Nothing now remained but to drive in the British outposts, and hem them within the narrow precincts of their lines at Charleston and Savannah. With this view, Greene, at the head of his cavalry, and about two hundred infantry, proceeded toward Dorchester, a British post in the neighborhood of Charleston, while the main army, under Colonel Williams, crossed the Santee, and marched to the fertile plains upon the Four-hole Creek, a tributary of the Edisto. Here we will leave the two armies for the present, to meet many of the troops again upon other fields of conflict.
As there were no works of consequence thrown up at Eutaw, not a vestige of the camp or of the battle remained when I visited the spot in 1849, except the few scattered bricks of the "citadel" already referred to. On returning to his house, Mr. Sinkler showed me a gold watch which one of his negroes found ten years before, while making holes with a stick in planting cotton seed, in the field where Washington was defeated. The negro hit a hard substance, and as there are no stones in the field, he had the curiosity to search for the obstruction, when he drew forth the watch. The hands were almost destroyed by rust; otherwise the watch is well preserved.
Guided by one of Mr. Shindler's servants, I crossed the Eutaw Creek, near his house, and rode down to Nelson's Ferry, at the mouth of the stream, about a mile and a half distant. At its entrance into the Santee, the bateau of the ferryman was moored, and almost filled its narrow channel. Beneath the moss-draped trees upon the bank of the river, some negro women were washing clothes, and when they found themselves portrayed in my drawing, in all the dishabille of a washing-day, they wanted to arrange their dresses and caps, and be sketched in better plight. Time was too precious to allow compliance, for I wished to get as far toward Orangeburg that evening as possible. Promising to improve their toilet when I got home, I closed my port-folio, and, taking the reins, hastened toward Vance's Ferry.
Nelson's Ferry, the spot here portrayed, was an important locality during the Revolution. It was the principal crossing-place of the Santee for travelers or troops passing between Camden and Charleston, and as such, commanded the attention of the British after they captured the latter city. A redoubt was cast up there upon the north side of the Santee, and garrisoned by a small detachment; and to that point, as we have seen, Lord Rawdon retreated from Camden.
We have noticed, on page 685, that Marion, while in the camp of Gates, was called to
* A mutinous spirit was soon manifested in the camp upon the hills, chiefly among the Marylanders. They wished to go home, complained of want of pay and clothing, and in petitions to Greene set forth their various grievances. Finally, some stole away from the camp with their arms, when stringent measures were deemed necessary to prevent open disorder. Things were brought to a crisis by a South Carolina soldier, named Timothy Griffin. He had heard whispers of disaffection, and one day, while drunk, went up to a group of soldiers who were talking to an officer, and said, "Stand to its boys—damn my blood if I'd give an inch!" He supposed they were altercating with the officer, which was not the fact. Griffin was instantly knocked down by Captain M'Pherson, of the Maryland line, and then sent to the provost. The next day he was tried for mutinous conduct, found guilty, and at five o'clock in the evening was shot in the presence of the whole army. This terrible example suppressed all mutinous proceedings.—Gordon, iii., 246
Success of Marion at Nelson's Ferry.—Site of Fort Watson.—Movements of Colonel Watson.
the command of the patriots of Williamsburg District, and went to duty in the lower country. Ignorant of the operations of the Americans under Gater that brave partisan was striking successful blows against the enemy here and there, while his commander-in-chief was becoming ensnared in the net of disaster which gathered around him near Camden.