USA > North Carolina > The state records of North Carolina, Vol XV > Part 24
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I most sincerely hope that nothing can happen to prevent your Excellency's intended Diversion in the Chesapeak. If unfortu- nately any unforeseen Cause should make it impossible, I should hope that you will see the absolute Necessity of adding some Force to the Carolinas.
I have the honor to be,
Your most obedient & Most humble Servant,
His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, K. B.
CORNWALLIS.
EARL CORNWALLIS TO LORD GEORGE GERMAIN.
CAMP AT WAXHAW, September 19th, 1780.
MY LORD :
I had the honor to inform Your Lordship, in my letter of the 21st of August, that I had dispatched proper people into North Caro- lina to exhort our friends in that Province to take Arms, to seize
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Military Stores and Magazines of the Enemy, and to intercept all stragglers of the routed Army.
Some parties of our friends. who had embodied themselves near the Pedee, disarmed several of the Enemy's Stragglers; but the leading persons of the Loyalists were so undecided in their Coun- cils that they lost the critical time of availing themselves of our Success, and even suffered General Gates to pass to Hillsborough with a Guard of six Men only. They continue, however, to give me the strongest assurances of support when His Majesty's Troops shall have penetrated into the interior parts of the Province. The patience and fortitude with which they endure the most cruel torments, and suffer the most violent oppressions that a Conntry ever laboured under, convince me that they are sincere, at least as far as their affection to the Cause of Great Britain.
The number of prisoners taken in the Actions of the 16th & 18th of last Month occasioned great inconvenience to us in the small villiage of Camden, which was so crowded and so sickly I was afraid that the close place in which we were obliged to confine them might produce some pestilential fever during the excessive hot weather. I therefore sent them off to Charlestown as early as possible, by divisions of One hundred & fifty each, under the escort of thirty-eight men, about two thirds of which were com- posed of the 63d and Prince of Wales's Regiments, and the rest Militia. In order to cover their March, although I did not appre- hend much danger, I posted Major Wemyss, with about One hundred men of the 63d Regiment, on the high hills of Santee, and I sent Lt. Col. Tarleton with a detachment of the legion, and Lt. Col. Hamilton's Corps and some Militia to Ratcliffe's bridge, on Linche's Creek, which I thought would effectually awe all the lower Coun- try. The disaffection, however, in the Country East of Santee, is so great that the Account of our Victory could not penetrate into it, any person daring to speak of it being threatened with instant death ; and so great was the ignorance in which these people were kept that, on the night of the 23d of August, a party of about Two hundred of the Inhabitants, in the neighborhood of Black River, under the command of Col. Marion, went to Murray's ferry, where they passed some Men in Canoes, drove away our Militia guard, who fled at the first shot, and destroyed the ferry boats, to prevent
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our making our escape from General Gates over the Santee. On the 24th they were proceeding to do the same at Nelson's ferry, when they heard of the march of the first division of Prisoners, and they were to halt that night at Sumpter's house, about six miles East of the ferry. The Ensign of ihe Militia of the escort con- trived to get over to the enemy, and conducted them to the attack of Sumptec's house, the consequence of which was that our Escort was taken and the Prisoner's released. By this time some Patroles of Lt. Col. Tarleton's to Kingstree bridge, on Black River, had spread the alarm in that Country ; and the Enemy, being perfectly convinced by the Prisoners of General Gates's total defeat, retired with great precipitation to Georgetown. Great part of the Escort escaped from them, and above eighty of the Prisoners, all Continentals, either English or Irish, declared their determination to proceed to Charles-town.
I am sorry to inform Your Lordship that the Troops under my command, as well Officers as Men, have continued very sickly ever since the Action. In hopes that the change of air might be useful, I moved from Camden on the 7th of this Month with the 23d, 33d & Volunteers of Ireland, and encamped at Waxhaw Creek. Lieut. Col. Tarleton marched the next day with the Light Troops up the West side of the Catawba River. The 71st Regi- ment, who are beginning a little to recover, are to join me in a few days. Major Wemyss is gone with part of the 63d Regiment, and of Lt. Col. Hamilton's Corps, to endeavor to form a Militia in the district of Cheraws on whose fidelity we may place some de- pendence, and to punish those Traitors who, after voluntarily engaging in our Militia, deserted to the enemy. Detachments are likewise gone for the same purpose to Georgetown.
I must assure Your Lordship that His Majesty's Service has derived the greatest advantages from the ability and great exer- tion of Lt. Col. Balfour in the very important post of Command- ant of Charlestown, where he has put everything in such perfect Order, and has formed so respectable a Militia, that with the con- currence of Majr. Moncrief, the Chief Engineer, he is enabled to spare another Battalion for the field, notwithstanding the increase of Prisoners, in consequence of which the 7th Regiment is now on its march to join me.
By the Capitulation of Charlestown, the Town Militia were
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allowed to remain on parole, and their property in Town was to be secured to them. About twenty or thirty of them, who had been the Ringleaders of Rebellion in this Province, held constant meetings, from which they carried on a correspondence with the enemy and with all the disaffected parts of the Province, and received, In order to propagate it throughout the Town and Coun- try adjacent, General Gates' Proclamation. They advanced, in the most publick and insolent manner, the grossest falsehoods, tending to encourage the disaffected and to terrify the well dis- posed Inhabitants, and seemed to imagine that their Parole was intended only to protect them, without laying them under any restraint whatever. It was impossible, with safety to the Town full of Rebel Prisoners, to suffer them to preserve in these dan- gerous practices. I therefore ordered them to. be seized and trans- ported with their Baggage to St. Augustine, where they will remain on parol, without a possibility of hurting the Interests of Great Britain. I am aware that this proceeding may raise a clamour amongst the enemies of my Country, but I am fully con- vinced that it was as Just as it was absolutely necessay.
I transmit to Your Lordship a Copy of a Proclamation which I thought myself under the necessity of issuing relative to the Sequestration of Rebel Property. The severe mortification which tt must occasion to His Majesty's Loyal Subjects on this Conti- nent to see their Estates Confiscated and themselves and their families reduced to beggary, whilst their inhuman persecutors, who have brought ruin and destruction on them, are suffered to persist openly in the avowal of Rebellion, and to continue to enjoy, by permission of the British Government, the full possession of their property, renders this measure in my opinion absolutely indis- pensable ; and as it can effect no future plan, and only appropri- ates those funds to the present use of Government which would otherwise be employed against it, I flatter myself that it will meet with His Majesty's approbation.
The great sickness of the Army, the intense heat, and the neces- sity of totally subduing the Rebel Country between the Santee and Pedee, have detained me longer than I would have wished on the frontiers of this Province. I am likewise anxious to hear from New York, from whence I have no Accounts since the 15th
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of July. I hope, however, that nothing can prevent my entering North Carolina before the end of this Month.
I have the honour to be,
Your Lordship's most Obedient & most humble Servant,
CORNWALLIS.
Right Honorable Lord George Germain, &c., &c., &c.,
EARL CORNWALLIS TO SIR HENRY CLINTON.
CAMP AT WAXHAW, September 22, 1780.
(Extract.)
If nothing material happens to obstruct my plan of operations, I mean, as soon as Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton can be removed, to proceed with the twenty-third, thirty-third, volunteers of Ireland, and Legion to Charlotte-town, and leave the seventy-first here until the sick can be brought on to us. I then mean to take some redoubts, and to establish a fixed post at that place, and give the command of it to Major Wemys, whose regiment is so totally demolished by sickness that it will not be fit for actual service for some months. To that place I shall bring up all the sick from Camden who have any chance of being servicable before Christ- mas, and trust to opportunities for their joining the army.
The post at Charlotte-town will be a great security to all this frontier of South-Carolina, which, even if we were possessed of the greatest part of North Carolina, would be liable to be infested by parties who have retired with their effects over the mountains, and mean to take every opportunity of carrying on a predatory war ; and it will, I hope, prevent insurrections in this country, which is very disaffected. I then think of moving on my principal force to Salisbury, which will open this country sufficiently for us to see what assistance we may really expect from our friends in North Carolina, and will give us a free communication with the Highlanders, on whom my greatest dependence is placed.
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INSTRUCTIONS TO THE HON. MAJOR GENERAL LESLIE.
HEAD QUARTERS, NEW YORK, October 10, 1780.
SIR :
You will be pleased to proceed with the troops embarked under your command to Chesapeak Bay ; and upon your arrival at that place you will pursue such measures as you shall judge most likely to answer the purpose of this expedition, the principal object of which is to make a diversion in favour of Lieutenant-general Earl Cornwallis, who, by the time you arrive there, will probably be act- ing in the back parts of North Carolina. The information you shall procure on the spot, after your arrival at your destined port, will point out to you the properest method of accomplishing this ; But from that which I have received here, I should judge it best to proceed up James River as high as possible, in order to seize or destroy any magazines the enemy may have at Petersburg, Richmond, or any of the places adjacent ; and, finally, to establish a post on Elizabeth River. But this, as well as the direction of every other operation, is submitted to Earl Cornwallis, with whom you are as soon as possible to communicate, and afterwards to follow all such orders and directions as you shall from time to time receive from his Lordship.
H. CLINTON.
LORD RAWDON TO MAJOR GENERAL LESLIE.
CAMP, NEAR THE INDIAN LANDS, WEST OF THE CATAWBA RIVER, SOUTH CAROLINA, Oct. 24, 1780.
SIR :
Lord Cornwallis not being sufficiently recovered from a severe fever which lately attacked him to be able to write to you, his Lordship has desired that I should have the honour of communi- cating with you the subject of the present service. The Com- mander-in-Chief has transmitted to Lord Cornwallis a copy of the instructions under which you are to act. At the time when
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Petersburg was suggested as an adviseable point for a diversion which might co-operate with our intended efforts for the reduction of North Carolina, it was imagined that the tranquillity of South Carolina was assured; and the repeated assurances which were sent to us by the Loyalists in North Carolina gave us reason to hope that their number and their zeal would not only facilitate the restoration of his Majesty's government in that province but might also supply a force for more extensive operations. Events unfortunately have not answered to these flattering promises. The appearance of General Gates' army unveiled to us a fund of disaffection in this province of which we could have formed no idea ; and even the dispersion of that force did not extinguish the ferment which the hope of its support had raised. This hour the majority of the inhabitants of that tract between the Pedee and the Santee are in arms against us; and when we last heard from Charles-town they were in possession of George-town, from which they had dislodged our militia.
It was hoped that the rising which was expected of our friends in North Carolina might awe that district into quiet ; therefore, after giving them a little chastisement by making the seventh regiment take that route in its way to the army, Lord Carnwallis advanced to Charlotteburg.
Major Ferguson, with about eight hundred militia collected from the neighborhood of Ninety-Six, had previously marched into Tryon county to protect our friends, who were supposed to be numerous there, and it was intended that he should cross the Catawba river and endeavor to preserve tranquillity in the rear of the army. A numerous army now appeared on the frontiers, drawn from Nolachucki and other settlements beyond the mountains, whose very names had been unknown to us. A body of these, joined by the inhabitants of the ceded lands in Georgia, made a sudden and violent attack upon Augusta. The post was gallantly defended by Lieutenant Colonel Brown until he was relieved by the activity of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger ; but Major Ferguson, by endeavoring to intercept the enemy in their retreat, unfortunately gave time for fresh bodies of men to pass the mountains and to unite into a. corpse far superior to that which he commanded. They came up with him, and after
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a sharp action entirely defeated him. Ferguson was killed, and all his party either slain or taken.
By the enemy's having secured all the passes on the Catawba, Lord Cornwallis (who was waiting at Charlotteburg for a convoy of stores) received but confused accounts of the affair for some time, but at length the truth reached him, and the delay, equally with the precautions the enemy had taken to keep their victory from his knowledge, gave Lord Cornwallis great reason to fear for the safety of Ninety-Six. To secure that district was indispensable for the security of the rest of the province, and Lord Cornwallis saw no means of affecting it but by passing the Catawba river with his army, for it was so weakened by sickness that it could not bear detachment.
After much fatigue on the march, occasioned by violent rains, we passed the river three days ago. We then received the first intelligence respecting the different posts in this province which had reached us for near three weeks, every express from Camden having been waylaid and some of them murdered by the inhab- itants. Ninety-Six is safe, the corps which defeated Ferguson having, in consequence of our movement, crossed the Catawba and joined Smallwood on the.Yadkin.
In our present position we have received the first intimation of the expedition under your command. From the circumstances which I have detailed we fear that we are too far asunder to ren- der your co-operation very effectual. No force has presented itself to us whose operation could have been thought serious against this army ; but then we have little hopes of bringing the affair to the issue of an action. The enemy are mostly mounted militia, not to be overtaken by our infantry, nor to be safely pur- sued in this strong country by our cavalry. Our fear is that, instead of meeting us, they will slip by us into this province, were we to proceed far from it, and might again stimulate the dis- affected to serious insurrection. This apprehension you will judge, Sir, must greatly circumscribe our efforts. Indeed, Lord Corn- wallis cannot hope that he shall be able to undertake anything upon such a scale as either to aid you or to benefit from you in our present situation. The Commander-in-Chief has signified to Lord Cornwallis that his Lordship is at liberty to give you any direction for further co-operation which may appear to him expe-
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dient. But his Excellency has complied so very fully and com- pletely with Lord Cornwallis's request, by sending so powerful a force to make a diversion in the Chespeake, that his Lordship fears he should require too much were he to draw you into the immediate service of this district. His Lordship is likewise deli- cate on this point because he does not know how far, by drawing you from the Chespeake, he might interfere with any other pur- poses to which the Commander-in-Chief may have destined your troops. Under these circumstances Lord Cordwallis thinks him- self obliged to leave you at liberty to pursue whatever measures may appear to your judgment best for his Majesty's service and most consonant with the wishes of the Commander-in-Chief. No time is specified to Lord Cornwallis as the limitation of your stay to the southward. Should your knowledge of Sir Henry Clinton's desires prompt you to make a trial upon North Carolina, Cape Fear river appears to be the only part where your efforts are at present likely to be effectual. A descent there would be the surest means of joining and arming the friends of government, as well as of co-operating with this army.
This, therefore, would naturally be the point to which Lord Cornwallis would bring you, did he conceive himself at liberty so absolutely to dispose of you. It must be remarked however, that there are two difficulties to this plan. The first is that the country from Cape Fear to Cross Creek (the Highland settle- ment) produces so little it would be requisite, in penetrating through it, to carry your provisions with you. The second is that no vessel larger than a frigate can pass the bar of Cape Fear harbour. Whatever you decide, Lord Cornwallis desires earnestly to hear from you as soon as possible.
"Tis uncertain yet what steps this army (if left to itself ) must pursue, but it will be ready at least to act vigorously in aid to any plan which you may undertake. Lord Cornwallis begs that you will inform the Commander-in-Chief of your circumstances, and that you will have the goodness to mention how highly sensi- ble his Lordship is to the very effectual manner in which his Excellency has endeavoured to ease the operations of his army. The measure must have been attended with the most favourable consequences had not accidents which no foresight could expect so greatly altered the complexion of onr affairs in this province.
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Lord Cornwallis desires me to add how much satisfaction he should feel in having your assistance upon this service did it promise more favourably for you. But should the intentions of the Commander-in-Chief have left you at liberty to make the attempt at Cape Fear, the success which would probably attend that essential service would be doubly pleasing to Lord Cornwallis from the opportunity it would most likely give him of congratu- lating you in person. Allow me to add my hopes that the course of the service would put it in my power to assure you personally how much,
I have the Honour to be, &c. RAWDON.
LORD RAWDON TO SIR HENRY CLINTON.
FROM CAMP BETWEEN BROAD RIVER AND THE CATAWBA, October 29, 1780. SIR :
Lord Cornwallis having been so reduced by a severe fever as to be still unable to write, he has desired that I should have the honour of addressing your Excellency in regard to our present situation. But few days have past since Lord Cornwallis received your Excellency's dispatch of the 20th of September. In conse- quence of it, his Lordship directed that I should immediately send a letter to meet Major General Leslie in the Chesapeake, giving him the fullest information respecting our prospects and the present temper of the country. I have the honour to inclose a copy of that letter. Something remains to be said, in addition to it, of a nature which Earl Cornwallis judges inexpedient to unveil excepting to your Excellency.
For some time after the arrival of his Majesty's troops at Cam- den repeated messages were sent to headquarters by the friends of government in North Carolina, expressing their impatience to rise and join the King's standard. The impossibility of subsisting that additional force at Camden, and the accounts which they themselves gave of the distressing scarcity of provisions in North Carolina, obliged Lord Cornwallis to entreat them to remain quiet till the new crop might enable us to join them. In the mean time
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General Gates's army advanced. We were greatly surprised, and no less grieved, that no information whatever of its movements was conveyed to us by persons so deeply interested in the events as the North Carolina Loyalists. Upon the 16th of August that army was so entirely dispersed that it was clear no number of them could for a considerable time be collected. Orders were therefore dispatched to our friends, stating that the hour which had so long pressed was arrived, and exhorting them to stand forth immediately and prevent the reunion of the scattered enemy. Instant support was in that case promised them. In the fullest confidence that this event was to take place, Lord Cornwallis ven- tured to press your Excellency for co-operation in the Chesapeake, hoping that the assistance of the North Carolinians might eventu- ally furnish a force for yet farther efforts. Not a single man, however attempted to improve the favourable moment, or obeyed that sum- mons for which they had before been so impatient. It was hoped that our approach might get the better of their timidity ; yet during a long period, whilst we were waiting at Charlotteburg for our stores and convalescents, they did not even furnish us with the least information respecting the force collecting against us. In short, Sir, we may have a powerful body of friends in North Carolina, and indeed we have cause to be convinced that many of the inhabitants wish well to his Majesty's arms; but they have not given evidence enough, either of their number or their activity, to justify the stake of this province for the uncertain advantages that might attend immediate junction with them. There is reason to believe that such must have been the risk.
Whilst this army lay at Charlotteburg, Georgetown was taken from the militia by the rebels ; and the whole country to the east of the Santee gave such proofs of general defection that even the militia of the High Hills could not be prevailed upon to join a party of troops who were sent to protect our boats upon the river. The defeat of Major Ferguson had so dispirited this part of the country, and indeed the loyal subjects were so wearied by the long continuance of the campaign, that Lieutenant Colonel Cruger, (Commanding at Ninety-six) sent information to Earl Cornwallis, that the whole district had determined to submit as soon as the rebels should enter it. From these circumstances, from the consid- eration that delay does not extinguish our hopes in North Carolina,
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and from the long fatigue of the troops, which made it seriously requisite to give some refreshment to the army, Earl Cornwallis has resolved to remain for the present in a position which may secure the frontiers without separating his force. In this situation we shall be always ready for movement, whensoever opportunity shall recommend it or circumstances require it. But the first care must be to put Camden and Ninety-six into a better state of defence, and to furnish them with ample stores and salt provisions. Earl Cornwallis foresees all the difficulties of a defensive war. Yet his Lordship thinks they cannot be weighed against the dangers which must have attended an obstinate adherence to his former plan. I am instructed by Earl Cornwallis to express, in the strong- est terms, his Lordship's feelings with regard to the very effectual measures which your Excellency had taken to forward his opera- tions. His Lordship hopes that his fears of abusing your Excel- lency's goodness in that particular may not have led him to neg- lect making use of a force intended by your Excellency to be employed by him. But as his Lordship knew not how far your Excellency might aim at other objects in the Chesapeake (to which point his Lordship's entreaty for co-operation was originally con- fined) he could not think of assuming the power to order Major General Leslie to Cape Fear river, though he pointed out the utility of the measure in case it should be conceived within the extent of your Excelleney's purpose.
Lord Cornwallis farther desires me to say he feels infinitely obliged by the very flattering testimonials of approbation with which your Excellency has been pleased to honour his success of the 16th of August. He has signified your Excellency's thanks to the officers and men, who received them with grateful acknowl- edgement.
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