D

URING thefe tranfactions on the fide of New York, the exceffive heats, and great unhealthiness of the season in South Carolina, had laid an infuperable reftraint upon the arms and activity of Lord Cornwallis, for no fmall time after the battle of Camden. In the mean time he iffued a proclamation for feSept. 16th, queftering the eftates 1708. of those perfons within the province, who were either actually in arms with the enemy, who had abandoned their plantations with a view of joining or fupporting them, or who, by an open avowal of rebellious principles, and other criminal acts, fhould manifeft a defperate perfeverance in oppofing the re-eftablithment of his majefty's government. To give effect to this purpofe, he appointed a commiffioner to take poffeffion of fuch eftates and property, the annual product of which, excepting the part allotted for the maintenance of the families of thofe defaulters and abfentees, was to be applied to the public fervice, in contributing to defray the expences of the war.

During this fickly feafon, by

which the army, notwithstanding its ceffation from toil, was much affected, Lord Cornwallis had difpatched Col. Ferguson, with his own corps of light infantry, and a body of militia, likewife of his training, which was attached to it, to make incurfions on the borders of North Carolina. If no great matter was expected from this expedition, yet, as he was neither incumbered with baggage or artillery, and that his troops were particularly diftinguished by their activity and alertnefs, as little danger feemed to be hazarded in the experiment with a broken and difpirited enemy; and misfortune was farther guarded against by the inftructions give to the commander, immediately to return upon the apprehenfion of any fuperior force; though, in fact, none such was reasonably to be expected. There were feveral fufficient motives for this expedition. For befides, that the nature of that fort of troops, requires their being kept in almoft continual motion and action, it feemed neceffary to keep the war alive in fome degree upon the frontier; as well to check the confidence of the

enemy, as to prevent the fpirits of the loyalifts in that province (where there were many more of the defcription than in any other) from finking under the unavoidable delay and flow movement of the army.

Ferguson was tempted to ftay longer in the mountainous country which partly borders on, and partly forms a part of, Tryon county in North Carolina, than was abfolutely neceffary, under the hope of cutting off a Col. Clarke, who was returning with his detachment from an expedition into Georgia; and was the more encouraged in this delay, from his not having an idea that there was any force in the country at all able to look him in the face. A numerous, fierce, and unexpected enemy, however, fuddenly fprung up in the depth of the deferts. The fcattered inhabitants of the mountains affembled without noife or warning under the conduct of fix or seven of their militia colonels, to the number of 1600, daring, well mounted, and excellent horfemen. Col. Fergufon had already received orders from Lord Cornwal. lis for his return, and was on his way to pass the Catawba for that purpofe. But difcovering, as he croifed the King's Mountain, that he was eagerly purfued by a thick cloud of cavalry, he took the best pofition for receiving them which time and the place would admit of; and which happened to be by no means a bad one. But his men being neither covered by horfe nor artillery, and being likewife difmayed and aftonifhed, at finding themselves fo unexpectedly furrounded and attacked on every fide by this cavalry, were not at

all capable of withstanding the impetuofity of their charge. A total rout" enfued. The colonel, with 150 of his men, were killed upon the fpot; about the fame number were wounded; and the prifoners, including the latter, exceeded Soo. The Americans fay they took 1500 ftand of arms; and ftate Ferguson's force at 1400

men.

The fall of this officer, who poffeffed very diftinguished talents as a partizan, and in the conduct of irregular warfare, was, independently even of his detachment, no fmall lofs to the fervice. He was perhaps the best markfman living; and probably brought the art of rifle fhooting to its highest ̧ point of perfection. He even invented a gun of that kind upon a new conftruction, which was faid to have far exceeded in facility and execution any thing of the fort before known; and he is faid to have greatly outdone even the American Indians, in the adroitnefs and quickness of firing and loading, and in the certainty of hitting the mark, lying upon the back, or belly, and in every other poffible pofition of the body. It is not certain, that thefe improvements produced all the effect in real fervice, which had been expected from thofe aftonishing fpecimens of them that were difplayed in England. Humanity cannot, however, but with that this barbarous mode of hoftility was, by univerfal confent, banished from the warfare of all nations. It has been reported that General Washington owed his life at the battle of Germantown to this gentleman's total ignorance of his perfon; as he had him fufficiently

within reach and view during that action for the purpose.

This was the first reverse of for tune which Earl Cornwallis had experienced in his military career; but the feemed now to take vengeance for the delay; for the ftate of his force, and the nature of the war confidered, few things could have been more peculiarly unlucky in the prefent juncture. It was, however, in fome degree apparently recompenced, by the fevere blow which Sumpter, not long after, received from Col. Tarleton..

Gen. Sumpter having raised about a thousand men, advanced towards Ninety-Six, with a view of attacking fome of the pofts in that neighbourhood, if not the place itself. Tarleton was then at fuch a diftance, as afforded no room for apprehenfion of him, until, at least, fome confiderable part of the bufinefs was effected; but his motions were fo fudden and unexpected, and he paffed the Wateree, and the Broad River with fuch rapidity, that he had nearly furprized his too fecure enemy on the South banks of the Ennoree, before he had the smallest apprehenfion of his danger. This being, however, prevented, by the lucky information of a deferter, Sumpter had barely time to pafs that river with the utmost precipitation; but could not fave his rear-guard from being cut to pieces.

He continued his flight to the River Tyger, and was purfued by Tarleton, with the cavalry of his legion, and the 63d regiment mounted on horfeback, with the utmoft rapidity; the infantry of the legion, with the artillery,

confifting of a fingle three-pounder, being feveral miles behind. Sumpter perceiving the danger of attempting to cross the Tyger, with an enemy, flushed with fuccefs, clofe upon his rear, and having alfo received intelligence that Tarleton had come forward without his infantry, he took a ftrong pofition at a place called Black Stocks, a little fhort of the river, and confiding in his own fuperiority of number, determined to ftand his attack. This Tarleton did not then intend; for he only wanted to interrupt the flight of the enemy, and keep them in play, until he was joined by the rear; but the eager coming up of the 63d, and their being inftantly attacked as they threw themselves from their horfes, obliged him, at no small hazard, to put all at the flue, and to fall on directly with his cavalry. Notwithstanding the cover of fome log houfes, and the natural advantages of the place, the enemy were driven from their ftrong poft, and forced to pass the river in the utmost diforder.

were

The Americans loft about 120 men, killed, wounded, or taken. Three of their colonels among the flain, and Sumpter himlelf was dangerously wounded. They were certainly fortutunate in bringing on the action before the arrival of the rear, as the whole party muft otherwife have been inevitably cut off. Of the British troops above fifty were killed or wounded; among the former were fome promiting and gallant young officers. Tarleton purfued the blow, as foon as he had provided for the wounded; and crotfing the river, did not [D] 3

quit

quit the purfuit until he had entirely difperfed Sumpter's corps.

It has perhaps produced no fmall effect on the fortune of the American war, that every confiderable fuccefs obtained in its progrefs, has been eagerly confidered at home as decifive and final, at leaft with refpect to that quarter or part of the continent where the advantage was gained, if not to the whole. Nor has repeated experience of the mifchief of fuch confidence, been able to prevent its revival when any new occafion was offered.

The victory at Camden feems to have been confidered, even in America, as decifive with respect to the fouthern colonies; and no obftacle seems to have been understood in Lord Cornwallis's way from thence to the Chefapeak. North Carolina was only confidered as the road to Virginia; the determined refistance, and the oppofition in every inftance of the inhabitants, do not appear to have been any more thought of, than the unconquerable difaffection of thofe in South Carolina. It muft have been under thefe perfuafions, that the commander in chief at New York, dispatched Brig. Gen. Leflie, with a corps of near 3000 choice troops, about the middle of October, to the Chefapeak, in order to co-operate with Lord Cornwallis's operations in Virginia. It was likewife farther in view, that Leflie, with the aid of the marine by which he was convoyed, might, by taking proper ftations towards the head of the Chefapeak, or in the vaft rivers which fall into it, traverfe any fuccours which were fent from the northern army to the fouth

ward. But in all cafes, he was to act entirely according to the orders which he fhould receive from Lord Cornwallis.

The troops were landed at Portsmouth, and other neighbouring places in Virginia, where they found fome tobacco and ftores; but the veffels which were feized in the harbours and rivers, were the most valuable part of the booty. This was, however, by no means an object to compensate for the delay, which the expedition in the Chesapeak, instead of proceeding directly to CharlesTown, neceffarily occafioned to the operations of the fouthern army.

Lord Cornwallis being at too great a distance to profit of any operations upon the Chesapeak, and it being impoffible to form a junction with Leflie's corps by that way, as foon as he had received advice from Sir Henry Clinton of the circumftances, immediately difpatched inftructions to the fleet and troops, to proceed without delay to Charles-Town; where they arrived about the middle of December, and Leflie found orders in waiting, that he fhould immediately march with about 1500 of his men to join the army; the remainder, it feems, being deemed neceflary, for the fecurity of the capital, and the fupport of the communications.

Towards the clofe of the year, whilst Lord Cornwallis was making every preparation for a vigorous irruption into North Carolina, Gen. Greene was fent from the northern army by Wathington, to take the command of the fouthern; Gates being entirely retired; but, as we have

now

here