with a severe attaek from Campbell's riflemen and Lee's infantry. Webster was quickly re-enforced by some Hessians and chasseurs, and the whole were supported by field-pieces planted by Cornwallis upon an eminence near the banks of the stream. The artillery dismayed the militia, which Williams perceiving, ordered them to retire. He followed with Howard's battalion, flanked by Kirkwood's Delaware infantry and the infantry of Lee's legion, the whole covered by Washington's cavalry. * The day was far spent, and Cornwallis did not pursue. In this skirmish the Americans lost about fifty killed and wounded.
As soon as Greene heard of the approach of Cornwallis, he fell baek across the head waters of the Haw with the main army, determined not to risk an engagement until the arrival of re-enforcements, now fast approaching. In the mean while he changed his position daily, and Cornwallis, who, unwilling to wear down his army by useless attempts to strike the Americans in detail, had retired slowly to Bell's Mills on the Deep River, about thirteen miles below the present Jamestown, could gain no positive information concerning him. ** At length, while encamped at Speedwell's iron-works, on Troublesome Creek, northeast of Guilford, Greene was joined by a brigade of militia from Virginia, under General Lawson; two from North Carolina, under Generals Butler and Eaton; and four hundred regulars, raised for eighteen months.March 10 He now felt strong enough to grapple with the earl, and the light corps of Colonel Williams was incorporated with the main army. *** Crossing the Haw and Reedy Fork, Greene encamped in battle order near Guilford Court House.March 13 The movements of the two generals during the ten preceding days were or great interest. They were contending for a prize of the greatest value. One false step by either party would have been his ruin. None were more interested spectators than the Tories, from whom Cornwallis fondly anticipated aid. When Greene invited battle, they were utterly amazed, and not one dared lift his arm in defense of the king, the issue being so doubtful.
Cornwallis, in the mean while, had advanced from Deep Reep River toward New Garden (Quaker) meeting-house. Perceiving Greene's disposition to fight, he gladly prepared to meet him. It was an event he had been trying to accomplish for more than six weeks. Sending his baggage back to Bell's Mills, on the evening of the fourteenth, under a proper escort, he moved forward at dawn the next morning,March 15 with twenty-four hundred men, chiefly veterans. The vigilant Lee, with his legion, was near New Garden
* Gordon relates that Sergeant-major Perry, and Quarter-master-sergeant Lumsford, of Lee's dragoons, performed a very bold maneuver. They were separately detached, with four dragoons, to make observations. They saw sixteen or eighteen British horsemen ride into a farm-house yard in an irregular manner, and some of them dismount. The two young men joined their forces, charged the horsemen, and, in sight of Tarleton's legion, eut every man down. They then retired without a scar!—Gordon, iii., 172.
** Cornwallis first encamped, in this retrograde march on the plantation of William Rankin, a Whig, and then proceeded to the plantation of Ralph Gorrel, another wealthy patriot. The family were turned out of doors, and sought shelter at a neighbor's house. The soldiers plundered and destroyed until the place was made a desolation. On Sunday, the eleventh of March, the royal army proceeded to the plantation of Reverend Dr. Caldwell, one of the most ardent Whigs in North Carolina, from the time of the Regulator movement. The doctor was then in Greene's camp, at the iron-works on Troublesome Creek. His family left the house, and retired to the smoke-house, where they remained twenty-four hours without food or a bed, exposed to the abuse and profane language of the soldiery. Cornwallis occupied the house of Mr. M'Cuistin, on the great road from the Court House to Fayetteville. Every thing but the buildings were destroyed on the plantation of Dr. Caldwell. ''Every panel of fence on the premises was burned; every particle of provisions was consumed or carried away; every living thing was destroyed, exeept one old goose; and nearly every square rod of ground was penetrated with their iron ramrods in search of hidden treasure." By command of the officers, the doctor's valuable library and papers—even the family Bible—were burned in an oven near the house. All was made a desolation. Cornwallis had offered a reward of one thousand dollars to any one who should bring Dr. Caldwell into his camp. Dr. Caruthers, in his Life of Caldwell, gives many painful descriptions of the sufferings of this good man and his faithful Rachel. Dr Caldwell died in 1824, when in his hundredth year. His wife died in 1825, at the age of eighty-six.
*** The whole army fit for duty now consisted of 4243 foot, and 161 cavalry. It was composed of Huger's brigade of Virginia continentals, 778; Williams's Maryland brigade, and a company of Delawares, 630; infantry of Lee's partisan legion, 82; total of Continental regulars, 1490. There were 1060 North Carolina militia; 1693 from Virginia; in all, 2753. Washington's light dragoons, 86; Lee's dragoons, 75. To these were added, the next day, 40 horse, under the Marquis of Bretagne, a French nobleman.
Skirmish at New Garden Meeting house.—Defeat of Tarleton.—Lee driven back by the main British Army
meeting-house when the van of the British army, consisting of cavalry, some light infantry, and yagers, under Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton, * approached. Desirous of drawing them as far from the royal army, and as near Greene's as possible, Lee ordered a change of front, and a slow retreat.
Hoping to produce a route, Tarleton and his cavalry pressed forward upon Armstrong, who was now in the rear, but with little effect.