USA > North Carolina > The state records of North Carolina, Vol XV > Part 26
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I am sorry to observe the Women don't Smile upon us.
In consequence of the Depredations committed by the Seamen, Transport & Privateers Men & Refugees, &c., in the different Creeks in Norfolk County, I left with the Clergyman of Ports- month 100 Gnineas to be distributed in small Portions to the poorer Sort, who has lossed their all. I think this Money will be well laid out, as it shews our intention was not to distress them.
I expect great Efforts from Col. Balfour, as I told him all my Wants. This goes in a Schooner of Mr. Goodrick's, who has been very useful. About 20 Refugees have come with us ; I shall Arm the whole.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient & Most humble Servt.,
A. LESLIE.
LORD CORNWALLIS TO SIR HENRY CLINTON.
CAMP AT WYNNESBOROUGH, Decr. 3d, 1780.
SIR :
I am just honoured with Your letters of the 5 & 6 of last Month ; Lord Rawdon during my illness informed Your Excellency in his letters of the 28th & 31st of October of the various causes which prevented my penetrating into N. Carolina ; I shall not trouble you with a recapitulation, except a few words about poor Major Fer- guson. I had the honour to inform Your Excellency that Major Ferguson had taken infinite pains with some of the Militia of Ninety-six. He obtained my permission to make an incursion into Tryon County, whilst the Sickness of my Army prevented mov- ing. As he had only Militia, and the small remains of his own
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Corps, without baggage or Artillery, and as he promised to come baek if He heard of any Superior force, I thought He could do no harm, and might help to keep alive the Spirits of our Friends in N. Carolina, which might be damped by the slowness of our Motions. The event proved unfortunate, without any fault of Major Ferguson's. A numerous and unexpected Enemy came from the Mountains; as they had good horses their movements were rapid; Major Ferguson was tempted to stay near the Mount- ains longer than he intended, in hopes of cutting off Col. Clarke on his return from Georgia. He was not aware that the enemy was so near him, and in endeavouring to execute my Orders of passing the Catawba and joining me at Charlotte-town He was Attacked by a very superior force and totally defeated on King's Mountain.
Wynnesborough, my present Position, is an healthy spot, well situated to Protect the greatest part of the Northern Frontier, and to assist Camden and Ninety-Six. The Militia of the latter, on which alone we could place the smallest dependence, was so totally disheartened by the defeat of Ferguson that of that whole District we could with difficulty assemble one hundred, and even those I am convinced would not have made the smallest resistance if they had been Attacked. I determined to remain at this place until an Answer arrived from Genl. Leslie, on which my Plan for the Winter was to depend, and to use every possible means of put- ting the Province into a state of defence, which I found to be absolutely necessary, whether my Campaign was Offensive or Defensive. Bad as the state of our affairs was on the Northern Frontier, the Eastern part was much worse. Col. Tynes, who Com- manded the Militia of the High Hills of Santee, and who was posted on Black River, was Surprized and taken, and his Men lost all their Arms. Col. Marion had so wrought on the minds of the People, partly by the terror of his threats & cruelty of his punish- ments, and partly by the Promise of Plunder, that there was scarce an Inhabitant between the Santee and Pedee that was not in Arms against us. Some parties had even crossed the Santee, and carried terror to the Gates of Charles-town. My first object was to reinstate matters in that quarter, without which Camden could receive no supplies. I therefore sent Tarleton, who pursued Marion for several days, obliged his Corps to take to the Swamps,
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and by convincing the Inhabitants there was was a power superior to Marion, who could likewise reward & Punish, so far checked the Insurrection that the greatest part of them have not dared openly to appear in Arms against us since his expedition.
The 63d Regt., under Major Wemyss, had been mounted on indifferent horses of the Country for the purpose of reducing and disarming the Cheraws. It had afterwards been sent by Lord Rawdon for the security of Ninety-six. When I sent Lt. Col. Tarleton to the Low Country, I Ordered Major Wemyss to come down to Broad River, to keep constantly moving on either side of the River he might think proper, for the Protection of the Mills from which the Army subsisted, and for the preservation of the Country. Sumpter then lay with about 300 Men, partly of Militia and partly of the Banditti who have followed him ever since the reduction of this Province, near Hill's Iron works, between the Catawba and Broad River, about forty miles in our front. Branan, Clarke and others had different Corps plundering the houses and putting to death the well-affected Inhabitants between Tyger River and Pacolet. Major Wemyss, who had just past Broad River at Brierly's Ferry, came to me on the seventh of last Month and told me that he had information that Sumpter had moved to Moore's Hill, within five miles of Fishdam Ford, and about twenty-five Miles from the place where the 63d then lay ; that he had accurate accounts of his position and good Guides, and that he made no doubt of being able to Surprize and ront him. As the defeating of so daring and troublesome a Man as Sumpter, and dispersing such a Banditti, was a great object, I consented to his making the trial on the 9th, at daybreak, and gave him Forty of the Dragoons which Tarleton had left with me, desiring him, however, neither to put them in the Front nor to make any use of them during the night. Major Wemyss marched so early and so fast on the night of the 8th that He arrived at Moore's Hill soon after midnight. Hethen had information that Sumpter had marched that evening to Fishdam ford, where he lay with his rear close to Broad River on a low piece of ground. The Major immediately proceeded to Attack him in his new Position, & succeeded so well as to get into his Camp whilst the Men were all sleeping round the fires ; but as Major Wemyss rode into the Camp at the head of the Dragoons, and the 63d followed them on horseback, the enemy's
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Arms were not secured, and some of them recovering from the first alarm got their Rifles, and with the first fire wounded Major Wemyss in several places and put the Cavalry into disorder. The 63d then dismounted and Killed and Wounded about Seventy of the Rebels, drove several over the River and dispersed the rest. The Command, however, devolving on a very young Officer, who neither knew the ground nor Major Wemyss's plan, nor the strength of the enemy, some few of which kept firing from the wood on our people who remained in the enemy's Camp, and who were probably discovered by their fires, Our troops came away before daybreak, leaving Major Wemyss and 22 Sergts. & Rank & File at a house close to the Field of Action. In the morning those who were left with a flag of truce with the wounded found that the enemy were all gone, but on some of their scouting Parties discovering that our People had likewise retired Sumpter returned & took Major Wemyss's Parole for himself and the wounded Sol- diers. Major Wemyss is gone to Charlestown and is in a fair way of recovery.
The enemy on this event cried Victory, and the whole country caine in fast to join Sumpter, who passed the Broad River and joined Branan, Clarke, &c. I detached Major McArthur, with the 1st Battalion of the 71st and the 63d Regt., after having sent my Aid-de-Camp, Lieut. Money, to take the command of it, to Brierly's Ferry, on Broad River, in order to cover our Mills and to give some check to the enemy's march to Ninety-Six. At the same time I recalled Lient. Col. Tarleton from the Low Country. Tarleton was so fortunate as to pass not only the Wateree but the Broad River without Genl. Sumpter's being apprised of it, who, having increased his Corps to one thousand, had passed the Ennoree and was on the point of Attacking our hundred Militia at Williams's House, fifteen miles from Ninety-Six, and where I believe He would not have met with much resistance. Lt. Col. Tarleton would have surprized him on the South of Ennoree had not a deserter of the 63d given notice of his march. He, how- ever, ent to pieces his rear guard in passing that River, and pur- sued his main body with such rapidity that he could not safely pass the Tyger, and was obliged to halt on a very strong position at a place called Black Stocks, close to it. Tarleton had with him only his Cavalry and the 63d mounted, his Infantry and 3-Pounder
15-20
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being several miles behind. The Enemy, not being able to retreat with safety, and being informed of Tarleton's approach and want of Infantry by a Woman who passed him on the March and con- trived by a nearer Road to get to them, were encouraged by their great superiority of numbers and began to fire on the 63d, who were dismounted. Lt. Col. Tarleton, to save them from consider- able loss, was obliged to Attack, altho' at some hazard, and drove the enemy, with loss, over the River. Sumpter was dangerously wounded, three of their Colonels Killed, and about 120 Men Killed, Wounded or taken. On our side abont 50 were Killed & wounded. Lients. Gibson & Cope, of the 63d, were amongst the former, and my Aid-de-Camp, Lieut. Money, who was a most promising Officer, died of his Wounds a few days after. Lt. Col. Tarleton, as soon as he had taken care of his wounded, pursued & dispersed the remaining part of Sumpter's Corps, and then, having assembled some Militia under Mr. Cunningham, whom I appointed Brigr. General of the Militia of that district, and who has by far the greatest influence in that country, He returned to the Broad River, where he at present remains, as well as Major McArthur, in the neighborhood of Brierley's ferry.
It is not easy for Lt. Col. Tarleton to add to the reputation He has acquired in this Province, but the defeating 1,000 Men posted on very strong ground and occupying log houses with 190 Cavalry and 80 Infantry is a proof of that Spirit and those talents which must render the most essential services to his Coun- try. Lt. Col. Tarleton commends much the good behaviour of the Officers and Men under his command, and He particularly mentions Lieut. Skinner of the 16th Regt. of Infantry, who does duty with the Legion, as having distingnished himself. Lt. Col. Balfour, by putting the Prisoners on Board of Ships, is enabled to spare the 64th Regt. from Charlestown, and sent them to secure the navigation of the Wateree from Nelson's Ferry and to com- municate with Camden. This is the present state of our affairs.
Smallwood has been encamped from the beginning of last Month with about thirteen hundred Militia, a Corps of 250 Continentals under Morgan and 70 Dragoons Commanded by Washington, about 12 Miles on this side of Charlotte Town, his front guarded by Davie and other irregular Corps, who have committed the most shocking cruelties and the most horrid Murders on those sus-
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pected of being our friends that I ever heard of. Gates joined him the Week before last, with about 12 hundred Continentals and Six & Eighteen Months-men, and 300 Cavalry under White and Armand. Morgan's Infantry, and Washington with 100 Cav- alry, came down on the 1st in the evening to Attack a Block house built by Col. Rugeley, in which he had placed himself with 100 Militia. Lord Rawdon, who Commands at Camden, and had notice of their approach, sent to Rugeley to Order him to retire to Camden, but He answered that, as the Enemy had no Cannon, he was determined to defend himself to the last extremity, and had no fear of being taken. The enemy's Infantry did not advance within six Miles of his Block house, but the Cavalry surrounded it and Summoned him, and He instantly surrendered without fir- ing a shot. I am informed that Greene is expected in a few days to relieve Gates.
As it will be necessary to drive back the Enemy's army, and at the same time to maintain a superiority on both our Flanks, and as I thought the co-operation of General Leslie, even at the dis- tance of Cape Fear River, would be attended with many difficul- ties, I have sent Cruizers off the Fryingpan to bring him into Charlestown, and I hourly expect his arrival. After everything that has happened I will not presume to make Your Excellency any sanguine promises. The force you have sent me is greater than I expected, and full as much as I think you could possibly spare, unless the enemy detached in force to the Southward. The utmost exertion of my abilities shall be used to employ them to the best advantage.
Whenever our operations commence Your Excellency may depend on hearing from me as frequently as possible, and it is from events alone that any future Plan can be proposed.
I have the honour to be, with great esteem,
Your most Obedient and Most humble servant,
CORNWALLIS. His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, K. B., &c., &c., &c.
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SIR HENRY CLINTON TO EARL CORNWALLIS.
NEW YORK, 13th December, 1780.
MY LORD :
I am honored with Your Lordship's Letters of the 3d and 22d of September, by the Thames, which arrived here the 12th Ultimo ; And on the 5th instant I received, by the Beaumont, those from Lord Rawdon and Colonel Balfour to General Leslie.
As that General received Your first Invitation on the 7th Ultimo, I naturally supposed that he would have sailed very soon after to join Yon at Cape Fear ; but am sorry to find he did not move from the Chesapeak before the 22d. Inclosed I send your Lordship a Return of the Force that embarked with him; it was all I could spare, and I thought it fully adequate to the. Services required. My first Instructions to General Leslie put that Corps entirely subject to Your Lordship's orders. I did not, I confess, however, suppose it would move to Cape Fear. But having after- wards too good reason to dread Ferguson's Fate, I in a second Instruction recommended that Measure as the only Salutary one under the circumstances I apprehended Ferguson's Defeat would place your Lordship.
By a letter of Colonel Balfour's to General Leslie (without date) are these Expressions : "I have only to repeat that the Safety of this Province now is concerned in your getting as fast ยท as possible near us." I should be sorry to understand from this that the Province is really in danger. Wishing, however, to give your Lordship's operations in North Carolina every Assistance in my Power, tho' I can ill spare it, I have sent another Expedition into the Chesapeak, under the Orders of Brigadier General Arnold, Lieutenant Colonels Dundas and Simcoe. The Force by land is not equal to that which sailed with General Leslie, but I am not withont Hopes it will operate essentially in favor of Your Lord- ship, either by striking at Gates's Depot at Petersburg, (which I have still reason to think is considerable,) or finally by taking Post at Portsmouth, which I have ever considered as very important, for Reasons most obvious. If we take Post there, fortify, & assemble the Inhabitants, it ought not afterwards to be quitted ; and, therefore, I cannot suppose Your Lordship will wish to alter
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the destination of this Corps withont absolute necessity. On the contrary, I flatter myself that, should Your Success be such as Your Lordship will, I hope, now have reason to expect, You will reinforce that Corps and enable it to act offensively. When that is your Intention, I am to request that the following Corps may, in their Turn, be considered for that Service, Viz .: The Troop of 17th Dragoons, the Yagers, the Detachment of the 17th Foot, and the Provincial Light Infantry, &c.
I need not tell Your Lordship that these Detachments have left me very bare indeed of Troops, nor that Washington still con- tinues very strong, at least 12,000 Men ; that he has not detached a single Man as yet to the Southward, except Lee's cavalry, about 250. I need not tell You, also, there are 6,000 French already at Rhode Island, but I must acquaint Your Lordship that six compleat Regiments more are expected under Convoy of a Num- ber of Capital Ships. Whatever may have been the Intention of the French in sending a Reinforcement to this Country, I think, however, the Season is now too far advanced to expect the last, and, was I not clearly of that opinion, I should scarcely dare to detach as I do.
As I have already said, I think Your Lordship's Movements to the Southward most important, and as I have ever done, so will now give them all the Assistance I can. It remains to be proved whether we have Friends in North Carolina. I am sure we had three years ago. That Experiment will now, however, be fairly tried ; if it succeeds, and we hold the Entrance of the Chesapeak, I think the rebels will scarcely risk another Attempt upon those Provinces.
I am very happy to find by Your Letter to General Leslie that Your Lordship is so well recovered from your late Indisposition which had given me the greatest Pain & Concern.
As Your Lordship's Dispatch of the 12th November, & Lord Rawdon's & Col. Balfour's Letters to General Leslie, brought here by the Beaumont, were addressed on His Majesty's Service, I took the Liberty to break the Seals, supposing they might contain Intelligence necessary for my Information.
Should your Lordship at any time judge it expedient to rein- force the Corps under General Arnold, You will of course either continue it under his Orders or send any other General Officer
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you think proper to take the Command, whenever you may think snch Alteration necessary.
I have the honour to be,
Your Lordship's most obedient & most humble Servant.
H. CLINTON.
To Lieut. General Earl Cornwallis.
EARL CORNWALLIS TO SIR HENRY CLINTON.
No. 120.
WYNNESBOROUGH, 22d Decr., 1780.
SIR :
I have the Pleasure to inform your Excellency that Major Gen. Leslie arrived with his whole Fleet at Charlestown on the 14th of this Month, and a great part of stores for the Quarter Master Gen- eral. The Species of Troops which compose the Reinforcement are, exclusive of the Guards & Regiment of Bose, exceedingly bad. I do not mean by representing this to your Excellency to insinu- ate that you have not sent every Assistance to me which you cou'd with Safety & Prudence spare from New York. From the account which your Excellency does me the honor to send me of the Situation & Strength of General Washington's Army and the French Force at Rhode Island, I am convinced that you have done so. But I think it but Justice to the Troops serving in this District to State the Fact, lest the Services performed by the Southern Army shou'd appear inadequate to what might be expected from the Numbers of which it may appear to consist. The Fleet from New York with the Recruits arrived a few days before Genl. Leslie.
It was entirely owing to accident that so many Old Ships were left at Charlestown. They were very near being lost in a Gale of Wind off the Bar, & were obliged to come in to refit. I have ordered some of them to be ready to sail with the first Convoy, which will go as soon as the Officers of the Navy think they can proceed with Safety.
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As soon as the Vietuallers are unloaded I shall apply to the Commanding Officer of the Navy for a Convoy to return with them to England, taking also such Transports as are nnfit to continue longer in the Service, on board of which the Invalids will be embarked.
The Want of Specie in this Province puts us under the greatest difficulties. Every method has been pursued to keep the Money ' in the Hands of the Contractors for Government, and to prevent the Imposition of the Merchants. But the sum actually in the Province is so inadequate to the necessary Demands that we have scarcely been able to pay the Subsistence of the Troops.
I do not quite understand the State of the Cartel ; but the Num- ber of Prisoners at Charlestown is a great Inconvenience.
Lt. Col. Balfour informs me that Major Delancy requested in your Excelleney's Name that he wou'd endeavor to procure some Horses to be sent to Genl. Vaughan ; but the great Demand for the Service of this Province for Horses for Cavalry, mounted Infantry, & Quarter Master General's Department has put it out of his Power to do so. Cavalry Accoutrements at Charlestown are very dear & bad. Shou'd your Excellency have received from England more than are wanted for the Service at New York, they will be very useful here.
I am afraid the Expense of quartering the Troops at Charles- town will be very great, but I do not know how it can be avoided without breaking the Capitulation in Regard to the Property in Town.
I have the honour to be, &c., CORNWALLIS.
His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton.
GEN. B. LINCOLN TO GOV. R. CASWELL.
[From Executive Letter Book.]
CHARLES TOWN, Jannary 3rd, 1780. DEAR SIR :
I was yesterday honoured with your favour of the 13th ulto.
It affords great pleasure to be informed that your militia have been draughted, are on their march, and may soon be expected
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here, where their services are greatly needed, and by the last accounts from Philadelphia will probably soon be more so, while the continued exertions of your state for the defence of this and of Georgia leave no room to doubt of their zeal in the support of the common Cause, and the particular interest of your neighbouring states, who must view with pleasure your voluntary and timely efforts to preserve their safety and happiness. The impartial His- torian will record these acts among those virtuous deeds which have reflected so much lustre on the first three years of Ameri- can Independence.
We can supply your Militia with arms, ammunition, cartridge boxes and Camp Kettles. We are greatly deficient in the article of tents ; if you could send ns them, and some lead, they will be particularly agreeable. Your Excellency will give me leave also to recommend that some shoes, stockings, shirts, and small clothes be sent on, for, from this long march, the men will be barefoot be- fore they arrive here ; and from the want of Magazines, at which the Militia can receive such necessary supplies, they become unfit for duty, their health endangered, & they get a disrelish for the serv- ice. Men would gladly pay for these things if they could pur- chase them, but they too seldom have it in their power to do so, and I am quite unhappy that, from the low state of our public Magazines, I have little reason to expect we shall have it in our power to remedy this evil. Provision is made for the reception of your troops on the routes you have ordered them ; every allow- ance will be made for the difficulties in marching Militia. I know they are great, and will be so, until all of them are really influenced by those principles of patriotism, that love of their Country and concern for their own freedom and independence which induced America, in the first Instance, to oppose the tyr- anny of Britian.
I never mention Militia but I am filled with concern that we are under the necessity of calling them ont; for there is such a waste of time in marching to and from Camp, such sporting with the public monies by the extraordinary expence in keeping up an army in this way, such loss of husbandmen from the fields (being double the number absent from their homes to those really in arms) besides the more melancholly evils which arise from a call so frequently of different men into Camp, many of whom are lost
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before they become seasoned to it, and the distresses brought on the families of those who are hurried away before they have an opp'y of making the necessary provision for their subsistence while absent, are misfortunes much to be regretted, and gnarded against if possible.
From this view of the matter I am induced, and always have been inclined to wish that, instead of these frequent calls of the Militia the Continental Battalions were filled up, and hoped that from the recent evils felt by the late mode of keeping up an army your state would have been led to have filled up your Contint. Regiments. Hardly a sum can be named as a Bounty for a Soldier who would engage during the war, or for three years, which might not be given rather than pursue our present mode. This will appear if we consider the men engaged for three years only, and that but one-half of the Militia called out are in the field at a time, which I think is true, and estimate the wages of a man for three years, the several Bounties given to the Militia in that time, and the expence of provision, waggons, &c., marching to and from Camp, and the great loss of ammunition in shifting from one hand to another, and I think the necessity and propriety of filling up your Continental Battalions will be further evident when we reflect that from men raised for a considerable length of time, (a time sufficient in which to discipline them,) more essential services may be expected than from a like number who are not retained in service long enough to learn the duties, or become inured to, the fatigues of the Camp, and that to avoid the dissatis- faction which arises in the minds of the Militia on these frequent calls is a mischief which we should avoid if consistent with the safety of the State.
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