The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-11-04
sBY THOMAS S. ARTHUR.

Fort Mote, Fort CRANKY, Fort
watson, the Fort at Orangcburr,
and every other post in South Caro-
Dina except Charleston and Ninety
.SiS,sl,ad yielded succcssivcly to the
American arms, under the command
of Greene, Sumter, Marion and Ice;
and d,now General Greene turned ali
his energies to the reduction of
,Ninety.SiS, giving orders at the
same tincs for General Sumter, to
remain in the country South and
West Of the Congarcc, 50 as to cut
oft allscemmunication between Lord
Raw'lon, who was at Charleston
waiting reipforccments from England,
and Colonel Crugcr, who was in com
mand at Nincty-Six.
Day after day the siege Of Ninety
Six went on. the Americans slowly
approaching the fort by a series Of
works constructed under the super.
intenlencc of Kosciusko, and Cru ycr
still holding out in expectation Of re.
endorsements from Charleston, altho'
not a single word Of Intelligence Lord
RaMdon had reached him since tho
inSestlncnt OF the post, which hal
held out with 50 much bravery and
perseverance.
Qp the Bird of June, the long ex.
Apected rcinforecmcnts from England
/ Lord Rawdon, and on the
ssRc started for The relief cf Col.
]: s,ls S with portion Of three Irish
ssan's, and was joined soon after
ssssssssssseuth Caroliua royaiists, swelling
force t05two thousand men. Blu,
:ss5yssg :sy.ssf his efforts to transmit Intelligence
E - III IN ase oh .,ti.e,s sss.cd
garrison at Nincty-Six proved una,
'Nailing. His messcngc, were inter
,ccptcd by sumter apl Marion, Who
: ,hell possession Of the intermediate
region. &"
On the t1,h Of Jane, General
Greene received intelligence from
General Sumter Of the approach Of
Lord Rawdon. Directing Sumter to
keep in front of the enemy, he rein
force him with all his cavalry under
Licutenant-Coloncl Washington. and
.ursel him to usc,cvcry means in his
power to delay the advancing British
army, until lie should be able to com
plete tho investment Of the fort of
Ninety-Six, anal compel it to surrcn-
der. Then with renewed diligence
he pressed the siege, hoping to OBJ
tain a capitulation before Col. Crugcr
should receive news Of the approach
ing succor, and thus break up with
the exception Of Charleston, the last
,rallying point Of the enemy in South
Carolina. Bat The commander Of
the fort was over on the alert to
make good his dcfenccs and to annoy
and retard the besicgcrs in every
possible way; and, though ignorant
.of the near approach Of aid, he
would listen to no oyerturcs for q
,capitulaton.
One evening, while affairs retain
ed this aspect, q countryman rode
along the American lines, conycrsing
taniliarly with the officers and sold.
iers on duty. No particular notice
was taken Of this, as from tho be gin
,ningof the siege, the friends Of our
cause wcro permitted to enter the
camp and 80 wherever their curiosity
happened to lead them. The indi-
.vldual here mentioned moved along.
seemingly much interested with all he
had seen and heard, until he arrived
at tho great roal leading directly to
The town, in which quarter were only
some batteries thrown up for the pro.
lection Of the guards. pausing here
tor a few moments, he glanced can.
tiously around him, and then, sud
denly putting spurs to his horse, he
dashed at full speed into the town.
Seeing this, ,,ho guard and sentincls
,opcIFed their fire upon him, he
escaped unhult, holding up letter
il. as soon as he was out Of danger. The
lgarrlson,r which hail observed this
movement. understood its meaning,
: q an1 !l!l tho gates were instantly thrown
open to receive the messenger, who
proved to be from Lord Rawdon, and
brought the welcome intelligence Of
his near approach.
Looping Still to a'odiice the fort be-
,fnro tho artivalHof lord Rawdon,
General Greene urged on tho work
IF anvossture, and.by every means in
lis power sought to weaken the gar
l1son 50 as to make victory certain