the killed of these, lieut. col. Campbell of the Virginia 1781. line was the theme of univerfal lamentation. While with great firmness he was leading on his brigade to that charge which determined the fate of the day, he re-. ceived a mortal wound, After his fall he inquired who gave way, and being informed the British were fleeing in all quarters, he added—“ I die contented"-and immediately expired, The fuccefs of the American army in the first part of. the engagement, fpread fuch an alarm, that the British, burned their ftores at Dorchester, and evacuated their pofts near Monk's Corner. The gates of Charlestown were fhut, and a number of negroes employed in felling trees across the road on the neck. The number of Greene's force actually engaged was 1400 regulars and 500 militia, in all 1900 of thefe 547, including 72 fu-, balterns and fergeants were killed or wounded. Such, was the heat of the action, that the officers on each fide. fought hand to hand, and sword to sword. The British could not compel the continentals to give way, though the militia were obliged to retire. Greene however has a high opinion of the British and their valor, and fays"They fight a devilish hard battle, as every one who fights them will know." On October the 29th, congress refolved to honor him with a British standard and a gold medal; and voted their thanks to the different corps and their commanders. After the action, the Americans retired to their former pofition on the High Hills of Santee, and the British took poft in the vicinity of Monk's Corner. While they lay there, a small party of American cavalry took upward of 80 prifoners within fight of their main army. They 1781. They no more acted with their ufual vigor. On the fslightest appearance of danger, they discovered a difpofition to flee, not much inferior to what was exhibited the year before by the American militia. Such were the promising profpects prior to the battle at Eutaw, that John Rutledge efq; fet out from Philadelphia on the 28th of June, to refume the reins of go vernment in South Carolina. As foon as circumstances would admit after his arrival, in retaliation for Balfour's conduct in exiling fuch numbers from their homes, he ordered the brigadiers of militia to drive the families of all who adhered to the royal caufe, within the British lines. The wives and children of those inhabitants who had retreated with the retreating British to avoid the refentments of their countrymen, were now compelled to take shelter within their pofts. In exchange for their comfortable plantations in the country, many of them were reduced in a little time to the neceffity of living in clay huts in the vicinity of Charlestown. In this forlorn fituation, numbers fpeedily perifhed, being deftitute of the comforts of life and overwhelmed with dif eafes. While gen. Greene's troops were on the High Hills of Santee, a dangerous fpirit made its appearance among the Maryland foldiers. They were uneafy that fome of the old officers had been fent away, and wifhed for an opportunity of seeing their friends at home. They fent feveral petitions to Greene, complained of want of clothing, and recapitulated their fervices. In one of them they mentioned, that out of seven regiments there were fcarce two hundred remaining, and that they had never received any pay. They became difcontented, left off 21. their usual sports, talked seriously in fquads, and of 1781. their pay. All this did not pafs unnoticed by the of ficers, who watched their conduct, and endeavoured to footh them, but ineffectually. On the evening of the 21st of October, numbers were feen to go privately out Oct. of camp with their arms, &c. The officers alarmed at the circumftance, ordered their corps to parade, and called over their rolls. Old foldiers manage dexterously among themselves. They had put fpies upon their officers while they were making an experiment, and the moment they discovered that they were likely to be detected and apprehended for mutiny, they ftole into camp as fecretly as they went out: fome of them were obferved, but fuffered to pafs unnoticed. It is not alway beft to punish intended faults before actually committed. A lucklefs incident which happened to a Timothy Griffin of the only South Carolina company then in the army, fet all this affair right. While the officers were calling their rolls, and admonishing fome of the men for apparent irregularities, Timothy came on the parade drunk; and having heard what the foldiers had previously whispered among one another, and fuppofing the officers were altercating with the men on that subject, very imprudently cried cut" Stand to it boys D-n my blood, if I would give an inch"-and other words to the fame effect. Capt. McPherson of the Maryland line knocked him down, knowing the evil tendency of fuch language. He was inftantly fent to the provost; the next day tried by a general court-martial for encouraging mutiny and desertion; was found guilty'; fentenced to fuffer death; and fhot about five o'clock in the afternoon in prefence of the whole army. Examples A 1781.cember" That the fuperintendant of the finances be, and hereby is authorized and directed to apply and difpofe of all monies which have been or may be obtained in Europe by fubfidy, loan or otherwise, according to the feveral refolutions and acts of congress now exifting, or which may hereafter be made for the appropriation of monies belonging to the United States." However gratefully they thought of the French king's free gift, they could not with any propriety accede to the mode in which it was to be applied to the benefit of the United States. By paffing into the hands of the commander in chief, it would fubject the army to an appearance of being penfioned by France, and when generally known by the troops might loosen their relative dependence upon congrefs; they therefore wifely directed, that the military ftores fhould be delivered to the order of the board of war, and that the difpofal of the monies fhould rest with the fuperintendant, fubject to their own appointments. We must now pass to South Carolina. When the continental officers under gen. Greene had heard of the manner in which col. Hayne was executed, and that notwithstanding the general cartel, feveral officers of militia were ftill detained in captivity, they made a representation thereof in writing to Greene on the 20th of August; and recommended, that a strict inquiry fhould be made into the feveral matters mentioned, and if afcertained, that he would be pleafed to retaliate in the most effectual manner, by a fimilar treatment of British fubjects which were or might be in his power. They voluntarily fubjected themfelves to all the confequences, to which they would be expofed in cafe of capture. capture. A few days after, Greene iffued from his head 1781. 1 quarters at Camden a proclamation, wherein he expressly declared" It is my intention to make reprisals for all fuch inhuman infults, as often as they fhall take place." -He added, "I further declare, that it is my intention to take the officers of the regular forces, and not the feduced inhabitants who have joined their army, for the objects of my reprifals." Greene demanded alfo from the British commanders their reafons for the execution of Hayne. He received a written answer, figned N. Balfour, in which there was an acknowledgment, "that it took place by the joint order of lord Rawdon and himfelf, but in confequence of the most exprefs directions from lord Cornwallis, to put to death those who fhould be found in arms, after being at their own requests received as fubjects, fince the capitulation of Charlestown, and the clear conqueft of the province in the fummer of 1780." General Greene replied to lieut. col. Balfour on the 19th of September-" Sir, your favor of the 3d inftant I have received, and am happy for the honor of col. Hayne, to find nothing better to warrant his cruel and unjust execution, than the order of lord Cornwallis, given in the hour of victory, when he confidered the lives, liberties and property of the people proftrate at his feet: but I confefs I cannot exprefs my astonishment, that you and lord Rawdon should give fuch an extraordinary example of feverity, upon the authority of that order, under fuch a change of circumftances, fo long after it had been remonftrated againft, and after a cartel had been fettled, to reftrain improper severities, and to prevent the neceffity of retaliation. You will fee by my letter to lord Cornwallis |