The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-10-30 00:00:00, page 2

The legion and state troops formedour advance,
and were to retire upon the banks upon the ene
my's forming. In this order we moved on to the
•attack, the legion and Rare troops fell in with a
party of the enemy's horse and foot about four
miles from their camp, who mistaking our peo
ple for a party of militia, charged them brilkly,
but were foan convinced of their mistake by the
reception they met with ; the infantry of the
Rate troops kept upa heavy lire, and the legion
in front under Capt, Rudolph charged them with
fixed bayonets, they fled on all tides, leaving four
or live dead on the ground, and several more
wounded. As this was supposed to be the ad
vance of the British army, our front line was or
dered to form and move on brilkly in line, the
legion and date troops to take their pofiticn up
on the flanks. All the country is covered with
timber from the place the action began to the
Eutaw Springs. The firing began again be
tw^h two and three miles from the British
PIII LA D E L.P HI A, October 17.
Copy of a Letter from Major-General Greene to
his Excellency the President of Congress.
Head Quarters, Martin's Tavern,near Ferguson's
Swamp, South-Carolina, Sep. iith^i^i.
SI R,
JN my dispatch of the 15th of August I inform
ed your Excellency that we were on our march
for Friday's ferry to form a junction with the
state troops, and a body of militia collecting at
that place, with an intention to make an attack up
on the British army lying at Col. Thompson's,
near M'Cord's ferry. On the 27th, on our arri
val near Friday's ferry, I got intelligence that the
enemy were retiring.
We ciofl'ed the river at Howel's ferry, and took
poll at Mottes plantation. Here I got intelli
gence that the enemy had halted at the Eutaw
Springs, about forty miles below us; and that
they had a reinforcement, and were making pre
parations to eftablilh a permanent poll there, do
prevent this I was determined rather to hazard
an adion^ notwithstanding our numbers were
greatly inferior to their's. On the sth we began
our march,.our baggage and (tores having been
ordered to Howel's ferry, under a proper guard.
We moved by flow and easy marches, as well to
disguise our real intention, as to give General
Marion an opportunity to, join us, who had been
sent for the support of Col. Harding, a report of
which I transmitted in my letter of the sth, dated
at Maybrick's Creek. General Marion joined
us on the evening ofthe 7th at Burdell's planta
tion seven miles, from the enemy's camp.
We made the following dispositions, and
marched at 4 o'clock the next morning to attack
the enemy. Our front line was composed of four
(mall battallions of militia, two of North, and two
of South-Carolinians ; one of the South-Caroli
ans was under the immediate command of Gene
ral Marion, and was polled on the right, who al
so commanded the front line ; the two North-Ca
rolina battalions under the command of Colonel
Malmody, was polled in the center, and the
other South-Carolina battalion under the com
mand of General Pickens, was polled on the left.
Gur second line confided of three small brigades
of Continental troops, one from North-Carolina,
one from Virginia, and one from Maryland. The
North Carolinians were formed into three battali
ons under the command of Lieut. Col. Aih, Ma
jors Armftrongand Blount, the whole command
ed by General Sumner, and posted upon the
right. The Virginians confided of two battali
ons commanded by Major Snead and Capt, Ed
monds, and the whole by Lieut, Col. Campbell,
and potted in the center. The Marylanders also
confided of two battalions, commanded by Lieut.
Col. Howard, and Major Hardman, and the bri
gade by Col. Williams, Deputy Adjutant-Gene
ral of the army, and were posted upon the left,
Lieut. Col. Washington, with his horse, and the
Delaware troops under Capt Kirkwood, formed
a corps de reserve. Two three pounders under
Capt. Lieut. Gaines advanced with the front line,
and two fixes under Capt. Browne with the se
cond.
than this extraordinary hero would fetch in any
part of Great-Britain, were he exposed at public
auction for a day and a year. All which is hum
bly fubrhttcd to the consideration of the honor
able the Congress and his excellency General
Warrington.
Yours,
HORTENTIU S,
Princeton, December 8, 177%
camp. The militia were ordered tokeep advan
cing as they fired. The enemy's advanced par
ties were drived in, and a molt tremendous Ere
began on both sides from right to left, and the
legion and Rate troops were closely engaged.
Gen. Marion,Col. Malmody, and General Pick
ens conducted the troops with great gallantry
and'good conduct, and the militia, fought with
• a degree of spirit and firmnefs that reliefs the
highest honour upon this class of soldiers ; but
'the enemy's fire being superior to ours, and con
tinuing to advance, the militia began to give
:ground, the North-Carolina brigade, under Ge
neral Sumner, was ordered up to their support.
These were all new levies, and had only been ud
der discipline but little more than a month, not
:withstanding which they fought with a degree
of obhinacy that would do honor to the belt of
veterans, and I could hardly tell which to admire
molt,the gallantry of the officers or the bravery
of the troops.- They kept up a heavy and well
directed fire, and the enemy returned it with e
qual spirit, for they really fought worthy of a
better cause, and great execution was done on
both sides.
Fro this Rage of the action the Virginians under
Lieut. Col. Campbell, and the Maryland troops
under Col. WiHiams, were led on to a brilk
charge with trailed arms, through a heavy can
nonade, and a (howcr-of mufquet balls. Nothing
could exceed the gallantry and firmnefs of both
officers and soldiers upon this occasion. They
preserved their order and prefled on with- such
unshaken refutation that they bore down all be
fore them. The enemy were routed in all quar-
ters. Lieut. Col. Lee had with great address,
gallantry, and good condutl, turned the enemy's
flank,,and was charging them in rear at the fame
time the Virginia and Maryland troops were
charging them in front. A molt valuable offi
cer, Lieut. Col. Hcnderfon, got wounded early
in the action,and Lieut. Col. Hampton, who
commanded the Bate cavalry, and who fortu
nately fuccecded Lieut, Col. Henderson in com
mand, charged a party of the enemy and took
100 prisoners. Lieut. Col. Washington brought
up the corps de reserve upon the left, where the
enemy seemed disposed to make further resis
tance, and charged them so brilkly with the ca
valry and Captain Kirkwood's infantry, as gave
them no time to rally or form. Lieut. Colonels
Polk and Middleton, who commanded the state
infantry, were no less conspicuous for their good
conduct than their intrepidity ; and the troops
under their command gave a specimen of what
may be expe&ed from men naturally brave,
when improved by proper discipline. Captain
Lieutenant Gaines, who commanded the three
pounders, with, the front line, did great execu
tion until his pieces were dismounted. We kept
close to the enemy's heels after they broke, un
til we got into their camp, and a great number
of prisoners were continually falling into our
hands, and some hundreds of the fugitives ran
off towards Charleftown ; but a party threw them
selves into a large three story brick house, that
flands near the Springs, others took post in a
picquetted garden, while others were lodged in
an impenetrable thicket, confiding of a cragged
shrub called a black Jack. Thus secured in front
and upon the right by the house, and a deep re
vine upon the left by the picquetted garden,and
in the impenetrable shrubs, and the rear also
being secured by the springs and deep hollow
ways, the enemy renewed the action. Every
exertion was made to dislodge them, Lt. Col.
Washington made molt altonilhing efforts to
get through the thicket tucharge the enemy in
rear, but found it impracticable, and had his
horse shot under him, and was wounded and
taken prisoner. Four 6 pounders were ordered
up before the house, two of out own and two of
the enemy's, which they had abandoned, and
they were pushed on so much under the com
mand ofthe fire from the house, and the party
in the thickets, as rendered it impracticable to
bring them off again, when the troops were or
dered to retire. Never were pieces better serv
ed ; molt of the men and officers were either
killed or wounded. Col, Washington failing in
his charge upon the left, and the legion bailed
in an attempt upon the right, and finding our
infantry galled by the fire of the enemy, andour
ammunition mostly consumed, though both
officers and men continued to exhibit uncom
mon a&s of heroism, I thought proper to retire
out of the fire of the house, and draw up the
troops at a little distance in the woods, not think
ing it advifeable to push our advantages further,
Return ofkilled, wounded, and miffing of the Southern Ar
my, commanded by the Hon. M^jor-Ccneral Greene, in
the A@ion of Eutaw, the iSth day of September, 1781.
Maryland Brigade. 2 Captains, 2 Subalterns, 1 Serjeant,
21 rank and file, killed. 1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 2 Capt. ins,
4 Subalterns, 7 Serjeants, 64 rank and file, wounded. 9 rank
and file miffing.
Virginia Brigade. I Lieut. Col, 1 Captain, 1 Subaltern,
I Serjeant, 13 rank and file, killed. 2 Captains, zSubalterns
4 sergeants, 24 rank and file wounded. 4 rank and file mil
so ^- ..
North-Carolina brigade. 3 Captains,! Subaltern, 1 Ser
jeant, 43 rank and file killed. 1 Captain 5 Subalterns, 10
Serjeants, 80 rank apd file wounded. 10 rank and file mis-
Delaware battalion. 2 rank and file killed Six rank
and 4k wounded, 1 Serjeant, 1 rank and file nh&g.
being persuaded the enemy cculu not hold the
poit many hours, and that our chance to attack
them on the retreat was better than a second at
tempt to dislodge them, in which, ts we succeed
ed, it mult be attended with considerable iofs.
We collected our wounded, except such aS
were under the command of the fire 01 the house,
and retired to the ground from which we march
ed in the morning, there being no water nearer,
and the troops ready to faint with the heat, and
want of refrefhment, the action having continu
ed near four hours. I left on the field of action
a strong picquet, and early in the morning de
tached Gen. Marion, and Col. Lee with the le
gion horse between Eutaw and Charleftown, to
prevent any reinforcements from coming to the
relicrof the enemy, and also to retard their
march, fliould they attempt to retire, and give
time for the army to fall upon their rear, and
put a finishing stroke to our fuccefles. We left
two pieces of our artillery in the hands of the
enemy, and brought oft one of theirs. On the
evening of the 9th. the enemy retired, leaving up
wards of 70 of their wounded behind them, and
not lets than loco Hand of arms that were pick
ed up on the field, and found broke and con
cealed in the Eutaw Springs, 1 hey ftovebe
tween 20 and 30 puncheons of rum,and destroy
ed a great variety of other (lores which they had
not carriages to carry, off. We pursued them the
moment we got intelligence of their retiring :
But they formed a junction with Major M'Aur
ther at this place, Gen. Marion and Lieut. Col.
Lee not having a force fullicient to prevent it.
But on our approach they retired to the neigh
bourhood of Charleftown. We have taken 500
prisoners, including the wounded the enemyleft
behind; and I think they cannot have fullered
less than 600 more in killed and wounded. The
fugitives that (led from the field of battle spread
such an alarm that the enemy burnt the (lores at
Dorchester, and abandoned the post at Fair
Lawn, and a great number of negroes and others
were employed in falling trees across the read
for some miles without the gates of Charlellown.
Nothing but the brick house, and the peculiar
strength ofthe portion at Eutaw fared the re
mains of the British army from all being made
prisoners. We pursued them as far as thisplace,
but not being able to overtake them we fliall halt
a day or two to refrefh ; and then take our old
position on the high hills of Santee. I thinkmy
felf principally indebted for the victory we ob
tained to the free use of the bayonet made by the,
Virginians and Marylanders, the infantry of the
legion, and Captain Kirkwood's light infantry ;
and though few armies ever exhibited equal
bravery with ours in general, yet the conduct
and intrepidity of ihefe corps were peculiarly
conspicuous. Lieut. Col. Campbell fell as he
was leading his troops to the charge, and tho' he
fell with diftinguilhed marks of honor, yet his
loss is much to be regretted. He was the great
soldier and the firm patriot.
Our loss in officers is considerably more from
their value than their number, for never did either
men or officers offertheir blood more willingly
in the service of their country. I cannot help
acknowledgingmy obligations to Col. W illiams,
for his great activity on this and many other oc
calions in foiming the army, and for his uncom
mon intrepidity in leading on the Maryland
troops to the charge, which exceeded any thing
I ever saw. I also feel myfelf greatly indebted
to Capts. Pierce and Pendleton, Major Hyrn
and Captain Shubrick, my Aids de Camp, for
their activity and good conduct throughout the
whole of the action,
This dispatch will be handed your Excellency
by Capt. Pierce, to whom I beg leave to refer
you for further particulars. I have the honor to
be, with great refyech, your Excellency's molt
obedient and most humble servant,
NATHANIEL GREENE,
His Excellene? the PreJident of Congress.