1781 there, after repulfing Sumpter's advanced party, on the next evening deftroyed his ftores and retreated toward Charlestown. He was clofely pursued by Lee's legion and Hampton's ftate cavalry. The legion came up

July

16.

with them, and took their rear guard and all their baggage. Sumpter and Marion came up with the main body after fome hours; but by this time the British had fecured themfelves by taking an advantageous post in a range of houses. An attack was however made, and continued with fpirit till upward of 40 were killed or wounded by the fire from the houses. The British loft in thefe different engagements 140 prifoners, befide feveral killed and wounded, all the baggage of the 19th regiment, and above 100 horfes and feveral waggons.

General Greene with the main army reached the High Hills of Santee on the 16th of July, and there reposed them till the 22d of Auguft. In a letter from thence of the 8th of Auguft, to a friend at Philadelphia, he thus expreffed himself" Gen, Gates left this country under a heavy load; and I can affure you he did not déferve it. If he was to be blamed for any thing at all, it was for fighting, not for what he did, or did not do, in or after the action. I have been upon the ground where he was defeated, and think it was well chofen, ́and the troops properly drawn up; and had he halted after the defeat at Charlotte, without doing the leaft thing, I am perfuaded there would have been as little murmuring upon that occafion, as in any instance whatever, where the public meet with a misfortune of equal magnitude, I think the order of congrefs for an inquiry was premature, and am confident he will acquit himself with honor, whenever he is brought to trial,

But

But if I could have my wifh, he fhould be 'acquitted 1781. without an inquiry, unless he chofe it himself."

That you may form a clearer conception of the miferies attending the war in South Carolina, you are prefented with a few extracts from gen. Greene's letters. While before Ninety Six he wrote to col. Davies, the 23d of May-" The animofity between the whigs and tories of this ftate renders their fituation truly deplorable. There is not a day paffes, but there are more or lefs who fall a facrifice to this favage difpofition. The whigs feem determined to extirpate the tories, and the tories the whigs. Some thoufands have fallen in this way in this quarter, and the evil rages with more violence than ever. If a ftop cannot be foon put to these maffacres, the country will be depopulated in a few months more, as neither whig nor tory can live." Thus without charging, he rebuked Davies for a crime of which he was wofully guilty, and advised him to a better conduct. Weighty reafons, though not a fimilar one, induced Greene to write to Pickens, on the 5th of June-" The inhabitants near Parker's ford on the Saluda, are in great diftrefs from the favage conduct of a party of men belonging to col. Hammond's regiment. This party plunders without mercy, and murders the defenceless people, just as private pique, prejudice or personal refentments dictate. Principles of humanity as well as policy require, that proper measures should be immediately taken to restrain thefe abuses, heal differences, and unite the people as much as poffible. No violence fhould be offered to any of the inhabitants, unless found in arms. The idea of exterminating the tories is no less barbarous than impolitic. I hope you

1781. will exert yourself to bring over the tories to our intereft, and check the growing enormities which prevail among the whigs, in plundering as private avarice or a bloody difpofition ftimulates them." July the 30th, the general thus expreffed himself to the fame perfon-" I am exceedingly diftreffed, that the practice of plundering ftill continues to rage. If a check is not put to this fatal practice, the inhabitants will think their miferies rather increafed than leffened." While Greene remained on the High Hills of Santee, he received from the prefident of congrefs, Mr. M'Kean, the following extracts from letters of lord George Germaine.-To the commiffioners for reftoring peace. "March the

7th. Your declaration of the 29th of December, will I trust be productive of good effects. The narrow limits to which you have reduced your exceptions, and the generality of the affurance you have given of reftoration of the former conftitutions were, I doubt not, well confidered, and judged neceffary and expedient: but as there are many things in the conftitutions of some of the colonies, and fome things in all, which the people have always wifhed to be altered, and others which the common advantages of both countries require to be changed, it is neceffary to be attentive, that neither your acts nor declarations preclude any difquifition of fuch fubjects or prevent fuch alterations being made in their conftitution as the people may folicit or confent to." [Thus it appears that the miniftry meant that the commiffioners fhould be fo guarded in their acts and declarations, as that the American conftitutions might not obtain from the fame, ftability and permanency.]-To Sir Henry Clinton. "February the 7th. It gave his majesty

majefty fatisfaction to find you had determined to replace 1781. gen. Leflie's detachment in Elizabeth river, by one under gen. Arnold, with positive orders to establish a permanent poft there."To Sir H. Clinton. " March the 7th. It is a pleasing, though at the fame time a mortifying reflection, which arifes from the view of the return of the provincial forces you have tranfmitted, that the American levies in the king's fervice are more in number, than the whole of the inlifted troops in the fer vice of the congress. I hope in the course of the fum→ mer, the admiral and you will be able to spare a force fufficient to effect an establishment at Cafco Bay, and reduce that country to the king's obedience. As the exchanges (as it appears from Mr. Washington's last letter to you) will not be carried on further, the measure of inlifting your prifoners for service in the West Indies fhould be adopted immediately, and indeed fuch has been the mortality of the troops there from fickness, that I do not fee any other means of recruiting them.-The prevalency of westerly winds thefe laft two months has prevented the Warwick and Solebay, with their convoy, from getting further than Plymouth, where they are all detained." The prefident wrote in his letter of July the 17th, which accompanied the above extracts "It further appears from these letters, that Arnold has received bills of exchange for five thousand pounds fterling on London, which have been paid, and the money invested in the ftocks. This was probably the certain reward, the rest may have been eventual. Congress are poffeffed of the originals." The following of May the 22d, is thought also to have been sent to Greene by a member of congrefs-" Congress this day received a H 3 moft

1781. most affectionate and friendly letter from the king of France. He gives us every affurance of the most fubftantial aid, as far as his abilities and the exigencies of his affairs in Europe will admit. He fpeaks in the most tender and feeling manner on the diftreffing fituation of our affairs; and fays, he will risk embarraffing his own affairs in order to afford us fome relief."

After lord Rawdon's return to Charlestown an affair took place, which has roused the indignation of the Americans, and may receive a fairer difcuffion in fome future period, when impartiality fhall be more prevalent than at prefent. The whole truth, and nothing but the truth, fo far as it has come to my knowledge, fhall be now laid before you. During the fiege of Charleftown, col. Hayne ferved his country in a corps of militia horfe. After the capitulation, no alternative was left but either to abandon his family and property, or to furrender to the conquerors. He concluded that instead of waiting to be captured, it would be both more fafe and morehonorable to go within the British lines, and furrender himself a voluntary prifoner. He therefore repaired to Charlestown, and offered to bind himself by the honor of an American officer, to do nothing prejudicial to the British intereft till he fhould be exchanged. Reports made of his fuperior abilities and influence, uniformly exerted in the American caufe, operated with the conquerors to refufe him a parole, though they were daily accustomed to grant that indulgence to other inhabitants. He was told that he muft either become a British fubject, or fubmit to clofe confinement. To be arrefted and detained in the capital, was not to himself an intolerable evil; but to abandon his family both to the

ravages