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south of the Dan, many of whom favored the British cause. Some admirable manœuvres on both sides, and some small skirmishes between detachments of the two armies, took place. Colonel Lee was engaged in most of these, in consequence of his having the command of cavalry and light troops. Upon the arrival of the reinforcements which general Greene expected, he found himself at the head of a respectable army, and willing now to try the fate of an engagement, took his position for that purpose. Cornwallis was eager for the contest, and instantly seized the opportunity. The battle of Guilford courthouse followed; and the struggle for victory was made by each army in full force. The numbers of our forces were greatly superior; but they were not able to withstand the discipline of the enemy; and the result, honorable to both parties, gave conquest to the British, but success to the Americans; for the loss which Cornwallis sustained in this engagement so greatly diminished his force, and he was so much in want of supplies, that he found it necessary, instead of again seeking the combat which Greene was expecting, and for which he was prepared, to retreat, first to Cross Creek, and shortly after to Wilmington, a seaport town in the southeastern extremity of North Carolina. "Another such victory,” said. Mr. Fox in the House of Commons," would destroy the British army."

"The campaign so far," says our author, " presents the " undulation common to war. It opened with the victory of "the Cowpens-an event very propitious to the United States, "which was followed by our perilous retreat through North "Carolina, when for many days the fate of Greene and his ar"my hung in mournful suspense; and after a grand display "of military science in marches, countermarches, and posi❝tions, in consequence of the bold return of the American ar"my into North Carolina, concluded with our defeat at Guil"ford court house. Replenished in military stores, grown

66 stronger by defeat, and bolder from disaster, the American "general is now seen seeking with keener appetite a renewal: "of the conflict, while the British conqueror sedulously and "sucessfully avoids it."*

General Greene now turned his attention toward Cambden, where lord Rawdon (now earl of Moira) was posted. Colonel Lee was detached to unite himself with Marion, who was then in the swamps of Black river, closely watched by a body of British troops under colonel Watson. As soon as the union was effected, they laid siege to Fort Watson on the Santee river. The position of general Greene was taken with a view to intercept colonel Watson on his return to the army, and to restrain the operations of lord Rawdon; until he should be joined by some forces under general Sumpter, which he expected. In these circumstances, with superior numbers, and in a chosen position, he was attacked by his enterprising enemy, and defeated at the battle of Hobkick's hill. The event of the battle was entirely unexpected by Greene, and deeply mortified him, although he himself was deficient neither in watchfulness, skill, nor bravery. But lord Rawdon was too much weakened for pursuit before being joined by Watson; and then, finding it impossible to bring on another battle, he determined to relinquish his posts, and retreat toward Charleston. Thus did general Greene triumph in his defeats, and compel successively Cornwallis and Rawdon to yield the ground upon which they had been victorious. Lord Rawdon retired to Monk's Corner, at no great distance from Charleston, where he remained waiting for reinforcements. In the mean time colonel Lee and his companions were most assiduously and successfully employed, in breaking up the various small posts which had been established by the British, for the security of the country, and as places of deposit for supplies. His narrative of these expeditions is minute and * Vol. i. pp. 364, 365.

entertaining; and the information is novel, for we have before possessed but brief accounts of these events. After taking the forts, Watson, Motte, Granby, and Augusta, colonel Lee,' with his prisoners,* rejoined general Greene, who was then employed in the siege of Ninety-six.† But lord Rawdon hav-` ing received his expected reinforcements, and advancing to its relief, and an attempt to storm the works proving unsuccessful, it became necessary to relinquish the siege. The conduct of the works of the besiegers of Ninety-six was committed to the Polish officer, Koschiusko, of whom general Lee gives the following character, which we think will not entirely harmonize with the ideas that many probably entertain concerning the man, whose name the poet Campbell has immortalized, although probably it agrees with fact.

"Koschiusko was extremely amiable, and, I believe, a tru❝ly good man, nor was he deficient in his professional knowl"edge; but he was very moderate in talent-not a spark of "the etherial in his composition, His blunders lost us Ninety-six; and general Greene, much as he was beloved and

* These prisoners were the garrison of fort Cornwallis at Augusta. Judge Marshall says, that " in the hope the knowledge of the fate which had befallen the fort at Augusta might make some impression on the garrison of Ninety-six, they were marched in full view of the British works in all the parade of military triumph." Vol. iv. p. 526. Colonel Cruger, the commander of Ninety-six, believing that this exhibition was intended as an insult, opened his batteries upon the escort of the prisoners, although they were equally exposed to the fire. We should perhaps have thought from the representation of Judge Marshall, that in this instance colonel Lee had been deficient in delicacy toward his foe, had we not been informed by the latter, that it was in consequence of the officer's mistaking his way, and not in conformity to orders, that the prisoners were marched in view of the besieged. Vol. ii. p. 118.

So called because it was ninety six miles distant from the princi pal town of the Cherokee Indians. Lee, vol. i. p. 96.

"respected, did not escape criticism, for permitting his en"gineer to direct the manner of approach. It was said, and "with some justice too, that the general ought certainly to "have listened to his opinion; but never ought to have per"mitted the pursuit of error, although supported by profes ❝sional authority."*

Lord Rawdon, after relieving Ninety-six, followed for a little time in pursuit of general Greene; but finding that he' could not bring him to battle, returned, and shortly after quitted the town and fort, as the position was no longer tenable, from want of the intermediate posts. He marched toward Charleston in two distinct divisions; and the American commander, hoping now for an opportunity for a successful attack, sent colonel Lee to gain the front of the weakest divis, ion of the enemy, which was under lord Rawdon, while he himself pressed forward in pursuit. But it was found after much reconnoitering, that even this smaller division was too powerful to render a battle desirable; and he therefore drew off his army to the high hills of Santee, in order to afford them repose and refreshment during the hot weather, which had now commenced. Lord Rawdon, having been joined by the other division of his army, and by a body of troops from Charleston, took a position for the same purposes at Orangeburg; and excepting a few small expeditions against some remaining British posts, in which colonel Lee was as usual actively concerned, the tranquillity of the armies was for some time uninterrupted. And our troops may well be supposed to have needed this intermission of exertion, after so long a period of active and fatiguing motion.

"We had often," says general Lee," experienced in the ❝ course of the campaign want of food,t and sometimes seri* Vol. ii. p. 119, note.

"Tacitus (de Moribus Germanorum) observes, that they had a

"ously suffered from the scantiness of our supplies, rendered ❝ more pinching by their quality; but never did we suffer so ❝ severely as during the few days' halt here. [near Orange"burgh.] Rice furnished our substitute for bread, which, al"though tolerably relished by those familiarized to it from "infancy, was very disagreeable to Marylanders and Virgini"ans, who had grown up in the use of corn or wheat bread. "Of meat we had literally none; for the few meagre cattle "brought to camp as beef would not afford more than one or "two ounces per man. Frogs abounded in some neighbour. ❝ing ponds, and on them chiefly did the light troops subsist. "They became in great demand from their nutriciousness; ❝and, after conquering the existing prejudice, were diligent❝ly sought after. Even the alligator was used by a few; and, "very probably, had the army been much longer detained up"on that ground, might have rivalled the frog in the estima❝tion of our epicures."*

We have mentioned that lord Cornwallis, after the battle of Guilford, had retired to Wilmington. From this place it was in his power either to return to the assistance of lord Rawdon, or to march into Virginia, and effect a junction with some troops which were in that state, and which had been placed under his command. His lordship appears to have been aware of the importance of the decision, in respect to his future operations; and general Lee informs us that he manifested much irresolution in the adoption of his plan. Once, he says, Cornwallis had determined to follow general Greene, and commenced his march; but this resolution was altered, he moved toward Virginia, and arrived without any important oppo

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" plentiful table instead of pay-Nam epulæ, et quanquam incompti, largi tamen apparatus, pro stipendio cedunt.' This cannot be said of us in toto. Like the Germans we had no pay; and instead of plentiful "tables, in lieu, our table was not often plentiful, and seldom agreea"ble." * Vol. ii. pp. 144, 145.

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