Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-09-19
Nlistella1eous- Reahille
EXTRACT FROa IN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY
DIR. ]. WINSaITH,

Al the examination l7t-the--L L1a4A.-et cf--:-v--
July 25th, 1855 ). and tn conanemora'
ton of Battle fought at that place d.
ring the War Of the Revolution.
The citizens of Spartanburg District. hav'
ing determined to celebrate the Annlyersa.
ry- of the Battle Of Cedar Springs on the
25th of last month, selected DR.. J. Win.
smith, Representative of the District in
the State Legislature as the "Orator of the
day" We ePresent our readers that portion
of Dr.. Winsmith's excellent address, which
relates the incidents Of the battle. This
narration gives very interesting account
of one of the 6ercest battles that were
fought in this State, during the "period that
tried mems souls.
"On the 18th of May, 1850, the Ameri-
can army OF Charleston, commanded by
General Lincoln, surrendered to the British
forces under the command Of Sir Henry
Clinton, by whom it had been for sometime
beseiged at that place. The surrender OF
whole army, constituting the force which
had been chiefly relied on for the defence OF
our State, could not fail to have a most ill.,
apspicious effect on the cause of the Revo.
luton in South Carolina. Many who have
been active and Jealous before, now appear
ed inclined to abandon the cause, as hope
less effort. Others who had been wavering
actuated by that natural impulse, which
always inclines some men to join the stron'
eest party, now abandoned their neutrality
andsjoined the enemy.
"Sir Henry Clinton, after the fall OF Char
Ieston, looking upon South Carolina pretty
much as a conqured province, left Charles
ton, for New York, leaving four or five thou
sand troops under command Of Lord Corn
wallis, for the purpose of overrunning and
holding possession Of the State. To ac
.complish this object, Lord Rawdon was te
occupy the Eastern portion Of the State
and he soon established himself at Camden
Colonel Cruger was ordered-to take posses
sion of Cambridge, aud the surrounding
country. And, in accordance with the poll
cy Of the British, after what they consider
ed the general submission Of the State, t
,incrsse the royal force by embodying tn
people Of the country as a British militia
Major Ferguson, brave and distngulshe
officer. was sent to the upper districts to tral
the most loyal inhabitants, and attach then
to his corps. Ferguson encountered n
opposition, and was quite successful TO
some time, i'm the objects of his mission
and even until he entered the lower part G
Spartanburg District About this time Colo
mel Sumpter, whose name in connectio
with our Revolutionary struggle cannot ia
te~exeite in the breast Of every Caroinia
The .warmest emotions of admiration an
gratitude, had, at the head Of little ban
of freemen, returned to his own State.-
About the same time, too, Major Clark
-.Georgis, who had been repulsed in an attac
upon. augusta; marched through the npp'
part ofsSoath Carolina to join SumPte
then near the Catawba in York District.
- A.Cof.: Sumter impressed with the impo
tance Of making some show of resistanc
to the heretofore unimpeded progress of Fe
euson, requested additional force, which t
proposed to furnish and move over ini
Spartanburg, District for the purpose of al
moving Ferguson-hoping that it would
least, have the effect Of reviving the droo
lug, splits Of those who were favorably di
posed to the Wing cause.
"In accordance viii. this arrangemer
Ciatk' crossed Broad River, and, some whe
in bis march towards Ferguson, was une
.peetedly iyined by aColonels Mcdowell al
a.. Shefbg,with few nen. After Mellow
and Shelby joined him, it was determine
chat as the expedition had been entrusted