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1780. extended themselves to the eastward of Cooper river; and about this time Sir Henry Clinton received a re-enforcement of 3000 men from New York. The garrison having no reasonable hope of effecting a retreat, by advice of a council of war, called on the 21st of April, an offer was made for surrendering the town on certain conditions; but those conditions were instantly rejected by the British commanders. The besiegers in the mean time were daily advancing their works, and their third parallel Fort Moul- was completed on the 6th of May. On the same day, the gartrie surren- rison of Fort Moultrie surrendered to captain Hudson of the royal navy; colonel Pinckney with 150 of the men under his command having been withdrawn from that post to Charlestown. On the same day also, the broken remains of the American cavalry under colonel White were again surprised by lieutenant colonel Tarleton on the banks of the Santee; and the whole either killed, taken, or dispersed.

ders.

Charlestown sur

renders on capitulation.

Sir Henry Clinton, while thus successful in every operation, began a correspondence with general Lincoln, and renewed his former offers to the garrison, in case of their surrender; but the terms, so far as they respected the citizens, being not satisfactory, the garrison recommended hostilities. The British batteries of the third parallel now opened on the town, and did great execution. Shells and carcasses were thrown into almost all parts of the town; and several houses were burned. The Hessian yagers, posted advantageously, fired their rifles with such effect, that numbers of the besieged were killed at their guns; and scarcely any escaped, who showed themselves over the lines. During this fire, which continued two days without intermission, the besiegers gained the counterscarp of the work that flanked the canal; passed the canal itself; and, advancing within 25 yards of the American works, prepared to make a general assault by land and water. The siege having been protracted until the 11th, a great number of citizens of Charlestown on that day addressed general Lincoln in a petition, requesting his acceptance of the terms which had been offered. The general wrote to Sir Henry Clinton, offering to accept those terms, and received a favourable answer. A capitulation was signed on the 12th of May; and the next day major general Leslie took possession of the town. The loss of the king's troops, during the siege, was 76 killed, and 140 wounded. The loss of the Americans was 89 killed, and 140 wounded. Upwards of 400 pieces of artillery were surrendered. By the articles of capitulation the garrison were to march out of town and to deposit their arms in front of the works; but the drums were not to beat a British march, nor the colours to be uncased. The continental troops and seamen were to keep their baggage, and remain prisoners of

war until exchanged. The militia were to be permitted to return home as prisoners on parole; and, while they should adhere to their parole, were not to be molested by the British troops, in person or property. The inhabitants of all conditions were to be considered as prisoners on parole, and to hold their property on the same terms with the militia. The officers of the army and navy were to retain their servants, swords, pistols, and baggage unsearched. The number of persons who surrendered prisoners of war, inclusive of the militia and every adult male inhabitant, was above 5000; but the proper garrison did not exceed 2500. The number of privates in the continental army was 1977, of whom 500 were in the hospitals.

1780.

defeated at

After the surrender of Charlestown, Sir Henry Clinton made May 29. three detachments from his army; the first and most considera- Col. Buford ble, to the north of the Santee toward the frontiers of North the WaxCarolina; the second, into the heart of the state on the south haws. side of that river; and the third, up the Savannah toward Augusta. Lord Cornwallis, who commanded the northern detachment, receiving intelligence, after passing the Santee, that colonel Buford with about 400 men was lying near the borders of North Carolina, detached lieutenant colonel Tarleton with the cavalry, and a new corps of light infantry called the legion, mounted on horseback, to disperse that party. After a rapid movement of 105 miles in fifty four hours, Tarleton overtook Buford, in a line of march at the Waxhaws, and totally defeated him.1

ton returns

Sir Henry Clinton, leaving about 4000 men for the southern Sir H. Clinservice under the command of lieutenant general Cornwallis, to N. York. embarked early in June with the main army for New York.

ter.

As the British advanced to the upper part of South Carolina, Activity of a considerable number of determined whigs retreated before col. Sumpthem into North Carolina. Colonel Sumpter, a distinguished partisan in this class of exiles, at the head of a little band of freemen, returned to his own state; and, after all ideas of farther resistance had been generally abandoned by his fellow citizens, took the field against the victorious British. On the 12th of July, 133 of his corps attacked and routed a detachment of the

1 Colonel Buford with a few cavalry escaped, and about 100 infantry saved themselves by flight; but the regiment was almost demolished. According to Tarleton's statement, 113 were killed on the spot; 150 so badly wounded as to be paroled because they were incapable of being removed; and 53 were carried away as prisoners. The loss of the British amounted to 12 killed, and 5 wounded. It is affirmed, that the instant a truce was over, the design of which had been to consider the expediency of surrendering on the summons of Tarleton, the British cavalry made a furious charge on the Americans, who had received no orders to engage, and who seem to have been uncertain whether to defend themselves or not; that, in this state of dismay and confusion, some threw down their arms and begged for quarter, while others fired on the assailants; and that no quarter was given.

July 12.
Routs the

royal forces

1780. royal forces and militia, which were posted in a lane at Williamson's plantation. This first success had a happy effect on the numerous friends of America in the northwestern frontier of South Carolina; and the troops of Sumpter amounted in a few at William- days to 600 men. With this increase of strength, he made a son's plan spirited attack on a party of the British at Rocky Mount, but was obliged to retreat. He next attacked another of the royal detachments, consisting of the Prince of Wales' regiment, and a Skirmish at large body of tories, posted at the Hanging Rock. The regiHanging ment of the Prince of Wales was almost totally destroyed. Rock. From 278 men it was reduced to nine.

tation.

Aug. 6.

In the mean time several corps of continental troops and militia, having formed a junction, were conducted by major general baron de Kalb into South Carolina. On the 27th of American July, they were joined by general Gates, who, taking the chief marches to command, advanced by the main road toward Camden; and Clermont. after a tedious march through a country of pine barrens, sand

army

Aug. 16.

Battle near

Camden.

hills, and swamps, reached Clermont. At this place, thirteen miles from Camden, general Stephens arrived the next day with a large body of Virginia militia. The American army now amounted to 3663; but of this number 900 only were continental infantry, and 70 cavalry. Lord Rawdon, who had the principal command of the British troops on the frontiers of Carolina, had concentrated his forces at Camden; to which place earl Cornwallis hastened, on the approach of Gates, and arrived there on the 14th of August. At ten in the evening of the 15th, his lordship marched from Camden with his whole force, consisting of 1700 infantry, and 300 cavalry, with the intention of attacking the Americans in their camp at Clermont; and nearly at the same time, Gates, after ordering his baggage to the Waxhaws, put his army in motion, to take a position about seven miles from Camden, with a deep creek in front. As the two armies were marching on the same road, in opposite directions, their advanced guards met and fired on each other about half past two in the morning. From some prisoners made on both sides, the commanders learned each other's movements. Both armies halted, and were formed; and the firing soon ceased, as if by mutual consent. The ground on which the two armies thus accidentally met, was exceedingly favourable to lord Cornwallis. A swamp on each side secured his flanks, and narrowed the ground in front; so as to render the superiority of the Americans, in numbers, of less consequence.

The

In the morning, a severe and general action was fought. The American army was formed in the following manner. second Maryland brigade, commanded by general Gist, composed the right line, and was flanked by a morass; the North Carolina

militia, commanded by major general Caswell, composed the 1780. centre; and the Virginia militia, under general Stephens, flanked also by a morass, and by the light infantry, assisted by colonel Armand's corps, composed the left. The artillery was divided to the brigades. The baron de Kalb commanded on the right of the line; and the militia generals, their respective troops. The first Maryland brigade, under general Smallwood, was posted two or three hundred yards in the rear, as a corps de reserve. General Gates resolved to be in person where his presence would be most useful. The British army was formed in the following manner. The front line was composed of two divisions of the army under lord Rawdon and lieutenant colonel Webster; Webster's division being to the right, and lord Rawdon's to the left. These divisions were disposed in such a manner, that the 33d regiment on the left of Webster's, communicating with the volunteers of Ireland on the right of Rawdon's, formed the centre of the line; and to the front were attached two 6 pounders, and two 3 pounders, under the direction of lieutenant Macleod of the royal artillery. The 71st regiment, with two 6 pounders, formed a second line, or reserve, one battalion being posted behind each wing; and in the rear of the whole was the cavalry.

The opposite armies were thus ranged in order of battle. At the dawn of day, a British column appearing about two hundred yards in front of some pieces of artillery, which had been posted near the road in the American centre, colonel Williams ordered those pieces to play on them; and about the same time the British began to form the line on their right. Orders to attack being given to Stephens, he immediately prepared to obey them. Advancing with his brigade of militia within fifty paces of the enemy, who were also advancing, he called out to his men, “my brave fellows, we have bayonets as well as they, we will charge them." Lord Cornwallis, mistaking the first movement of the Virginia militia for a mere change of disposition, gave orders to lieutenant colonel Webster to begin the attack. The charge was made with such promptitude and vigour, that the Virginia militia threw down their arms, and fled with the utmost precipitation; and the greatest part of the North Carolina militia soon followed the example. The American reserve was now brought into action; and general Gates, in conjunction with general Caswell, retiring with the militia, endeavoured to rally them at advantageous passes in the rear of the field of action, but in vain. Lord Rawdon began the action on the left with no less vigour than Webster had done on the right; but here and in the centre the contest was more obstinately maintained by the Americans, whose artillery did considerable execution. By the flight of the

1780. militia, however, their left flank was exposed, and the British light infantry and the 23d regiment, instead of pursuing the fugitives, came upon the flank of continentals, who, after a brave resistance nearly three quarters of an hour, were thrown into total confusion, and forced to give way. Tarleton's legion charged them as they broke, and continued the pursuit to Hanging Rock, twenty two miles from the field of action. Two hundred and ninety American wounded prisoners were carried into Camden; of which number 206 were continentals; 82 North Carolina militia; and 2 Virginia militia. The Americans lost the whole of their artillery, eight field pieces, and the greatest part of their baggage. The baron de Kalb, while making a vigorous charge Kalb killed. at the head of the regiment of infantry, fell under eleven wounds; and with his aid de camp, lieutenant colonel Du Buysson, was taken prisoner. The baron expired in a few hours. General Rutherford, of North Carolina, was wounded and taken prisoner. The number of Americans killed in the action is not ascertained.? The loss of the British troops in this battle amounted to 325; of whom 69 were killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing.

Baron de

Aug. 18.

ter surpris

Tarleton.

General Sumpter, having taken a small fort, and a strong deGen. Sump-tachment going up with stores for the British troops at Camden, ed by col. hearing of general Gates's defeat, was retreating up the south side of the Wateree with his prisoners and the stores. Colonel Tarleton, detached by lord Cornwallis with his legion and a body of infantry in pursuit of him, overtook him on Hisling Creek, near Catawba Ford, and completely surprised him. The greatest part of his troops fled to the river; some were killed and wounded, and others taken. His whole party was dispersed, the British prisoners, about 300, were retaken, and all the stores conducted to Camden. General Sumpter lost all his artillery.3

1 The baron de Kalb was a German by birth, and had formerly been long in the French service. He was the second in command in this action; and gave new proofs of the brave and experienced officer. When he made his last charge, he was still ignorant of the flight of the left wing and centre, by reason of a thick atmosphere; and, when wounded and taken, would scarcely believe that general Gates was defeated. [Tarleton.] Congress resolved, that a monument should be erected to his memory in Annapolis.

2 Exclusive of baron de Kalb and general Rutherford, the numbers of killed, captured, and missing, in the actions of the 16th and 18th, were 4 lieutenant colonels, 3 majors, 14 captains, 4 captain lieutenants, 16 lieutenants, 3 ensigns, 4 staff, 78 subalterns, and 604 rank and file. Gordon.

3 Moultrie's Memoirs, ii. 235. Ramsay, Hist. S. Car. i. 364. The number of men with general Sumpter at the Wateree was 600 or 700. Colonel Tarleton's loss was only 9 men killed, and 6 wounded.-Soon after colonel Sumpter returned to South Carolina, and recommenced a military opposition to British government, he was promoted by governor Rutledge to the rank of brigadier general.

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