the attack was begun by the first line of infantry, consisting of the seventh regiment, and a corps of light infantry, with a troop of cavalry placed on each flank. The first battalion of the seventy-first, and the remainder of the cavalry, formed the reserve. The American line soon gave way, and the militia quitted the field; upon which the king's troops, supposing victory certain, engaged with ardor in the pursuit, and were thereby thrown into disorder: general Morgan's corps, supposed to have been routed, immediately faced about, discharged a heavy fire upon the royalists, and threw them into such confusion, that they were totally defeated. 470. Four hundred of the British light infantry were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners: the two field-pieces fell into the hands of the Americans, together with the colors of the seventh regiment; and almost all the detachment of royal artillery were cut to pieces in defence of their colors. Colonel Tarleton then retreated to Hamilton's ford, near the mouth of Bullock's creek, with part of his baggage, having destroyed the rest. This stroke was sensibly felt by lord Cornwallis. 471. The care of collecting the remains of Tarleton's corps now principally employed his thoughts, as well as to endeavor to form a junction with general Leslie, who had been ordered to march towards him with a body of British troops from Wynnesborough. Considerable exertions were then made by part of the army to retake the prisoners, and intercept general Morgan's corps on its retreat to the Catawba. But that officer, by forced marches, had crossed it, the evening before a great rain; this swelled the river to such a height as prevented the British from crossing for several days; in which time the prisoners, with their captors, had crossed the Yadkin river, whence they proceeded to the river Dan, which they also passed; and on the 14th of February, they reached Guilford Court-House, in Virginia. 472. Lord Cornwallis halted two days to collect flour, and rid himself of all unnecessary encumbrances. Being thus prepared, he marched through North Carolina with great rapidity, and penetrated to the extremities of that province, to the banks of the river Dan: some skirmishes ensued, but he met with no very considerable opposition. On the 1st of February, 1781, the king's troops crossed the Catawba, at M'Cowan's ford, where general Davidson was posted with a party of American militia to oppose their passage; but he being killed at the first discharge, the royal troops made good their landing, and the militia retreated. 473. When lord Cornwallis arrived at Hillsborough, he erected the royal standard, and invited, by proclamation, all loyal subjects to repair to it, and assist in the restoration of order and good government. He had been informed that the king's friends were numerous in that part of the country: but the event did not confirm the truth of such information. The royalists were but few in number, or too timid to join the king's standard. About two hundred were proceeding to Hillsborough, to avow their attachment to the royal cause, under colonel Pyle, but they were met by a detachment of the American army, who attacked and utterly routed them. General Greene in the mean while was marching with great expedition with the troops under his command, to form a junction with other American corps, that he might impede the progress of lord Cornwallis. 474. General Greene having effected a junction, on the 10th of March, 1781, with a regiment of continental troops, and two large bodies of militia from Virginia and North Carolina, was resolved to attack the British troops under lord Cornwallis. They accordingly marched on the 12th, and on the 14th arrived at Guilford. Lord Cornwallis was apprized of the designs of the American general; as they approached nearer to each other, a few skirmishes between the advanced parties took place. On the 15th, lord Cornwallis proceeded with his whole force to attack the Americans on their march, or in their encampment. About four miles from Guilford, the advanced guard of the British army, commanded by colonel Tarleton, was met by lieutenant-colonel Lee's division, with whom he had a severe skirmish, and was obliged to make a precipitate retreat. The country in which the action happened was a perfect wilderness, excepting some few fields interspersed. 475. The American army was posted on a rising ground, about a mile and a half from Guilford Court-House: it was drawn up in three lines, the front composed of the North Carolina militia, under the command of generals Butler and Eaton; the second line of Virginia militia commanded by generals Stephens and Lawson, forming two brigades; the third line consisting of two brigades, one of Maryland, and the other of Virginia, continental troops; and a regiment of riflemen, under colonel Lynch, formed a corps of observation for the security of the right flank; lieutenant-colonel Lee, with his legion, a detachment of light infantry, and a body of riflemen, under colonel Campbell, formed a corps of observation for the security of the left flank. 476. The attack on the American army was made by the directions of lord Cornwallis. On the right the regiment of Bose, and the seventy-first regiment, led by major-general Leslie, and supported by the first battalion of guards; on the left, the twenty-third and thirty-third regiments, led by lieutenant-colonel Webster, and supported by the grenadiers, and second battalion of guards, commanded by brigadier-general O'Hara. The yagers and light infantry remained in a wood, on the left of the ordnance, to act as circumstances might require. 477. About two P. M. the attack began by a cannonade which lasted about twenty minutes, when the action became general. The American forces under colonels Washington and Lee, were warmly engaged and did great execution. Colonel Tarleton's orders were to keep the cavalry compact, and not to charge without positive orders, except it was to protect any of the divisions from the most imminent danger of being defeated. The woods were so thick, that neither party could make a free use of the bayonet. 478. The second battalion of guards were the first that gained the clear ground, near Guilford Court-House, where was a corps of continental infantry, superior in number; these were formed in the open field, on the left of the road. Desirous of signalizing themselves, they immediately attacked, and soon gained an advantage, taking two guns; but as they pursued the Americans with too much ardor to a wood, they were thrown into confusion by a heavy fire, and were instantly driven into the field, by colonel Washington's dragoons, who recovered the artillery. The American cavalry were afterwards repulsed, and the artillery again fell into the hands of the British. 479. The British having broken the second Maryland regiment, and turned the left flank of the Americans, got into the rear of the Virginia brigade, and were endeavoring to gain their right; which would have inclosed the whole of the continental troops. A retreat was immediately ordered by general Greene, which was conducted with good order to Reedy-Fork river, and they crossed the ford about three miles from the field of action, where they halted. After the stragglers were collected, they retreated to the Iron-works, about ten miles from Guilford, and encamped. The Americans lost their artillery and ammunition-wagons. 480. The action lasted an hour and a half, in which short space, according to the account of lord Cornwallis, there were of the British 532 killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. Gen. eral Greene, in his account to Congress, gives an account of no more than 329 killed, wounded, and missing: but he gave no account of the militia, which was more than one hundred. Lieutenant-colonel Stewart was killed in the action; lieutenantcolonel Webster; the captains Schutz, Maynard, and Goodrich died of the wounds they received; and the brigadier-generals O'Hara and Howard, and colonel Tarleton were wounded. The principal officer among the Americans killed, was major Anderson, of the Maryland line, and generals Stephens and Huger were wounded. 481. Notwithstanding general Greene's defeat, he endeavored to make some further attempts against the king's forces in South Carolina. Lord Rawdon, an experienced and gallant officer, was posted at Camden, with about 800 British troops and provincials. Greene appeared before that place on the 19th of April, with a large body of continental troops and militia. Despairing of success, should he attempt to storm the town, he took such a position as he imagined would be likely to induce the enemy to make a sally from their works; when he thought he might attack them with advantage. Greene therefore posted the Americans on an eminence, which was covered with wood, flanked on the left by an impassable swamp. 482. On the morning of the 25th, lord Rawdon marched out of Camden, and attacked Greene in his camp, who was compelled to give way, after making a vigorous resistance: he had been in hopes of defeating the British, having so advantageous a situation, and such a commanding superiority in point of numbers. The bravery of colonel Washington was very conspicuous in this action; he made 200 of the English prisoners, besides ten or twelve officers, before he perceived his companions were retreating. The British had about 100 killed and wounded: upwards of 100 of the Americans were taken prisoners; and according to general Greene's account, there were 126 Americans killed and wounded. The British, it was said, continued the pursuit three miles. After this action, the Americans retreated to Rudgely Mills, twelve miles from Camden. Lord Rawdon soon after left that place, having first burned the jail, mills, and some private houses. 483. Greene's next expedition was an attack upon NinetySix, which he attempted to storm, but was repulsed with great bravery he then retired with his army behind the Saluda river, a strong situation, about 16 miles from Ninety-Six. About this time, major-general Phillips, and brigadier-general Arnold, made some predatory incursions into Virginia, destroying the American stores and magazines; but the royal cause was not much benefited by such a waste of property. 484. Lord Cornwallis, after his victory over general Greene, at Guilford, proceeded to Wilmington; and on the 20th of May arrived at Petersburg, in Virginia. On the 16th of June, 1781, about six miles from Williamsburg, lieutenant-colonel Simcoe, with about 350 of the queen's rangers, and eighty yagers mounted, were attacked by the Americans, whom they repulsed with great gallantry and success, making four officers and twenty private men prisoners. The loss of the Americans in this action, is said to have been more than one hundred and twenty. 485. On the 6th of July, an action took place near the Green Springs, in Virginia, between a reconnoitring party of Americans, under general Wayne, and a large party of the British army under lord Cornwallis, in which the Americans had 127 killed and wounded; and the loss of the royal troops is said to have been much greater. 486. In a variety of skirmishes about this time, the marquis de la Fayette distinguished himself, and displayed the utmost ardor in the American cause. On the 8th of September, 1781, general Greene defeated colonel Stuart, near the Eutaw Springs, in South Carolina, which was so important in its consequences as to relieve the state from the pressure of the war, and contributed to the successful issue of the conflict. 487. Lord Cornwallis had now become sensible that his situation in Virginia was very critical; the reinforcements and supplies being expected from Sir Henry Clinton, and without which he could not insure to himself success, had not arrived. General Washington's military movements were such as impressed on the mind of that British general a fear that his designs were upon New-York; he therefore thought it too hazardous to send any large body of troops to the assistance of his lordship. 488. General Washington having thus, for a considerable time, kept Sir Henry Clinton in continual alarm, suddenly quitted his camp at the White Plains, crossed the Delaware, and marched towards Virginia, with the design of attacking lord Cornwallis. Sir Henry, about the same time, was informed that the count de Grasse, with a large French fleet, was expected every moment in the Chesapeake, in order that he might co-operate with general Washington. He immediately sent, both by land and water, intelligence to lord Cornwallis; and |