The royal gazette — [Charleston] S.C., 1781-07-25 00:00:00, page 2

THIS morning Capt. Broderick, aid-de-camp to Lieutenant-Gene
ral E: rl Cornwallis, arrived from Charleftown, South-Carolina,
with dispatches from his Lordship, and Lieutenant-Colonel Balfour,
to the Right Honourable Lord George Germaine, one of his Ma
jehy'J principal Secretaries of State, of which the following are co
pies and extracts :
My Lord, Guildford, March 1% 1781.
HAVING occasion to dispatch my aid-de-camp Capt. Broderick,
with the particulars of the a&ion of the 15th, in compliance with ge
neral directions from Sir Henry Clinton, I shall embrace the oppor
tunity to give your Lordihip an account of the operations of the
troops under my command, previous to that event, and of those sub
sequent, until the departure of Capt. Broderick.
My plan for the winter's campaign, was to penetrate into North-
Carolina, leaving South-Carolina in security against any probable at
tack in my absence.
Lord Rawdon, with a considerable body of troops, had charge of
the defensive, and rproceeded about the middle of January upon the
offenfive operations. I decided to march by the upper, in preference
to the lower roads, leading into North-Carolina, because fords being
frequent above the forks of the rivers, my passage there could not
easily be obfbuHed; and General Greene having taken poll on the
Pedee; and there being few fords in any of the great rivers of this
country below their forks, especially in the winter, I apprehended be
ing much delayed, if not entirely prevented, from penetrating by the
latter route. I was the more induced to prefer this route, as I hoped
in my way to be able to destroy or drive out of South-Carolina, the
corps of the enemy commanded by General Morgan, which threatened
our valuable diilri& of Ninety-Six ; and I likewise hoped, by rapid
marches, to be between General Greene and Virginia, and by that
means force him to fight, without receiving any reinforcement from
that province ; or failing of that, to oblige him to quit North-Caro
lina with precipitation, and thereby encourage our friends to make
good their promises of a general riling to assist me in re-establishing
his Majefly's government.
The unfortunate affair of the 17th of January, was a very unex
pedfed and severe blow; however, being thoroughly fenfibie that
defenfive meafuresfvould be certain ruin to the affairs of Britain in
the Southern Colonies, this event did not deter me from prosecuting
the original plan.
That General Greene might be uncertain of my intended route as
long as possible, I had left General Leslie at Camden, until I was
ready to move from Winnefborough, and he was now within a march
of me. I employed the rßth in forming a junction with him, and in
collecting the remains of Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton's corps; after
which great exertions were made by part of the army without bag
gage, to retake our prisoners, and to intercept General Morgan's
corps, on its retreat to the Catawba ; but the celerity of their move
ments, and the swelling of the numberless creeks in our way, render
ed all our efforts fruitlefs. I therefore assembled the army on the
25th at Ramfour 's Mill, on the South Fork of the Catawba; and as
the loss of my light troops could only be remedied by the activity of
the whole corps, I employed a halt of two days in colle&ing.fome
four, and in destroying Superfluous baggage, and all my waggons,
except those loaded with hospital stores, salt and ammunition, and
four refervel empty in readiness for sick or wounded. In this mea
sure, though at the expence of a great deal of officers b g<age, and
of all profpeH in future of rum % and even a regular fuppiy of pro
v fions to the soldiers, I must, in justice to this army, fay, that there
was the most general and chearfpl acquiescence.
The Prince of Wales has repeatedly desired the King to let
him raise a regiment, appoint the officers, and be Colonel of it
himfelf; and at last, it is laid to be determined that he Ihall
do it. It is to confix of four battalions, of 400 men each,
which are to be picked, and under four Colonels Commandant
eri second; his Royal Highness has already spoken to feyeral of
the Nobility to assist him in procuring fine fellows. The regi
ment is to be one of the fined in Europe.
The Spanish frigate El Placido Januarez, commanded by
Don Cevafco, of 38 guns, was loft off Cape Spartel, on Sun
day the 6th inst. and every foul perished.
May 28. There has been lately read, in the Assembly of the
Nobles of Holland and Weft-Friefeland, an address to them,
presented by Van Berkel, Penfionary of the city of Amsterdam,
tending to exculpate the members of that part of the Dutch
Government in general, “ from the charge of pretended daily
“ infractions of the most solemn engagements, and also from
" being represented as governed by a spirit of faction, and a
" domineering cabal, tending to facrifice the public good to
^ private views." —This addrefs.is signed by Van Berkel, who
undertakes throughout to clear himfelf of what he calls the
personal attacks and accusations against him, as a disturber of
the public peace, and violater of the rights of mankind, &c.
On Saturday fe'nnight died, in Fifelhire, Scotland, David
Bruce, Esq; of Kinloch.
Lately was married, at Mrs. Roßertfon's house in Wim
pole-ftreet, by special licence from his Grace the Archbi
fliop of Canterbury, John Henderson, Esq; Member of Par
liament, son of Sir Robert Henderson, Bart, to M:fs Robertson,
daughter of Lieutenant-General Robertson, Colonel of the
j6th regiment of foot, and Governour of New-York.
Jfo 30. The return of the sick in the hospital at
Brest, by Admiral Count d'Eftaing's report, is, teamen, able
and ordinary, 3,400, near loco of which are invalids, and a
bout 318 cripples; marine soldiers and landsmen 1100, whereof
460 are invalids. In the month of April there died in the hos
pitals upwards of 1000 seamen and soldiers.
A letter from on board the Prince George man of war men
tions, that his Royal Highness the Prince had not experienced
a single day's illness during the voyage, that he frequently
went aloft, was alert upon every occalion, and bid fair to
make a very expert seaman.
War-Office, Ma, $. Promotions.
Independent Company of Foot, Lieutenant Athol Douglas,
of 77th Foot, is appointed to be Captain; Ensign James
Robinson, of 77th Foot, to be Lieutenant; Ensign John
Tfapier, of 77th Foot, to be Lieutenant; Henry Carry Ear
ring, Gent, to be Ensign.
Independent Company of Foot, Lieutenant Francis Fuller,
of 36th Foot, to be Captain ; Ensign Anthony Ellwood, of
36th Foot, to be Lieutenant, Ensign Richard Jennings, of
36th Foot, to be Lieutenant; Thomas Fairtlough, Gent,
to be Ensign.
May 26. 2d reg. Dragoon Guards. Robert Hewetfon,
Captain of a Troop.
6th reg. Dragoons. John Singleton, Lieutenant.
loth reg. Dragoons. Francis Gregory, Captain-Lieutenant.
19th reg. Dragoons. Jphn Hare, Captain-Lieutenant.
21st reg. Dragoons. Harry Portal, Captain of a Troop.
William Walton, Lieutenant.
ift reg. Foot Guards. Charles Whitworth, Captain of a
Company.
Peregrine Dealtry, Lieutenant.
Doctor Thomas Clark to be Physician to the Forces in
North-America, under the Command of Sir Henry Clinton.
Patrick Connor, to be Apothecary to the Hospitals in the
Leeward-Islands.
London, May 26. Letters by the Louisa, Capt. Wintringham,
arrived in the river from Peterfbourg, bring advice, Wa^a
fleet of men of war lay in the Baltick, ready to fail, and omy
waited for orders ; it was given out they were bound for Eng
land, for the use of his Britannic Majesty, as soon as some
particular points were fettled with the Engldh Ambassador m
regard to what manner they were to be employed. # x
Our accounts from Paris, which are dated the 18th inst. lay,
that Mons. C. Deputy Paymaster General of the Forces, is
deficient in his accounts more than 5,000,000 livres, and is in
private custody until he can answer for the default to the fatis
fadion of the Ministers.
From the LONDON GAZETTE, of June 5.
WHITEHALL, June 4, 1781. 8
In the mean time; the rains had rendered the North-Catawba im
passible, and General Morgan'^ corps, the militia of the .rebellious
counties of Rowan and Mecklenburgh under General Davidson, or
the gang of plunderers usually under the command of General Sump
ter, not then recovered from his wounds, had occupied all the fords,
in Vfyrce of more than forty miles upwards from the Fork. I ap
proached the river, during its height, by short marches, so as to
give the. enemy equal apprehensions for several fords ; and, after ha
ving procured the bed information in my power, I resolved to at- -
tempt the passage at a private ford (then slightly guarded) near
M'Cowan's Ford, on the morning of the firft of February.
Lieut. Col. Webber was detached with part of the army,, and all
the baggage, to Beattie's ford, fix miles above M'Cowaii's, where
Gen. Davidson was supposed to be polled with 500 militia, and was
directed to make ever, possible demonflration, by cannonading and
otherwise, of an intention to force a passage there; and I march
ed at one in the morning, with the brigade of Guards, regiment of
Bose, 23d regiment, 200 cavalry, and 2 three pounders, to the ford
fixed upon for the real attempt. The morning being very dark and
rainy, and part of our way through a wood, where there was no
road, one of the three-pounders, in front of the 23d regiment and
the cavalry, overfet in- a swamp, and occasioned those. corps to lole
the line of march ;' and some of the artillery men belonging to the
other gun (one of whom had the match) having flopped to affitt,
were likewise left behind. The head of the colum'fi, in the mean
while, arrived at the bank of the river, and day began to break. I
could make no use of the gun that was up, and it was evident, from
the number of fires on the other fide, that the opposition would be
greater than I had expelled. However, as fknew that the rain then
falling would soon render the river again impassible, and I had recei
ved information the evening before, that Gen. Greene had arrived in
General Morgan's camp, and that his army was marching after him
with the greatest expedition, I determined not to delift from the at
tempt ; and therefore, full of confidence in the zeal and gallantry of
Brigadier-General O'Hara, and of the brigade of guards under his
command, I ordered them to march on; but, to prevent confufion,
not to fire until they gained the eppofite bank. Their behaviour juf
tified my high opinion of them ;for a constant fire from the enemy,
in a ford upwards of 500 yards wide, in many places up to their mid
dle, with a rocky bottom and strong current, made no impression
on their cool and determined valour, nor checked their paffage' .The
light infantry, landing firft, immediately formed, and ' in' a'few mi
nutes, killed or dispersed every thing that appeared before them, the
rest of the troops forming and advancing in succession. We now
learned, that we had been opposed by about 300 militia that had ta
ken post there, only the evening before, under the command of Ge
neral Davidson. Their General, and two or threb other officers,
were among the killed ; the number of wounded was uncertain, and
a few were taken prisoners. On our fide, Lieut. Col. Hall, and
three men were killed, and 36 wounded ; all) of the light infantry
and grenadiers of the guards. By this time the rear of the column
bad joined, and the whole having passed with the greatest dispatch,
I detached Lieut. Col. Tarleton, with the cavalry and- 23d regiment,
to pursue the routed militia ; a few were soon killed or taken, and
Lieut. Col. Tarleton having learned 3 or 400 of the neighbouring mi
litia were to assemble that day at Tarrank's-houfe, about ten miles
from the ford, leaving his infantry, he went on with the cavalry,
and finding the militia as expe&ed, he, with excellent conduct and
great spirit, attacked them instantly, and totally routed them, with
little loss on his fide, and on their's, between 40 and 50 killed,
wounded or prisoners. This stroke, with our passage of the ford, so
effectually dispirited the militia, that we met with no further oppo
sition on our march to the Yadkin, through one of the most rebel
lious trails in America.
During this time, the rebels having quitted Beattie's ford, Lieut.
Col. Webster was passing his detachment and the baggage of the
army: This had become tedious and difficult by the continuance of
the rain and the swelling of the river; but all joined us soon after
dark, about fix miles from Beattie's ford. The other fords were like
wise abandoned by the enemy. The greatest part of the militia dis
persed; and Gen. Morgan with his corps marched all that afternoon,
and the following night, towards Salisbury." —We pursued next
morning, in hopes to intercept him between the rivers, and after
struggling with many difficulties, arising from swelled creeks and
bad road's, the guards came up with his rear, in the evening
of the 3d, routed it, and took a few waggons at the Trading
Ford of the Yadkin.—He had passed the body of his infantry in flats,
and his cavalry and waggons by the ford, during that day and the
preceding night; but at the time of our arrival the boats were secu
red on the other fide, and the ford had become impassable. The
river continuing to rife, and the weather appearing unsettled, I de
termined to march to the Upper Fords, after procuring a small supply
of provisions at Salilbury, This, and the height of the creeks in
our way, detained me two days; and in that time Morgan having
quitted the banks of the river, I had information from opr friends,
who crossed in canoes, that General Greene's army was marching
with the utmost dispatch to form a junction with him at Guildford.
Not having had time to collect the North-Carolina militia, and
having received no reinforcement from Virginia, I concluded that he
would do every means in his power to avoid an action on the south
fide of the Dan: and it being my interest to force him to fight, I
made great expedition, and got between him and the Upper Fords;
and being assured that the Lower Fords are seldom practicable^ in
winter, and that lie could not colled many flats at any of the ferries,
I was in great hopes that he would not escape me without receiving
a blow.
Nothing could exceed the patience and alacrity of the officers and
soldiers, under every species ofhardfhip and fatigue, in endeavouring
to overtake him; but our intelligence upon this occasion was ex
ceedingly defective, which, with heavy rains, bad roads, and the
passage of many deep creeks, and bridges destroyed by the enemy's
light troops, rendered all our exertions vain; for upon our arrival
at Boyd's ferty, on the 15th, we learned that his rear-guard had got
over the night before, his baggage and main body having passed the
preceding day, at that and a neighbouring ferry, where more flats
had been collected than had been represented to me as possible. My
force being ill-suited to enter by that quarter so powerful a province
as Virginia, and North-Carolina being in the utmost confufion, after
giving the troops a halt of one day, I proceeded by easy marches to
Hillfborough, where I erected the King's standard, and invited, by
proclamation, all loyal fubjeCts to repair to it, to hand forth and take
an aCtive part in affixing me to restore order and oconft;tutional go
vernment. As a considerable body of friends were said to reside be
tween the Haw and Deep rivers, I detached Lieut. Col. Tarleton
on the 23d, with the cavalry and a small body of infantry, to pre
vent their being interrupted in assembling, —-Unluckily a detachment
of the rebel light troops had crossed the fame day, and by accident
fell in with about two hundred of our friends, under Col. Pyle, on
their way to Hilfborough, who, mistaking the rebels for Lieut.
Col. Tarleton's corps, allowed themselves to be surrounded, and a
number of them were most inhumanly butchered, when begging
for quarters, without making the least refinance. The fame day I
had certain intelligence that General Greene; having been reinforced,
had crossed the Dan, which rendering it imprudent to separate my
corps, occasioned the recal of Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton's detach
ment; and forage and provisions being scarce in the neighbourhood
of Hillfborough, as well as the position too distant (upon the ap
pfoach of the rebel army) for the protection of the body of our
friends, I judged it expedient to cross the Haw, and encamped near
Allemance Creek, detaching Lieut. Col. Tarleton, with the cavalry,
light company of the guards, and 150 men of Lieut. Col. Webster's
brigade, a few miles from me on the road to Deep River, more ef
fe&ually to cover the country.
Gen. Greene's light troops soon made their appearance; and on
the 2d a patrole having reported, that they had seen both cavalry
and infantry near to his poll, I directed Lieut, Col. Tarleton to move
forward with proper precautions, and endeavour to difeover the
designs of the enemy. He had not advanced far, when he fell
in with a considerable corps, which he immediately attacked and
routed; but being ignorant of their force, and whether they were
supported, with great prudence defined from pursuit : he soon
learned from prisoners, that those he had beat were I.ee's legion, 3
or 400 back mountain men under Col, Prefion, with a number of
militia; and that General Greene, with part of his army, was not
far distant. Our fixation for the former few days had been among°
timid friends, and adjoining to inveterate rebels: between them I h d
- been totally destitute of information, which 101 l me a very favourab e
opportunity of attacking the rebel army. Gen. G.eenc fell back to
ThomrOm's house, rear Bor !'s ford, on tho Pee!v Fork- v
light troops and militia did remained near us, ana Is 1 wa, nfarnil
that they were polled carehhiy at separate plantations, for the conve
nience of fubfifiing, I marched on the 6th to drive then in, and t°
attack Gen. Greene, if an opportunity offered. I succeeded com
pletely in the firft, and at Weitzcll's mill on the Reedy Ford, wher°
they made a hand, the back mountain men, and some Virginia mi
litia, fuffered considerably, with little loss on our fide; but a time''
and precipitate retreat over the Haw prevented the latter. I kpfy
that the Virginia reinforcements were upon their march, and it was
apparent that the enemy would, if possible, avoid riiking an a&i o n
before their arrival.
The neighbourhood of the fords of the Dan in their rear, and the
extreme difficulty of subsisting my troops in that exhausted country
putting it out of my power to force them, my resolution was to give
our friends time to join us, by covering their country as effe&ually
as possible, confident with the subsistence of the troops, still approach,
ing the communication with our shipping n Cape Fear river, which
I saw it would soon become indispensably necessary to open, on ac
count of the fufferings of the army, from the want of supplies of every
kind; at the fame time I was determined to fight the rebel army
f it approached me, being convinced that it would be impossible to
succeed in that great object of our arduous campaign, the calling forth
the numerous loyalists of North-Carolina, whilst a doubt remained
on their minds of the superiority of our arms. With these views I
had moved to the Quaker Meeting, in the forks of the Deep river
on the 13th, and on the 14th I received the information which occasi
oned the movements, that brought on the adlion at Guildford of
which I shall give your Lordship an account in a separate letter.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) CORNWALLIS.
, My Lord, Guildford, March 17, 1,81.
I HAVE the fatisfa&ion to inform your Lordfllip, that his Ma
jelly's troops under my command'obtained a signal victory on the 15 th
inst. over the rebel army, commanded by General Greene.
In pursuance of my intended plan, communicated to your Lorfhip
in my dispatch, No. 7, I had encamped on the 13th infant, at the
Quaker Meeting between the forks of Deep River. On the 14th
I received information that Gen. Butler, with a body of North-Ca
rolina militia, and the expelled reinforcements from Virginia, said
to consist of a Virginia state regiment, a corps of Virginia 18 months
men, 3000 Virginia militia, and recruits for the Maryland line, had.
joined General Greene; and that the whole army, which was re
ported to amount to 9 or 10,000 men, was marching to attack the.
Britilh troops. During tileafternoon intelligence was brought, which
was confirmed in the night, that he had advanced that day to Guild
ford, about 12 miles from our camp. Being now persuaded that he had
resolved to hazard an engagement, after detaching Lieut. Col, Ha
milton witli our waggons and baggage, escorted by his own regiment,
a detachment of one hundred infantry, and twenty cavalry, to
wards Bell's Mill on Deep River, I marched with the rest of the
corps at day-break, on the morning of the Ifth, to meet the.
hour past one in the afternoon; Major-General I.eflie, after being obli
ged, by the great extent of the enemy), line, to bring up theist batta-.
lion enemy, or to attack them in their encampment. About four miles,
from Guildford our advanced guard, commanded by Lieut. Col-
Tarleton, fell in with a corps of the enemy, confining of Lee's legion,
some back mountain men, and Virginia militia, which lie attacked
with his usual good conduct and spirit, and defeated: and continuing
our march, we found the Rebel army' polled an rising ground, about
a mile and a half from the Court-house. The prisoners taken by Lieut-
Col. Tarleton, having been several days witli the advanced corps,
could give me no account of the enemy's order or position, and the
country people were extremely inaccurate in their description of the
ground. Immediately between the head of the column, and the,
enemy's line, was a considerable plantation, one large field of which
was on our left of the road, and two others, with a wood of about,
200 yards broad between them, on our right of it; beyond these
fields the wood continued for several miles to our right. The wood
beyond the plantation in our front, in the skirt of which the enemy's'
firfl line were formed; was about a mile in depth, the road then
leading into an extehfive space of cleared ground about Guildford
Court house. The woods on our right and left were reported to be
impracticable for cannon; but, as that on our right appeared to be'
most open, I resolved to attack the left wing of the enemy, and
whilst my disposition was making for that purpose, I ordered Lieu
tenant Macleod to bring forward the guns, and cannonade their
center. The attack was directed to be madein the following order :
On the right the regiment of Bose, and the 71st regiment, led by
Major-General Leslie, and supported by the iff battalion of guards ,
on their left, the 23d and 33d regiments, led by Lieutenant-Colonel
Webster, and supported by the grenadiers and 2d battalion of guards^
commanded by Brigadier-General O'Hara ; the yagers and light-in--
fantry of the guards remained in the wood on the left of the guns^
and the cavalry on the road, ready to a& as circumstances might re
quire. Our preparations being made, the action began about half an.
of guards to the right of the regiment of Bose, soon defeated : every
thing before him ; Lieutenant-Colonel Webster having joined ' the left
of Major-General Leslie's division, was no less fuccefsful in his front,,
when, on finding the left of the 33d was exposed to a heavy fire from,
the right wing of the enemy, he changed his front to the left, and be
ing supported by the yagers and light-infantry of the guards, attacks
ed and routed it; the grenadiers and second battalion of guards
moving forward to occupy the ground left vacant by the movement
of Lieutenant-Colonel Webster.
All the infantry being now in the line, Lieut. Colonel Tarleton
had directions to keep his cavalry compact, and not to charge with
out positive orders, except to protect any of the corps from the most
evident danger of being defeated. The excessive thickness of the woods
rendered our bayonets of little use, and enabled the broken ene
my to make frequent hands, with an irregular fire, which occasioned
some loss, and to several of the corps great delays, particularly on our
right, where the firfl battalion of guards and regiment of Bose were
warmly engaged in front, flank and rear, with some of the ene
my that had been rented on the firft attack, and with part of the ex
tremity of their left wing, which, by the closeness of the wood, had
been passed unbroken. The 71st regiment and grenadiers, and 2d.
battalion of guards, not knowing what was passing on their right,
and hearing the fire advance on their left, continued to move for
ward, the artillery keeping pace with them on the road, followed by
the cavalry. The second battalion of the guards firft gained the clear
ground near Guildford Court-house, and found a corps of Continental
infantry, much superior in number, formed on the open field on the
left of the road. Glowing With impatience to signalize themselves,
they instantly attacked and defeated them, taking two hx-pounders,
but, pursuing into the wood with too much ardour, weret hrown
into confufion by a heavy fire, and immediately charged and
driven back into the field, by Col. Washington's dragoons, with the
loss of the fix pounders they had taken. The enemy's cavalry was
soon repulsed by a well-diferied fire from two three-pounders just
brought up by Lieutenant Macleod; and by the appearance of the
grenadiers of the guards and of the 71st regiment, which, having
been impeded by some deep ravines, were now coming out of the
wood, on the right of the guards, opposite to the Court-house. By
the spirited exertions of Brigadier-General O'Hara, though wounded,
the 2d battalion of the guards was soon rallied, and, supported by the
grenadiers, returned to the charge with the greatest alacrity. The.
23d regiment arriving at that infant from our left, and Lieut. Col.
Tarleton having advanced with part of the cavalry, the enemy .were
soon put to flight, and the two fix-pounders once more fell into our
handi; two ammunition waggons, and two other fix-pounders, being
all the artillery they had in the field, were likewise taken. About
this time, the 33d regiment and light-infantry of the guards, after
overcoming many difficulties, compleatly routed the corps which was
opposed to them, and put an end to the a&ion in this quarter : The
23d and 71st regiments, with part of the cavalry, were ordered to
pursue ; the remainder cf the cavalry was detached with Lieut. Col.
Tarleton to our right, where a heavy fire, still continued, and where
his appearance and Spirited atta r k contributed much to a speedy ter
r. action of the action. The militia, with which our right had been
e tgaged, dispersed in the woods; the Continentals went off by the
Reedy Fork, beyond which it was not in my power to follow them,
as tl eir cavalry had fuffered but little! Our troops wero ex.celhve!y
fatigued, by an a&i<m which laded an hour and a half; and our nu
merous wounded dispersed over an extehfive space of ee untry, requi
red immediate attention. The care of our wounded, and the total
Want of provisions in an exbaudco country, made it equally impoffi-