but under the absolute necessity of retreating to some place of greater security, where provisions to subsist his army might certainly be obtained. 1781. wallis retires mills, and afterwards to When the expedition into North Carolina Lord Cornwas originally meditated, the acquisition of to Ramsay's Wilmington, a town near the mouth of Cape Wilmington. Fear river, was contemplated as a part of the plan. This position was deemed of considerable importance, as it united to a safe and easy communication with the sea, the facility of a water transportation extending deep into the country, and reaching very near that district which had been lately the theatre of action. This enterprise was committed to major Craig. At the head of three hundred British soldiers and a few marines, aided by a small naval force, he took possession of the place without opposition, and extended his authority several miles up the river. From a communication with this post, lord Cornwallis now looked for aids, which had become indispensably necessary to the further operations of the campaign. On the day of leaving Guilford court-house, after having resolved on a movement towards the southeast, so as to approach Wilmington, he issued a proclamation announcing his victory of the 15th, and calling on all loyal subjects to stand forth and take an active part in restoring good order and government. CHAP. VII. This proclamation was issued in the hope 1781. that it would induce the royalists to join his Greene advances to mills with a standard; an object of infinite importance, in the present state of his army. To promote it he designed to establish his head quarters at Cross creek, a place which was favourable to these views, and at the same time, so connected with Wilmington by Cape Fear river into which it empties, that he flattered himself with being able to obtain from thence every necessary supply. His resolution being taken, lord Cornwallis broke up his encampment on the third day after the battle, and leaving such of his wounded as could not be moved, to fall into the hands of the Americans, proceeded by slow and easy marches towards Cross creek. On hearing that the British army, instead of advancing on him as he had expected, was certainly retreating, general Greene immediately resolved to follow it; and the American troops were put in motion for that purpose. The continual rains, the consequent badness of the roads, the great difficulty of subsisting the troops in a country never abundant, and now very much exhausted, and extremely hostile; but above all, the necessity of waiting for a supply of ammunition, impeded so consider. ably the march of the American army that it did not reach Ramsay's mills on Deep river, until the 28th of March. At this place, lord Cornwallis had halted; CHAP. VII. and here, general Greene expected to overtake 1781. and attack him. But on the approach of the American army, his lordship resumed his march, and passing Deep river on a bridge previously constructed for that purpose, proceeded to Cross creek, and afterwards to Wil- April 7. mington. General Greene gave over the pursuit at Ramsay's mills. So excessive had been the sufferings of his army for the want of provisions, that many of his men fainted on the march; and it had become absolutely necessary to give them some repose and refreshment. The impossibility of subsisting his army did not constitute the only motive for not following lord Cornwallis to Wilmington. In this critical state of the campaign, he found himself once more reduced to his handful of continental troops. The Virginia militia having been called into service only for six weeks, were about to leave him. The places of those who had performed their tour of duty not being supplied by others, it became advisable to suspend the pursuit. At Ramsay's mills, Greene deliberated on his future operations. Wilmington being accessible to ships, it was obviously impracticable to act with effect against the army in that place. In the mean-time, while having it at his option to act offensively or to continue merely on the CHAP. VII. defensive, lord Cornwallis would certainly re1781. tain all his possessions in the two more southern states. Thus circumstanced, Greene took the bold and happy resolution to carry the war immediately into South Carolina. The motives which induced the adoption of this measure were stated by himself in a letter communicating his determination to the commander in chief. It would, he conceived, compel lord Cornwallis to follow him, or to sacrifice all the posts held by the British in the upper parts of South Carolina and Georgia. If the former part of the alternative should be embraced, it would entirely liberate North Carolina from the invading army, and enable that state to raise its quota of troops for the continental service: if the latter, the two states of South Carolina and Georgia would probably be restored to the union, and the possessions of the enemy in the southern country, would be reduced to the seaports of Charleston and Savannah. The southern army, now reduced to the continental troops of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, amounted to about one thousand seven hundred effectives, including the cavalry and artillery. That of lord Cornwallis is represented to have been still less numerous. Mr. Stedman who was commissary general of the British army, states its effective force at only one thousand four hundred and thirty-five men;* so impotent were the means employed CHAP. VIL for the conquest and defence of an immense 1781. extent of valuable country, the possession of which was highly interesting to both parties. So much time elapsed before intelligence of the movement made by Greene towards South Carolina reached Wilmington, as to render it most probable that the fate of lord Rawdon would be decided, before it could be practicable for earl Cornwallis to join him. This circumstance seems to have produced for a time in the latter nobleman, no inconsiderable degree of irresolution respecting the plan of his future operations. If the British arms in South Carolina should be successful, his return to that country would be unnecessary, and would be abandoning a great part of the ground already gained. On the contrary, should lord Rawdon be defeated and driven into Charleston, there was much reason to be apprehensive for his own safety, if Greene, aided by the numerous militia who would be brought into the field by that event, should find him on his march, embarrassed with the large rivers he would be under the necessity of crossing. Yet general Clinton supposed the troops in the southern department under lord Cornwallis, when joined by Leslie, to exceed eleven thousand. |