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afpect of affairs in North-Carolina. For befides the fuppreffion of the loyalifts, who were treated with little mercy, Major General' the Baron de Kalbe, a German officer in the American fervice, arrived in that province with 2000 continental troops; and was followed by fome bodies of militia from Virginia The government of the colony: were likewife indefa tigable in their exertions and preparations, at leaft for defence, if not for conqueft. Troops were raifed; the militia every where drawn out; and Rutherford, Cafwell, Sumpter, and other leaders, advanced to the frontiers at the head of different bodies of them. Skirmishes took place on all fides, and were attended with various fortune; and the enemy became fo dangerous, that Lord Rawdon found it neceffary to contract his pofts.

It foon appeared, that the fubmittion of many of the South Carolinians was merely compulfory, and that no conditions or confequences could bind or deter them from purfuing the bent of their inclinations, whenever the opportunity offered. As the enemy increased in ftrength, and approached nearer, numbers of those who had fabmitted to the British government, and others who were on parole, abandoned, or hazarded all things, in order to join them. A Colonel Lifle, who had exchanged his parole for a certificate of being a good fobject, carried off a whole battalion of militia, which had been raised by another gentleman for Lord Cornwallis, to join Sumpter. Another battalion, who were appointed to conduct about 100 fick of the 71ft regiment in

boats down the Pedee to George. Town, feized their own officers, and carried them with the fick men, all prifoners to the enemy.

General Gates was now arrived in North-Carolina, to take the command of the new fouthern army; and the time was faft approaching, when his high military reputation was to be staked in an arduous conteft with the fortune of Earl Cornwallis. In the fecond week of Auguft, that noble. man having received intelligence at Charles Town, that Gates was advancing with his army towards Lynche's Creek, that Sumpter was endavouring to cut off the communications between that city and the army, that the whole country between the Pedee and the Black River had revolted, and that Lord Rawdon was collecting his whole force at Camden, he immediately fet off for that place..

He found on his arrival no fmall difficulties to encounter. Gates was advancing, and at hand, with a very decided fuperiority of force. His army was not estimated at less than five or fix thousand men ; it was likewife fuppofed to be very well appointed; whilft the name and character of the commander, increafed the idea of its force. On the other hand, Lord Corn. wallis's regular force, was fo much reduced by fickness and casualties, as not much to exceed 1400 fighting men, or rank and file, with four or five hundred militia, and North Carolina refugees. The pofition of Camden, however advantageous or convenient in other refpects, was a bad one to receive an attack. He could indeed have made good his retreat to CharlesTown with those troops that were

able

able to march; but in that cafe, he must have left about 800 fick, with a vast quantity of valuable ftores, to fall into the hands of the enemy. He likewife forefaw, that excepting Charles-Town and the Savannah, a retreat would be attended with the lofs of the two whole provinces of South Carolina and Georgia.

In thefe circumftances, the noble commander determined, nei. ther to retreat, nor wait to be attacked in a bad pofition. He knew that Charles-Town was fo well garrisoned and provided, that it could not be expofed to any danger, from whatever might befal him. That his troops were excellent, admirably officered, and well found and provided in all respects. And that the lofs of his fick, of his magazines, the abandonment of the country, and the defertion of his friends, all of which would be the inevitable confequences of a retreat, were almoft the heaviest evils which could befal him in any fortune. In his own words there was "little to lofe by a defeat, and much to gain by a victory."

The intelligence which he received, that General Gates had encamped in a bad fituation, at Rugley's about 13 miles from Camden, undoubtedly ferved to confirm Lord Cornwallis in his determination. He

Aug. 15th. accordingly marched from Camden about 10 o'clock at night, with a full intention of furprizing Gates at Rugley's; and making his difpofitions in fuch a manner, as that his beft troops and greateft force fhould be directed against the continental regiments; laying little ftrefs on the militia,

if these were fufficiently provided against.

It was almost fingular, that at the very hour and moment, at which Lord Cornwallis fet out from Camden to furprize Gates, that general thould fet out from Rugley's in order to furprize him. For although he does not acknow. ledge the fact in point of defign, and even pretends, that his night movement was made with a view of feizing an advantageous pofition fome miles fhort of Camden; his order of march, the difpofition of his army, with the hour of fetting out, and other circumftances, will leave but little room to entertain a doubt of his real object. These leading features will remind some of our readers of a celebrated action in the late war; in which the Pruffian monarch, environed with danger, and furrounded on all fides by armies of enemies, fome of which were fingly fuperior to his own, furprized and defeated Laudhon on a night march, when that able general intended to conclude the war by completing the circle, and by furprizing him in a manner which nauft have been final in its effects.

In the present inftance, the light troops and advanced corps on both fides, neceffarily fell in with and encountered each other in the dark, fo that the furprize was mutual. In this blind encounter,

however, the American light troops being driven back precipitately on their van, occafioned fome confiderable diforder in that part, if not in their centre, which proba bly was never entirely recovered. Lord Cornwallis repreffed the firing early, and immediately formed; he found that the enemy were

in bad ground, and he would not hazard in the dark, the advantages which their fituation would afford him in the light; at the fame time that he took fuch measures as effectually prevented their taking any other. For the ground occupied by both armies, being narrowed and preffed in upon on either hand by deep swamps, afforded great advantages to the weaker in making the attack, and by preventing the ftronger from extending their lines, deprived them in a great measure, of thofe which they should have derived from their fuperiority in number.

an army.

A movement made by the Americans on the left by day-light, indicating fome change of difpofition or order, does not feem to have been a very judicious meafure, in the face of, and fo near to, fuch a commander, and such Lord Cornwallis faw the advantage, and inftantly feized it; Col. Webfter, who commanded the right wing, directly charging the enemy's left, with the light infantry, fupported by the 23d and 33d regiments. The action foon became general, and was fupported near an hour, with wonderful refolution, and the moft determined obftinacy. The firing was quick and heavy on both fides; and intermixed with fharp and well-fupported contefts at the point of the bayonet. The morning being still and hazy, the fmoke hung over and involved both armies in fuch a cloud, that it was difficult to fee or to eftimate the ftate of deftruction on either side. The British troops, however, evidently preffed forward; and at the period we have mentioned, the Americans were thrown into con

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fufion, began to give way on all fides, and a total and general tout foon enfued.

We learned from the American accounts, that the whole body of their militia, (which conftituted much the greater part of their force) excepting only one NorthCarolina regiment, gave way and run, at the very firft fire; and that all the efforts of the general himself, and of the other commanders, were incapable of bring. ing them afterwards ever to rally, or to make a fingle ftand; fo that gaining the woods as faft as poffi ble, they totally dispersed. But the continental regular troops, and the fingle North Carolina regiment of militia, vindicated their own and the national character. They even ftood that laft and fore teft of the good. nefs of troops, the pufh of the bayonet, with great constancy and firmnefs.

But

The British commander thewed his ufual valour and military fkill. And the officers and troops, in their respective stations, anfwered his warmest expectations. though all are entitled to our ap plaufe, yet Lord Rawdon, with the two Lieutenant-Colonels Webfter and Tarleton, could not avoid being particularly distinguished.

The victory was complete. The broken and fcattered enemy were purfued as far as Hanging-Rock, above twenty miles from the field of battle. All their artillery, amounting to feven or eight brass field pieces, with 2000 ftand of arms, their military waggons, and feveral trophies, were taken. Lord Cornwallis eftimates the flain at eight or nine hundred, and fays about a thousand prifoners were

taken.

taken. The General, Baron de Kalbe, who was fecond in command, was mortally wounded, and taken. That officer fpent his laft breath in dictating a letter, expreffive of the warmest affection for the Americans, containing the highest encomiums on the valour of the continental troops, of which he had been fo recent a witnefs, and declaring the fatisfaction which he then felt, in having been a partaker of their fortune, and having fallen in their caufe.

The American Brigadier-General Gregory, was among the flain, and Rutherford was wounded and taken. Although fome brave officers fell, and feveral were wounded, on the British fide, yet the lofs which the army fuftained, was upon the whole comparatively small. It amounted, including eleven mifting, only to 324, in which number the flain bore a very moderate proportion.

Upon the whole, Gates feems to have been much outgeneralled. He was, however, confoled in his misfortune, (which has fince occafioned his retreat from the fervice) by the approbation of his conduct and fervices, which was publicly bestowed by fome of the affemblies.

General Sumpter had for fome time been very fuccefsful in cutting off or intercepting the British parties and convoys, and lay now with about a thousand men, and a number of prifoners and waggons which he had lately taken, at the Catawba fords; apparently fecured by distance, as well as the diffi

culties of the country. Lord Cornwallis confidered it a matter of great importance to his future operations, to give a decifive blow to this body, before he pursued his fuccefs by advancing into North Carolina. He accordingly detached Colonel Tarleton, with the light infanty and cavalry of the legion, amounting to abont 350, upon this fervice. The advantages to be derived from woody, Arong, and difficult countries, are much counterbalanced by the opportunities which they afford of furprize. The brave and active officer employed upon this occafion, by forced marches, judicious meafures, and excellent intelligence, furprized Sumpter fo completely at noon-day, that his men, lying totally carelefs and at eafe, were moftly cut off from their arms. The victory was accordingly nothing more than a flaughter and rout. About 150 were killed on the fpot, about 300, with two pieces of cannon, taken, and a number of prifoners and waggons retaken.

Thefe fplendid fucceffes laid the fouthern colonies open, to all the effects of that fpirit of enterprize which diftinguishes Earl Cornwallis, and which he communicates to all who act under his command. In any other war than the American, they would have been decifive of the fate of those colo nies.

But it has been the fingular fortune of that war, that victory, on the British fide, has been unproductive of its proper and euftomary effects.

CHRO

CHRONICLE.

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