the fame moment when Washington made his fuccefs- 1781. ful attack. The example was inftantly followed by the militia. Nothing could exceed the astonishment of the British, occafioned by these unexpected charges. Their advance fell back, and communicated a panic to others, which foon became general. Two hundred and fifty horfe which had not been engaged, fled through the woods with the utmost precipitation, bearing down such officers as oppofed their flight; and the cannon were foon seized by the Americans, the detachment from the train being either killed or wounded in their defence. The greatest confufion now followed among the infan try. In the moment of it lieut. col. Howard called to them to lay down their arms, and promised them good quarters. Some hundreds accepted the offer, and furrendered. The first battalion of the 71ft regiment, and two British light infantry companies laid down their arms to the American militia. The only body of infantry that escaped, was a detachment left at fome distance to guard the baggage. Early intelligence of their defeat was conveyed to the officer commanding that corps by fome royalifts. What part of the baggage could not be carried off he immediately deftroyed; and with his men` mounted on the waggon and fpare horses, he retreated to lord Cornwallis. The British had to commiffioned officers, and upward of 100 rank and file killed. Two hundred wounded, 29 commiffioned officers, and above 500 privates prifoners, fell into the hands of the Americans, befide two pieces of artillery (first taken from the British at Saratoga, then retaken by them at Camden, and now recovered by the Americans) two standards, 800 mufkets, 35 baggage waggons, and upward of 100 dra

1781. goon horses. Washington purfued Tarleton's cavalry for feveral miles; but the far greater part of them efcaped. They joined their army in two feparate divifions. One arrived in the neighbourhood of the British encampment upon the evening of the fame day; the other under Tarleton appeared the next morning. Although Tarleton's corps had waged a moft cruel warfare, and their progrefs had been marked with burnings and devaftations, not a man of them was killed, wounded, or even infulted after he had furrendered. The Americans had only twelve men killed and fixty wounded.

General Morgan, together with his officers and troops, have juftly obtained the univerfal applaufe of their countrymen. The glory and importance of the action have refounded from one end of the continent to the other. The defponding friends of America in the fouthern states were re-animated; and enjoyed a feeming refurrection from the dead. When it was known by congrefs that the fouthern army had fafely croffed the Dan into Virginia, they returned on the 9th of March the thanks of the United States to gen. Morgan, and the officers and men under his command. They refolved alfo to honor the general with a gold medal, col. Washington with a filver one, col. Howard with another, and col. Pickens with a fword.

Several of the British officers cenfure Tarleton for not halting his troops. before he engaged; that fo they might have been refreshed, and time have been given for the detachment with the baggage, together with batmen and officers fervants to come up and join in the action. They charge him with un-officer-like impetu

ofity in directing the line to advance before it was pro- 1781. perly formed, and before the referve had taken its ground. They pronounce him guilty of an error in omitting to give difcretionary powers to the commander of the reserve to advance, when the front line was in pursuit of the militia; but chiefly in not bringing up a column of cavalry to fupport and improve the advantages he had gained when the American infantry were compelled to retreat. Tarleton's impetuous attacks had answered in former inftances: but in the prefent action, he did not furprise his enemy; and engaged an officer, Morgan, who had faced the troops under Burgoyne, and served under Washington and Gates.

Lord Cornwallis, with the expectation of regaining the prisoners, and of demolishing Morgan's corps, inftantly concluded on a purfuit. Morgan, aware of the confequences of delay, fent on the militia with the prifoners, and to cover their retreat manoeuvred in their rear with his cavalry and regular infantry. Cornwallis, that he might march with more ease and rapidity, on Jan, the 25th of January, began to deftroy all his fuperfluous 25. baggage; and even all the waggons, except thofe with hofpital ftores, falt and ammunition, and four others which were referved empty for the fick and wounded. The fame day, Greene ordered Stevens to march with his brigade of Virginia militia (whose time was nearly expired) by way of Charlotte, and take the prisoners on under his care to Charlotte Ville in Virginia, to which place Morgan had inftructions to fend them, Greene concluded that being prefent with Morgan, he could fo order the movements of both divifions for forming a junction, as would excel any directions which could otherwise be given, He therefore

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1781. therefore left the camp at Hicks's Creek, under the command of gen. Huger and col. Otho Williams, and fet forward on the 28th, attended by one aid de camp and two or three militia men, armed and mounted. The first intelligence he gained on his route was, that Cornwallis was marching after Morgan with great expedition. His lordship gained upon the latter, after the destruction of his baggage. Greene immediately fent off an express to Huger and Williams, with directions for them to march with all poffible dispatch to form a junction with the light troops at Charlotte or Salisbury, as circumstances would admit. They marched the next Jan. day. Greene proceeded; and on the 31ft, after a journey 31. of 150 miles, joined the light troops encamped at Sher

rard's Ford, on the north fide of the Catawba. They had reached the Catawba on the 28th; and by the evening of the next day they and their prifoners had paffed it without any difficulty. About two hours after Morgan had croffed, the British advance arrived. It rained hard that night, and the river rose fo high as to prevent lord Cornwallis's getting over. The rife was owing chiefly

to the rains which had fallen before in the mountains. Had the rife taken place a few hours earlier, Morgan, with his whole detachment and five hundred prifoners, would scarcely have had a chance of escaping. His lordship could not cross for two days; which gave an opportunity of fending the prisoners forward with fafety. The arrival of gen. Greene was no less providential than the rife of the river. Gen. Morgan was for retreating over the mountains, a different route from what Greene propofed. He was fo attached to his own opinion, that he declared he would not be anfwerable for

confe

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confequences if it was not followed. Greene replied-1781. "Neither will you; for I shall take the meafure upon myself," and gave directions accordingly. The event has shown, that the other route muft have proved fatal; and that the junction of the light troops with the main army under Huger and Williams could not have been effected by it. As foon as the paffage of the Catawba was practicable, Cornwallis made preparations for croffing. The more effectually to deceive the Americans he made. a feint of paffing at different fords: but the real attempt Feb. was made early in the morning of the 1ft of February, at a ford near M'Cowan's. Gen. Davidfon, with about 300 militia, arrived at this poft the evening before. Greene, apprehenfive of Cornwallis's real intention, advised Davidson to encamp his troops close in with the fide of the river, that he might be ready to give the enemy a vigorous oppofition. The advice was neglected.. Davidson stationed only a small number on the bank, while the main body was at a distance. The party on the bank made what oppofition they could to the British; who marched through the river upward of five hundred yards wide, and about three feet deep, without returning their fire, till after landing. The firing brought Davidson toward the spot. But the British were formed; and he was soon shot dead in attempting to make a more effectual oppofition to them. The militia throughout the neighbouring fettlements were now totally difpirited. Few of them could be perfuaded to take or keep the field. A fmall party collected about ten miles from the ford; but was foon dispersed by Tarleton. All the fords were abandoned; and the whole royal army croffed over without any further oppofition.