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 fubjects. Such as declined doing it met with every discouragement. A numerous class of people were reduced to the alternative of ftarving or fuing for protection. Traders and fhopkeepers, after having contracted large debts, by purchasing of the British merchants 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 service, 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 ftrongeft. 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 insurgents, 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 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 chose 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 east fide of the Yadkin, and joined the British army at Camden.

1780

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 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. In answer to their addrefs, they were promised the privileges and protection of British subjects, on fubfcribing a teft of their allegiance, and willingness to fupport 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 fubjects. 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 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 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 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 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

1780%

1789. followers were in a great measure unfurnished with arms

They fup

pewter

with

and ammunition, and had no magazines from which they could draw a fupply. The iron tools on the neighbouring farms, were worked up for their use by common blacksmiths into rude weapons of war. plied themselves with bullets, by melting the which they were furnished by private housekeepers. When the colonel at the head of these volunteers penetrated into his own ftate, and re-commenced a military oppofition to the British, after it had been suspended about fix weeks; all the indignant paffions of the royal officers were roufed against the inhabitants. Without taking any share of the blame to themselves, for their mistaken policy in conftraining men to an involuntary fubmiffion, they charged them with ftudied duplicity and treachery, and laid afide lenient measures for those that were dictated by revenge. They were further irritated, by a fufpicion that the inhabitants connived at, if not facilitated the escape of deferters who were become numerous. An apprehenfion of that kind wrought fo July upon lord Rawdon, that he threatened to punish either I. by whipping, imprisonment, or transportation to the

West Indies there to serve his majesty, any person who fhould meet a foldier ftraggling without a written pass beyond the picquets, and not do his utmost to secure him; or who fhould shelter fuch ftraggling foldiers, ferve them as a guide, or furnish them with any other affiftance. To encourage the country people in putting a ftop to desertions, he promised to give them ten guineas for the head of any deferter belonging to the volunteers of Ireland, and five guineas only if they brought him in alive; and a reward, though not to that amount,