GENERAL GREENE IN THE SOUTH.

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unconquered spirit, everywhere made head against her foreign enemies; and the king's ministers were now more than ever determined, by an extension of combined measures, to reduce the North American provinces to submission. The plan of the campaign of 1781, accordingly, comprehended active operations in the state of New York, South Carolina, and Virginia.

An

The invasion of the last mentioned state was entrusted to Arnold; who, taking with him a force of 1600 men, and a number of armed vessels, sailed up the Chesapeake, spreading terror and devastation wherever he came. attempt to intercept him was made by the French fleet, which sailed from Rhode Island for that purpose; but after an indecisive engagement with the fleet of Admiral Arbuthnot, off the capes of Virginia, the French commander was obliged to return to Newport, leaving the invaded state open to the incursions of the British, who, making occasional advances into the country, destroyed an immense quantity of public stores, and enriched themselves with an extensive plunder of private property, at the same time burning all the shipping in the Chesapeake and its tributary streams, which they could not conveniently carry away as prizes.

The Carolinas also suffered severely by the scourge of war. When Gates was removed from the command of the American forces in that district, he was succeeded by General Greene, to whose charge he transferred the poor remains of his army, which were collected at Charlotte, in North Corolina, and which amounted to 2000 men. These troops were imperfectly armed and badly clothed; and such was the poverty of the military chest, that they were obliged to supply themselves with provisions by forced requisitions made upon the inhabitants of the adjacent country.

In these circumstances, to encounter the superior forces of the enemy in pitched battle, would have been madness. Greene, therefore, resolved to carry on the war as a par tisan officer, and to avail himself of every opportunity of harassing the British in detail.

The first enterprise which he undertook in prosecution

What was the state of affairs at the commencement of the campaign of 1781 ?-What was the disposition of the British ministry ?-What was their plan for the campaign?-Give an account of Arnold's operations. -What is said of the Carolinas ?-Who succeeded General Gates in the south --What was the condition of the southern army? - What was General Greene's plan of operations?

212

BATTLE OF COWPENS.

of this system, was eminently successful. Understanding that the inhabitants of the district of Ninety-Six, who had, submitted to the royal authority, were severely ha rassed by the licensed acts of plunder committed by the king's troops and the loyalists, he sent General Morgan into that quarter with a small detachment, which was, on its arrival, speedily increased by the oppressed countrymen, who were burning for revenge.

Lord Cornwallis, who was at this moment on the point of invading North Carolina, no sooner heard of this movement, than he sent Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton, with 1100 men. to drive Morgan out of the district. Tarleton was an active partisan officer, and had been as successful in his various encounters with the republican troops, as he had been cruel and sanguinary in the use of his victories. His former success, however, and the superiority of his numbers to those of Morgan's forces, caused him too much to despise his enemy.

In pursuance of Lord Cornwallis's orders, he marched in quest of his antagonist, and, on the evening of the 16th of January, 1781, he arrived at the ground which General Morgan had quitted a few hours before. At two o'clock in the morning, he recommenced his pursuit of the Americans, marching with extraordinary rapidity through a very difficult country, and at daylight he discovered the detachment of Morgan in his front. From the intelligence obtained from the prisoners who were taken by his scouting parties, he learned that Morgan waited his attack at a place called the Cowpens, near Pacolet river.

Here the American commander had drawn up his little army, two-thirds of which consisted of militia, in two lines, the first of which was advanced about 200 yards before the second, with orders to form on the right of the second, in case the onset of the enemy should oblige them to retire. The rear was closed by a small body of regular cavalry, and about forty-five mounted militia

inen.

On the sight of this army, Tarleton ordered his troops to form in line. But before this arrangement was effected, that officer, obeying the dictates of rash valour rather than those of prudence, commenced the attack, heading

Where did he commence, and how?-Who was sent to oppose Morgan? -What is said of Tarleton ?-Where did he overtake Morgan ?-How was his little army drawn up ?-What is said of Tarleton ?

his squadron in person. The British advanced with a shout, and assailed their adversaries with a well-directed discharge of musketry. The Americans reserved their fire till the British were within 40 or 50 yards of their ranks, and then poured among them a volley which did considerable execution. The British, however, pushed on, and obliged the militia to retire from the field. They then assailed the second line, and compelled it to fall back on the cavalry.

Here the Americans rallied, and renewed the fight with desperate valour: charging the enemy with fixed bayonets, they drove back the advance, and following up their success, overthrew the masses of their opponents, as they presented themselves in succession, and finally won a complete and decisive victory. Tarleton fled from the bloody field, leaving his artillery and baggage in possession of the Americans. His loss amounted to 300 killed and wounded, and 500 prisoners, whilst that of the Americans was only 12 killed and 60 wounded.

Immediately after the action, General Greene sent off the prisoners, under a proper guard, in the direction of Virginia; and as soon as he had made the requisite arrangements, he followed them with his little army, leaving Morgan on the Catawba, watching the motions of the enemy.

On receiving intelligence of Tarleton's defeat, Lord Cornwallis hastened in pursuit of the victors, and forced

Describe the battle of Cowpens-What was the result -The loss on each side?-Whither did Greene then march?

his marches with such effect, that he reached the Catawba river on the evening of the day on which Morgan had crossed it; but here his progress was for a short time impeded, as a heavy fall of rain had rendered the stream impassable. When the waters subsided, he hurried on, hoping to overtake the Americans before they had crossed the Yadkin; but when he arrived at that river, he found to his mortification, that they had crossed it, and had secured the craft and boats, which they had used for that purpose, on the eastern bank. He, therefore, marched higher up the stream till he found the river fordable.

Whilst he was employed in this circuitous movement, General Greene had united his forces with those of Morgan, at Guildford Court-house. Still, however, the forces of the American commander were so far inferior to those of the enemy, that, not choosing to risk an engagement, he hastened straight onwards to the river Dan, whilst Lord Cornwallis, traversing the upper country, where the streams are fordable, proceeded, in the hope that he might gain upon the Americans, so as to overtake them, in consequence of their being obstructed in their progress by the deep water below.

But so active was General Greene, and so fortunate in finding the means of conveyance, that he crossed the Dan, in Virginia, with his whole army, artillery and baggage. So narrow, however, was his escape, that the van of Cornwallis's army arrived in time to witness the ferrying over of his rear.

Mortified as Lord Cornwallis was, by being thus disappointed of the fruits of his toilsome march, he consoled himself by the reflection that the American army being thus driven out of North Carolina, he was master of that state, and was in a condition to recruit his forces by the accession of the loyalists, with whom he had been led to believe that it abounded. He, therefore, summoned all true subjects of his majesty to repair to the royal standard, which he had erected at Hillsborough. This experiment had little success. The friends of the British government were in general timid, and diffident of his fordship's power ultimately to protect them. terrors were confirmed, when they learned that the inde

Their

Give an account of Morgan's retreat and Cornwallis's pursuit.Where did Greene unite his forces with those of Morgan ?-Who was pursuing him?-By what route 1-Where did Greene have a narrow escape -How did Cornwallis console himself?-Whom did he invite to join his standard ?-What deterred them from doing so?

BATTLE AT GUILDFORD COURT-HOUSE.

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fatigable Greene had recrossed the Dan, and had cut off a body of tories who were on their march to join the royal forces, and that he had compelled Tarleton to retreat from the frontier of the province to Hillsborough. For seven days, the American commander manoeuvred within ten miles of the British camp; and at the end of that time, having received reinforcements from Virginia, he resolved to give Lord Cornwallis battle.

The engagement took place on the 15th of March, near Guildford Court-house. The American army con sisted of 4400 men, of which, more than one-half were militia; and the British of 2400 veterans; after a brisk cannonade in front the militia in advance were thrown into some confusion by the rash folly of a colonel, who, on the advance of the enemy, called out to an officer, at some distance, that he would be surrounded.' This alarm caused the North Carolina militia to fly. The Virginia militia, and the continental troops, maintained the conflict spiritedly for an hour and a half: but the discipline of the veteran British troops at length prevailed, and the Americans were obliged to retire; but only to the distance of three miles.

All the advantages of victory were on the side of the Americans, for although Lord Cornwallis kept the field, he had suffered such loss in the action, that he was unable to act on the offensive directly after, and was soon compelled to march towards Wilmington, leaving his sick and wounded behind him. On this retreat he was pursued by General Greene as far as Deep river.

At Wilmington, Lord Cornwallis made a halt for three days, for the purpose of giving his troops some rest; and at the end of that time, resolving to carry the war into Virginia, he marched to Petersburg, an inland town of that state, situated on James river. Hither it was expected that he would have been followed by the Americans; but Greene, being aware that his lordship had by this movement approached nearer to the American main army, and confident that his movements would be closely watched by the Virginia militia, after mature consideration adopted the bold measure of again penetrating into South Carolina.

What success of General Greene alarmed them?-How long did he manœuvre near the British camp ?-What induced him to give battle? Where and when did the engagement take place?-Describe it.-What was the result?-Who had the advantages of victory ?-What is said of Cornwallis-What induced Greene to penetrate again into Sout Carolina ?