ed, commanded by a lieutenant with eight men. Boyd demanded a passage, which being spiritedly refused, he turned up the river about five miles, passed it with his men and baggage on rafts, and swam his horses. Boyd's troops landed at different places by the small comparative force under captain Anderson, and the thick canebrakes on the low grounds, he was unable to observe and attack the enemy at the different landings his attention was arrested by what he conceived to be the main body. As the enemy approached the landing, Anderson commenced his fire and opposed them with great resolution; but finding himself unexpectedly attacked in the rear, he ordered a retreat.

The American loss in this skirmish, was sixteen killed and wounded, and sixteen taken prisoners among the latter, were captains Baskin and Miller.

Colonel Boyd acknowledged a loss of one hundred in killed, wounded, and missing; many of this number deserted him and returned to their homes.

Captain Anderson secured as many of his wounded as his situation would enable him, retreated and joined Pickens and Dooley in pursuit of the enemy.

On the 12th of February, the Americans passed over Savannah river, into Georgia, at the Cedar shoal, and advanced to Fish dam ford on Broad river. Captain Neal, with a party of ob

servation, was ordered to gain the enemy's rear, and occasionally send a man back with the result of his discoveries, so as to keep the main body well informed of the enemy's movements. To avoid danger, Boyd at first shaped his course to the westward, and on the morning of the 13th, crossed Broad river near the fork, at a place now called Webb's ferry, and thence turned toward Augusta, expeeting to form a junction with M'Girth at a place appointed on Little river. The corps of observation, under captain Neal, hung close upon the enemy's rear, and made fre quent communications to Pickens and Dooley. The Americans crossed Broad river, and encamp. ed for the night on Clarke's creek, within four miles of the enemy. Early on the morning of the 14th, the Americans resumed their march with a quickened pace, and soon approached the enemy's rear, but with such caution as to remain undiscovered. The line of march was the order of battle, wherever the face of the country admitted of it: colonel Dooley commanded the right wing and lieutenant-colonel Clarke the left, each consisting of one hundred men; and the centre by colonel Pickens, consisting of two hundred, and an advance guard, one hundred and fifty yards in front. Under three leaders, whose courage and military talents had been often tested; this inferior number, of four against seven, looked for. ward to a victory with great confidence. Early in the morning, they passed the ground where the enemy encamped the preceding night.

Colonel Boyd was unapprehensive of danger, and halted at a farm on the north side of Kettle creek; his horses were turned out to forage among the reeds in the swamp, and some bullocks were killed, and corn parched to refresh his troops, who had been on short allowance for three days. The encampment was formed on the edge of the farm next to the creek, on an open piece of ground, flanked on two sides by the cane swamp. The second officer in command, was lieutenant-colonel Moore, of North-Carolina, who it is said, possessed neither courage nor military skill: the third in command, major Spurgen, is said to have acted with bravery, and gave some evidence of military talents.

After the Americans had marched three or four miles, the enemy's drums were heard to beat. They halted for a few minutes, and were ordered to examine their guns and prime them afresh. Captain M'Call had been ordered in front to examine the enemy's situation and condition, and to report it; he reported the situation of the encampment, the nature of the adjacent ground, and that the enemy were, apparently, unsuspicious of danger; having passed the flank within musket shot, and in full view. Satisfied upon these points, the Americans advanced to the attack. As the camp was approached, the enemy's piquets fired and retreated. Boyd ordered the line to be formed in the rear of his camp, and advanced at the head of one hundred men, who were sheltered by

The American

a fence and some fallen timber. centre filed off a little to the right, to gain the advantage of higher ground. Boyd contended for the fence with bravery, but was overpowered and compelled to order a retreat to the main body. On his retreat he fell under two wounds through the body and one through the thigh, which proved mortal. The other two divisions were embarrassed in passing through the cane, but by this time had reached their points of destination, and the battle became warm, close and general, and some of the enemy who had not formed, fled into the cane and passed over the creek, leaving behind them their horses, baggage, and some of their arms. Colonel Clarke observed a rising ground on the opposite side of the creek, in the rear of the enemy's right, on which he believed they would attempt to form. After a warm contest, which lasted an hour, the enemy retreated through the swamp over the creek. Clarke ordered his division to follow him across the creek, and at the same moment his horse was shot, and fell under him; he was quickly re-mounted, and fortunately fell into a path which led to a fording place on the creek, and gained the side of the hill. His division had not heard, or had not understood the order, in consequence of which not more than one fourth of it, followed him. While major Spurgen was forming the enemy upon one side of the hill, colonel Clarke attacked him upon the other side; which gave intimation to the remainder of his di

vision, by which he was soon joined. Colonels Pickens and Dooley pressed through the swamp with the main body in pursuit, and when they emerged from the cane, the battle was again renewed with great vigour. For a considerable time the contest was obstinate and bloody, and the issue doubtful. The Americans finally gained the summit of the hill; the enemy began to retreat in some confusion, and fled from the field of battle.

This engagement is said to have lasted one hour and forty-five minutes, and for the last half hour was close and general. Great credit is given to colonel Clarke for his foresight, in speedily occupying the rising ground on the west side of the creek, upon which the victory appears to have been balanced. Considering the equality of the troops in point of military experience and equipment; and that the numbers in the ranks of the enemy were seven to four; the result of this engagement reflects great honor and credit on the American officers and soldiers who were engaged in it, and it was justly considered a brilliant victory.

About seventy of the enemy were killed and died of their wounds, and seventy-five were taken prisoners, including the wounded who could be carried off the ground. The American loss was nine killed, and twenty-three wounded, two mortally. The prisoners that Boyd had taken at the skirmish on Savannah river, were in charge of a

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