The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-06-12 00:00:00, page 1

PHILADELPHI A, May 26.
Camp, Sanders's Creek, April 27, 1781.
SIR, ,
I Did myfelf the honour to address your Excel
lency on the 2d, and informed you that we
lay before Cambden, haying found it impractica
ble to storm the town with a profpeU of success,
and nothing left but to take a portion to induce
the enemy to sally. We chofc a hill about one
mile from the town, on the main road, leading to
the Waxhaws. It was covered with timber, and
flanked on the left by an imp^Uble niorafs. The
country between that and the town is covered
by heavy wood and under-brush. In this situati
on we lay constantly upon our arms, ready for
action at a moment's warning.
About it o'clock on the morning of the 25th,
our advanced piquets were fired upon, who gave
the enemy a warm reception.
The line w^ formed in an instant, General
Huger's brigade upon the right of the road, Co
lonel Williams's brigade of Marylanders pn the
left, and the artillery in the centre. Colonel
Read, with a few militia, in the rear, as a second
line. Captain Kirkwood and the light infantry
lay in our front, and as the enemy advanced, he
was soon engaged with them, and both he and his
corps behaved with great gallantry.
The picquets under the command of Captains
Morgan and Benfori, behaved with equal spirit,
and good conduct.
As the enemy were found to be advancing on
ly with a small front, Lieutenant Colonel Ford,
with the Second Maryland regiment, had orders
to advance and flank them upon the left, Lieute
nant Colonel Campbell had orders to do the like
upon the right. Colonel Gunby, with the First
Maryland regiment, and Lieutenant Colonel
Haws with the Second Virginia regiment, had
orders to advance down the hill, and charge them
in front. Lieutenant Colonel Washington had
orders to turnthe enemy's right flank, and charge
them in the rear. The whole line was soon en
gaged in close firing, and the artillery under Col.
Harrison playing on their front. Fhe enemy
were daggered in all quarters, and upon the left
were retiring, while our troops continued to ad
vance, when unfortunately two companies of the
right, of the First Maryland regiment, got a little
disordered, and unhappily Colonel Gunby gave
an order for the rest of the regiment, tlien ad
vancing, to take a new position in the rear, where
the two companies were rallying. This impref
@ the whole regiment with an idea of a retreat,
and communicated itfelf to the second regiment,
which immediately followed the firft on them re
tiring. Both were rallied, but it was too late,
the enemy had gained the hill, -and obliged toe
artillery to retire. The Second Virginia regi
ment haying advanced lome distance down trie
hill, and the Maryland line being gone, the ene
my immediately turned their flank, while they
were engaged in front. Lieut. Col. Campbeii s
regiment had got into tome disorder, and fallen
back a little : this obliged me to order Lieute
nant Colonel Haws to retire. The troops were
frequently rallied, but had got into too much dis
order to recover the fortune or the day, whten
once promised us a compleat victory, as Colonel
Washington found the enemy, both horse and
foot retiring with the utmost precipitation to
wards the town, and took upwards of 200 pri
soners, and ten or fifteen officers, befoie he (ill
covered our people had left the ground; more
than fifty of which were brought off. The Co-
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER^
HERTFORD : Printed by H UDSON and G OODW 1 N, near the Great Bridge.
TUESDA Y, June 12, 1781.
lonel's behavior, and that of his regiment upon
this occasion, did them the highefl honour. We
retired about two or three miles, without any loss
of artillery or ammunition waggons, the baggage
having been font off at the beginning of the acti
on. The enemy fuffered very greatly. Our force
was not materially different; but had we suc
ceeded, from the disposition made, we muff have
bad the whole prisoners, as well as full pofieflion
of Cambden. Inclofed is the return of the killed
and wounded.' Among the former is Captain
Beatty of the Maryland line, a most excellent offi
cer, and an ornament to his profeffion. Our ar
my is in good spirits, and this little repulse will
make no alteration in our general plan of opera
tion. Inclofed I fend your Excellency the con
ditions of the capitulation and surrender of Fort
Watson, which, I hope, will be followed by
others.
I have the honour to be, with the greatest re
fped, your Excellency's most obedient and most
humble servant,
NATH'I. GREEN.
P. S. The horse and part of the infantry, at
the close ofthe evening, charged upon theenemy,
who retreated immediately into the town, with
precipitation.
His Excellency
Samuel Huntington, Ffq.
“SIR,«
“ T lEUTENANT Colonel Lee made a junc-
L tion with me on Santee, the 14th instant,
after a rapid march from Ramsey's Mill on Deep
River, which he performed in eight days..
“ The 15th we marched to this place and in
vested it, our rope was to cut off their water ;
some riflemen and continentals immediately took
poll between the fort and the lake.'
“ The fort was Situated on a small hm, forty
feet high, stockaded, with three rows of abbatis
around it, and no trees near enough to cover our
men from their fire.
" The third day after we had inveited it, we
found the enemv had funk a well near the stock
ade which we could not prevent them from, as
we had no intrenching tools to make our ap-
LISTof commissioned officers killed, wounded,
and captured, in the action before Cambden,
25th April, 1781.
Lieutenant Colonel Ford, Maryland, danger
ously wounded, elbow.
Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, Virginia, flight
contusion, thigh.
Captain William Beatty, Maryland, killed.
Captain J. Smith, 3d Maryland, prisoner.
Captain benholm, Virginia, flight contusion.
Captain Lieutenant Brass, Maryland, wound
ed in both ancles, and prisoner on parole.
Lieutenant M. Gaffaway, Maryland, flighty
wounded. . „
Lieutenant Ball, Virginia, dangerously in the
™ O. H. WILLIAMS, D. A. G.
Return of the killed and wounded in the action.
Killed : 1 Serjeant, 17 Rank and file.
Wounded : 7 Serjeants, 101 Rank and file.
Miffing : 3 Serjeants, 133 Rank and file.
Most ofthe miffing miffook the order to rally,
at Saunders's creek, and took a different route ;
fome'are killed, 47 wounded and in the British
hospitals ; @e third of the remainder have been
heard of and are expend to rejoin.
O. H. WILLIAMS, D. A. G.
' Fort Watson, April 23, 1781.
“ The officers and men performed everything
that could be expected, and Major Maham, of
my brigade, had in a particular manner a great
Rare in this success, by his unwearied diligence
in executing a tower, jyhich was the principal
occasion of the reduction of the fort. In short,
Sir, I have had the greatest fatisfa&ion from
every one under my command. ,
“ Inclofed is a lift T the prisoners and stores
taken. I shall, without loss of time, demolish th&
fort, after which I shall proceed to the high hills
of Santee, and halt at Capt. Richardson's plan,
tation till further orders.
I have thehonor to be,
With the greatest refpe&,
Sir, your most obedient,
humble servant,
FRANCIS MARION, B. G."
TERMS of CAPITULATION, proposed by
Leut. M'Kay, commandant of fort Watson.
I. The officers to be permitted their parole, to
wear their fide-arms, and to possess their private
baggage. Agreed.
11. The British soldiers to be permitted to march
to Charleftown, where they are to continue
perfectly out of service till exchanged, and liable
to be'ordered elsewhere by the Commander in
Chibf of the American southern army. Agreed.
111. The irregulars to be treated as prifopersof'
war. Agreed.
IV. All public stores to be delivered to the le
gion Quarter-Master, and the fort to be delivered
up to Capt. Oldham, who will take pofleflion
this evening with a detachment of Marylanders.
The capitulation is acceded to, as it now hands,
in compliment to the gallantry with which it
has been defended. (Signed)
PATRICK CARNS, JAMES M'KAY,
Captain Leg. Infantry. Lieutenant.
April 23, 1781.
A LIS f of PRISONERS taken at Scott's Lake,
- April 23, 1781.
• Commanding Officers.
Leut. M'Kay, commandant of the fort.
' Surgeon Campbell, King's American regt.
Ensign Robinion, loyal American regt.
Lieutenant Lewis, South-Carolina rangers.
Ensign and Quarter-Mailer M'Kallam, ditto.
73 British privates.
36 Tories.
Total, § commissioned officers, 109 privates.
ExtraU of a letter from General Marion, dated
April gift, 1781.
'' A small detachment which I sent to watch
the enemy's movements in Cambden, took at
proaches. We immediately determined to raise a
work equal to the heighth of the fort; This ar
duous work was completed this morning by Ma
jor Maham, who undertook it. We then made
a lodgment on the fide of the mount near the
stockade; this was performed with great spi
rit and address, by Ensign Johnfonand Mr. Lee,
a volunteer in Col. Lee's legion, who with diffi
culty ascended the hill and pulled away the abba
tis, which induced the commandant to hoist a
flag. Inclofed is the capitulation, which I hops
may be approved of by you.*
' '' Our loss was two militia killed, and three
continentals wounded.
“ On this occaficn Tam particularly indebted
to Col. Lee, for his advice and indefatigable dili
gence in every part of this tedious operation,
against as strong a little fort as could be made on
the most advantageous spot that could be wished
for.
(No. 855.)