BATTLE OF CAMDEN, ETC.
The loyalty of the people of South Carolina was like a morning cloud; it soon passed away. It was not long before they began to manifest a change of disposition. Those who had accepted protection, because they could not help themselves, manifested their antipathy to the British government; while those who were in heart favourable to the cause of King George, were indignant at seeing the disloyal part of the community enjoying immunities and advantages, which they would employ against the English on the first opportunity. The disaffected were encouraged by the hope of speedy aid from Virginia and by congress, who were resolved to make the most strenuous efforts to recover South Carolina. At length, therefore, treachery began openly to show itself. One Lisle, who had taken the oath of allegiance, and obtained rank and command, went over to the republicans with a battalion of militia, well equipped with arms and ammunition. A similar instance of treachery also occurred in another part of the province, where a colonel of militia, who was entrusted with the escort of some sick and wounded soldiers, carried them into North Carolina, and gave them up to Baron de Kalb, a German, who was at the head of some regular troops, and of 3000 militia. Kalb was appointed to drive the royalists out of the country in North Carolina, and to encourage the disaffected in South Carolina. He was soon joined by General Gates, whom congress sent to take the supreme command of the American forces. On his arrival, Gates having 6000 men under his command, prepared at once to drive the British from their line of posts across the state of South Carolina, and carry the war up to the very walls of Charlestown. Intelligence of these preparations induced Lord Cornwallis to repair to Camden, though his effective force did not exceed 2000 men. After some skirmishing, and two attacks on detached positions, conducted by Colonel Sumter, and both unsuccessful, Gates moved forward to Camden, in the full assurance of victory. Having received intelligence of this, Lord Cornwallis, instead of retreating or waiting to receive Gates, set out in the dead of the night to meet him. The advanced parties met in the woods at two o’clock in the morning, and a Maryland regiment was defeated; but after this temporary conflict both armies betook themselves to rest, and waited for the morning light. When the morning dawned, Cornwallis discovered that the ground which he occupied was exceedingly favourable for an action; his flanks being secured by two swamps, which narrowed the ground in his front by which Gates must advance. He formed in two lines: the first consisting of two divisions under Lord Rawdon and Colonel Webster, and the second consisting of the seventy-first regiment, and some squadrons of horse under his Own command. The arrangement of the enemy was similar; but Gates made some disposition on the left, as if intending to change his position, and Lord Cornwallis seizing the critical moment, ordered Webster to advance and charge the enemy on their left. This division was chiefly composed of Virginia militia, and as Webster advanced they threw down their loaded muskets and fled from the field. Their example was soon followed by the North Carolina division, which formed the centre of Gates’s army. Gates now brought up his second line, or reserve, and endeavoured to rally his militia. It was all in vain; the reserve corps were utterly routed, and the militiamen ran for their lives into the woods. Gates, aware that all was lost, fled with a few friends to Charlotte, about eighty miles off; and in this battle he lost nearly nine hundred slain, among whom was Baron de Kalb, and about 1000 were taken prisoners, he also lost all his baggage and camp-equipage, many stands of colours, seven pieces of cannon, and one hundred and fifty waggons, containing a large quantity of military stores and provisions. The English lost about three hundred and fifty men in killed and wounded, nearly all belonging to the regiment under Webster, and the Irish volunteers under Lord Rawdon, who had borne the chief weight of the action. This victory was followed by another. At this time Colonel Sumter was on the other side of the Wateree, with the intention of striking into the heart of South Carolina, and Tarleton, with some cavalry and mounted infantry, was dispatched against him. Sumter, warned of Gates’s disaster, had already began a retreat towards North Carolina, when he was overtaken by Tarleton near the Catawba Fords, where his corps were almost annihilated. He lost one hundred and fifty men killed, three hundred prisoners, and an immense quantity of arms and military stores: two hundred and fifty British prisoners were also recaptured. Thus victorious, Lord Cornwallis again sent emissaries into North Carolina, to assure the royalists there, that he would march into their country as soon as he received necessary supplies from Charlestown. In the meantime, as lenity had not disarmed the hostility of the disloyal, he gave some examples of severity. He sequestered the estates of all those who had broken their parole or their oath, and who had left the province; denounced death against those who, after receiving British protection, should desert; and executed some of the South Carolina militia, whom he had taken in arms near Camden, with British protection in their pockets. Cornwallis then marched into North Carolina, and he took possession of Charlottetown; but hearing of the defeat of a body of loyal militia, under Major Ferguson, who were attacked at King’s Mountain by 1000 backwoodsmen, he retreated to South Carolina, and deferred the prosecution of his enterprise till reinforcements should arrive from New York. He took up a position between Camden and the district of Ninety-Six, where he waited for the arrival of General Leslie, who had been detached by Sir Henry Clinton to penetrate into Virginia, in order to co-operate with Cornwallis. Leslie was afterwards ordered round by sea to Charlestown; and while Cornwallis was waiting for him, Tarleton with his flying column drove back an enterprising partizan, named Marion, and again defeated his old adversary, Sumter. Meanwhile congress, though greatly dejected by these reverses, had appointed General Greene to supersede Gates, Greene arrived at Charlottetown on the 2nd of December; but he found himself in no condition to advance into South Carolina; and as Cornwallis had not yet been reinforced, no further events transpired in the south during this campaign.