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270

BATTLE OF THE COWPENS.

[CHAP. III. Washington, with whom this officer was an especial favorite; which fact is the more worthy of notice, as he was next in popularity to Washington himself with the American people. Greene reached Charlotte, the head-quarters of the Southern army, on the second of December;1 and his force did not much exceed two thousand men, the major part militia. He detached Morgan with four hundred men to the South of the Catawba, to act offensively or not, according to circumstances. When he had descended the Pedee River to the Cheraw Hills, Cornwallis was between Morgan and Greene, and hoped to attack them separately before they could form a junc

tion.

Morgan finding he was closely pursued by Tarleton, retreated to the Cowpens, about three miles from the line which separates the Carolinas. He was there attacked by Tarleton, on the seventeenth of January, 1781. Morgan having posted his men judiciously, prepared to meet the attack with his wonted intrepidity. The militia, who were placed in front, yielded to Tarleton's impetuous onset as readily as he had anticipated. It was found necessary that a party of the continentals, under Colonel Howard of Maryland, should change its position. Tarleton, confident now of success, pressed on his enemies in their seeming retreat, when they, suddenly halting, and facing their enemies, poured on them a deadly fire that filled them with surprise and dismay. Perceiving their confusion, Howard ordered his regiment to charge, and the British line was irrecoverably broken. Colonel Washington was equally successful on the right. His cavalry were ordered to charge, when the British gave way, and were pursued. Their artillery and most of the infantry

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MORGAN'S RETREAT.

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surrendered. In this battle, one hundred of the British were killed, and five hundred and twenty-nine were made prisoners. Eight hundred muskets and two fieldpieces were the fruits of the victory. The loss of the Americans, in killed and wounded, was less than eighty men. Morgan stated his whole force at eight hundred men. This was, perhaps, the most brilliant success of the American arms during the Revolution.

Notwithstanding the discouragement to Cornwallis from this action, he did not desist from his purpose of endeavoring to intercept the victor's retreat. Morgan, aware of the danger which threatened him, lost no time in passing Broad River, and had scarcely crossed it, when the van of the British army reached its southern bank.

On the first of February, Cornwallis passed the Catawba at a ford defended by three hundred men, under General Davidson, who was there killed. He continued a rapid pursuit, having rid himself of all heavy and unnecessary baggage. He pressed so closely on the Americans, that in crossing the Yadkin the van of the British skirmished with Morgan's rear-guard. A fall of rain now checked the progress of the pursuers. While Cornwallis was ascending the southern bank of the Yadkin to a point where it was fordable, Greene continued on to Guilford Court-house, where he was joined by the division of Huger. His infantry was now two thousand, of whom six hundred were militia. Cornwallis, twenty-five miles above him, had a force of twenty-five hundred, including three hundred cavalry. As he had not been able to prevent the junction of the American forces, his object now was to intercept their march to Virginia. Believing that Greene could not obtain boats to transport his troops across the Dan before he would be overtaken, he

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GREENE RETREATS FROM CORNWALLIS. [CHAP. III.

kept near the mountains, the better to prevent Greene from fording the river. Greene then changed his course, and marched to the lower ferries, by which means he increased the distance between himself and Cornwallis, and was able to pass over his army by the time the British, discovering their error, reached the opposite bank. This retreat obtained great praise for Greene, as he had thus saved his stores, as well as his army, from the grasp of an enemy superior in numbers, who had rid himself of his incumbrances to quicken his pursuit. It was one of several proofs in this Revolution, that, in the game of war, a timely retreat is second only to a victory. Greene being now driven out of Carolina, Cornwallis proceeded to Hillsborough.

After Greene had crossed the Dan, he was reinforced by six hundred militia from the neighboring counties, over whom he placed General Stevens; and, to check the influence of the British on the people of North Carolina, he recrossed the Dan. His fears of their fidelity proved well founded. In one day, seven independent or loyal companies were raised, and a large number of them embodied themselves on Haw River. A party of these, under Colonel Pyle, mistaking Lee's for Tarleton's legion, was cut to pieces by Lee.

Cornwallis, the better to subsist his army, changed his position to one further south; and as he retreated, Greene advanced; but not yet willing to hazard an action, he changed his ground every night. When, however, he had received all the reinforcements he expected, he wished to bring on an engagement before any of his militia left him. He marched, therefore, to Guilford Court-house, twelve miles from the British encampment, at which time his force was four thousand two hundred and sixtyone, including one hundred and eighty-eight cavalry:

1781.]

BATTLE OF GUILFORD.

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one thousand four hundred and ninety-nine were regulars; the rest were militia of Virginia and North Carolina.

.On the thirteenth of March, he was attacked. His force was ranged in three lines: the first consisted of North Carolina militia; the second of Virginia militia; and the third of continentals. After a hurried discharge, the North Carolina regiment precipitately fled, many of them throwing away their arms. The second line, under Stevens, stood with some firmness, but, in no long time, gave way; and one of the Maryland regiments, composed of new levies, took to flight when charged with the bayonet. With this exception the regulars fought with great spirit and effect, so that, for a short time, Greene was confident of victory. The British artillery, however, coming up to the relief of their retreating corps, the fortune of the day was changed, and Greene was compelled to order a retreat, which was made without confusion, and without any attempt at pursuit.

The battle of Guilford was honorable to both parties: to the British, in gaining a victory with very inferior numbers; and to the Americans, in not suffering a complete route from the hasty and disorderly flight of their first line, and afterwards of one of the continental regiments. They deserve credit, too, for the obstinate valor of their combatants, and the execution they did. Official returns state the loss of the British at five hundred and thirty-two men. The loss of the American regulars, in killed, wounded and missing, was three hundred and twenty-six; that of the militia was unknown, and was probably not great.

To obtain supplies for his army, which the country he was in could not furnish, Lord Cornwallis marched to Wilmington, near the coast, having first issued a proclaVOL I. -18

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INVASION OF VIRGINIA.

CHAP. III.

mation, announcing his victory, and calling on all loyal subjects to join his standard.

Greene then decided on entering South Carolina; but impeded by heavy rains, he did not reach Ramsay's Mills, on Deep River, till the twenty-eighth of March, where he had expected to overtake Cornwallis. Here part of his militia left him, when, giving over the pursuit, he proceeded to South Carolina, with an effective force of only seventeen hundred men.

In the latter end of the preceding year, Virginia had been invaded by a force of from twenty-five hundred to three thousand men, under General Leslie. He took possession of the country south of James River as high as Suffolk, and began to fortify Portsmouth; but after Ferguson's disaster, he was ordered by Cornwallis to Charleston. The State was again subsequently invaded by Arnold, who wished to give his new friends some proofs both of his zeal and efficiency.

Though his force was scattered and diminished by a storm, he arrived at James River with twelve hundred men, and reached Westover in the beginning of the year 1781. He there landed, and marched to Richmond, where a large quantity of military stores was deposited. These were sent to Westham and other places for safety. Thither a detachment was sent, which destroyed the stores at that place, as well as those at Richmond. Returning then to Westover, he re-embarked, on the tenth of January, for Portsmouth.

Meanwhile the militia assembled from different quarters, but it was not easy to arm them. Baron Steuben, with about two hundred new levies, followed Arnold down the river, but had not strength enough to check his depredations. The loss of the British in this expedition was quite insignificant.

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