USA > New Jersey > The history of New Jersey, from its discovery by Europeans, to the adoption of the federal Constitution > Part 46
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Having possession of the capital, Sir Henry employed himself in reducing the country ; despatching parties in various directions over it. The inhabi- tants vied with each other in devotion to the royal cause, and many, even of the citizens of Charleston, enlisted under the royal banners. In these opera- tions, the only circumstance meriting special notice, was the surprise and defeat of Colonel Burford, by Colonel Tarleton. Burford commanded a re- giment of new levies from Virginia, who arrived too late to aid Charleston. Upon the surrender of the city, he commenced his retreat, but was overtaken by a rapid march of one hundred and five miles in fifty-four hours. No quarter was given, and the carnage was horrible; one hundred and thirteen were killed on the spot; and one hundred and fifty so badly wounded, that they could not be removed. So confident was Sir Henry of having conquer- ed the State, that he proclaimed the pacification, and released from their parole his militia prisoners, those taken in Charleston and Fort Moultrie excepted; and with the most sanguine hope of the recovery of all the southern States, he embarked for New York, on the 5th of June, leaving in South Carolina, about four thousand regulars, under Lord Cornwallis.
V. The parole of the American prisoners recognised their character of aliens to Great Britain; their release from it, avowedly, restored, without their assent, their relation of subjects; and its effect was to compel them to assume arms against their countrymen. Hlad they been suffered to enjoy the quiet of non-combatants, they might have remained unarmed; but they would not submit to the degradation of fighting the battles of the oppressor.
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The proclamation sowed the teeth of the hydra, and armed men sprang up in every direction, to resist the British power.
The Delaware and Maryland lines, with the first regiment of artillery, were ordered to South Carolina, under General de Kalb; and exertions were made in Virginia to increase this force. The exiles from the north and west parts of the State, to the number of six hundred, collected under Colonel Sumpter, and were soon strengthened by a corps of militia, which had been collected by Cornwallis. The latter circumstance demonstrating the temper of the people, induced the British general to draw in his outposts, and arrange his troops in larger bodies.
VI. An army of two thousand men was thus formed, of which General Gates took the command, on the 25th of July. He, changing the disposi- tions of De Kalb, marched by the most direct route towards the enemy's post at Camden; and, unhappily, through a barren country, in which his troops suffered greatly from famine and unwholesome food. On his way he was joined by the North Carolina militia, under General Caswell, and some troops commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Peterfield. He arrived on the 13th of August, at Clermont, or Rugely's Mills, whence Lord Rawdon withdrew at his approach. And, here, the militia from Virginia, under General Stevens, also came to his aid. With a force, now, of about four thousand men, he marched rapidly, in the hope of surprising 'Camden. At the very hour of his departure from Clermont, Lord Cornwallis left Camden, with the design of striking him a sudden blow; and, to their mutual surprise, the hostile armies encountered in the woods, at about two o'clock of the morning of the 16th of August. The ground did not permit Gates to avail himself of his . superiority in numbers, and Cornwallis restrained the ardour of his troops, that he might, with the light, better direct their disciplined valour. With the dawn the action commenced. The militia shamefully fled, carrying Gates with them, from the field of battle, in his endeavours to rally them. De Kalb, at the head of the continental troops, maintained the fight with some success, until overpowered by numbers, they were broken, and he fell under eleven mortal wounds. The Americans lost the greater part of their baggage, stores, and artillery ; and by the estimate of the enemy, eight hun- dred men killed, and one thousand prisoners. Previous to the battle, a party was detached under Lieutenant-colonel Woolford, of Maryland, to unite with Sumpter, to intercept an escort of stores, for the garrison at Camden. This enterprise was successful ; but the party was, afterwards, surprised by Tarle- ton, near the Catawba Ford, and was beaten and dispersed with the loss of between three and four hundred men, killed and wounded.
Notwithstanding the victory, Lord Cornwallis was unable to proceed against North Carolina, and to prosecute the career which he had pro- posed; his troops being enfeebled by sickness, and the hostile disposition of the citizens rendering it unsafe to remove any considerable portion of them from the State. The disasters, however, of the American arms, chilled the spirit of resistance; yet it was kept alive by the exertions of those able partisans, Sumpter and Marion, and was again reanimated, by the severity with which Cornwallis punished, as traitors, the militia who deserted his standard-producing but a fiercer resistance, and a capacity to brave and to bear the extremity of suffering. But the designs of the British commander were only suspended. He resumed them by despatching Major Ferguson into the western part of North Carolina, to rouse and organize the tory in- habitants; whilst he marched himself, late in September, to Charlotte, where he proposed to await the result of Ferguson's endeavours. That officer, attempting to intercept Colonel Clarke of Georgia, in his retreat from an unsuccessful attack upon Augusta, removed nearer to the mountains, where
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a short delay proved fatal to him. Several corps of hardy mountaineers, from the western parts of Virginia and North Carolina, under Colonels Campbell, Cleaveland, Shelby, and Servier, moved upon him with great cele- rity, whilst Coloneis Williams, Tracy, and Brannan, from South Carolina, ap- proached the same point. These forces, together three thousand strong, united at Gilbertstown. Sixteen hundred of the best mounted marksmen pursued Ferguson, who, apprized of their approach, pushed for Charlotte. He was overtaken, on the seventh of October, upon King's Mountain, attack- ed by three divisions, respectively, commanded by Shelby, Campbell, and Cleaveland, against each of whom, in the order of their arrival, he turned with considerable effect, the fearful bayonet; sustaining the conflict for more than an hour, and until he received a wound which caused his instant death. His second in command instantly demanded quarter. Of the enemy one hundred and fifty were killed, as many wounded, and eight hundred and ten were made prisoners ; among the latter were one hundred English regulars. A valuable and timely prize was obtained in fifteen hundred stand of arms. The American loss was inconsiderable, but among the slain was Colonel Williams. Ten of the most active tories were selected and hung on the spot, in retaliation of the cruelties committed on the whigs at Camden. This mis- fortune compelled Cornwallis, who had crossed the Yadkin, to retrace his steps as far as Wynnesborough, where he awaited reinforcement. The mi- litia were unable to follow up their successful blow for want of provisions.
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VIII. Confident in the progress of Cornwallis, Sir Henry Clinton despatch- ed from New York, on the 16th of October, three thousand men, under General Leslie, against Virginia, who, after some depredations, were ordered to Charleston, by sea, in consequence of the defeat. of Ferguson. In the in- terim, Cornwallis was employed in suppressing the hostile efforts of the inha- bitants, under Marion, Sumpter, Clarke, and Brannan. The most important of these affairs was that with Sumpter, on November 20th, at Blackstocks, near 'Tyger river, in which he repulsed Colonel Tarleton, with great loss.
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IX. Gates slowly collected, at Hillsborough, the shattered remains of his army defeated at Camden. Being recalled, he delivered the command to his successor, General Greene, at Charlotte, on the 2d of December. His greatest efforts had not collected more than two thousand men, of whom a full third were militia, with which Greene took the field against a supe- rior regular force, flushed with successive victories. But even this small army he soon divided; sending Morgan, with a considerable detachment to the western extremity of South Carolina, whilst he conducted the main body to Hicks's Creek, on the north side of the Pedee river, opposite the Cheraw Hills. Cornwallis, who was, again, preparing to proceed against North Caro. lina, but could not leave Morgan in his, rear, sent Carleton against him, with orders to push him to the utmost. Morgan, with an inferior force, consist- ing, in a great measure, of militia, firmly awaited his approach, at the Cow- pens, three miles from the line separating North and South Carolina. In the encounter which ensued, on the 17th of January, 17-1, Tarleton was defeated with the loss of three hundred killed and wounded, and five hundred prisoners, eight hundred muskets, thirty-five baggage wagons, and one hun- dred dragoou horses. The impetuosity which had frequently served this energetic partisan, was, now, the cause of his defeat. Upon tidings of this victory, Greene hastened to join Morgan, directing his own corps to Guilford Court-house; and with great exertions, the prisoners and baggage were se- cured. In the pursuit, the British army sacrificed its baggage and every thing, not indispensable to action or the existence of the troops, and hung, almost constantly, on the American rear. Twice, at the Catawba and the Yadkin, the Americans were saved by the rising of the waters after then
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passage and before the arrival of the British. The two divisions of the Ame- rican army united at Guilford Court-house; but too feeble for combat, the commander resolved to continue his retreat across the Dan to Virginia. The pursuit was so hotly followed, that as his rear crossed that river, the Bri- tish van was in sight .* Thus baffled, Cornwallis retired to Hillsborough, with the view of rousing the tories; whilst Greene immediately recrossed the river to mar his labours,t in which he was eminently successful. General Pickens and Colonel Lee fell in with three hundred and fifty tories, under Colonel Pyle, on their way to the British army, whom they cut to pieces amid their shouts of "God save the King," and protestations of loyalty, which they uttered in the belief, that the assailants were royalists.
Cornwallis now retired, yet seeking a proper occasion for battle; some- times turning upon the pursuer, and compelling him to retread his steps. At length, Greene having received all the reinforcements he had reason to ex- pect, resolved to give battle, and marched, for that purpose, to Guilford Court-house. Cornwallis promptly accepted the offer. The American troops amounted to four thousand two hundred and sixty-two, of whom one thousand four hundred and ninety were regulars; the British did not exceed two thou- sand four hundred veterans. Greene selected his ground, and the issue was joined on the 15th of March. After a fierce combat, in which his troops, generally, behaved well, Greene was compelled to retreat; but the victory was dearly purchased, by the loss of five hundred and thirty-two killed and wounded, being much greater than that sustained by the Americans. Greene retired but a few miles, and. awaited another attack; but Cornwallis, much enfeebled, left his wounded to the care of the loyalists in the neighbourhood, and pushed rapidly for Wilmington, where stores had been lodged and sup- plies might be obtained. Greene, also, leaving his hospital to the Quakers of the vicinage, whom he reminded of his former fraternization, as rapidly followed to Ramsay's Mills, on Deep River; where excessive fatigue, the want of food, and the release of his militia, compelled him to stop.
XI. After resting his troops, for about three weeks, at Wilmington, Corn- wallis crossed the country to Petersburg. He pondered long before he adopted this northern course, when informed that Greene had taken the bold resolution to attempt the recovery of the southern country. He concluded, at length, that if Lord Rawdon, who commanded there, should have been defeated, he might dread his own safety ; but if he had sustained himself, a return would be an useless abandonment of the ground he had gained. On the departure of Leslie from Virginia, the traitor, Arnold, entered that State, (on the 30th of December) and after committing many depredations, esta- blished himself at Portsmouth, on the 20th of January. Against him, Washington proposed to send, under La Fayette, twelve hundred men, of the New England and New Jersey lines, and, also, to employ the whole French fleet from Newport. Two frigates, however, only, sailed, which though inoperative in the original design, captured the Romulus, of fifty guns, passing from Charleston to the Chesapeake. Flattered by this success, the French admiral despatched a larger expedition to the same point; which encountering a British fleet, under Arbuthnot, near the Capes of Virginia, was so much endamaged as to return to Newport, leaving La Fayette at Annapolis, where he had repaired for convoy. That general returned to the head of Elk, whence he was directed to join the southern army. In the in- terim, General Phillips had embarked for the Chesapeake, with two thousand men, and arrived at Portsmouth on the 26th of March, 1781. This reinforce- ment, giving the British a decisive superiority in Virginia, changed the des.
* February 14th, 1781.
+ February 21st.
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tination of La Fayette, to whom the defence of that State was now committed. For near two months, Phillips and Arnold prosecuted a predatory war, de- stroying immense quantities of tobacco and stores, and marking their course by terrible devastations; La Fayette and Steuben, endeavouring in vain to stay them, except in the protection of the magazines at Richmond. On the 20th May, Lord Cornwallis joined Arnold at Petersburg, a few days after the death of Phillips, and assumed the command of the whole British force in the State.
Against him, General La Fayette, aided by General Wayne, maintained a war of posts for the space of three months; until Cornwallis, impressed with the necessity of providing a strong place of arms in the Chesapeake, select- ed Yorktown, as a station for his army, and Gloucester Point, for his ficet. to which he retired with his whole force, increased to seven thousand men. From the Virginians, he had derived little aid. They either united with the continental army, or, more commonly, kept out of the way of the British. Few purchased safety by submission.
XII. Having thus followed Lord Cornwallis to an hour big with his own fate, and that of the war, we return to General Greene, who, with equal courage and ability, had turned his arms to the south. A line of posts had been constructed by the British from Charleston, by the way of Camden and Ninety-Six, to Augusta, in Georgia, the most important point of which was Camden. The forts, generally garrisoned by a few regular troops, united with the tory militia, were only slightly fortified to resist the sudden at- tack of the militia of the neighbouring country; no apprehensions being en- tertained of a more formidable enemy. Greene was fully aware of these unfavourable circumstances. " I shall take," said he, in a letter to General Washington, " every measure to avoid misfortune. But necessity obliges me to commit myself to chance, and if any accident should attend me, I trust my friends will do justice to my reputation." He detached Lee to unite with Marion, and Pickens, to assemble the western militia, and lay siege to Ninety- Six; and, marching himself on Camden, encamped before it on the 19th April. He manœuvred several days around the place, and, on the 25th, fought a severe battle with Lord Rawdon, at Hobkirk's Hill, with loss to either party, of about two hundred and fifty men. Although Greene re- treated from the field, he did not abandon his views on Camden, until Rawdon was reinforced in the close of the month, by the corps of Colonel Watson, amounting to five hundred men. He then withdrew behind Sawney's Creek, and declined the battle, which Rawdon again offered. In the mean time, Forts Watson and Mottehouse, had surrendered to Marion and Lee, and Fort Orange, to Sumpter. Rawdon, abandoning the upper country, retired to Monk's Corner, to protect the district around Charleston. Compelled thus to comparative inactivity, he beheld the smaller posts reduced, and Seventy-Six in imminent danger from the attack of General Greene. From this mortify- ing state, he was relieved by the arrival of three regiments from Ireland, which again enabled him to overrun the state, and forced Greene to retreat before him, by the road to Charlotte. An eager race ensued, in which both parties divested themselves of whatever could stay their speed. But at the En- norec, Lord Rawdon gave it over as hopeless. The retreat ceased with the pursuit, Greene halting on the north side of the Broad river; and, on the 13th July, he took post on the high hills of Santee.
Lord Rawdon, still holding his purpose of concentrating his forces in the lower country, withdrew his garrison ; but soon after availed himself of per- mission to return to Europe. The command devolved on Colonel Stuart, · who advanced to the post near the junction of the Congaree, and Waterce, where he was greatly annoyed by the corps of Marion and Washington. After
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a period of comparative repose, Greene recommenced active operations on the 22d of August, and, being strengthened by the militia and state troops of South Carolina, followed the British army to Eutaw, where it was reinforced by a detachment from Charleston. Greene was here joined by Marion, on the 7th September, and resolved to attack the British camp next day.
The battle of Eutaw Springs, was one of the most obstinate of the war. It was fought with about equal numbers, (2000) and ended in equal loss. The American killed, wounded, and missing, were estimated at five hundred and fifty-five; the British, at six hundred and ninety-three. But the Ame- rican dead, owing to an obstinate contest on unfavourable ground, was most numerous. Among them, was Lieutenant-colonel Campbell, who fell whilst leading the Virginia brigade with trailed arms to a bold and decisive charge, which broke the British line. Colonel Washington was taken prisoner, having been unable to extricate himself from his horse, which, being killed, had fallen upon him. Both parties claimed the victory, but Stuart was compelled to withdraw to Monk's Corner, whilst Greene returned to the high hills of Santee, where his troops became too much enfeebled by disease, for active enterprise. The battle of Eutaw may be considered as closing the national war in South Carolina. A few excursions were afterwards made by the British, but with no more consequence than the loss of property and individual lives. On the 18th November, Greene moved down into the lower country, and the British retired with their whole force to the quarter- house within Charleston Neck, and the conquerors, who had carried their arms to the extent of the State, aimed at nothing more, than to secure them- selves. After the capitulation at Yorktown, the British post at Wilmington, in North Carolina, was evacuated, and the troops in Georgia, were concen- trated in Savannah.
The labours and exertions of the southern army were highly meritorious, but the successful activity of the legion under Lee, claims particular atten- tion. It was, from its structure, peculiarly adapted to partisan war; and, being detached against the weaker posts of the enemy, had opportunities for displaying all its energies. In the extensive sweep from the Santee to Au- gusta, which employed. from the 15th April, to the 5th June, 1781, acting in junction, first with Marion, afterwards with Pickens, and sometimes alone, it constituted the principal force which carried five British posts, and made eleven hundred prisoners. At the commencement of the campaign of 1781, the British were in force all over the state; at its close, they durst scarce venture twenty miles from Charleston. At its commencement, the country had been completely conquered, and was defended by a regular army, es- timated at four thousand men. The inhabitants were so divided, as to ren- der it doubtful, to which side the majority was attached. At no time did the effectual continental force, which General Greene could bring into the field, amount to two thousand men ; of whom a considerable portion were raw troops. Yet, by a course of judicious movement, bold action, and hardy en- terprise, in which he displayed invincible constancy and courage, happily. tempered with prudence, he recovered the southern States ; and, at the close of the year, civil government was fully established therein. A full portion of praise due to these achievements, belong to-his troops. They bore every hardship and privation with patience and constancy. In his officers, the ge- neral was peculiarly happy. Unshackled by those, who, without military talent, had, through political influence, obtained high rank, his orders were executed by young men of equal spirit and intelligence, formed in the severe service of the north.
XIII. The sufferings occasioned by the ardent struggle for the southern States, were not confined to the armies. The inhabitants underwent the se-
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verest inflictions. Reciprocal injuries sharpened the resentment of contend- ing parties, and armed neighbour against neighbour, in a war of extermi- nation. As the parties, alternately, triumphed, opportunity was given to either for the exercise of vindictive passions, which derived new virulence from the example of the British commanders. When they had overrun Georgia, and South Carolina, they considered these States as reannexed to the British empire, and manifested a disposition to treat as rebels, all who, having submitted, resumed arms. One of their executions, that of Colonel Hayne, took place on the 3d of August, whilst Lord Rawdon was in Charleston, preparing to sail for Europe. The disposition to retaliate, to the full extent of their power, was equally strong in the opposite party. When Fort Granby surrendered, the militia attached to the legion, manifested so strong a desire to break the capitulation, and to kill the most obnoxious of the prisoners, who were tories, as to produce a solemn declaration from Greene, that he would put any man to death, who should commit an act so atrocious. Lieutenant-colonel Grierson, of the loyal militia, was shot by un- known marksmen; and, though a reward of one hundred guineas was of- fered for the perpetrator, he was never discovered. "The whole country," said the general, " is a continued scene of blood and carnage.'
* Ramsay, Gordon, Marshall. ..
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CHAPTER XVII.'
I. Condition of the Armies in the North .- II. British Expedition against the Forts on the North River .- III. Expedition under Tryon, against Connecticut .- IV. Cap- ture of Stony Point, by Wayne .- V. Attack of the British Post, on Penobscot river .- VI. Major Lee assaults Paules Hook .- VII. Effects of the System of Paper Currency .- VIII. Spain declares War against England .- IX. Prospects of the Campaign of 17-0 .- X. The American Army retires into winter quar- ters .- XI. Marauding Parties of the Enemy in New Jersey .- XII. The Army at Morristown supplied by forced levies of Provisions .- XIII. Washington attempts the British Post at Staten Island-XIV. Difficulties arising from the want of political power in Congress .- XV. Discontents of the Army-Mutiny of the Connecticut troops .- XVI. Knyphausen invades New Jersey-Murder of Mrs. Caldwell, and of her Husband .- XVII. Battle of Springfield .- XVIII. La Fayette returns to the United States .- XIX. Renewed efforts for the Defence of the Country .- XX. Arrival of the French Fleet and Army-Plans consequent thereon .- XXI. Treason of Arnold .- XXII. American Army retires into winter quarters .- XXIII. European combinations against Great Britain .- XXIV. Revolt of the Pennsylvania line-of the Jersey line-Discontent of the Inhabitants of New Jersey .- XXV. Gloomy Prospect for the year 1781 .- XXVI. Combined Operations of the French Fleet and Allied Armies, against Cornwallis-His Capture .- XXVII. New London taken and burned by Arnold .- XXVIII. Condi- tion of the Country for the Campaign of 1782-Resolutions of the British Parlia- ment in favour of Peace .- XXIX. Malignity of the Tories-Murder of Captain Huddy .- XXX. Cessation of Hostilities-Treaty of Peace .- XXXI. Disbanding of the Army .- XXXII. Public Entry of Washington to New York-takes leave of his Officers-Surrenders his Commission to Congress.
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