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BATTLE OF CAMDEN.

departure of Woodford's detachment, Gates could muster no more than between 4,000 and 5,000 disposable men.

Determined, nevertheless, to persevere in his plan of offensive operations, he marched about ten at night on the 15th of August to within half a mile of Sander's creek, about halfway between his encampment and Camden. Lord Cornwallis, who the day before had repaired to his head-quarters at Camden, and had taken command of the British army, was also resolved, though his forces amounted to only 2,000 men, of whom 1,700 were infantry, and 300 cavalry, to attack the enemy in their camp, and advancing for that purpose at half past two in the morning, encountered their advanced parties, near Sander's creek. Here, some firing took place with various success; but on the whole, the British had the advantage in this night encounter, and the militia were not a little dispirited at this result.

Early on the ensuing morning both armies prepared for battle. On the side of the Americans, the second Maryland brigade, under the command of General Gist, occupied the right, which was flanked by a morass; the Virginia militia and the North Carolina infantry, also covered by some boggy ground, were posted on the left, whilst General Caswell, with the North Carolina division and the artillery, appeared in the centre. A corps de reserve under the orders of General Smallwood, was posted about 300 yards in the rear of the American line.

In arranging the British forces Lord Cornwallis gave the command of the right to Lieutenant-Colonel Webster, with the 23rd and 33rd regiments of foot. The left was guarded by some Irish volunteers, the infantry of the legion and part of Hamilton's regiment, under the command of Lord Rawdon. The cavalry of the legion was stationed in the rear, where also the 71st regiment was stationed as a reserve.

The respective armies being thus disposed, the action began by the advance of 200 of the British in front of the American artillery, who received them with a steady fire. Gates then ordered the Virginian militia to advance under the command of Colonel Stevens, who cheerfully obeyed the orders of his commander-in-chief, and when he had led his men within firing distance, urged them to charge the enemy with their bayonets. This portion of the army however did not emulate the gallantry of their leader.

Lord Cornwallis observing their movement, ordered Colo

DISASTROUS DEFEAT AT CAMDEN.

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nel Webster to attack them. This order was obeyed with a loud cheer. Intimidated by this indication of determined daring, the militia were panic-struck, and the Virginians and Carolinians threw down their arms and hastened from the field. The right wing and the corps de reserve, however, maintained their position, and even gained ground upon the enemy; but Lord Cornwallis, taking advantage of a favourable moment, charged them with his cavalry and put them completely to the rout. The whole of the baggage and artillery of the Americans fell into the hands of the enemy, and the fugitives were pursued by the British cavalry for the space of twenty miles. So complete was this defeat that, on the second day after the engagement, General Gates could only muster 150 of his soldiers at Charleston, a town in the south of North Carolina, whence he retreated farther north to Salisbury, and afterwards to Hillsborough.

To add to the misfortunes of the Americans, the defeat of Gates was immediately followed by the surprise and dispersion of Sumter's partisan corps. This brave officer had succeeded in capturing the convoy with the British stores, already mentioned; but hearing of Gates's defeat, he began to retreat with his prisoners and stores. Tarleton, with his legion and a detachment of infantry, pursued with such celerity as to overtake and surprise him at Fishing creek. All the artillery and stores fell into the hands of the British, and the whole detachment was either killed, captured, or dispersed. Their prisoners were, of course, all retaken.

The sickliness of the season prevented Lord Cornwallis from attempting to pursue the remains of General Gates's army; but he employed the leisure now afforded him in inflicting vengeance on such of the inhabitants of South Carolina as had been induced to join the American standard. The militia men he doomed to the gallows. The property of the fugitives and of the declared friends of independence he confiscated; and he seized a number of the most respectable citizens of Charleston, and most of the military officers residing there under the faith of the late capitulation, and sent them to St. Augustine.

Reduced to desperation by these injudicious severities, the bold and active among the patriots formed themselves anew into partisan bands under different chieftains, among whom Marion and Sumter were most distinguished by their spirit and enterprise. These bands harassed the scattered parties

234

SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS OF CORNWALLIS.

of the British, several of which they cut off; and by their movements kept in check the royalists to the north of the Carolinas.

Eight of these leaders of partisan bands, having collected their forces to the amount of 1,600, made an attack on Major Ferguson with his detachment of royalists and regulars on the top of King's Mountain, October 7th. The Americans formed three parties: Colonel Lacy of South Carolina led one, which attacked on the west. The two others were commanded by Colonels Campbell and Cleveland; one of which attacked on the east, and the other in the centre.

On this occasion, Colonel Cleveland addressed his party in a harangue, which we copy from Dr. Ramsay's history, on account of the perfect idea it affords of the tactics of partisan warfare. It comprises the whole art of war of a bush fighter.

'My brave fellows! We have beat the Tories, and we can beat them. They are all cowards. If they had the spirit of men, they would join with their fellow citizens, in supporting the independence of their country. When engaged, you are not to wait the word of command from me. I will show you by my example how to fight. I can undertake no more. Every man must consider himself as an officer, and act from his own judgment. Fire as quick as you can, and stand as long as you can. When you can do no better, get behind trees, or retreat; but I beg of you not to run quite off. If we be repulsed, let us make a point to return and renew the fight. Perhaps we may have better luck in the second attempt than in the first. If any of you be afraid, such have leave to retire; and they are requested immediately to take themselves off.'

These directions were literally followed in the battle. Ferguson attacked them with fixed bayonets, and compelled one party after another to retire; but they only retreated to a short distance, and getting behind trees and rocks renewed their fire in almost every direction. The British being uncovered were securely shot down by the assailants. Ferguson himself was killed and his men were compelled to surrender. Eight hundred became prisoners and 225 were killed or wounded.

This success was followed by important results. Lord Cornwallis had marched into North Carolina in the direction of Salisbury; but when he heard of the defeat and death of Ferguson, he retreated to Winsborough in the southern pro

GENERAL GATES SUPERSEDED.

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vince, being severely harassed in his retreat by the militia and the inhabitants; and when he retired into winter quarters, Sumter still kept the field.

In the meantime General Gates had collected another army, with which he advanced to Charlotte. Here he received intelligence that congress had resolved to supersede him, and to submit his conduct to a court of inquiry. This was the consequence of his defeat at Camden and of the general unsuccessful conduct of the campaign in the south. Mortified as he was by the withdrawal of his country's confidence, on receiving the notification of this resolve of the supreme power, he dutifully resigned his command. But on his way home from Carolina, his feelings were soothed by an address from the legislature of Virginia, assuring him that 'the remembrance of his former glorious services could not be obliterated by any reverse of fortune.'

While these events were occurring in the southern states, General Washington was obliged to confine himself to the irksome and inglorious task of watching from his encampment at Morristown, the motions of the British on New York island, and of restraining their incursions into the adjacent country. Though the army opposed to him was lessened by the detachment which Sir Henry Clinton led into South Carolina, his own forces were proportionably weakened by the reinforcements which it was necessary for him to send to the American army in the same quarter; and never did distress press more heavily upon him.

The depreciation of the currency was at that time so great, that four months pay of a private would not purchase a single bushel of wheat. His camp was sometimes destitute of meat, and sometimes of bread. As each state provided its own quota of troops, no uniformity could be established in the distribution of provisions. This circumstance aggravated the general discontent, and a spirit of mutiny began to display itself in two of the Connecticut regiments, which were with difficulty restrained from forcing their way home at the point of the bayonet.

On these discontents the enemy endeavoured to take advantage, by circulating in the American camp proclamations offering the most tempting gratifications to such of the continental troops as should desert the republican colours, and embrace the royal cause. But these offers were unavailing; mutinous as they were, the malcontents abhorred the thought

236

THE ARMY RELIEVED AND REINFORCED.

of joining the enemies of their country; and on the seasonable arrival of a fresh supply of provisions they cheerfully returned to their duty.

Soon after this, when General Kniphausen, who commanded the British forces in the absence of Sir Henry Clinton, made an irruption into Jersey, on the 16th of June, the whole American army marched out to oppose him; and though he was reinforced by Sir Henry Clinton, who, during this expedition had arrived from Charleston, he was compelled to measure back his steps. Both the advance and retreat of the German were marked by the devastation committed by his troops, who burnt the town of Springfield, and most of the houses on their line of march.

Alarmed by the representations made by General Washington, of the destitute condition of his army, congress sent three members of their body, with instructions to inquire into the condition of their forces, and with authority to reform abuses. These gentlemen fully verified the statements of the commander-in-chief. No sooner was this fact known in the city of Philadelphia, than a subscription was set on foot for the relief of the suffering soldiers, which soon amounted to 300,000 dollars. This sum was intrusted to the discretion of a well-chosen committee, who appropriated it to the purchase of provisions for the troops.

The commissioners also applied themselves diligently to the task of recruiting and reorganising the army. They prescribed to each state the quota of forces which it was to contribute towards the raising of 35,000 men, their deficiency in regulars being to be supplied by drafts from their respective militia. The states of New England, Pennsylvania and Virginia, promptly listened to the call of their country, and made extraordinary efforts to furnish their several quotas of recruits. The other members of the union exerted themselves to the best of their ability; and although the general result of these exertions did not produce the number of troops which was deemed requisite for the public service, more could not, in such circumstances, have been expected.

The congress was the more earnest in their wishes to put their army on a respectable footing, as they were in expectation of the arrival of a body of auxiliary forces from France. This welcome aid appeared off Rhode Island on the 10th of July, 1780, on which day Monsieur Ternay sailed into the harbour of Newport, with a squadron of seven sail of the line,