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 6
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Colonel Otho Williams, who wrote a defence of General Gates, and who is said to have advised Gates to march direct to Camden, says :
"If in this affair the militia fled too soon the regulars may be thought as blameable for remaining too long on the field, especially after all hope of victory was despaired of."
It is not within the scope of this work to discuss the merits of the question, but only to deal with facts and results.
No place of rendezvous had been appointed by General Gates in case of defeat ; no order was given by him after the battle began. and every soldier who fled followed his own judgment and instinct of safety. Gates fled day and night until he reached Charlotte. He outstripped all his troops in this race.
Rivington in his Gazette of September 13th, I7So, says in regard to his continued flight, "that it was effected on a celebrated horse, the son of Colonel Baylor's Fearnaught, own brother to His Grace, of Kingston's famous . Careles,' purchased of a general officer of the first distinction."+
It was in this Gilpin race that Gates met Colonel Wm. R. Davie, who was marching to his assistance,
*Carrington Battles of the Am. Rev .. p. 517. iMoore's Diary of Revolution, vol. 2, P. 312.
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and Davie urged that at least some one should be sent to look after the dead and wounded, and Gates replied : " Let the dead bury the dead." This was the only text of Scripture that occurred to the General that day, and in its literal application he seems to have found some justification and comfort. His usual reply. when reproached, was "I know how to pit a cock but I don't know how to make it fight," but in this apology there was little reason,
Cornwallis reports the British army at two thousand two hundred and thirty-nine. and his casualties sixty-eight killed and two hundred and fifty-six wounded, but it was undoubtedly more.
General Gates subsequently reported the loss of General DeKalb and five officers killed and thirty- four officers wounded, including Lieutenant Colo- nels Woodford, Vaughn, Porterfeild and De Buysson, who were captured, and that by the 29th of August seven hundred non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Maryland division had rejoined the army." The Delaware regiment was almost destroyed. "Lieutenant Colonel Vaughn and Major Patton being taken, its remmant, less than two companies. was afterwards placed under Kirkwood, Senior Captain.
The North Carolina militia also suffered greatly: more than three hundred were taken prisoners and a large number killed and wounded. "Contrary to the usual course of events, and the general wish, the Virginia militia who set the infamous example
*Carrington's Battles, pp. 517-'IS.
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which produced the destruction of the army, escaped entirely."#
Well did the noble Delawares maintain the name of the "Blue Hen's Chickens" on that fatal day. They were "pitted" and their dead bodies were strewn all over that bloody field, while he who "pitted" them was cutting the wind on the "son of Fearnaught."
'This sobriquet of the "Blue Hen's Chickens" is said to have had its origin in the fondness of a certain Captain Caldwell for cock-fighting. He was an officer of this regiment distinguished for his daring and undaunted spirit. When officers were sent home for recruits they were admonished to get "game cocks," and as Caldwell insisted that 110 cock could be truly game whose mother was not a "blue hen," the expression "blue hen's chickens" was substituted for game cocks. This sport of cock-fighting was so popular in that day that General Sumter was called the "game cock" for his fight- ing qualities, while Marion, for his caution and cunning, was called the "swamp fox." We shall record the deeds of this gallant remuant of "blue hen's chickens " on other fields where glory and renown were wonl.
By this victory the British came into possession of seven pieces of artillery, two thousand muskets, ยท the entire baggage train and prisoners to the num-
#Lee's Memoirs, p. 185.
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ber of one thousand, including Generals De Kals. Rutherford and Gregory."
It was an appalling misfortune and carried con- sternation and dismay over the whole country ; and had Cornwallis followed up his victory by march- ing at once into North Carolina the last of the Southern States in his district might have been overrun, but in the exuberance of his joy over the defeat of the conqueror of Burgoyne and the recap- ture of the English canon and the subjection of South Carolina, he lost his energy and judgment and sat down to secure and organize the territory he had won, rather than add to his conquests. Tardiness was the weakness of Cornwallis. His extreme caution often taught him the danger of procrastination. It was owing to this fault that Morgan escaped with his men from the Cowpeus later in the year.
"Carrington's Battles.
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CHAPTER III.
The Scattered Troops and Militia assemble et Charlotte-Colonel W. 1 .. Davidson- - General Sumner in Command of the Militia- Letter from Governor Nash-Patriotism of the People-Corn- wallis leaves. September 7th, ING, for North Carolina-De- fence of Charlotte by Davie and Graham -- Hostile Spirit of the People-Colael Patric! Ferguson- Movements of the Whig Leaders -- Battle of King's Mountain.
A LL opposition in South Carolina seemed to be at an end.
Late on the night of the 16th of August General Gates and General Caswell reached Charlotte together in their ignoble flight. Gates, leaving Caswell to collect the scattered troops at Charlotte, pressed onward to Hillsboro, riding altogether more than two hundred miles in three and a half days. Caswell, after remaining one day, followed Gates.
Before leaving Charlotte General Caswell issued a proclamation calling on the scattered troops of the army to repair to Charlotte and for the militia to assemble there also. The militia of Mecklen- burg assembled, and the fugitives from Camden came in daily, but in a deplorable condition, hungry, fatigued, and almost naked, and many had thrown away their arms." The regular troops mostly passed on to Hillsboro, where General Gates finally established his headquarters. William L. David- son, lieutenant colonel of regulars, who was just recovering from a wound received at Colson's
General Joseph Graham in University Magazine, vol. 5. P. 97.
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in July, was appointed brigadier general of the militia, in the Salisbury district, in the place of General Rutherford who was then a prisoner. General Davidson formed a brigade and encampa! on MeAlpine's Creek, about eight miles below Charlotte, and in the course of a few weeks was reinforced by General Sumner, who, having no regulars to command, took the command of the militia from the counties of Guilford, Caswell and Orange .*
On the roth September, 17So, Governor Abner Nash writes to Willie Jones, that " General Small- wood, with the whole of the Maryland line left. is bere (Hillsboro) by the order of General Gates. They amount to upwards of yco, which, with above 200 regulars (arrived here yesterday) from Vis- ginia, make the whole of our Continental force. And how long they are to remain here I know not. for the general says that they must be completely refitted with clothes, tents and blankets before he will move them. The Virginia militia are mostly gone home. By the last accounts from Stevens, in Guilford, he had only about 120 men : 1200 of our militia of the second draft, under General Summer, are gone to Salisbury ; about i,coo militia of the upper counties are assembled there and at Char- lotte, and in about five days hence 1200 fresh men will march from this district for the westward. In short, sir, we are, for the present, left pretty much to ourselves for the defence of this State, in want of wagons, horses, magazines of provisions,
*University Magazine, vol. 3. p. 54.
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arms, ammunition, tents and blankets. and a great portion of the interior part of the country against us. At the same time, I have the pleasure to assure you that our seal and spirit rise with our dificil. ties, drafts are, nearly at an end. our men vield to the necessity of the times and turn out to service with willing hearts. We are blessed with plentiful crops, and, with proper laws, resources way easily be drawn forth for the defence of the country."
This letter, so fu'l of hope and courage, in a day when all seemed to be lost. and suffering and distress and confusion were on every hand, reflects honor on the history of the State, and the Governor who then wielded her executive power. Her citi- zens "turned out to service with willing hearts." and their "zeal and spirit rose with their diffi- culties."
Major Win. R. Davie, who was hastening to join Gates, and met him in retreat, now fell back with his small force and took post at Charlotte.
A letter published in 1856 from Major Davie to General Caswell, dated August 29th, 1780, at Char- lotte, presents a vivid view of the state of affairs at that crisis. He says: "Last Saturday, with some difficulty, a command of roo horse was made up. I proceeded with them down the country as far as three miles below Hanging Rock. The Tory militia have returned to their plantations, and threaten to plunder the country, and are murder- ing the Whiggist inhabitants. The counties of Rowan and Mecklenburg are rich in provision and
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strong in men, staunch, mionerous and spirited, if they were only encouraged to take the field by timely assistance. A small body of regulars, with a few militia from these counties, would still keep the enemy at bay. Our poor wounded in Camden are in a most wretched situation. Colonel Wilson told me General Rutherford had no surgeon but himself, and that many of them had never bech dressed. Something should be done for them -- it is cruel."#
During this uncertain state of affairs, the Legis- lature of North Carolina, from an exaggerated estimation of General Smallwood's services, created him a major general, and requested him, though a citizen of Maryland, to take command of our State militia. This very justly offended the pride and sensibilities of a number of State officers, and so mortified General Summer that for a short time he retired from the service and refused to serve under Smallwood. Bancroft does not conceal his disgust at Smallwood's absence from the scene at Camden, when the reserve was ordered to support the Mary- landers, Delawares, and North Carolinians, who were so sorely pressed in front and on the flanks. and Smallwood's claim to have saved them from rout is very questionable.
17So. The suspense in regard to the future movements of Lord Cornwallis was broken on the 7th day of September, when he moved out of Can- den and marched by the way of the Waxhaws to
"University Magazine, vol. 5, p. 184.
Charlotte. At the same time he dispatched Colonel Patrick Ferguson in the direction of Ninety-Six. with a corps of one hundred picked regulars, where he soon attached to him about izbo of the hardy natives in that region. His camp became the rendezvous of the desperate, the idle and the vin- dictive, as well as the youth of the loyalists." Colonel Tarleton, with the cavalry and light legion of infantry, was to pursue an intermediate course and move up the western banks of the Waterce. Steadman says that " the reduction of the province of North Carolina was undoubtedly, at this time. confidently looked for. But to comfound human wisdom and set at naught the arrogance and pre- sumption of man, unexpected incidents daily arise in the affairs of human life, which, conducted by an invisible hand, derange the best concerted schemes, as will be exemplified in the event of the present expedition." An expansion of the aphorism that "man proposes but God disposes," and never was the truth so strikingly beautiful as in this historical instance. "Darkness and clouds were round about the throne of God" and his mercy seemed to have forsaken the American cause, but "justice and judgment were still the habitation of that throne." The "invisible hand" was moving in the transmontane regions among the pioneers of American civilization and they were soon to descend as a destroying angel on the invading hosts.
*Johnson's Greene, vol. I, p. 305.
1780. On the oth of September Major William R. Davie was appointed by Governor Nash colonel commandant of cavalry, and directed to raise a regi- ment: but he succeeded in raising only part of it, and with two small companies of riflemen under Major George Davidson, he took post at Providence. With fearless resolution he attacked a party of the enemy at Wahab's plantation, killed fifteen or twenty and wounded forty, and came off with ninety-six horses and one hundred and twenty-six stands of arms --- a precious acquisition at that june- ture, when patriots were more numerous than rifles.
On the advance of the British. Generals Sumner and Davidson retreated by Phifer's, the nearest route to Salisbury, ordering Colonel Davie, with 150 men and some volunteers under Major Joseph Graham, to watch and annoy the foe. Obeying these orders Colonel Davie entered the town of Charlotte on the night of the 20th day of September. At the same time the British were lying within a few miles of the town.#
General Graham relates that at this time the people met to talk over the situation, and "several aged and respectable citizens insinuated that further resistance would under such circumstances be temerity, and only produce more certain destruction to themselves and families, which by some other course might be averted. But this was indignantly repelled by a great majority and especially by those who had been in action at Hanging Rock. Several
"Wheeler's History, p tos. from Life of Davie.
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of them stated that they had seen the British soldiers run like sheep, and many of them bite the dust: that they were by no means invincible; that under suitable commanders and proper arrange- ments they would at any time risk a conflict with them man to man; that their cause was just and they confided that Providence would ultimately give them success, notwithstanding the present unfavorable appearances. . As to endeavoring to obtain terms of the enemy, that was out of the ques- tion. That their sister State, South Carolina, had tried the experiment and found that no faith was to be placed in British promises, justice. generosity, or honor. Several of them declared that while there was any part of the North American continent to which the British authority did not extend they would endeavor to occupy that. This was one of the times which emphatically . tried men's souls' rather than, when the enemy was at a distance, sitting in deliberative bodies and passing abstract resolves, to which it is generally applied."s
The general result of the meeting was to make resistance to the last extremity, which accorded with the spirit and judgment of Major Graham.
This accomplished writer, as well as soldier, has given us a most minute account of the daring defence of the handful of men under him and Colonel Davie. As this account has reached com- paratively few through the pages of the University Magazine, I am persuaded it will prove most inter-
"General Graham in University Magazine, vol. 5, p. 53.
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esting to the general reader, and therefore I copy it entire. The young "hornets" of the old nest witt appreciate it. I know.
1780. " Before sunrise on the 26th day of September. Graham's party discovered the front of the enemy advancing, and two of his men, who had been sent down their left flank, reported that the whole army was in motion; that they had seen their artillery, baggage, etc .. . coming on. They were immediately sent to give Col- onel Davie notice, and Graham's troops receded slowly before them. After going a short distance the party were covered from the view of the British by a swell in the ground. They halted and fired on their front as they approached, which the enemy returned briskly, acd began to deploy. Graham's party moved on, expecting the British cavalry to pursue, but could see none. : I: turned out that they were gone with Tarleton after General Sumter. )
" Within two miles of Charlotte, where the road from the ferry comes in. Tarleton joined them. In five minutes after he arrived, being indisposed after his night's march, Major Hanger took command of the cavalry, and coming in front, compelled Graham to keep at a more respectful distance. He was parsued by the front troops in a brisk canter for a mile; after that they went at a common travel until they came in sight of the village, when they halted that the rear might close up, and some of their officers endeavored to reconnoiter.
"Colonel Davie had nearly completed his disposition for their reception, and during the night and morning had the hospital and military stores removed. Charlotte stands on an eminence of small elevation abwe the adja-
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cent ground; two wide streets crossing wach other at right angles ( Tryou and Trade streets, the court-house was in the center, a frame building raised on eight brick pillars, ten feet from the ground, which was the most elevated in the place. Between the pillars was erected a wall of rock three and a half feet high, and the open basement answered as a market for the town. Suitable gaps were made in the lots and other enclosures on the east side of the village for the troops to retire with facil- ity, when compelled to do so. The main body was drawn up in three lines across the street leading to Salis- bury, about fifty yards apart, the front line twenty steps from the court-hotise. Owing to the swell in the ground, and the stone wall aforesaid, the whole was nearly masked from the view of the advancing foe until he came near. One troop was drawn up on each side of the court-house in the cross street, at the distance of eighty yards from it. That on the left was masked by a brick house, that on the right by a log house. Major Dickson of Lincoln (since General Joseph Dickson), with a party of twenty men, was placed behind McComb's house about twenty-nine poles in advance of the court-house on the left of the street. - Graham's command (just arrived before the enemy), with Captain Join Brandon's troops from Rowan, were place I as a reserve in one line at right angles with the street where the jail now stands. In about thirty minutes after the enemy made his appear- ance, he had condensed his forces from the loose order of march, by sections, and increased the front of his columns-his cavalry arranged in subdivisions, his infantry in platoons (except the Legion which followed the cavalry). There appeared an interval of about one hundred yards between the columns ; the cavalry
advanced at a slow pace until fired on by M gor Dick- son's party ; they then came on at a brisk trot antil within fifty gards of the court-house, when our first line moved up to the stone wall and fired, then wheeled ont- wards and possed down the Blanks of the second line, which wasadvancing. The enemy supposing that we were retreating, rushed up to the court-house and received a full fire on each side from the companies placed on the cross street ( Trade street) ; upon which they imme- diately wheeled and retreated down the street to their infantry, halted and fronted. Their infantry passed out through the lots on each flank and advanced. Our second line, when it reached the court-house, fired at the column of cavalry in retreat, but at rather too great a distance for much execution. Their cavalry now began to move forward again, but the Legion infantry were near one hundred yards in advance on cach flank. When they came in view in rear of the lots, they opened a cross- fire on each fonk of Davie's men, which, for a short time. was handsomely returned from behind the buildings, but their numbers and firing increasing as they deployed, and the cavalry advancing along the street in a menacing attitude, Colonel Davie ordered a retreat. As soon as the troops who had been engaged passed the reserve, they had to sustain the whole fire of the Legion, which kept advancing parallel with the street, about cighty vards from it. The reserve held their position until they fired two rounds, and moved off in order through the woods on the left of the road. The British cavalry kept in thirty poles until Graham's party passed the first Muddy Branch, about three-quarters of a mile from the court-house, and one hundred yards from the road, where they wheeled and fronted (the Muddy Branch being
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between them and the enemy, one hundred yards beyond ), and gave them one fire. They halted, waiting for their infantry, which in a short time came running down their flank and began to fire. Graham ordered his men to disperse, as the woods were thick and they all kiew the country. At the distance of two or three miles the most of them collected, where the road crosses Kennedy's Creek (where Frew's farm now is, and as the woods were here thick and deemed suitable to rallyin, the meu were drawn up fronting the ford, and two men sent over to see whether the horse or foot were marching in front, it being decided that if the former, the troops should fire from their saddles. The men sent over had not gone one hundred yards from their party before they discov- ered the front of the cavalry at a small distance, and came back and gave information. The party sat on horseback waiting the approach, when the first thing that presented itself to their view, in the edge of the bottom beyond the creek, at the distance of ninety steps. was the front of a full platoon of infantry on each side of the road, on whom they instantly fired and retreated. The enemy fired nearly at the same time, and their balls passing directly through the woods where our line was formed, and skinning saplings and making bark and twigs fly, produced more of a panic in the militia than any disaster which occurred on that day. All the firing in Charlotte and beyond had generally passed over their heads, but here it appeared to be horizontal. ' The parties commanded by Brandon and Graham passed on in disorder by Sugar Creek Church until they ascended the hill near the cross-roads, where they formed and fronted. The enemy's infantry, which came before, and at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards halted
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and took to trees and fences, and commenced an image- lar hire for near a half hour at long shot. Many of our men dismounted and fired in the same manner, but owing to the distance and shelter of each, it is believed no damage was done on either side. Colonel Dasie. with his matu force, heard the firing distinctly, and knowing the enemy were coming on, sent an officer to apprise General Davidson, who drew up his men near the ford on Mallant's Creek, where the woods and deep ravines would protect him from the cavalry. Colonel Davie himself formed a mile and a half in his front, at a place called Sassafras Fields; from theuce to the cross- roads, near three miles, was an open ridge and large timber (at that time scarcely an undergrowth being upon it) which was quite favorable to the action of cavalry. During the time the enemy had halted and kept up a desultory fire, he was making his arrangements near a small creek in his rear, by placing his best horses in front and sending about one hundred cavalry through the woods to his right, in order that they might come into and up the cross-road, so as to surround the party in front. Their conduct indicated some such movement would be attempted, and the reserve and others who joined them moved on. When they passed the cross- roads, that part of the enemy which debonched were dis- covered coming up the road on their right within thirty poles distance, and Major Hanger, with the remainder. the same distance in their rear, the whole about three hundred and fifty in number. When the two parties joined at the cross-roads, they came on at a brisk trot, and from that to a canter, as fast as they could preserve order, until they discovered the party before them was, by their pursuit, pressed out of order. Then they
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they el at full speed. When the pursuit became close, near one-half took to the woods on each side of the road. The front troop of the enemy (commanded by Captain Stewart) parsued them, but the main body, commanded by Major Hanger, kept the road until they came in view of the place where Colonel Davie had formed at Sassa- fras Ficlas. Being much out of order by the pursuit, they collected their scartered troopers and returned to their Legion infantry, and one other bottalion. about eight hundred men in all, which accompanied the cavalry as far as the cross-roads, and remained there drawn up in position until their return. The main body had halted in Charlotte, whither the whole repaired about sunset. "On this day we lost Lieutenant George Locke (son of General Matthew Jockey who was literally cut to pieces in a most barbarous manner. The barrel of his rifle with which he endeavored to shelter himself from their sabres was cut in many places. He aul two privates were killed, and Colonel Lindsay, of Georgia, who served as a volunteer without any command, and Adjutant Graham" and ten others were wounded. The loss of the enemy could not be ascertained, but was believed to exceed ours. Afterwards two of their dead were found, near where Locke was killed and Graham wounded, one of whom was known to have been shot by Robert Ramsay of Rowan at the time they charged.' But they must have sustained the greatest damage in Charlotte. The enemy seemed to understand this Parthian kind of warfare, and maneuvered with great skill-the cavalry and infantry supporting each other alternately as the nature of the ground or opposition seemed to require.
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