches of North Carolina, p. 278.
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fed, he made a furious blow with his sword and cleft the poor fellow's head down to his shoulders.'
Washington had hardly passed, like a destroying angel. through this devoted regiment of gallant Englishmen, in this valley of death, before the ist Maryland arrived on the scene. It wheeled to the south and rushed like a whirlwind on Stuart's left flank, bearing down all before it, slaughtering its victims and piling up its sacrifices as it rolled on. But still Stuart refused to fly. He stood like a lion at bay and repelled the fury of his adversaries. Cornwallis arrived at the fork of the road and looked down upon the struggle with dismay. Then gallop- ing down the hill to the old white oak at its base, (now decaying under the weight of a century of years), looked into the face of the unequal combat. Reascending the hill, he ordered Lieutenant McLeod, who had come up with the artillery, to open with grape-shot upon the mass of struggling soldiers beneath him. O'Hara, who lay bleeding in the road, remonstrated and begged that his men be spared, but Cornwallis was determined and des- perate and repeated the order. O'Hara hid his face in his hands and refused to witness the slaughter. The remedy was dreadful and sanguinary, but it was effectual. The combatants separated and the few brave men that escaped the awful carnage came, limping up the hill, for protection behind the guns which had so recently been trained upon them.
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