1780, prisoners taken are men of fortune and family, which I hope will check the militia from taking arms against us. Capt. Murphy's party have burnt a great number of houses on little Peedee, and intend to go on in that abominable work, which I am apprehenfive may be laid to me; but I affure you, that there is not one house burnt by my orders, or by any of my people: it is what I deteft, to diftrefs poor women and children." The manner of Marion's expreffing himfelf, points out Murphy for an anti-royalist. Many of the profeffed whigs disgraced themselves, by the burnings, plunderings and cruelties, that they practifed in their turn upon the royalifts. They changed fides at times, as appears by Marion's letter of October the 18th-" I have never yet had more than feventy men to act with me, and fometimes they leave me to 20 or 30. Many who had fought with me, I am obliged to fight againft." He wrote to Gates "Nov. the 4th. I croffed Peedee the 24th of Oct. the next night came up with two hundred men under col. Tyne, whom I furprised: killed 6, wounded 14, and took prifoners 23, and got 80 horfes and faddles, and as many stand of arms. The colonel made his escape; but, fending a party to the High Hills of Santee, he fell into our hands, with feveral other prifoners, and fome who have been very active against us and great plunderers. The militia are now turning out better than they have done. At prefent I have upward of 200, and expect that in three or four days it will be double.” "Black river, Nov. the 9th. Col. Tarleton [with his corps] has burnt all the houses, and destroyed all the corn, from Camden down to Nelfon's ferry has behaved to the poor women with great barbarity; beat Mrs. Richard

fon, the relict of gen. Richardfon, to make her tell 1780. where I was; and has not left her a change of raiment. He not only destroyed all the corn, but burnt a num、 ber of cattle in the houfes he fired.-It is diftreffing to fee the women and children fitting in the open air round a fire without a blanket, or any clothing but what they had on, and women of family, and that had ample fortunes: for he fpares neither whig nor tory. Moft of the inhabitants to the fouthward are ready and eager to take up arms against their tafk mafters." "Nov. the 21ft. Col. Tarleton retreated to Camden after destroying most of the houses and provifions on the High Hills of Santee.Many of my people have left me and gone over to the enemy for they think we have no army coming on, and that they have been deceived, as we have heard nothing from you for a great while. Gen. Harrington has not done any fervice with the troops he commands, while I have been obliged to act with fo few, as not to have it in my power to do any thing effectual, for want of men and ammunition." So much was he diftreffed for ammunition, that he has engaged when he had not three rounds to each man of his party. At other times he brought his men into view, though without ammunition, that he might make a fhow of numbers to the enemy. The faws of mills were converted into horfemen's fwords for his defence. For months he and his party flept in the open air, and fieltered themfelves in the thick receffes of deep fwamps; from whence he fallied out, whenever an opportunity of haraffing the enemy, or of serving his country prefented itself. He paid the greatest regard to private property, and reftrained his men from every fpecies of plunder,

1780, prifoners taken are men of fortune and family, which I hope will check the militia from taking arms against us. Capt. Murphy's party have burnt a great number of houfes on little Peedee, and intend to go on in that abominable work, which I am apprehenfive may be laid to me; but I affure you, that there is not one house burnt by my orders, or by any of my people: it is what I deteft, to distress poor women and children." The manner of Marion's expreffing himfelf, points out Murphy for an anti-royalift. Many of the profeffed whigs difgraced themfelves,, by the burnings, plunderings and cruelties, that they practifed in their turn upon the royalifts. They changed fides at times, as appears by Marion's letter of October the 18th-" I have never yet had more than feventy men to act with me, and fometimes they leave me to 20 or 30. Many who had fought with me, I am obliged to fight againft." He wrote to Gates "Nov. the 4th. I croffed Peedee the 24th of Oct. the next night came up with two hundred men under col. Tyne, whom I furprifed: killed 6, wounded 14, and took prifoners 23, and got 80 horfes and faddles, and as many stand of arms. The colonel made his escape; but, fending a party to the High Hills of Santee, he fell into our hands, with feveral other prifoners, and fome who have been very active against us and great plunderers. The militia are now turning out better than they have done. At prefent I have upward of 200, and expect that in three or four days it will be double.” "Black river, Nov. the 9th. Col. Tarleton [with his corps] has burnt all the houses, and destroyed all the corn, from Camden down to Nelfon's ferry has behaved to the poor women with great barbarity; beat Mrs. Richard

1780.

fon, the relict of gen. Richardfon, to make her tell where I was; and has not left her a change of raiment. He not only destroyed all the corn, but burnt a number of cattle in the houfes he fired. It is diftreffing to fee the women and children fitting in the open air round a fire without a blanket, or any clothing but what they had on, and women of family, and that had ample fortunes: for he fpares neither whig nor tory. Moft of the inhabitants to the fouthward are ready and eager to take up arms against their task mafters." "Nov. the 21st. Col. Tarleton retreated to Camden after deftroying moft of the houses and provifions on the High Hills of Santee.Many of my people have left me and gone over to the enemy for they think we have no army coming on, and that they have been deceived, as we have heard nothing from you for a great while. Gen. Harrington has not done any fervice with the troops he commands, while I have been obliged to act with fo few, as not to have it in my power to do any thing effectual, for want of men and ammunition." So much was he diftreffed for ammunition, that he has engaged when he had not three rounds to each man of his party. At other times he brought his men into view, though without ammunition, that he might make a fhow of numbers to the enemy. The faws of mills were converted into horfemen's fwords for his defence. For months he and his party flept in the open air, and fheltered themselves in the thick receffes of deep fwamps; from whence he fallied out, whenever an opportunity of haraffing the enemy, or of ferving his country prefented itself. He paid the greatest regard to private property, and reftrained his men from every fpecies of plunder.

1780. Opposition to royal government cannot be faid to have been, at any time, altogether extinct in the extremities of South Carolina. The inhabitants of a part of the state called the New Acquifition, never were paroled as prifoners, nor did they take protection as fubjects. A confiderable part of Sumpter's men, after their difperfion on the 18th of August, repaired to that fettlement, and generally kept in fmall parties for their own defence. Some of them joined major Davie at the head of about fifty volunteers, who had equipped themfelves as dragoons, and was the only American corps which at that time had not been beaten or dispersed. Let us now repair to Hillsborough.

General Gates seeing the wretched relics of his unfortunate continental army deftitute of every thing, did all that was poffible to procure them provisions and clothing. He used the most preffing folicitations to gov. Nash and the affembly of North Carolina. They being present, faw and lamented the hapless fate of those brave men, who had been deferted in danger by the people they meant to protect. Humanity, gratitude, policy and felf-defence, dictated the most vigorous exertions. Such were the exigencies of the whig party, that every man felt and submitted to the neceffity of giving all his affiftance, as well on the present occafion, as to provide against contingent misfortunes. The legislature therefore unanimously concurred in the measure of taking arms, ammunition and clothing, wherever to be found in the state, on the credit of the state: for paper money had scarce any value, and they had no other. They alfo ordered, that a clafs of their militia fhould be draughted, and march immediately toward Salisbury,