USA > South Carolina > The history of South Carolina in the Revolution, 1780-1783 > Part 9
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1 And yet, in his letter to Morgan upon the question between Sumter and himself, before quoted, there is an allusion which indicates that he understood the true condition. He writes to Morgan, urging him to con- cilliate Sumter rather than aggravate matters " where everything depends so much on voluntary principles."
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remembered, had been sent to break him up; but had been recalled by Cornwallis to defend him against Sum- ter, who had just defeated Wemyss at Fishdam, and was then at Blackstock on his other flank. Tarleton had failed to find the Swamp Fox, but had, with less difficulty and no more honor, fallen upon Sumter. As soon as released from Tarleton's presence, Marion was again on " the road, as we have mentioned, against a party of the enemy, under Majors McArthur and Coffin, about Nelson's Ferry, and between that and the High Hills of Santee. With the hope of cutting off his retreat, a strong detach- ment had been pushed from Charlestown to Georgetown; but, informed of the movement, Marion had again retired to his safe retreat at Snow Island. Curiously enough, General Greene, who had, on his arrival, received a report from Marion of these operations, addressed to General Gates, instead of lecturing Marion on the subject, and informing him, as he informed Sumter, that this was not a war of outposts, and depreciating his partisan strokes however brilliant, on the day he takes command, writes to Marion, on the contrary : -
" I have not the honor of your acquaintance, but am no stranger to your character and merits. Your services in the lower part of South Carolina in awing the Tories, and preventing the enemy from extending their limits, have been very important. And it is my ear- nest desire that you continue where you are until further advice from me. ... Until a more permanent army can be collected than is in the field at present, we must endeavor to keep up a partisan warfare, and preserve the tide of sentiment among the people in our favor as much as possible." 1
But if this was true for Marion, why not for Sumter ? Why write to Marion to keep up a partisan warfare until a permanent army could be collected, and to Sumter that
1 Johnson's Life of Greene, vol. I, 357.
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partisan strokes in war are but the garnish of a table, giving splendor to the army and reputation to the leaders, but accomplishing no substantial purpose ? If it was worth while to encourage Marion to preserve, by these sallies, the tide of sentiment among the people, why discourage Sum- ter by telling him that the enemy would never relinquish their hold, nor the people be firm in our favor, until they had a better barrier in the field than a volunteer militia ?
In his letter to Greene informing him of his appointment to command in the Southern Department, General Washing- ton had mentioned that he had put Major Lee's corps under marching orders to join him, and that Congress had promised to promote Lee to a lieutenant-colonelcy. This Congress had done,1 and Colonel Lee had been expected to march early in October from Philadelphia, but the equip- ping and disciplining of his command had retarded his movements ; his journey from Fredericksburg to Richmond, for instance, occupied a fortnight, not a little to the distress of Greene, who, having sent home Armand's corps as no longer to be depended upon, after their conduct at Gates's defeat,2 and having sent all of Washington's cavalry with Morgan, had not a horseman with his army. In Maryland, General Greene had made a requisition for sundry equip- ments for the Legion, and the liberal spirit in which the requisition was complied with gave Lee an opportunity of equipping his cavalry in a brilliant style. In Virginia they were received and completed by Steuben, and moved on at the same time with a body of recruits.3
1 Lieutenant-Colonel Lee's commission was dated the 6th of November, 1780. - Campaigns in the Carolinas (Lee), 172.
2 See Hist. of So. Ca. in the Revolution, 1775-80 (McCrady), 673.
& Johnson's Life of Greene, vol. I, 354. "The Legionary corps com- manded by Colonel Lee," says Judge Johnson, " was perhaps the finest corps that made its appearance in the arena of the Revolution. It was formed expressly for Colonel Lee under an order of General Washing-
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Virginia had now collected about one thousand recruits, but which could not be sent into the field for want of clothing ; but this to a measure Thomas Jefferson, Governor, remedied by impressment under his very extensive powers, and from the articles thus procured Steuben was able, by
ton whilst the army lay in Jersey. It consisted at the time of about three hundred men in equal proportion of infantry and horse. Both men and horses were picked from the army, the officers with reference only to their talents, and the men by a proportional selection from the troops of each State, enlisted for three years of the war. Virginia contributed twenty- five. No State south of Virginia contributed any, as they had no troops in the field." This must be understood, of course, to mean that the three Southern States had no troops in Washington's army, for the Continental troops of South Carolina and Georgia were stationed on the southern coast. It may have been that there were no troops in the Legion from any State south of Virginia, but it is a mistake to say that there were no troops from any of these States in Washington's army, for almost the whole North Carolina regiments of the line were with the Commander-in- chief. There were twenty-three officers of the Legion during the service in North and South Carolina. These were from the following States : from Virginia, Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Lee, Commandant ; Captains Patrick Carnes, Joseph Eggleston, and George Handy; Lieutenants George Carrington, William Winston, and Peter Johnson ; Cornet Clement Carrington, and Dr. Alexander Skinner, surgeon (9) ; from Pennsyl- vania, Lieutenants Robert Power, and Lawrence Manning, and Dr. Matthew Irvine, surgeon (3) ; from Maryland, Major John Rudulph, Captain Michael Rudulph (2) ; from Massachusetts, Lieutenant William Lovell, adjutant (1) ; from New Jersey, Lieutenant Jonathan Snowden (1) ; from South Carolina, Lieutenant John Middleton (1) ; from France, Captain Ferdinand O'Neill (usually spelled O'Neall). We have not been able to ascertain from what States the following officers came : Captains Archer, Hurd, and James Armstrong, and Lieutenants Lunsford and Jordan (5). To these officers should be added Alexander Garden, who served for some time with the Legion as a volunteer after its arrival in South Carolina. On the arrival of the Legion in South Carolina Governor Ruttledge, then at the Cheraws, gave Colonel Lee authority for recruiting it in the State : -
" CHERAWS, 11 January, 1781.
" Colonel Lee, being desirous of raising about one hundred and fifty cavalry on a regular and permanent establishment to be attached to his Legion, I do not only consent to his doing so, but recommend to active
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the 1st of December, to equip four hundred of these recruits, enlisted for eighteen months (a great part of which had already expired), in a condition fit to be marched. to the Southern army; this detachment, together with a corps commanded by Colonel Lawson, supposed to contain five hundred men, were put under marching orders for the third of the month from Petersburg, and Steuben wrote in high spirits to Greene that he should forward on to him a reenforcement of twelve hundred men, consisting of Lee's and Lawson's legions and the four hundred recruits, to meet the enemy's reinforcements under Leslie. Steuben was fully alive to the importance of time, not only for the purpose of giving strength to the Southern army, but to anticipate any interruption to the marching of these troops from another invasion of Virginia, an event by no means improbable or distant, from the intelligence from New York; an apprehension which subsequent events proved to be well founded, for these troops finally moved off barely in time to avoid being detained to oppose Arnold, who had been sent by Sir Henry Clinton to re- place Leslie, upon his diversion to South Carolina. But when the day appointed for the march of Lawson's corps and the recruits came, not a man could be moved from the ground. Only one-half of Lawson's corps paraded, and they were ordered by the Legislature of Virginia to be discharged because their term of service was far advanced to a termination, and the officers of the detachment of recruits had sent a remonstrance to the legislature com- plaining of ill-usage. Lawson's corps was discharged, and and spirited young men in this State, to join him upon that footing, whereby they may signalize themselves and render important service to their country. " J. RUTTLEDGE."
We have found no account of the raising of such an additional corps to the Legion.ª
& Campaigns of'81 in the Carolinas (Lee), 72. VOL. IV. - G
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the four hundred recruits detained until the middle of the month, that the officers might settle their differences with the government. On the 15th, however, Steuben had the happiness to see Colonel Green with four hundred men, and Colonel Lee with his Legion of three hundred, move off for the Southern army. On the 11th of January they reached General Greene's encampment on the Pee Dee, where Lee had been for some time impatiently expected in order to carry into effect a plan of operation projected against Georgetown.1
Marion had been commissioned brigadier general by Governor Rutledge soon after Sumter's appointment, and about the beginning of this year he organized his staff by the appointment of two aides, Thomas Elliott and Lewis Ogier. His principal officers and counsellors were Colo- nels Peter and Hugh Horry and James Postell. Putting in requisition all the saws and all the blacksmiths in the country, he made swords, and with them armed four troops of cavalry which he raised and organized into another regi- ment. The command of this he gave to Colonel Peter Horry, who had been major under him in the Second Con- tinental Regiment, and who was an excellent officer. Beni- son, who had been wounded at Nelson's Ferry when the prisoners of the Maryland line had been recaptured,2 was made major; the captains were John Baxter, John Postell, Daniel Conyers, and James McCauley. A company of riflemen was also organized under Captain William McCottry, which soon became the dread of the enemy. These were a new race of young warriors who had sprung
1 Johnson's Life of Greene, vol. I, 354, 355, 356. Johnson gave the date of Lee's arrival as the 12th, but Governor Rutledge at the Cheraws on the 11th gives Lee authority to raise 150 cavalry for his Legion in South Carolina. - Campaigns of '81 in the Carolinas (Lee), 73.
2 Hist. of So. Ca. in the Revolution, 1775-80 (McCrady), 700.
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up during the contest. The retirement of the British de- tachment from Georgetown leaving Marion free to resume operations with the force thus organized, he pushed down his parties near to Georgetown on all the rivers that flow into Georgetown Bay, and employed them in collecting boats and removing provisions to Snow Island. Captain John Postell1 was sent down Black River to the mouth of the Pee Dee with twenty-eight men, to take all the boats and canoes, to impress all the negroes and horses, and to take all arms and ammunition for the use of the service. He was to forbid all persons from carrying grain, stock, or any sort of provision to Georgetown, or where the enemy might get them ; all persons who would not join him he was to bring to Marion.
On the 18th of January Captain James De Peyster, with twenty-nine grenadiers of the British army, had posted himself in the dwelling-house of Captain Postell's father. Towards day on the morning of the 19th, Postell, knowing well the ground and avoiding the guards, got possession of the kitchen and summoned De Peyster to surrender. This was at first refused, whereupon the rebel captain at once set fire to his father's kitchen, and summoned De Peyster a second time, with the positive declaration that if he did not surrender he would burn the house. Upon this the British laid down their arms and surrendered immediately.2
Soon after this Colonel Peter Horry had an affair with the enemy in which he was able to test the qualities of his
1 Captain Postell was an officer of experience ; he had been a captain in one of the independent provincial companies prior to the Revolution, and as such accompanied De Brahm in 1756 in establishing Fort Prince George at Keowee, afterwards the scene of the Indian massacre of Coytomore's garrison. - Documents connected with So. Ca. (Weston), 208 ; Hist. of So. Ca. under Roy. Gov. (McCrady), 341.
2 James's Life of Marion, 93.
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newly organized regiment. It was the boast of the Tories that, though Marion had proved too cunning for Colonel Tynes, Captain Barfield, and other British and loyal offi- cers, there was still one who would show him quite a dif- ferent sort of play ; and that was Colonel Gainey, from the head waters of the Pee Dee.1 It was against this officer that Colonel Horry had now to lead his recruits. On the morning of a day in the latter part of January, Marion ordered him with Captain Snipes and thirty men to pro- ceed down the Sampit Road in quest of the enemy, and to charge them when found, whether British or Tories. In obeying this order Horry soon came upon a party of horse- men who were engaged in killing beeves for the camp near by. He instantly charged them before they had an opportunity to form. They fled, and were pursued through woods towards Georgetown, with some disorder on the side of Horry. In the meantime the firing was heard in the town, and the Tories under Gainey came out to the rescue of their friends. A savage fight now took place in the woods between the Sampit and Black River roads during the whole morning, the opposing parties alternately ad- vancing and retreating. At one time Horry was, as he supposed, left alone, and a party of the Tories under Cap- tain Lewis was rushing upon him, when a boy by the name of Gwyn shot Lewis from behind a tree, upon which his party, fearing an ambuscade, deserted their leader and ran away. As Lewis fell his gun was discharged and killed Horry's horse. The Tories were finally routed and chased into Georgetown. In this affair Sergeant McDonald who, it will be recollected, was one of the three of the prisoners released by Colonel Hugh Horry at Nelson's Ferry who availed themselves of their rescue and remained faithful to the cause, first exhibited the daring spirit and address for
1 Weems's Marion, 167.
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which he afterwards became noted. In the pursuit McDon- ald singled out Gainey as his object of attack. In going at full speed down the Black River Road he shot one of Gainey's men, and, overtaking Gainey soon after, thrust a bayonet up to the hilt in his back. The bayonet separated from the gun, and Gainey reached Georgetown with the weapon still in his person. He recovered, but, cured of his taste for the field or tired of garrison life, after a few months he and his men deserted the British.1
While thus engaged, Marion received intelligence of the organization of a force of Tories under Hector McNeill at Amie's Mill on Downing Creek,2 on the confines of the two States. This Hector McNeill was a person of some celebrity in North Carolina. He had, in the commencement of the Revolution, held a commission in one of the provincial regiments of that State,3 but had deserted the cause as early as 1776 and had taken up arms against it. Marion had no force to send against McNeill, nor could he afford to wait his coming while his own party was broken up into detachments. He, therefore, called in his parties and com- municated to General Greene the necessity to reinforce him against his increasing enemies, and to look to the move- ments of McNeill, as he supposed them to be in part directed against the country between the Waccamaw and the seacoast, which had never been foraged and contained at this time abundance of provisions. This was the situation of things when Colonel Lee reached Greene's camp at Cheraw. He was immediately ordered to join Marion with his corps, comprising, on its arrival, about 280 in horse and foot, and which was in excellent condition, as it had come in easy march from Virginia. At the same time,
1 James's Life of Marion, 93-94.
2 Now Lumber River.
3 Wheeler's IIist. of No. Ca., vol. I, 71.
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Greene detached Major Anderson with a party of regulars and one hundred Virginia militia to attack and disperse the Tories at Amie's Mill.1
Colonel Lee reached Marion's camp on the 23d of Janu- ary, and on the 24th, in pursuance of a plan previously agreed upon and approved by Greene, a combined attempt was made to surprise Georgetown. The garrison of the town consisted of two hundred men commanded by Colonel Campbell. There were some slight defensive works in front of the town on the land side; but the rear of the place was wholly undefended, and dams running through the adjacent rice fields, extending from the rear of the town, afforded easy access to it on the southeast. The plan of attack was founded on the facility with which a force might be conveyed down the Pee Dee, undiscovered because of the woods and deep swamps which covered its banks. The force comprising the expedition was divided into two parties. The infantry of the Legion, about ninety men, under Captains Carnes2 and Rudulph,3 were to drop down the Pee Dee from Snow Island in boats and under guides provided by Marion. The militia and cavalry of the Legion, under Marion and Lee, were to approach the town by the land side under cover of night, and when the infantry entered the town from the water in the rear, they were to assail it in front.
1 Johnson's Life of Greene, vol. I, 358-359 ; James's Life of Marion, Appendix, 16. Letter of General Greene to Marion of January 19, 1781, given, in which General Greene says, "I have detached one thousand regulars and one hundred Virginia militia to attack and disperse the Tories at Mr. Amy's Mill," etc., but there must be some mistake, prob- ably one hundred.
2 Patrick Carnes, Virginia, entered service as Lieutenant Second Cavalry, Pulaski Legion. - Heitman, 116.
3 John Rudulph, of Maryland, entered service as Lieutenant in the Legion. - Heitman, 352.
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In pursuance of this plan, Captain Carnes fell silently down the river with his party the first night, and occupied an island at its mouth within a few miles of Georgetown. He lay concealed there the ensuing day, with directions to re- embark at an early hour the night following and reach Georgetown between one and two in the morning. Marion and Lee proceeded to their destination, having taken all the requisite precautions to prevent any intimation to the enemy of their approach. At twelve o'clock the second night they occupied, unperceived, a position in the vicinity of the town, and waited anxiously for the announcement of Carnes's arrival. At the appointed time, Carnes crossed from the island to Georgetown, and landed in the town unperceived. The garrison was surprised, and the com- mandant, Colonel Campbell, was seized and secured by Captain Carnes, who judiciously posted his party for seiz- ing any of the enemy who might repair to the parade ground. Captain Rudulph, who led another party with equal good fortune, gained the vicinity of the fort and arranged his troops so as to arrest any fugitive. On the first fire, which took place at the commandant's quarters, Marion with his men and Lee with his dragoons rushed into the town. To the astonishment of these officers, says Colonel Lee, everything was quiet, the Legion infantry hold- ing its assigned stations and Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell a prisoner. Not a British soldier appeared ; not one at- tempted to gain the forts or repair to the commandant. Having discovered their enemy, the British troops kept close to their respective quarters, barricaded the doors, and de- termined there to defend themselves. The assailants were unprovided with the requisite implements for battering doors and scaling windows. The fort was in the possession of the enemy, and, daylight approaching, Marion and Lee were, therefore, compelled to retire with a partial accom-
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plishment of their object. Colonel Campbell was suffered to remain on parole, and the troops withdrew from George- town unhurt and unannoyed. Colonel Lee attributed the want of success to the tenderness of Marion and himself for the lives of their followers ; and supposes that if instead of placing Rudulph's detachment to intercept the fugitives it had been ordered to carry the fort by bayonet, suc- cess would have been complete. 1 Johnson, on the other hand, quotes Moultrie as alleging that in the hurry and confusion the guides became alarmed and frightened and lost their way to the fort; and that the cavalry did not arrive in time to cooperate with the infantry. The Amer- icans sustained no loss. The loss of the British is not known. Lee reported to Greene that "many were killed, few taken, among the former is Major Irvine, among the latter Colonel Campbell, the commmander of the garrison." 2 The British acknowledged the death of Major Irvine of the Loyal militia and the capture of Colonel Campbell and another officer.3 Major Irvine, it is related, was killed by one of Marion's officers, Lieutenant Cryer, who had been whipped by Irvine's orders some time before for attempt- ing to take away his horse from Georgetown.4
While this brilliant if not entirely successful attempt upon Georgetown had not resulted in the capture of the garrison as had been hoped, it checked the forwarding of reinforcements to Cornwallis and caused another dispersion of the British troops, for, upon learning of the narrow escape of Georgetown, a considerable reënforcement was sent there.
In the orders under which Colonel Lee marched to join
1 Memoirs of the War of 1776 (Lee), 224, 225.
2 Johnson's Life of Greene, vol. I, 360.
3 The So. Ca. and Am. Gen. Gazette, January 31, 1781.
4 James's Life of Marion, 91.
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Marion he was instructed to direct his attention first to the surprise of Georgetown, and then to an attempt on Watson, who had taken post at Nelson's Ferry ; and, notwithstand- ing Marion had expressed strong doubts of the practicabil- ity of succeeding against Watson, Greene still urged him to attempt it. Accordingly, after the attack upon George- town, Marion and Lee moved the same day directly up the north bank of the Santee towards Nelson's Ferry. But Wat- son did not wait to receive them. After throwing a gar- rison of about eighty men into Fort Watson, ten miles above Nelson's Ferry, he moved off to Camden. An attempt was then made to throw a detachment of dragoons across the river, with orders to ascend its south bank and destroy the enemy's stores at Colonel Thomson's plantation, in what is now Orangeburg County, and some other depots on the Congaree. Some delay ensued from the want of boats, but the detachment was out on that service when Colonel Lee was recalled with orders to hasten to Salis- bury and join Morgan there, retreating before Cornwallis.1 It is necessary therefore now to recur to the movements of the opposing forces west of the Catawba.
1 Johnson's Life of Greene, vol. I, 362.
CHAPTER IV
1781
WHEN the battle of Cowpens was fought the positions of the British and American forces, it will be borne in mind, were as follows: Morgan and Tarleton were fighting at the Cowpens, some twenty miles west of Broad River; Corn- wallis lay with the main British army at Turkey Creek, between the Broad and the Catawba ; Leslie with his reën- forcements was at Camden just east of the Catawba, there known as the Wateree ; while Greene with his little army was opposite Cheraw on the eastern side of the Pee Dee ; and Marion lay at Snow Island, a hundred miles east of Cheraw. Four great rivers ran between Morgan and Greene, -the Broad, the Catawba, Lynch's Creek, and the Pee Dee. If Morgan, victorious or in defeat, were to at- tempt to reach Greene, he must first cross the Broad and expect to meet Cornwallis with the main British army as he did so. If Greene were to attempt to cross the Pee Dee to meet Morgan, Leslie was lying at Camden watching to strike him. Notwithstanding, therefore, the victory at Cowpens and the complacency with which Greene had surveyed his position on the Pee Dee, the American forces were in a most precarious condition. To unite, either wing must in the outset cross a great river and meet a superior force. On the 23d of January, a week after the battle at Cowpens, and the day upon which Marion and Lee appeared before Georgetown, Greene received news of Morgan's vic- tory and at once despatched "the glorious intelligence "
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