Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-03-25
CHAPTER. n.
Hear ye the din Of battle boy,

Hear ye the din of battle boy
Lance TO lance, and horse to horse.-GREr.
Ii Is well known, that after the defeat Of
! Gates, Congress hastened TO supersede that
| General, and appointed Greene TO succeed
him. AT the period Of the incidents nara
! ted in the last chapter, the new Commander
I ib-Chief had arrived in the South, and was
/ organizing his forces.
! His very first proceeding showed the re-
sources Of an intellect which. ir military
affairs, was second only TO that Of the father
1 Of his country
/ Aware that the initiaiorv steps towards re-
/ deeminc the South. was TO arouse the conf
\ dence Of its people, he determined TO divide
lns lorce. When, therefore. he moved with
one portion down the Pedee, he despatched
! Morgan, with the remainder west oi the Ca
| tawba. in order to encourage The inhabitants
! in that quarter. Morgsn's corps wss accom-.
panied by Captain Washing,on's light dra.
! goons of which our hero had already become
! a conspicuous member.
This division OF his army. in the face Of
/ an active foe, would have been a capital err
ror but for The political advantages it offer
! ed, and which over-balanced the military
/ ones. Coruwslis, then in command Of the
royal army, determined to illustrate the sue
cess Of Gfeene's plan by cutting off Nor
gaDs detachment; and accordingly ordered
! Col Tarletou. with his renowned dragons,
accompanied by competent force Of infant
! ~. 10 give pursuit.
II was on the l4th Of January, 1881, aday
ever to be remembered 10 the annals Of our
country, that the heroic Morgan learned the
danger in which he stood. He determined
| Immediately TO give battle. For this pur
pose lie halted at place caled the Cowpens.
and having drawn up his troops. awaited,
though not without anxiety. the appearance
Of the foe.
The attack OF TarleiOn, as usual. WAS i'm.
petuous. and for a while The American mill
tia were driven heplessIy before il; but SOON
they rallied, under cove, OF a few continen-
tails belonging to Morgan's command, and in
tp,n forced the British to give gtouud.--
These brave soldiers OF the line. led by their
Colonel. now charged with the bayonet, when
the rout Of the royal infantry became COM
plete.
Washington, with his cavalry, had been
waiting impatiently a chance 10 participate
ia the fight; but having been static ned as
partial reserve, the order for him 10 engage
did not for some time arrive. His troops
shared his enthusiasm. Composed chiefly
Of young men Of family. and mounted on
thorough bred animals, they presented a
formidable appearance, as they stood, await.
ing the order to engage; the horses champ |
ing the bit, and the riders nervously lingering
their swords; they saw the onset Of the Brit |
ish, the flight Of the first line, and The par |
,ia pauic that extended through the foot. |
soldiers, with horror; but still their leader |
remained unmoved. Many had never been |
iu battle before, and such believed the day |
lost; among these was Albert.
At last the confusion became so great ar.
ound them that troops so undiscpIined, il |
less brave, would have taken 10 IgDominious
flight; Tor the defeated militia were pouring
down upon them from all sides. almost com.
pelling them TO break their ranks or see the
fugitiyes perish under the hoofs Of their hor-
ses. But now Washington seemed TO ronse
from his iDactiop. Ordering his men first TO
allow the flying militia TO gain their rear. he
then directed them. his sharp, quick tones
showing that the moment for action had
come, 10 close up and prepare TO charge.
As he spoke he pointed with his sword
ahead, and our hero behed the renowned
regiment Of Tarleton coming down upon
them at full gaIlop, and amid cloud Of dust,
driving before them a mass OF dismayed fu-
gitives. The keen eye Of Washington meas
ured for an instant, the distance between
them. and ,hsn said
want no firearms used to-day, my lads.
Stick to the cold stee:. And now, for God
and your conn,ry, charger ~
Away went the troop, like thunder bolt
suddenly loosed from a cloud, with everyl
scabbard juggling, every steed sDorting with
excitement, aud the solid earth shaking uu.
der them. ln full career they burst upon
the fark Of the enemy, who, disordered by
his pursuit, could make but feeble resis.
tance. Horse aud rider went down before {
the impetuous charge Of the Americans,
who for while fairly rode down their foes.
But British valor soon proved too weak for 8
the combined patriotism aud courage Of Z
cavalry; and then the troops. {
tursing their brides, took to ignomioious q
flight. I
On. on cried Washington: waving his 1
sword for his men 10 follow, remember the
cruelties Of these myrmidoDs. Revenge for 4
our slaughtered countrymen!'
Al the word. his men, thus reminded Of 4
The butcheiy Of the Wsrhaws, sod other at r
rocites pevpetfated under the eye Of Tarle- a
on, spurred their horses sfresb. sud dashed
'n 10 pursuit. A complete panic had nov h