other valuable articles, had just been received, and were then deposited in Fort Galphin, at Silver Bluff, about twelve miles below Augusta, under charge of two companies from the garrison of the latter place, he determined to venture upon gaining possession of them. Leaving Major Eaton with the main body of his legion, he made a forced march with a detachment of his infantry, mounted behind his dragoons, and on the 21st in the morning, reached the fort. His plan of attack was so well arranged, that the fort was reduced without the loss of a man, and the whole of its valuable stores fell into his hands. A junction was formed on the same day with the militia under General Pickens, and they proceeded to a formal investiture of Augusta. This place was protected by two forts, a strong one in its centre, called Fort Cornwallis, and a smaller one about half a mile up the river, where Colonel Grierson was posted with a party of militia, the whole under the command of Colonel Brown, an officer who had committed many wanton enormities, and who had rendered himself peculiarly obnoxious to the inhabitants, who were friendly to the American cause. The smaller fort being reduced and its garrison made prisoners, the united force of the two American officers was turned upon Fort Cornwallis, the commander of which gallantly resisted all their efforts for more than a week, until resort was had to the high battery, which had been recommended by Major Maham and so successfully tried against Fort Watson. Planting their only piece of cannon upon this high battery, Colonel Brown was soon compelled to accept the terms of capitulation offered by the besiegers, and on the 5th of June, the fort was put into their hands. The garrison which

consisted of about 300 men, made several desperate sallies during the siege, and Brown did every thing which skill and bravery could do to counteract the operations of the assailants. The Americans lost about 40 men, killed and wounded.

General Greene, after remaining a few days near Fort Granby, at which place he was joined by General Sumpter, proceeded directly to Ninety-Six, and arrived before it the 22d May. This was by far the most considerable post occupied by the British in South Carolina, with the exception of Charleston, and was garrisoned with 560 men,(nearly three fourths of whom were regulars) under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger. The force under General Greene was upwards of 900. The British commandant had been some time before informed of General Greene's intention to assail him, and had made every preparation for strengthening his works, and making a vigorous stand. The village was defended by three fortified works, the principal one of which, called the star fort, was situated on its right, on the left a stockade fort had been erected on an eminence, particulary with a view of protecting a rivulet which ran at its foot, and from which the garrison was supplied with water; the prison within the village, constituted the third fortification.

The direction of the preparations for a regular siege, was entrusted to Colonel Kosciusko, who overlooking the obvious advantage of cutting off the supply of water, commenced his operations against the star fort. This was the strongest point of the enemy's defence, and the ground was scarcely broke, when they erected a platform in one of the salient angles of the fortress, upon which three pieces of ar

tillery were mounted by noon on the 23d of May, and under cover of their fire, a sallying party rushed out upon the guards and working parties of our engineer, and drove them in before any detachment could be brought to their assistance. They demolished the incipient works of our engineer, killed several men and carried off the intrenching tools. They were recommenced on the night of the same day, but with more caution, and the siege seemed to promise a tedious and irksome labour. On the 8th of June, General Greene was further reinforced by the arrival of Lee from Augusta, and this active officer was directed to take post on the enemy's left, and commence his approaches against the stockade. His operations were vigorous and rapid, and notwithstanding the repeated sallies of Cruger by night, in some of which he succeeded in destroying the labours of the day, the besiegers were soon in a situation to be fearless of further resistance. Cruger was summoned to surrender; but his reply announced his determination to hold out to the last extremity.

Thus were the two parties situated when, nearly at the same time, intelligence was received by both, that a considerable reinforcement to the British army had arrived from Ireland on the 3d of June, and that Lord Rawdon was approaching to the relief of Ninety-Six, with near 2000 men. This intelligence infused new vigour into the besieged, and rendered it necessary for the besiegers speedily to bring their operations to a conclusion, either by storming the place, or raising the siege, and marching to meet his lordship. It seemed to be the unanimous and ardent wish of the troops to attempt a storm, in the success of which they felt every confidence. General

Greene, having given orders to Sumpter, and detached his cavalry under Colonel Washington, to watch the approach of Lord Rawdon, and harrass and retard his march as much as possible, resolved to gratify the ardour of his troops, and orders were accordingly given to prepare for a storm. On the 18th, at noon, the assailing columns were prepared to move. That on the right, composed of Lee's legion of infantry, and Captain Kirkwood's Delaware company, was led by Lee; the left column consisting of the first Virginia regiment, and a detachment of Marylanders, was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Campbell. Each column was preceded by a forlorn hope, that of the first, under the command of Lientenants Duval, of Maryland, and Selden, of Virginia, and that of the last under Captain Rudolph of the legions All the batteries were at the same time opened, and at the first shot the van guards entered the enemy's ditch; they were immediately followed by their respective columns, who rushed forward under a furious cannonade, and Captain Rudolph pushing boldly through the enemy's pikes and bayonets, quickly possessed himself of the redoubt on the left. On the right, affairs were not so prosperous; the enemy perceiving the desperate struggle made by Selden and Duval in the ditch, who had well nigh succeeded with their grappling hooks in pulling down the sandbags which covered the star fort, entered the ditch from a sally port in two divisions, and fell upon the parties of both these officers at the same moment. The conflict for a time was dreadful: the assailants sustained the fire not only of the sallying parties, but of those who occupied the parapets, for nearly an hour, until Duval and Selden were both severely wounded,

and General Greene ordered their brave detachments to be called off. In the evening the party who gained possession of the stockade were also drawn in, and on the following day General Greene, hearing of the near approach of Lord Rawdon, commenced his retreat.

Our loss during the siege, amounted to 185 killed and wounded, among the former of whom, was Captain Armstrong of the Maryland line. The necessity of abandoning the siege, when nothing was wanting to its complete success, but a little longer perseverance, was a galling disappointment, not only to the General, but to his little army. Never was more determined bravery displayed, under any circumstances, than in this siege, which in the grand scale of European war, would be regarded as too trifling to deserve a place in history. Delighted with the gallant conduct of his troops, General Greene continued a slow and regular retreat across the Saluda, and the Enoree, to the last of which places Lord Rawdon pursued him; but finding it impossible to overtake him, his lordship returned. Arrived at the Crossroads, and learning that his enemy was marching to the Congaree, General Greene, having previously despatched Lee with his corps to watch his motions, sent off the invalids and baggage towards Cambden, and marched with the remainder of the army towards Fort Granby.

Lord Rawdon prepared to evacuate the post of Nintety-Six, immediately after his return; and having despatched orders to Lieutenant Colonel Stuart to meet him with his regiment from Charleston, and left Colonel Cruger to conclude some arrangements, which he had entered into with the royalists, his lord