orders to Steuben: "Make the defence of the state as little as possible interfere with the measures for succoring General Greene. Everything is to be apprehended if he is not powerfully supported from Virginia." Jefferson made the advice of Washington his rule of conduct, though by it he laid himself open to perverse accusations in his own state. On the third day after the battle Greene wrote to Washington: "Virginia has given me every support I could wish."

In his report of the day of Guilford, Greene hardly did himself justice; public opinion took no note of his mistakes in the order of battle. What they did observe was the fortitude with which he set about retrieving his defeat.

On the eighteenth, Cornwallis, committing his wounded to the care of the Americans, with his victorious but ruined army began his flight; and, as he hurried away, distributed by proclamation news of his victory, offers of pardon to repentant rebels, and promises of protection to the loyal. He was pursued by Greene, who was eager to renew the battle. On the morning of the twenty-eighth the Americans arrived at Ramsay's Mills, on Deep river; but Cornwallis had just a few hours before crossed the river on a temporary bridge. No longer in danger of being overtaken, he moved by way of Cross creek, now Fayetteville, toward Wilmington. His rapid march through a country thinly inhabited left no tracks which the quickening of spring did not cover over, except where houses were burnt and settlements broken up. It taught the loyalists of North Carolina that they could find no protection from British generals or the British king. All North Carolina, except Wilmington, was left to the Ameri

cans.

"From the report of Cornwallis," said Fox, on the twelfth of June, to the house of commons, "there is the most conclusive evidence that the war is impracticable in its object and ruinous in its progress. In the disproportion between the two armies, a victory was highly to the honor of our troops; but, had our army been vanquished, what course could they have taken? Certainly they would have abandoned the field of action and flown for refuge to the sea-side; precisely the measures the victorious army was obliged to adopt." And

he moved the house of commons to recommend to the ministers every possible measure for concluding peace.

In the course of the very long debate the younger William Pitt, then just twenty-two, avoiding the question of independ ence and thus unconsciously conciliating the favor of George III., explained to a listening house the principles and conduct of his father on American affairs. Then, referring to Lord Westcote, he said: "A noble lord has called the American war a holy war: I affirm that it is a most accursed war, wicked, barbarous, cruel, and unnatural; conceived in injustice, it was brought forth and nurtured in folly; its footsteps are marked with slaughter and devastation, while it meditates destruction to the miserable people who are the devoted objects of the resentments which produced it. The British nation, in return for its vital resources in men and money, has received ineffective victories and severe defeats, which have filled the land with mourning for the loss of dear relations slain in the impious cause of enforcing unconditional submission, or narratives of the glorious exertions of men struggling under all difficulties in the holy cause of liberty. Where is the Englishman who can refrain from weeping, on whatever side victory may be declared?" The voice was listened to as that of Chatham, "again living in his son with all his virtues and all his talents." "America is lost, irrecoverably lost, to this country," added Fox. "We can lose nothing by a vote declaring America independent." On the division, an increased minority revealed the growing discontent of the house of commons at the continuance of the war.

On the seventh of April, Cornwallis brought the relics of his army to Wilmington, where a party sent by his orders from Charleston awaited him. He could not move by land toward Camden without exposing his troops to the greatest chances of being lost. He should have returned to Charleston by water, to retain possession of South Carolina; but such a movement would have published to the world that all his long marches and victory had led only to disgrace. A subordinate general, he was sure of the favor and approval of Germain, and forced his plans on his commander-in-chief, to whom he wrote: "I cannot help expressing my wishes that the Chesa

.

peake may become the seat of war, even, if necessary, at the expense of abandoning New York." And without waiting for an answer, in the last days of April, with a force of fourteen hundred and thirty-five men, all told, he left Wilmington for Virginia. Clinton, reasoning justly, afterward in self-defence replied: "Had you intimated the probability of your intention, I should certainly have endeavored to stop you, as I did then consider such a move likely to be dangerous to our interests in the southern colonies." He had in April received from the secretary this message: "Lord George Germain strongly recommends it to Sir Henry Clinton either to remain in good humor, in full confidence to be supported as much as the nature of the service will admit of, or avail himself of the leave of coming home, as no good can arise to the service if there is not full confidence between the general and the minister." It was not Clinton's wish or intention to resign; but he hastened to warn Germain: "Operations in the Chesapeake are attended with great risk, unless we are sure of a permanent superiority at sea. I cannot agree to the opinion given me by Lord Cornwallis. I tremble for the fatal consequences which may ensue." But Cornwallis, the subordinate general, had from Wilmington written directly to the secretary "that a serious attempt upon Virginia would be the most solid plan;" and Germain hastened to write to Clinton: "Lord Cornwallis's opinion entirely coincides with mine of the great importance of pushing the war on the side of Virginia with all the force that can be spared."

In his march from Wilmington, Cornwallis met little resistance. For the place of junction with the British army in Virginia he fixed upon Petersburg on the Appomattox.

So soon as Cornwallis was beyond pursuit Greene "determined to carry the war immediately into South Carolina." Dismissing those of the militia whose time was about to expire, he retained nearly eighteen hundred men, with small chances of reinforcements or of sufficient subsistence. He knew the hazards which he was incurring; but, in case of untoward accidents, he believed that Washington and his other friends would do justice to his name.

The safety of the interior of South Carolina depended on

VOL. V.-32

the possession of the posts at Camden and Ninety-Six in that state, and at Augusta in Georgia. On the sixth of April, Greene detached a force under Lee, which joined Marion, and threatened the connections between Camden and Charleston; Sumter, with three small regiments of regular troops of the state, had in charge to hold the country between Camden and Ninety-Six; and Pickens with the western militia to intercept supplies on their way to Ninety-Six and Augusta.

After these preparations, Greene on the seventh began his march from Deep river, and on the twentieth encamped his army a half-mile from the strong and well-garrisoned works of Camden. In the hope of intercepting a party whom Rawdon had sent out, Greene moved to the south of the town; but, finding that he had been misled, his army, on the twenty-fourth, took a well-chosen position on Hobkirk's Hill. The eminence was covered with wood, and flanked on the left by an impassable swamp. The ground toward Camden, which was a mile and a half distant, was protected by a forest and thick shrubbery; but the time given to improve the strength of the posi tion had not been properly used. On the twenty-eighth the men, having been under arms from daylight, were dismissed to receive provisions and prepare their morning repast. The horses were unsaddled and feeding; Greene was at breakfast.

By keeping close to the swamp, Rawdon, with about nine hundred men, gained the left of the Americans "in some measure by surprise," and opened a fire upon their pickets. The good discipline which Greene had introduced now stood him in stead. About two hundred and fifty North Carolina militia, who had arrived that morning, did nothing during the day; but his cavalry was soon mounted, and his regular troops, about nine hundred and thirty in number, were formed in order of battle in one line without reserves. Of the two Virginia regiments, that under Hawes formed the extreme right, that of Campbell the right centre; of the two Maryland regiments, that of Ford occupied the extreme left, of Gunby the left centre. The artillery was placed in the road between the two brigades. In this disposition he awaited the attack of Rawdon. Perceiving that the British advanced with a narrow front, *Washington's Diary, 26 May 1790.

Greene ordered Ford's regiment on the left and Campbell's on the right to wheel respectively on their flanks, the regiments of Hawes and Gunby to charge with bayonets without firing, and, with inconsiderate confidence in gaining the victory, weakened himself irretrievably by sending William Washington with his cavalry to double the right flank and attack the enemy in the rear. But Rawdon had time to extend his front by ordering up his reserves. Colonel Ford, in leading on his men, was disabled by a severe wound; and his regiment, without executing their orders, only replied by a loose scattering fire. On the other flank the regiment of Campbell, composed of new troops, could not stand the brunt of the enemy, though they could be rallied and formed anew. Greene led up the regiments several times in person. The regiments under Hawes and Gunby advanced with courage, while the artillery played effectively on the head of the British column. But, on the right of Gunby's regiment, Captain Beatty, an officer of the greatest merit, fell mortally wounded; his company, left without his lead, began to waver, and the wavering affected the next company. Seeing this, Gunby ordered the regiment to retire, that they might form again. The British troops, seizing the opportunity, broke through the American centre, advanced to the summit of the ridge, brought their whole force into action on the best ground, and forced Greene to retreat. The battle was over before William Washington with his cavalry could make the circuit through the forest to attack their Each party lost about three hundred men.

rear.

Rawdon returned to Camden, followed by the congratulations of Cornwallis on "his most glorious victory," which the general, forgetting King's Mountain and the Cowpens, described as "by far the most splendid of this war." "The disgrace," wrote Greene, "is more vexatious than anything else." He lost no more than the British, saved his artillery, and collected all his men. Receiving a reinforcement of five hundred, Rawdon crossed the Wateree in pursuit of him; but he kept his enemy at bay.

No sooner had Marion been reinforced by Lee than they marched against the fort on Wright's bluff below Camden, the principal post of the British on the Santee, garrisoned by one