The Life of George Washington

Chapter 23. The Deep South Regained; the Prudence of Greene (April 1781 to January 1782)

GW_251-300.indd 271 5/2/12 7:49 AM CHAPTER 23 The Deep South Regained; the Prudence of Greene (April 1781 to January 1782) Greene invests Camden. -Battle ofHobkirk's hill. -Progress ofMarion andLee. -Lord Rawdon retires into the lower country.- Greene invests Ninety-Six.-Is repulsed.- Retires from that place. -Activity ofthe armies. -Movements suspended by the heat.They resume active operations.- Battle of Eutaw.- The British army retires towards Charleston. IN SouTH CAROLINA and Georgia, the campaign of1781 was uncommonly 1781 active. When Lord Cornwallis entered North Carolina, the command of the more southern states was committed to Lord Rawdon.1 For the preservation of his power, a line ofposts, slightly fortified, had been continued from Charleston, by the way ofCamden and Ninety-Six, to Augusta, in Georgia. The spirit of resistance was still kept alive in the north-western and northeastern parts of the state, by Generals Sumter and Marion; but neither of them was formidable. Such was the situation of the country, when General Greene formed the April 1781 bold resolution of endeavoring to reannex it to the American Union. His army consisted ofabout eighteen hundred men. The prospect ofprocuring subsistence was unpromising, and the chance ofreinforcements precarious. The day preceding his march southward, he detached Lee to join General Marion, and communicated his intention ofentering South Carolina to General Pickens, with a request that he would assemble the western militia, and lay siege to Ninety-Six and Augusta. r. Cornwallis moved inro Charlotte, North Carolina, late in September 1780. Francis Rawdon-Hastings (1754-1826), at the time Lord Rawdon, had been on the staffs of Generals Clinron and Cornwallis, and by 1778 was a Lieurenanr Colonel in the British army. 271 GW_251-300.indd 272 5/2/12 7:49 AM ~ COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE REVOLUTION ~ Having made these arrangements, he moved from Deep river on the 7th of April, and encamped before Camden on the 19th of the same month, within half a mile of the British works. Lord Rawdon had received early notice of his approach, and was prepared to receive him. Being unable to storm the works, or to invest them on all sides, he contented himselfwith lying before the places, in the hope of being reinforced by militia, or of some event which might bring on an action in the open field. With this view, he retired about a mile and a half from the town, and encamped on Hobkirk's hill. While in this situation, he received information that Colonel Watson was marching up the Santee, with four hundred men. To intercept him while at a distance from Camden, Greene crossed Sandhill creek, and encamped on the road leading to Charleston. It being impossible to transport artillery and baggage over the deep marshes adjoining the creek, Colonel Carrington, with the North Carolina militia, was directed to convey them to a place of safety, and to guard them till further orders. In a few days, Greene found himself compelled, by the want of provisions , to relinquish his position; and on the 24th, returned to the north side of the town, and again encamped on Hobkirk's hill. Colonel Carrington was ordered to rejoin him. Before the arrival of that officer, a deserter informed Lord Rawdon that the artillery and militia had been detached. His Lordship determined to seize this favorable occasion; and marched out of town, on the morning of the 25th, at the head of nine hundred men, to attack the American army. By keeping close to the swamp, and making a circuit of some distance, Lord Rawdon gained the American left, without being perceived. About eleven, his approach was announced by the fire of the advanced piquets, half a mile in front of Greene's encampment; and the American line of battle was immediately formed. The parties advanced in front were driven in, after a gallant resistance; and Rawdon continued his march through the wood, until he reached the road, when he displayed his columns. Perceiving that the British advanced with a narrow front, Greene ordered Colonel Ford, from his extreme left, and Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, from his extreme right, severally to attack their flanks, while the regiments 272 GW_251-300.indd 273 5/2/12 7:49 AM ~ The Prudence ofGreene *" of Gunby and Hawes should charge them in front with the bayonet. To complete their destruction, Lieutenant-Colonel Washington was directed to pass...