Thefe hardy partifans effected their purpose; and though the British commander exhibited the valor of a brave and magnanimous officer, and his troops acquitted themfelves with vigor and fpirit, the Americans, who in great numbers furrounded them, won the day. Major Ferguson, with an hundred and fifty of his men, fell in the action, and seven hundred were made prifoners, from whom were felected a few, who, from motives of public zeal or private revenge, were immediately executed, This fummary infliction was impofed by order of fome of those fierce and uncivilized chieftains, who had spent moft of their lives in the mountains and forefts, amidst the flaughter of wild animals, which was neceffary to their daily fubfiftence.

Perhaps the local fituation of the huntfman or favage, may leffen their horror at the fight of blood, where streams are continually pouring down before them, from the gasping victim flain by their own hands; and this may lead them, with fewer marks of compaffion to immolate their own fpecies, when either intereft or refentment ftimulates. In addition to this, all compaffionate fenfations might be totally deadened by the example of the British, who feemed to eftimate the life of a man, on the fame grade with that of the animal of the foreft.

CHAP. XVII.

1780,

CHAP. XVIL

1780.

The order for executing ten of the prifon. ers* immediately on their capture, was directed, as previously threatened, by a colonel Cleveland, who with Williams, Sevier, Shelby, and Campbell, were the principal officers who formed and conducted the enterprise against Fergufon.

After this victory, most of the adherents to the royal cause in the interior parts of the Carolinas, either changed fides or funk into obfcurity. Lord Cornwallis himself, in a letter to fir Henry Clinton about this time, complained, that "it was in the militia of the northern "frontier alone, that he could place the smallest "dependence; and that they were so totally "difpirited by Ferguson's defeat, that in the "whole diftrict he could not affemble an hun"dred men, and even in them he could not "now place the smallest confidence."t

*This ftep was juftly complained of in a letter to general Smallwood from lord Cornwallis. He particularly regretted the death of a colonel Mills, a gentleman of a fair and uniform character; alfo a captain Oates, and others, who were charged with no crime but that of roy alifm.

Sir Henry Clinton obferved on this occafion, that "the fatal catastrophe of Ferguson's defeat, had loft lord "Cornwallis the whole militia of Ninety-Six, amounting to "four thousand men ; and even threw South Carolina in66 to a state of confufion and rebellion."

There had been repeated affurances given by the loyalists in North Carolina, that their numbers and their zeal would facilitate the reftoration of his majesty's government in that province; but it appears by many circumstances, that these promises were confidered as very futile, in the opinion of feveral of the principal officers of the British army, as well as to the chief commander.

Soon after the affair with Ferguson, lord Cornwallis's health was fo far impaired, that he directed lord Rawdon to make communications. to fir Henry Clinton, and to give him a full statement of the perplexed and perilous fituation of his majefty's forces in the Carolinas. After stating many circumftances of the deception of the loyalifts, the difficulty of obtaining fubfiftence in such a barren country, and other particulars of their situation, lord Rawdon obferved in his letter to general Clinton, that they were greatly furprised that no information had been given them of the advance of general Gates's army; and "no lefs grieved, "that no information whatever of its move"ments, was conveyed to us by perfons fo deeply interested in the event, as the North "Carolina loyalifts."

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After the defeat of general Gates, and the difperfion of his army, the loyalifts were informed, that the moment had arrived when they

CHAP. XVII.

1780.

ought immediately to ftand forth, and "exert "themselves to prevent the re-union of the "fcattered enemy. Inftant fupport was in that "cafe promised them. Not a fingle man how“ever, attempted to improve the favorable op"portunity, or obeyed that fummons for which they had before been fo impatient. 'It was

hoped that our approach might get the better "of their timidity: yet, during a long period, "whilft we were waiting at Charlotteburgh for "our ftores and convalefcents, they did not "even furnish us with the leaft information re

fpecting the force collecting against us. In "fhort, fir, we may have a powerful body of "friends in North Carolina, and indeed we "have caufe to be convinced, that many of the "inhabitants with well to his majesty's arms; "but they have not given evidence enough, "either of their numbers or their activity, to "juftify the fake of this province, for the uncertain "advantages that might attend immediate junction "with them. There is reafon to believe, that "fuch must have been the risk."

"Whilft this army lay at Charlotteburgh, "Georgetown was taken from the militia by "the rebels; and the whole country to the east "of the Santee, gave fuch proofs of general de

fection, that even the militia of the High-Hills "could not be prevailed upon to join a party "of troops, who were fent to protect the boats upon the river. The defeat of major Fergu

fon had fo far difpirited this part of the coun"try, and indeed the loyal fubjects were fo wea"ried by the long continuance of the campaign, "that lieutenant colonel Cruger (commanding "at Ninety-Six) fent information to earl Corn"wallis, that the whole diftrict had determined "to fubmit, as foon as the rebels fhould enter " it."*

While lord Cornwallis lay ill of a fever, lord Rawdon wrote to major general Leflie, in terms of disappointment and defpondence. He obferved, "that events had unfortunately taken place very different from expectation: that "the firft rumor of an advancing army under "general Gates, had unveiled a fpirit of difaf"fection, of which they could have formed no “idea; and even the difperfion of that force "did not extinguifh the ferment which the hope of its fupport had raifed. This hour, "the majority of the inhabitants of that tract "between the Pedee and the Santee, are in "arms against us; and when we laft heard "from Charleston, they were in poffeffion of

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Georgetown, from which they had dislodged "our militia."t

* Lord Rawdon's letter to general Clinton, October the twenty-ninth, one thousand seven hundred and eighty.

See printed correfpondence of the generals Clinton, Cornwallis, Rawdon, &c., publifhed in London, one thoufand feven hundred and eighty-three.

CHAP. XVII.

1780