ent and opposite directions." Cleavela nd, with his division, was the first to gain sight of the enemy's pickets, and halting his men, he addresed them in the following simple, affecting, and animating terms:-"My brave fellows, we have beat the tories, and we can beat them; they are all cowards. If they had the spirit of men they would join with their fellow-citizens in supporting the independence of their country. When engaged, you are not to wait for the word of command from me. 1 will show you by my example how to fight. I can undertake no more. Every man must consider himself as an officer, and act from his own judgment. Fire as quick as you can, and stand your ground as long as you can. When you can do no better, get behind trees, or retreat; but I beg of you not to run quite off. If we are repulsed, let us make a point to return, and renew the fight; perhaps we may have better luck in the second attempt than in the first. If any of you are afraid, such have leave to retire, and they are requested immediately to take themselves off." This address, which would have done honour to the hero of Agincourt, being ended, the men rushed upon the enemy's pickets, and forced them to retire; but returning again to the charge with the bayonet, Cleveland's men gave way in their turn. In the mean time, Colonel Shelby advanced with his division, and was in like manner driven back by the bayonets of the enemy; but there was yet another body of assailants to be received: Colonel Campbell moved up at the moment of Shelby's repulse, but was equally unable to stand against the British bayonet; and Ferguson still kept possession of his mountain. The whole of the division being separately baffled, determined to make another effort in co-operation, and the conflict became terrible. Ferguson still depended upon the bayonet; but this brave and undaunted officer, after gallantly sustaining the attack for nearly an hour, was killed by a musket ball, and his troops soon after surrendered at discretion. The enemy's loss on this occagion was 300 killed and wounded, 800 prisoners, and

Holmes.

1,500 stand of arms.

Our loss in killed was about 20,

among whom was Colonel Williams, one of our most active and enterprising officers; our number of wounded was very considerable.*

83. Battle of the Cowpens.

In the autumn of 1780 Gen. Greene was appointed to the command of the forces in Carolina. He was accompanied by Col. Morgan, a brave and active officer, who commanded a body of riflemen.

On the entrance of Morgan into the district of NinetySix, Lord Cornwallis detached Lieut. Col. Tarleton to drive him from his station, and to "push him to the utmost." Tarleton's force consisted of about 1000 choice infantry, and 250 horse, with two field-pieces. To oppose this force, Morgan had but 500 militia, 300 regulars, and 75 horse, under the command of Colonel Washington. The two detachments met on the 17th of Jan., 1781, at the Cowpens. The ground on which this memorable battle was fought, was an open pine barren. The militia were drawn up about 280 yards in front of the regu lars, and the horse some small distance in the rear. Just after daybreak, the British came in sight; and halting within about a quarter of a mile of the militia, began to prepare for battle. The sun had just risen, as the enemy, with loud shouts, advanced to the charge. The militia, hardly waiting to give them a distant fire, broke, and fled for their horses, which were tied at some distance. Tarleton's cavalry pushed hard after them, and coming up just as they reached their horses, began to cut them down. On seeing this, Col. Washington, with his cavalry, dashed on to their rescue. As if certain of vic tory, Tarleton's men were all scattered in the chase. Washington's men, on the contrary, advanced closely and compactly, and gave the British cavalry such a fatal charge, that they fled in the utmost precipitation. The Bri

Allen's Revolution.

tish infantry now came up; and having crossed a little valley, just as they ascended the hill, they found themselves within twenty paces of the regular Americans, under Col. Howard, who at this moment poured upon them a general and deadly fire. This threw them into confusion. The militia, seeing this change in the battle, recovered their spirits and began to form on the right of the regulars. Morgan, waving his sword, instantly rode up, exclaiming with a loud voice, "Hurrah! my brave fellows! form! form! old Morgan was never beat in his life!-one fire more, my heroes, and the day is our own!" With answering shouts, both regulars and militia then advanced upon the enemy; and following their fire with the bayonet. instantly decided the conflict.

The British lost in this engagement upwards of 300 killed and wounded, and more than 500 prisoners. The loss of the Americans was but 12 killed and 60 wounded.

84. Battle of Guilford.

After the disaster at the Cowpens, Lord Cornwallis determined to intercept Colonel Morgan, and retake the prisoners; but a heavy rain in the night, swelled the rivers so as to prevent his design. To enable his troops to march with more celerity, he destroyed all his heavy baggage. At length General Greene joined Colonel Morgan, with additional forces, and Lord Cornwallis having collected his troops, the armies met near the court-house in Guilford. The action was fought on the 15th of March, 1781. The Americans amounted to between 4 and 5000 men, but mostly militia, or inexperienced soldiers. The British force consisted of about half that number of veterans. The Americans were drawn up in three lines. The front was composed of North Carolina militia, commanded by Generals Butler and Eaton; the second of Virginia militia, commanded by Stephens and Lawson; the third, of continental

* Webster.

troops, commanded by Gen. Huger and Col. Williams. The British, after a brisk cannonade in front, advanced in three columns, the Hessians on the right, the guards in the centre, and Lieut. Col. Webster's brigade on the left; and attacked the front line. The militia composing this line, through the misconduct of an officer, in giving occasion to a false alarm, precipitately quitted the field. The Virginia militia stood their ground, and kept up their fire, until they were ordered to retreat. The continental troops were last engaged, and maintained the conflict with great spirit an hour and a half; but were then forced to give way before their veteran adversaries. The British broke the second Maryland brigade; turned the American left flank; and got in the rear of the Virginia brigade. On their appearing to be gaining Greene's right, and thus threatening to encircle the whole of the continental troops, a retreat was ordered, which was well conducted. The battle was fought with great bravery and effect; for although Lord Cornwallis remained master of the field, his losses in a country where he could not recruit his army, had the effect of a defeat. His loss was more than five hundred men. That of the Americans was about four hundred in killed and wounded, of which more than three fourths were continentals.

85. Battle of Eutaw Springs.

On the 9th of September, 1781, Gen. Greene, having assembled about two thousand men, proceeded to attack the British, who, under the command of Col. Stewart, were posted at Eutaw Springs. The American force was drawn up in two lines: the first, composed of Carolina militia, was commanded by Generals Marion and Pickens, and Col. De Malmedy. The second, which consisted of continental troops from North Carolina, Vir

*Gen. Stephens, their heroic commander, had posted forty riflemen, at equal distances in the rear of this brigade, with orders to shoot every man who should leave his post.

+ Holmes' American Annals.

ginia, and Maryland, was commanded by Gen. Sumpter Lieut. Col. Campbell, and Col. Williams. Lieut. Col. Lee, with his legion, covered the right flank; and Lieut. Col. Henderson, with the state troops, covered the left. A corps de reserve was formed of the cavalry, under Lieut. Col. Washington, and the Delaware troops, under Capt. Kirkwood. As the Americans came forward to the attack, they fell in with some advanced parties of the enemy at about two or three miles ahead of the main body. These being closely pursued, were driven back; and the action soon became general. The militia were at length forced to give way, but were bravely supported by the second line. In the hottest part of the engagement, Gen. Greene ordered the Maryland and Virginia continentals to charge with trailed arms. This decided the fate of the day. "Nothing," says Dr. Ramsey, "could surpass the intrepidity of both officers and men on this occasion. They rushed on, in good order, through a heavy cannonade, and a shower of musketry, with such unshaken resolution, that they bore down all before them." The British were broken, closely pursued, and upwards of five hundred of them taken prisoners. They, however, made a fresh stand, in a favourable position, in impenetrable shrubs, and a picketted garden. Lieut. Col. Washington, after having made every effort to dislodge them, was wounded and taken prisoner. Four six pounders were brought forward to play upon them, but they fell into their hands; and the endeavours to drive them from their station being found impracticable, the Americans retired, leaving a strong picket on the field of battle. Their loss was about five hundred; that of the British upwards of eleven hundred.

Gen. Greene was honoured by congress with a British standard, and a gold medal, emblematic of the engagement and its success, "for his wise, decisive, and magnanimous conduct in the action of Eutaw Springs, in which, with a force inferior in number to that of the enemy, he obtained a most signal victory."

In the evening of the succeeding day, Col. Stewart abandoned his post, and retreated towards Charleston,