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twenty-five miles ahead to obferve them, while the main 1780. body halted for a fupply of ammunition. The colonel, though greatly inferior in force, was reduced to the neceffity of attacking or being attacked. He chofe the former; and capt. Falls, with a party of horse, rushed into the middle of the royalifts, and threw them into confufion. Twenty-two of the whig militia were killed or wounded: among the former were fix of their officers, who were fingled out by riflemen among the infurgents. The captain was one of the flain. Col. Moore propofed to col. Lock a ceffation of all hoftilities for an hour, which being agreed to, the former ran off with his whole party. Scarce was this infurrection quelled, ere another party of North Carolina royalifts under col. Brian, marched down on the eaft fide of the Yadkin, and joined the British army at Camden.

As the British advanced to the upper part of South Carolina, a confiderable number of the determined friends of independence retreated before them, and took refuge in North Carolina. In this clafs was col. Sumpter, who formerly commanded a continental regiment, and was known to poffefs a great share of bravery and other military talents. Soon after he had left his home, a British detachment turned his wife and family out of doors, and burned his house and every thing in it. A party of South Carolina exiles, who had convened in North Carolina, made choice of him for a leader. At the head of this little band of patriots, he foon returned to his own state, and took the field against the victorious Britifh, at a time when the inhabitants had generally abandoned the idea of fupporting their own independence. Col. Sumpter had every difficulty to encounter. His

1780. vancing, they fent a flag to the commanding officer, from whom they learned, that Sir H. Clinton had delegated full powers to capt. Richard Pearis to treat with them. Articles were propofed and foon after ratified, by which they were promised the fame fecurity for their perfons and property which British fubjects enjoyed. They fubmitted under a mistaken opinion, that agreeable to a proclamation previous to the furrender of Charlestown, they were to be either neutrals or prisoners on parole. Excepting the extremities of the state bordering on North Carolina, the inhabitants continuing in the country preferred fubmiffion to resistance.

Sir H. Clinton, about the time that Charlestown furrendered, received intelligence, that a large number of land forces and a French fleet, commanded by M. de Ternay, might foon be expected on the American coaft. This induced him to reimbark for New York early in June, with the greatest part of his army, which otherwife was to have remained, and been employed in the conqueft of the adjacent ftates. But before he failed, all the inhabitants of the province, and prifoners upon parole, and not in the military line (excepting those June taken by capitulation, or in confinement at the surrender 3. of Charlestown) were, by proclamation of June the 3d,

freed from all fuch paroles from and after the 20th of the month; and in cafe of their afterward neglecting to return to their allegiance and his majesty's government, were to be confidered as enemies and rebels to the fame, and to be treated accordingly. It was defigned, by this arbitrary change of their relative condition, to oblige them, without their confent, to take an active part in fettling and fecuring the royal government. Prior to

this proclamation, the fubmiffion of the South Carolina 1780. inhabitants was accepted on eafy terms. All, with a few exceptions, on applying, obtained either paroles as prifoners, or protections as British fubjects: the latter were required to fubfcribe a declaration of their allegiance to the king; this however was frequently omitted in the hurry of bufinefs. An unufual calm followed. But the proclamation produced aftonishment and confufion; especially as the parties referred to were required to enrol themselves as militia under the royal standard. Numbers, confidering themselves as released from their parole by the proclamation, conceived that they had a right to arm against the British; and were induced fo to do, from the very menace used against them, that they who did not enrol themselves as British fubjects, must expect to be treated as enemies. Many more however, for convenience, exchanged their paroles for protections, and enrolled themselves as militia; feveral undoubtedly with an intention of breaking through the compulsory tie, as foon as a proper opportunity prefented.

When Sir H. Clinton departed from Charlestown, lord Cornwallis was left in command with about 4000. men, who were deemed fully fufficient for extending the British conquefts, after the adoption of the above meafures to oblige the inhabitants of the country to be active in fecuring the royal government now established. On the 5th, two days before he failed, two hundred and ten of the principal inhabitants, congratulated him and the admiral upon their fucceffes. The greater part of them had been in arms against the British during the fiege, and a few had been leaders in the popular government.

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1780. In answer to their addrefs, they were promised the privileges and protection of British subjects, on subscribing a teft of their allegiance, and willingness to support the royal caufe. Many of their fellow citizens foon followed their example of exchanging paroles for protections. Those who owned eftates in the country, had no fecurity by capitulation for any property out of the lines, unless they became subjects. Such as declined doing it met with every difcouragement. A numerous class of people were reduced to the alternative of starving or fuing for protection. Traders and shopkeepers, after having contracted large debts, by purchafing of the British mer-, chants who came with the conquering army, were precluded by lord Cornwallis's proclamation of July the 25th, from felling the goods they had purchased, unless they affumed the name and character of British subjects. Thus were multitudes preffed into a fervice, which they were ready to defert upon every occafion. But its triumphant state made the royalifts, in both Carolinas, confident of British protection, and greatly increased them by acceffions from those who alway fide with the strongest. A large body of them collected under the command of col. Moore in North Carolina, on the 22d of June. The greatest part had taken the oath of allegiance to that state, and many had done militia duty in the American fervice. Their premature infurrection, contrary to lord Cornwallis's advice to his friends, which was to remain inactive till he had advanced into their fettlements, fubjected them to an immediate difperfion. Gen. Rutherford inftantly marched against these infurgents, but was fo fhort of lead that he could arm only 300 men. Col. Lock advanced with this detachment

twenty-five miles ahead to obferve them, while the main 1780. body halted for a supply of ammunition. The colonel, though greatly inferior in force, was reduced to the neceffity of attacking or being attacked. He chofe the former; and capt. Falls, with a party of horse, rushed into the middle of the royalifts, and threw them into confufion. Twenty-two of the whig militia were killed or wounded: among the former were fix of their officers, who were fingled out by riflemen among the infurgents. The captain was one of the flain. Col. Moore propofed to col. Lock a ceffation of all hoftilities for an hour, which being agreed to, the former ran off with his whole party. Scarce was this infurrection quelled, ere another party of North Carolina royalists under col. Brian, marched down on the east fide of the Yadkin, and joined the British army at Camden.

As the British advanced to the upper part of South Carolina, a confiderable number of the determined friends of independence retreated before them, and took refuge in North Carolina. In this clafs was col. Sumpter, who formerly commanded a continental regiment, and was known to poffefs a great share of bravery and other military talents. Soon after he had left his home, a Britifh detachment turned his wife and family out of doors, and burned his houfe and every thing in it. A party of South Carolina exiles, who had convened in North Carolina, made choice of him for a leader. At the head of this little band of patriots, he foon returned to his own ftate, and took the field against the victorious British, at a time when the inhabitants had generally abandoned the idea of fupporting their own independence. Col. Sumpter had every difficulty to encounter. His

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