The Dare Boys with General Greene

by Stephen Angus Douglas Cox

They fired with the field-pieces as rapidly as possible, and about the middle of the forenoon they charged upon the fort and made another attempt to force an entrance, but the British fought desperately, and the patriot force was driven back.

And soon afterward word was brought by a messenger that had been sent to keep watch for the coming British reinforcements, to the effect that the force in question was close at hand.

It would be useless to try to attack the fort again, and so General Greene ordered that they advance, take up as strong a position as possible, and resist with persistence the approaching force of British.

The patriot soldiers made their way to the top of a sort of ridge about half a mile east of Fort Ninety-Six, and here they stationed themselves behind trees and awaited the coming of the enemy.

Presently they caught sight of the redcoats approaching, but it was seen a few moments later that it was only an advance guard. The redcoats had heard the sound of the battle, and were cautious, and had sent a reconnoitering party ahead, so as to avoid an ambush.

The patriots, knowing they would be discovered before the main force reached the spot, opened fire on the party as soon as it came in range, and several of the redcoats were dropped, dead or wounded.

The rest beat a hasty retreat, and rejoined the main force, and reported the presence of the patriot force at the top of the ridge. The party came to a stop, and the officers held a council.

Two or three of the officers were for making an attack, but the others thought differently, and so it was decided to make a detour and go around the patriots.

This was done, but the patriots learned of the movement, through Dick, who had followed the reconnoitering party and kept watch on the British, and the patriots managed to reach a point from which they could fire on the British as they passed, and killed and wounded a few.

The redcoats returned the fire, but did not stop to show fight. They kept onward at as fast a pace as possible, until they reached the fort, which they entered, and they received a hearty welcome from Major Cruger, who had begun to think that he would have to surrender the fort.