48

DEFEAT OF SUMPTER.

and the most exalted admiration of their courage and good conduct.*

Before the battle of Camden, General Sumpter had sent an express to Gates, informing him that a convoy of supplies and stores for the British was coming up from Charleston to Camden, and that they must cross the Wateree at a ferry about a mile from his encampment. He therefore asked for a reinforcement, in order to enable him to capture the party. Gates sent a detachment of four hundred men, with two brass field-pieces, to his aid; and Sumpter succeeded in effecting his object, taking three hundred prisoners, and all the stores.

Hearing of Gates's defeat, Sumpter began to retreat up the south side of the Wateree with his prisoners and stores. Tarleton was sent after him, with his legion and a body of infantry; and owing to the negligence of Sumpter's sentinels, Tarleton was enabled to ride into his camp at Fishing Creek, near the Catawba Ford, before preparations could be made for their defence. His whole party was dispersed, between three and four hundred killed and wounded, and all the stores and baggage recaptured. Sumpter also lost all his artillery.

On the 17th and 18th, the remnant of Gates's army rendezvoused at Charlotte; one hundred and fifty of them having been so fortunate as to escape. Thence they retreated to Salisbury, and finally to Hillsborough, where Gates endeavoured to devise plans for recommencing military operations. The ill-health of his army prevented Cornwallis from pursuing his success, and he therefore resolved to employ himself in breaking the spirits of the Whigs. He ordered that those who, after having submitted, had again taken up arms, should be punished with the greatest rigour; that they should be imprisoned, and their whole property taken from them or destroyed. He also ordered, "that every militia-man who had borne arms with the British and afterwards joined the Americans, should be put to death," and at Augusta, Camden, and elsewhere, several of the inhabitants were hanged.

In pursuance of the British policy of forming a royal militia

* Marshall.

BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN.

49

of the conquered inhabitants, Major Ferguson had been ordered to train and attach to his corps, some of the Tories. He was now sent into the western part of North Carolina, to embody the loyalists in that quarter. Meanwhile Cornwallis advanced to Charlotteville, in North Carolina; and Colonel Clarke, of Georgia, at the head of a small body of men, laid siege to Augusta. Colonel Brown defended it with much resolution, and Colonel Cruger approaching with a reinforcement from Ninety-Six, Clarke was obliged to make a hasty

retreat.

Ferguson endeavoured to intercept Clarke and cut off his retreat; but the mountaineers of Virginia and North Carolina had collected in considerable force, and rapidly advanced towards Ferguson. Colonel Williams led a party from near Ninety-Six, and Colonels Tracy and Bamar also led each a party towards the same place.

Ferguson received notice of their approach, and commenced his march for Charlotteville. The militia, now all collected, met at Gilbert-town, which Ferguson had just quitted. They numbered about three thousand in all; and sixteen hundred riflemen were selected, mounted on the swiftest horses, and sent in pursuit. They came up with the enemy at King's Mountain, where Ferguson, finding escape impracticable, had chosen a position and awaited an attack. The Americans formed themselves in three divisions, led by Colonels Cleveland, Shelby, and Campbell, and began to ascend the mountain, in three different and opposite directions.

Ferguson fell upon the first assailants with fixed bayonets and drove them back; but while he was thus occupied, the second party arrived and poured in a galling fire, when Ferguson again used the bayonet with success. But now the third party had come into action, in another quarter, and Ferguson applied the bayonet once more; but before he could drive them down, the other two divisions had returned to the charge. He continued the action nearly an hour, when he was mortally wounded and instantly expired. His party immediately surrendered.

VOL. 11. 7

50

SUMPTER DEFEATS TARLETON.

In this action, one hundred and fifty of the royal troops were killed, and as many wounded; eight hundred were taken prisoners, of whom one hundred were British troops, and fifteen hundred stand of excellent arms were among the spoils of the victory. The American loss was small; but in it was included that of Colonel Williams, who was greatly and justly lamented.

The indefatigable Sumpter, after the dispersion of his corps by Tarleton in August, soon raised a band of volunteers, and kept the field in South Carolina, in the midst of the British posts, for three months. Continually changing his position, he was found at one time on the Broad, then on the Enoree, and again on the Tyger river; he harassed the enemy greatly, and they were very anxious to get rid of him. He was attacked by a detachment of infantry and dragoons, under Major Wemyss, at Broad river; but he defeated them, and took Wemyss prisoner; and a few days afterward he was attacked near Tyger river, by Tarleton, who was obliged to retreat with considerable loss, leaving Sumpter master of the field. Cornwallis had advanced in the direction of Salisbury; but when he received news of the defeat and death of Ferguson, he retired into South Carolina, and when he at last was obliged to go into winter-quarters, Sumpter kept the field, and was ever on the alert to capture a foraging party, or take any advantage of the enemy. For his zeal, activity, and bravery at this trying period, he received the thanks of Congress and the applause of the country.

The partisan warfare which was so essential in contributing to the expulsion of the British from the more southern states found another able leader in General Francis Marion. His efforts were directed more to the rendering of effective service to the cause than the acquisition of mere personal fame, and his heart was ever active to the calls of humanity, not less than to the demands of honour. His name will always maintain a prominent position in the military annals of the south, as one of the most efficient of those partisan leaders who aided in expelling the formidable enemy.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

CAMPAIGN OF 1780.-CONCLUDED.

HILE the war was actively raging in the southern states, some interesting events happened in the more northern parts of the Union, where General Washington was beset by many pressing and formidable difficulties. Not only were the urgent wants of the army ill supplied, owing to the depressed state of the finances; but the evils of short enlistments were now understood and felt when they could not be remedied. The soldiers almost universally demanded their discharge when their term of service had expired, and their places could not be filled. The troops were also in danger of perishing from cold and famine. In consequence of the exhausted state of the national finances, no persons were

52

MUTINY IN THE ARMY.

willing to make contracts with the government; and many of those which were entered into were not fulfilled.

In the course of the winter, forage had failed, and many of the horses attached to the army had died, or were rendered unfit for use. The pay of the officers was reduced to a nominal value, and although Congress promised to make good to them the losses which they had sustained through the depreciation of their pay; yet this promise of future compensation was considered but a feeble aid to support them in the endurance of present privations of every kind.

At length, mutiny broke out in the camp; two Connecticut regiments paraded under arms, and announced their intention of returning home, or of procuring subsistence by force. Their officers reasoned with them, and urged every argument that might arouse their pride or their passions. All these remonstrances were answered with the reply, "Our sufferings are too great, and we want present relief." They were finally, with great difficulty, induced to return to their duty.

While the men were thus murmuring under their privations, a printed paper was circulated through the camp. It was addressed to the soldiers of the continental army; and after reminding them of their many grievances and sufferings, invited them to join the British standard. In addition to the reasons urged in this paper, to induce them to desert the republican standard, their spirits were depressed by the news of the fall of Charleston, and the loss of the whole American southern army. Yet their attachment to the cause of their country was so strong, that on the arrival of a small quantity of meat to supply their hunger, military duty was performed with a cheerful alacrity, and desertions were rare.

An exaggerated report of these discontents having reached Knyphausen, he passed over into New Jersey, with five thousand men, to avail himself of any favourable circumstances; but the firmness of the Americans soon convinced him that he had been deceived by the accounts of their disaffection.

The regulars detached to oppose his progress fought with uncommon obstinacy, and the inhabitants seized their arms,