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 25
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"Brigadier General Pickens, with the militia, was to attack the fort ou the north and west ; Major Eaton, with his battalion of North Carolinians, by passing down the north side of the lagoon, was to approach it on the south, co-operating with the militia; while Liutenant
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Colonel Lee, with his infantry and artillery, was to move down the lagoon on its southern margin, parallel with Eaton, ready to support his attack if required, or to attend to the movements of Brown, should he venture to leave his defences and interpose with a view to save Grierson. The cavalry, under Eggleston, were ordered to draw near to Fort Cornwallis, keeping in the wood and ready to fall upon the rear of Brown, should he advance upon Lee. These arrangements being finished, the several commandants proceeded to their respective points. Lee's movement, open to view, was soon discerned by Brown, who was drawing his garrison out of his lines, accompanied by two field pieces, and advancing with the appearance of risking battle to save Grierson, now assailed by Pickens and Eaton. This forward movement soon ceased. Brown, not deeming it prudent, under existing circumstances, to persevere in its attempt, confined his interposition to a cannonade, which was returned by Lee, with very little effect on either side. Grierson's resistance was quickly overpowered ; the fort was evacuated ; himself. with a Major and many of his garrison, killed; the Lieutenant Colonel, with others, taken ; and the few remaining, by reaching the river, escaped under cover and concealment of its banks to Fort Cornwallis. Lieutenant Colonel Brown, perceiving the fall of this post, withdrew into his fort, and apprehend- ing, from what he had seen, that he had to deal with troops fitted for war, applied himself to strengthening his situations.
"Whatever was attainable in the town, and necessary to his defence, was now procured, and every part of the works requiring amendment was repaired with industry. These exertions on the part of the enemy could not be
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counteracted ; all now to be done was to assume proper stations for close investure, and by regular approaches, to compel his surrender.
"In the late contest our loss was trivial-a few wounded, and fewer killed. But, unhappily, among the latter was Major Enton, of North Carolina, who had served only a few weeks with the light corps, and in that short period had endeared himself to his commandant and fellow-soldiers by the amiability of his manners. He fell gallantly, at the head of his battalion, in the moment of victory."
Major Pinketham Eaton was the intimate friend of General Sumner, and in one of his late letters had said, "I shall not be happy until I am in your command again."
He began his military career as a Captain in General Sumner's regiment, the third ; his commis- sion as Captain was dated the 16th of April, 1776. and on the 22d November, 1777, he was promoted to be Major. He had been General Summer's most active assistant in raising the new levies, and was the first officer of the Continental line assigned to active service in the campaign of 1781. His early promotion and the admiration which General Sumner had for him, is sufficient evidence of his skill and courage as a soldier, and Lee testifies to his great amiability of temper, which had endeared him to his late comrades.
Colonel John Armstrong, in a letter to General Sumner, dated June 13th, 17SI, says:
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"I have the disagreeable news to inform you of the death of Major Eaton. He was wounded at Augusta, taken prisoner and surrendered up his sword, and was afterwards put to death with his own sword. This I have by a letter from Captain Yarborough."
Captain Varborough, as we have seen, was one of the Continental officers of Eaton's command, while at Deep River, and continued with him to Angusta.
Colonel Grierson, for whom the fort was named, was captured in the further progress of the assault, and a similar death was awarded to him by his captors, no doubt, in retaliation for the abominable murder of Eaton ; though Grierson's cup of iniquity had long been full.
The splendid courage and dash of the command of Eaton, composed, as it was, entirely of the militia who had fled to their homes from Guilford Court- House, cannot be too lavishly extolled. Native courage was common to them all, but they needed discipline. drill and experience to make them soldiers.
It gives me the greatest pleasure to trace the history and march of these patriotic men direct from Guilford Court-House to this bloody baptism of fire at Augusta, and this pleasure will be height- ened by the continued observance of their subsequent and glorious achievement at Eutaw Springs.
Pickens now pressed the siege against Fort Corn- wallis with all diligence and activity. It was approached by earth-works on the south side until
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the parallels drew near to the fort. Colonel Brown, who defended the fort, was fertile in resources, brave to a fault, and an obstinate and determined foe. Nothing that genius, labor and desperation could accomplish. was left undone to strengthen his position. and for two nights in succession he made reckless sallies on the besiegers, but was driven back by the discipline and valor of the Legion infantry.
General Pickens, gathering from Lee the idea of erecting what was known as the Maham Tower, at once put a force to collecting logs, which were notched firmly together as a pen, and the enclosure was filled with rock and earth. To conceal this work it was located behind a house, and was not discovered, even by the vigilance of Colonel Brown, until late in the second day, when the tower had nearly reached its desired height. Brown, judg- ing that this queer military tumulus, which over- looked and commanded the inside of his fort. must be destroyed or his fate would be sealed, mounted two of his best pieces of artillery on platforms, at the angle of the fort, nearest the town, and opened upon it a furious and incessant cannonade ; but the American six-pounder, from its lofty height, soon silenced the artillery of the fort and made sad havoc with the works, for protection, inside the fort, and uncovered its magazine.
The situation was almost hopeless for the Tory commander, but his undaunted courage still prompt- ed him to resistance. Another desperate assault
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was made on the night of the 29th of May. It met a bloody repulse by the militia and Rudolph's company of the Legion. Pickens now pressed forward his approaches with renewed zeal and reso- Iution. On the 4th of June Pickens and Lee were ready to make the final assault, and the troops were in the highest spirits. The Georgia militia anticipated a bloody revenge on the commander. who had hanged thirteen of their number with remorseless cruelty. The regular troops, who had been laboring all day and fighting all night. were impatient for the final struggle, and all seemed to be concentrating on a day of carnage and retalia- tion ; for no authority nor officer would be respected when the men were once in the heat of blood and the presence of death. All human pity would be smothered in the struggle for the mastery, and men, losing their superiority over the inferior animals, would, like them, only remember their wrongs and the opportunity to revenge them with blood.
The American commander having witnessed the fury of the assailants of Fort Grierson, and being willing to avoid such another scene of slaughter at Fort Cornwallis, sent a final demand to Colonel Brown for surrender. Negotiations followed. which resulted in a capitulation of the fort and garrison on the 5th June, 1781.
The officers and soldiers who surrendered were to be conducted to such places as the commander- in-chief of the American army should direct, and the officers to be indulged in their paroles.
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At the appointed time the garrison marched out. Colonel Brown was placed in the care of Captain Armstrong, of the Legion. with a safe-guard to protect him from the violence of the enraged Geor- gians, whose disappointment only whetted their appetite for his blood.
Colonel Lee kept Brown at his headquarters until next day, when he was sent down the river to Savannah as a paroled prisoner, under care of Captain Armstrong.
Georgia was now redeemed, and the unrestrained rejoicing of the Whigs evinced the spirit with which they received the gladsome news. The English power was confined to Savannah, and the Indian allies of the British fled to their wigwams in the pathless forests of the frontier. The loval- ists sought refuge within the British lines, or hid themselves in the swamps from the avengers of blood. The names of Pickens and Lee and Clarke were idolized, and pæns of praise, to them. were sung at every fireside.
On the 6th June, Lee recrossed the Savannah River and hastened to join Greene, on the 8th, who was then laying siege to Ninety-Six. General Pickens, after securing the baggage and stores, followed on the same day, the Sth.
Lord Rawdon, who was at Charleston, lieard with consternation of the fall of Augusta, and was impatiently awaiting reinforcements to enable him to march to the rescue of Ninety-Six. These rein- forcements landed on the 3d of June, and on the
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7th his lordship set out for the relief of Ninety-Six with three Irish regiments, just arrived, and was joined by some other troops from Monk's Corner, giving him a total of zoco men.
General Sumter advised General Greene, on the 11th, of Rawdon's approach. Sumter, Pickens and Marion were sent immediately to Rawdon's front to impede his progress and give all the time possible to Greene to press the siege. Colonel Cruger, who was a faithful and skillful officer, declined with contempt all conditions of surrender and exerted every nerve to defend his fort to the last extremity.
About the 15th, one attired as a farmer rode into the American camp, representing himself as a friend, and, as was usual, moved among the troops, when, at last coming near the front line, he spurred his horse to a fearful speed and dashed through the fire of sentinels and pickets, until, unharmed, he entered the open space between the contending lines, where he took from its concealment a letter. and holding it aloft to the view of the besieged, he rushed for the gate of the fort, where he was given a vociferous welcome. But a few minutes more elapsed until the ground almost trembled under the shouts of triumph inside the fort. Rawdon had communicated to them the joyful news that he was at Orangeburg, on his way for their rescue, and would soon relieve them from danger.
On the ISth General Greene made an assault upon the fort, but it was repulsed with great loss to the American troops. He has been severely
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censured by historians for this useless sacrifice of human life. The American loss was 185 killed and wounded, the enemy's loss only $5 men.
On the 19th of June, General Greene, being advised of the rapid advance of Rawdon with an army superior to his own in numbers, withdrew from Ninety-Six and retreated in the direction of Charlotte, North Carolina, crossing the Enoree. Tiger and Broad rivers,
On the morning of the 21st the British army reached Ninety-Six. A few hours were spent in rejoicing, but in the evening of the same day, not- withstanding the fatigue of his soldiers, the intrepid Englishman sounded the signal for an advance, hoping to overtake the American army and destroy it. On the Enoree he encountered Colonels Wash- ington and Lee, who were covering the retreat. He soon learned that General Greene was beyond his reach, and finding that the American cavalry were superior to his own and likely to greatly harass his weary army, he beat a hasty retreat to Ninety-Six. Here, after reflecting on the situation and seeing the unsupported condition of this outpost, so long held by his troops, but now in imminent danger, he determined to evacuate the place and fall back to his line on the coast.
The light troops of Lee harassed his retreat. to some extent, but he soon reached Orangeburg, where, on the Sth of July, he made a junction with Lieutenant Colonel Stewart. No further attempt upon him was made by the American Generals.
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The heated season was now oppressive, and sick- ness began to show itself alarmingly among the American troops. General Greene, therefore, deter- mined to withdraw his troops from the field and rest his little army on the high hills of the Santee, south of Camden, which was a healthful region and a strategic position from which he could com- mand the State.
We shall leave him here. the 16th of July, and return to North Carolina to trace the history of the three new battalions of the Continental line, com- manded respectively by Colonels John B. Ashe, John Armstrong and Reading Blount, which formed the splendid brigade of General Jethro Sumner.
CHAPTER IN.
General Jethro Summe: Raises a Brigade of Continental Troop- in 1751-His Correspondence in Regard Thereto-Marches, i: Jaly, IST, to Join General Greene-Colonel John B. Lishe, Major Johu Armstrong and Mejor Reling Blount, his Lieu- tenants-Brigade Numbers Soo Men-North Carolina Mintia Join Greene-General Suinter, of South Carolina, Recruit- his Brigade in Rowan and Mecklenburg Counties.
TT is somewhat discouraging to discover the many errors that have crept into history in regard to the general events in North Carolina during these stirring times; and it is surprising to find how little of history has been recorded in regard to General Summer and his Continental brigade.
Governor Graham, though generally accurate. in his lecture on General Greene, fixes General Summer as one of the captives at Charleston in May, 1780; and Moore, the historian. says he was at Gates' defeat at Camden, in August, 1-So. Both: these statements are incorrect. General Summer was at that period in North Carolina endeavoring to recruit the levies for the new Continental regi- ments. Various letters to and from him in his voluminous correspondence show this.
General Sumner was called to command the North Carolina militia, at Charlotte, in August. 17So, when they were left without a leader, after Gates and Caswell had fled to Hillsboro; but he left that camp when, through somebody's influ-
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ence, the Legislature had him superseded by Gen- eral Smallwood, of Maryland, an officer much inferior in talent and military genius to Sumner, and withal not a citizen of the State. After retiring from this militin command, General Sumner re- newed his exertions, against all obstacles, to hasten the drafts and collect volunteers for his brigade. He was constantly in correspondence with General Greene, LaFayette, Steuben, and Washington him- self, in 178c and 17Si, showing the esteem these great men had for his worth as a soldier. He also constantly wrote letters to the commanders of the military districts, urging them to complete the drafts, and visited various sections of the State in prosecution of his noble work. He was applying in all directions for arms, and even as late as July the Ist, after his battalions were ready to move, they were delayed for want of muskets. At one time, so hopeless was the prospect for arms in North Carolina, that General Suminer was ordered to join the Baron Steuben in Virginia, as the only hope of arming his men. The history of these events are obscurely traceable through this volu- minous correspondence, and as far as the limits of this book will allow, I will endeavor to note the progress and trials which marked the completion of the three North Carolina Continental regiments.
The first order was, that the drafts should be at the places of rendezvous by the 25th of April, 1781, and General Greene was urging the fulfillment of this order with constant importunity, but at that
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dote nothing scarcely had been accomplished. The militia officers were "lazy," some disloyal. others feared unpopularity, those drafted deserted, some had no clothing, all were without arms, and a thousand excuses and misfortunes brought disap- pointment and failure to the hopes of General Sumner. To Colonel John Armstrong, who was at Salisbury April 30th, General Summer writes:
"I wrote you a few days ago respecting the drafts of the district of Salisbury remaining in Salisbury until further orders. Since then I have received several ex- presses from General Greene. You are to march the drafts of Salisbury to Harrisburg, in Granville County, by companies and officered."
On May Ist, he writes General Greene that the "small-pox was raging at Hillsboro, and that there could be no collection of stores there; that General Jones, who had gone to Virginia to procure arms, had returned without success."
May 6th he writes General Greene:
"I have not been able, sir, to arm, of the drafts, more than sixty."
On the 22d May, Major Dixon writes General Sumner from Hillsboro:
"We are scarce of arms, and what we have are bad. I expect the troops from Caswell County Thursday. They are pretty well clothed."
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On the 22d of May. Colonel John Armstrong writes Sumner from Salisbury :
"Since my last, I have received about 30 men of the drafts of this district: I expect 50 more, and by the last of this month I think I will have 200 in all. if they come according to promise. I have received 50, con cartridges for the use of your brigade, which I intended to bring with me to your headquarters, But I understand by Captain James Read (recently sent to Salisbury ou special mission by General Greene) 'that it is General Greene's express orders for the Salisbury drafts to join him soon.' If I marel southward I will leave 20,000 cartridges with Captain Gamble, Quartermaster, in Salisbury, to be delivered to your order."
May 26th, Armstrong writes again :
"Our army to the southward 'is in great spirits and increasing very fast. General Greene's heavy baggage and artillery that lay high upon the Catawba is ordered to camp. I shall start for camp to-day, and will take every opportunity to write you. I am so unhappy not to be under your immediate command."
But Colonel Armstrong did not start on the 26th of May.
June the 13th, he was still at Salisbury, and writes General Sumner:
"I am almost ready to march, with 200 good men of this district. I sent on 180 before."
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Who went on with these iSo men is not recorded. I presume they left on the 26th May.
In examining the applications for pensions under the act of 1832. I find that of John Wilfong, of Lincoln, now Catawba County, who was the great- grandfather of the late Major General Stephen D. Ramseur, of the Confederate army. Wilfong was one of the volunteers at King's Mountain, and was wounded in the arm. Hc states that --
"In July, I7SI, I volunteered for ten (10) months with Captain Cowan and Lieutenant George Hammond. who marched from Lincoln County, to hear Augusta, then joining the army of General Greene, thence to Eutaw Springs, and was in that battle."
I think it probable that most of the levies in the Salisbury district were volunteers; the Whigs abounded in that portion of the State more than any other.
June 19th, General Sumuer seems to have written an appeal to the people to raise the new levies. A copy. in his handwriting, is among his papers. It is evident that the General fought better than he wrote. His orthography is hardly tolerable, and the chirography is worse-a heavy, large hand- writing, irregular and not well constructed: but the matter is vigorous and strong. He recounts the "savage waste and destruction of the enemy in making their way, the indefensible father, the aged mother, the loving sister appealing with groans and
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wringing hands to their friends to preserve their innocence and virtue from pollution."
On the 20th of June, General Sumner writes to General Greene:
"CAMP HARRISBURG, June 20th, ITSI.
"DEAR SIR :- I enclose a return of the drafts collected at this place. Colonel Armstrong I expect in two or three days with the troops of the district of Newbern. On his arrival I shall immediately form the second regi- ment. . I have, sometime since, wrote Major Eatout for a return of those men under his command with you, and to have them arranged as the first regiment, together with those of the district of Salisbury; and I have directed him to report to me the number and companies, and the part wanting to complete the regiment, to be made here. Captain Doherty, who attends at Wilming- ton district rendezvous, has orders to repair to general rendezvous with what drafts have been received from that district, and a general order has been issued to the several districts that a diligent officer remain at each district rendezvous to receive drafts from such counties as have not yet delivered its drafts to the Continental officer. "I shall, as soon as possible, march to join the Baron Steuben in Virginia, having no prospect of being sup- plied with arms. &c .. in this State.
"I received yours of the 20th instant, and shall pay our respects to the contents.
"The Marquis, by last accounts, was in twenty miles of Lord Cornwallis, who was in the vicinity of Peters- burg ; that a very respectable force of riflemen had
*Harrisburg was in Granville County. It was a camp and depot of provisions.
He had not, it seems, yet heard of Eaton's death.
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joined the Marquis last Wednesday. I shall, in a few days, be able to give yout a more particular account of their maneuvers. Major Craig, at Wilmington, con- tintes his ravages for thirty or forty miles up Cape Fear, with little or no opposition. His Excellency, the Gov- ernor, a few days since, sent me orders to march all the drafts collected to Duplin; but, sir, it was so incom- patible with my orders that I did not do so, and. at that time, I was not joined by Major Dixon with the Hills- boro drafts, neither were those of Edenton come up. I have heard nothing of this matter since.
"Permit me to congratulate you on the very conse- quential success the army immediately under your com- mand have had in South Carolina and Georgia.
"I am, sir, with regard and esteem,
"Your very obedient servant, "JETHRO SUMNER."
Fortunately Virginia was able to furnish the muskets so essentially necessary, and by this gen- erosity Summer's brigade was enabled to join Greene instead of Steuben. Some of the trials incident to raising recruits is graphically set out in the follow- ing letter:
"DUPLIN, June 22, 1781.
"SIR :- I embrace the opportunity of Colonel Kenan's going to the Assembly to inform you that the tumuits in this part of the country have been the cause of the drafts, and everything in relation thereto, being delayed and more out of order here than in any other part of the State.
"We have at present some little respite from the cursed Tories, but cannot say they are entirely subdued.
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The draft was made in Doplin, but more than half of them have been among the Tories, or so disaffected they will not appear. The number that we ought to have here is about seventy men, and there has not above twenty-four yet appeared, and about twenty from Ons- low. The men have been so harassed by being kept in arins, that hitherto they could not attend to providing the clothing required by law, and without clothing the mien cannot march, as not one among thent have a second change, and some have hardly duds to cover them. The Colonel has used all possible means to urge the people to clothe their soldiers, and when this is done I will march with the few we have.
"If an opportunity offers from your camp towards Wake, I should be glad to hear from you. If it is di- rected to the care of Colonel Kenan, he will forward it to
" Your humble servant, "GEORGE DOHERTY."
Captain Doherty was one of the officers of the Continental line and had been in General Summer's old regiment.
June 29th General Sumer informs Baron Steuben that General Greene had just ordered the North Caro- lina brigade to join him in South Carolina, as the enemy had been largely reinforced. He urges the Baron, notwithstanding this, to forward arms to him.
Major Reading Blount was in Salisbury on the 29th of June, attending to the organization of the third battalion, and writes to General Sumner:
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"I am sorry to inform you that there is no account of those parties yet that were expected when you left here. In case any should come in a short time, it would be out of my power to have them equipped, unless you send me an order from General Greene for that purpose, as he has given Gamble orders not to issue cartridges or stores of any kind to any order but hisown. But should troops come on before I get such an order. I shall run all risks of taking them, if not to be had other ways."
Colonel John Armstrong had, at last, goue forward, with orders to incorporate Major Eaton's com- mand. with those men who accompanied him from Salisbury, and on the Ist day of July had reached "Camp Big Springs, 20 miles from Broad River," "half way between Nation Ford on the Catawba. and Fish Dam Ford on Broad," and gives General Sumner the following information :
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