you can, and stand your ground as long as you can. we are repulsed, let us return and renew the fight." If Instantly he rushed forward and attacked a picket advanced to the mountain edge, following them as they retreated, fighting up the steep. They were Scots in arms with the descendants of Scotchmen. The same pride, the same earnestness, the same valor, the same determination. Ferguson ordered a bayonet charge. The assailants gave way. While in pursuit, Shelby came up from an adverse point, and poured in a well-directed fire. Ferguson ceasing the pursuit, turned upon his new enemies, again charging with the bayonet. These also were driven back. At this moment, Campbell, passing between the flanks, reached the mountain top and levelled a fire, every shot of which he meant should tell. Ferguson again changed his front, and again his brave soldiers were successful. But no respite was permitted him. The South Carolinians now rallied from their coverts, renewed the fight and were repulsed. Thus, as often as one party was worsted, another was upon him. The right and centre, now intermingled, were both driven almost to the foot of the mountain, some transfixed, others falling headlong over the cliffs. Recovering from the furious charge, they reascended, when the enemy seeing no reprieve, fled under the close, unerring rifle fire along the summit upon Cleveland and Williams. At this instant, Ferguson, receiving his death wound, fell from his saddle. With his last breath all hope expired. Quarter was asked and granted. Three hundred men were killed and wounded-eight hundred made prisonersfifteen hundred stand of arms, intended for those who should join the royal standard, captured. Of the patriots, covered by the trees, few were killed. Among these was VOL. II.-11 u.aw. re of the decal ai my the Lne had ar you for the i, dached Gnera' Le - 1. Ports Trouth, with order to po sestry the mag, sinus et Richte d as to make a ve son in favor of C ssary to order him to repair for (*hna. Hami!: m the ra em' W.. . 1 a the South seem at present Twi sobatly continue to do so mless later meri from New York. น ). one half of our array will east s, stren‚r neved by swae iuitia of North Ca noved Jom Lihscrough towards the Yadion, w was pied by two handed cavalry, of who Marah Ii 397. l'an. y' C. 11. 163. Lee's Southern Wa Williams. In memory of the scene at Camden, ten of the royalists were hung forthwith. The hunt was now up, and the mountain rangers having secured their immunity by their courage, returned to their homes. Cornwallis, thus maimed, abandoned his intended route to Salisbury, and withdrawing his army from the hostile upper region, retired towards Camden, to cover which and the garrison at Ninety-Six, he established himself at Winnsborough. The services of Sumter and Marion were now sensibly felt. Threatened in different quarters, Cornwallis, weakened by detachments to meet them, which were hardly dealt with, saw himself stripped of the advantages he had gained over Gates, and obliged to wait reinforcements from the North. Sir Henry Clinton, unaware of the defeat at King's Mountain, and thinking the time had arrived for the conquest of Virginia, detached General Leslie with three thousand men to Portsmouth, with orders to proceed up the James, destroy the magazines at Richmond and Petersburg, and thus to make a diversion in favor of Cornwallis, who felt it necessary to order him to repair forthwith to South Carolina. Hamilton, in the name of Washington, announced these events to Rochambeau: "The affairs of the enemy at the South seem at present to decline. They will probably continue to do so unless Clinton sends a reinforcement from New York. This, I fear, he will shortly do, as near one half of our army will leave us in a little time." Gates, strengthened by some militia of North Carolina, moved from Hillsborough towards the Yadkin, where he was joined by two hundred cavalry, of whom the com * Marshall, i. 397. Ramsay's S. C. ii. 183. Lee's Southern War. Tarleton's Campaigns. Irving. |