126

MORGAN'S RETREAT.

hand; but, with the greater part of his cavalry, he escaped to bear the news of his defeat to Cornwallis. In this battle, where the American militia were taught by Morgan that the legion of Tarleton "was not invincible," ten commissioned officers and one hundred privates of the British were killed, twenty-nine officers and two hundred privates wounded; and above five hundred privates prisoners, fell into the hands of the Americans, who lost only twelve men killed and sixty wounded. Upwards of eight hundred stand of arms, one hundred dragoon horses, thirty-five baggage wagons, and two standards, were among the trophies of this victory. The two cannon, which had been taken from Burgoyne at Saratoga, and captured by Cornwallis at Camden, now again changed

owners.

General Morgan was honoured by Congress with a gold medal for his success in this battle, which in the end proved nearly as disastrous to Cornwallis as did the victory at Bennington to Burgoyne. In order to demolish Morgan and regain the prisoners, Cornwallis determined upon a vigorous pursuit. Morgan immediately after the battle sent on the prisoners with the militia to Charlotteville, in Virginia, and followed them with his cavalry and infantry. Cornwallis destroyed nearly all his baggage, and retained no wagons except those containing the hospital stores and ammunition, and four empty ones for the accommodation of the sick and wounded. On the 19th of January, he began his remarkable pursuit, and had not Morgan shown as much activity and prudence after the victory as bravery in gaining it, he certainly would have lost his whole detachment of eight hundred men, and five hundred prisoners. He succeeded in crossing the Catawba river, on the 28th; just two hours after, Cornwallis appeared on the other side.

Owing to recent rains in the mountains, the river had commenced rising, and it rained so incessantly during the night, that when Cornwallis would have crossed in the morning, it was no longer passable. He was detained here two days, waiting for the inundation to subside, by which time the

GREENE JOINS MORGAN.

127

prisoners were so far advanced on their way to Virginia, as to be out of his reach. Morgan called out the neighbouring militia and prepared to defend the passage of the river; but on the 31st of January, General Greene suddenly appeared in the camp, and took the command on himself, having ridden one hundred and fifty miles to lead Morgan's force towards effecting a junction with the remainder of his army, which he had left at Hicks's Creek, under General Williams, with orders to proceed to Charlotte or Salisbury.

Greene attempted to defend the passage of the river, and guarded the fords; bnt owing to the death of General Davidson, and the misconduct of the militia lately under his command, the passage of the river was effected by the British. Tarleton directly after attacked and defeated a considerable body of militia that were assembled at Tarrant's Tavern, about ten miles distant from the place of crossing. Greene now marched toward the Yadkin, and Cornwallis pushed after him, hoping to overtake him before he could cross that river. So near were the two armies during the pursuit, that the van of the one was frequently in sight of the rear of the other.

Greene, however, succeeded in crossing the Yadkin, partly by fording, and partly in flatboats and scows, although the van of the British army arrived on the western side but a short time after the last detachment had crossed. Greene had secured all the boats on the eastern bank, and owing to another sudden rise of the waters, the river was no longer fordable, and the enemy was obliged to march to a higher point. The people throughout the country were cheered and enlivened by this second rescue of their army from danger by the swelling of the waters; and it was generally represented as a direct manifestation of the fact that Omnipotence was enlisted in their behalf.

Greene now marched northward and effected a junction with the remainder of his army, under Huger and Williams, at Guilford Court-House. Cornwallis had been completely baffled in his designs of retaking the prisoners of the Cowpens, overwhelming Morgan, and preventing a junction of the two

128

GREENE CROSSES THE DAN.

detachment of Americans. He still had, however, a force superior to that of Greene, who expected reinforcements from Virginia, and Cornwallis endeavoured, by keeping in the upper country, to gain so much upon Greene as to intercept his retreat over the Dan into Virginia. Both armies were destitute of tents, and subsisted on what they could procure in their hasty marches through the country. Knowing the superiority of his opponent, Greene determined if possible to cross the Dan and avoid an engagement. He therefore, in order to check the advance of Cornwallis, who was now marching upon him, formed a light corps of Lee's legion, Howard's infantry, Washington's cavalry, and Campbell's Virginia riflemen, numbering in all about seven hundred men, the best troops in the whole of his army. General Morgan being sick, Colonel Williams commanded this body, which was so bold and active as to compel Cornwallis to keep his troops as compactly together as possible during the whole march; for on one occasion, Lee made a furious charge upon the British advanced cavalry, and after killing several, took a number prisoners.

Greene was attended on this occasion by his usual good fortune, and succeeded in finding boats at Boyd's and Irwin's ferries, sufficient for the passage of his army. So closely was he pursued, however, that though he marched forty miles on that day, the van of the British arrived in time to see the landing of the rear division on the opposite shore. Cornwallis had deemed it impossible for Greene to escape into Virginia, and when he thus saw all his hopes defeated by the prudence and activity of his adversary, he was greatly disappointed. Further pursuit was now impracticable, as the army of General Greene was advantageously posted on the other side of the river, which was too deep to be forded, and no boats could be procured. During this retreat of more than two hundred miles, both armies suffered extremely from the inclemency of the season, bad roads, heavy rains, want of tents, and scarcity of provisions. The Americans, however, were nearly all destitute of shoes and clothing, and many were the gashes

DEFEAT OF THE TORIES.

129

inflicted upon the naked feet of the champions of liberty; while the British were all comfortably clothed, and supplied with good shoes; yet no complaints escaped the lips of the Americans, who lost not a single man by desertion.

Greene being driven out of North Carolina, Cornwallis marched to Hillsborough, where he set up the royal standard, and endeavoured to incite the friends of the king to come out openly and espouse his cause. The Tories, however, were not so numerous now as they had been at the commencement of the war. Many of them had gone into South Carolina, and of those who were left, the greater part had resolved to watch the course of events, and not rashly expose their lives and fortunes in a doubtful cause. Several companies of them were, however, formed, and were on their march to join Cornwallis. Tarleton was sent to meet them, and escort them to the British camp; but Lee and Pickens having received intelligence of their proceedings, resolved to check them. The Tories, under Colonel Pyle, were met, February 25th, by Lee and Pickens, in a lane, about a mile from Tarleton's camp, and mistaking the American cavalry for Tarleton's legion, were completely surprised and slaughtered without much opposition. A party escaped, and when at a short distance from the field of battle, encountered Tarleton, who had heard the firing and was coming up to ascertain its cause. That officer immediately attacked them, and they sustained a second defeat. Thus they were equally slaughtered by those whom they came to oppose and those they intended to assist. Of between two and three hundred, but a very small remnant escaped, and after this occurrence, the spirit of the Tories was completely damped.

Meanwhile, Greene had recrossed the Dan, with his whole army, on the 21st and 22d, and having been reinforced by six hundred militia under Stevens, he made such use of his light troops, and manoeuvred in such a masterly manner, that he succeeded for three weeks in avoiding a battle; and by cutting off all Cornwallis's foraging parties, so straitened him that he was obliged to fall back from Hillsborough, across the

130

BATTLE OF GUILFORD COURT-HOUSE.

Haw river. Greene was further strengthened by two brigades of militia from North Carolina, and four hundred regulars. He now resolved to risk a battle, as he had the superiority of numbers, and could not keep the militia long in the field. His army now numbered four thousand two hundred men, of whom nearly two thousand five hundred were militia; whilst Cornwallis commanded about two thousand four hundred British veteran troops. On the 15th of March, Greene advanced and took a position at Guilford Court-House, within ten miles of the British camp, where he drew up his army in three lines. The front was composed of the North Carolina militia, under Butler and Eaton, the second of the Virginia militia, under Stevens and Lawson, and the third of continental troops, under General Huger and Colonel Williams. Stevens posted forty riflemen in the rear of his militia, with orders to shoot every one who should leave his post without orders.

The British advanced in three columns; the Hessians on the right, the British guards in the centre, and Webster's brigade on the left. The attack was commenced, after a brisk cannonade, on the first line, which was thrown into confusion by the misconduct of a militia officer, who rashly gave a false alarm, and the whole line soon quitted the field. The Virginians were then attacked, and fought like veterans, until ordered to retreat, when the regulars came into action. They sustained the conflict with obstinate valour for an hour and a half; but when the British succeeded in turning the second Maryland brigade, and were getting into the rear, Greene ordered a retreat, which was well conducted. Both sides claimed the victory; but from the relative loss in the battle, and the movements of Cornwallis directly after, it would seem to belong to the Americans. They lost three hundred of the continentals and one hundred Virginia militia; the British lost over six hundred in killed, wounded, and missing. Colonel Stewart and Colonel Webster, both valuable officers, were killed, and Brigadier-Generals O'Hara and Howard, with Colonel Tarleton, were wounded. After the battle many of the militia went to their homes, and did not rejoin the army,