The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-11-28
nATrLr Ar ouILrosp COURT HousE.


,he hattie ground vf Guilford Court House.
/ was fortunats in securing the company Of
H. ". Carathsrs, u. D.. a gentleman who has
Illustrated the patriotic valor Of North Car
.lipa,s sons IL two publications which are Ia.
mil,ar 10 al your readers, and who IS now
Ie,otinr his time TO History Of the Battle
az GuilforJ, 4 battle which Col. Benton, in
his "rhirty Years in the Senate Of the ".
S." Justly ranks among the decisive battles
81 the Revolution, and which has been SO
considered by the Historians OF that War.
A ride Of miles over the road leading
from Greensborough 10 New Garden Meet.
inu House aud beyond to Salem, brought US
10 "Martinyille," the former site Of Gnlltord
Court House. Not vesige OF the old Court
House Is To be seen, though its site IS still
no,nted uut on the west side Of the road
Near il are several stone chimneys which m
dictate where the village once stood. TN the
east side Of the road, nearly opposite these
chimneys, there is still standing the Home
stead aud store &c the Lindsays OF a Tor
mer generation, but which hitherto the pres.
ent owners have refused TO sell. Long may
those buildings stan,l-long may they remain
in possession Of the present owners and their
descendants.
From this point YOU have commanding
view OF that portion Of the ground on which
the battle closed.
But prefer conducting YOU TO where It
commenced.
From Martinyille. in the road towards sa-
lem, YOU immediately descend steep hill, at
the bottom Of which is deep rasine down
which murmars gentle stream shaded Dy
alder and other kinds Of underground. On
crossing this stream you Immediately as
,cend a long sloping hill. From Martinsllle
10 near the top of this hill, the land IS clear.
ed for about hall nile on both sides OF the
road. and the brow IL the hill Is little
oyer half a mile from MartiasIle. At this
MONT. the brow of the hill, the road enters
n dense oak forest, and passes through i
for about 500 Yards In the latter 200 yards
the road gradually begins 10 descend anoth.
ct hill; 50 that when you emerge irom the
forest you have fine commanding view Of
a descending open country Tor about mile
ahead. aud cleared about a nile IN width
Stand NJ at the northwest edge OF the Tor,
est. you can see 10 the distance the Salem
road. down which the British marched 70 the
scene of carnage, March 18th, 1871.
Ill WAS III Tie NN W 49, -
est, that the North Carolina raw militia we're
planted, with their faces towards salem. a
worm fence in front enclosed the cleared
field. through which the British marched-to
tie assault.
About 500 yards in the rear lay the Viz
gina Militia and in their rear, on tile brow
Of the hill in sghtU Martinsllle. stood the
MARYLAND and Virginia Continentals, under
Uuper and Williams, and Lees Legion and
Col. washington's Cavalry.
The position selected By Gen. Greene,
and the disposition Of his men, have always
been approved by military men--with Tie
exception Of the Tact, that he placed raw
rccruits--men who had never smelt gunPoH'
d.r-mca who had not been mustered into
service two weeks-in the front line, TO bear
the brunt Of the first onset OF veteran
troops.
Greene's army consisted Of Huger's brl.
gsde OF Virginia continentals, 77S; VII.
iian.'s Maryland and Delaware brigade. o5o
Lees legion, 81; continental regulars, lisO
North Carolina militia, 1860; Virginia M.
litia, 1926: Washington dragons, 50; Loe''
Dragons, IS; aud l6l cavalry. 10 all, 80
IarH.
The British lorces consisted Of the Ger
man Regiment" the .lst or Frtzer High.
laBders, SD Regiment, 81 Battalion d
Guards. and German fagers aud Cavalry.
In al about 1900 men.
forms 10 part Of my design TO attempt
description OF the feat. Of salor perform ed
on thi. memorable battle field, where boil
CORVALLIS and Greene gathered fresh iau.
rels, where the frery Tarleton and brave
Webster found foemen worthy u their stee
in the daring Lee and the gallant Col. wash
iqglon. Bat, standing IN the edge 81 The Tor.
ssi. where tie raw recruits, the North Car.
nlina Militia, stoad On that eyenuul day,
could not help feeling. that Greene gaihere,
~ iAgrels al the expense Of the vaior ant
fame Of the sons Of III. Old North State.
Topisat sntrained soldiers IN position
where thes could have full view Tor at leAs
ale, Of the advancing enemy, as = aP
preached IN all 'the pomp and eireumstane'
af rlorious var whilst they had to remair
iu,usssiye. itnmossble lockers on, wiihou
The power to do1ught TO stir the blood ah'
make !, caarse freely through their arierle
aud hearts. and mu,e them on 70 salian
deeds. was demanding mDre from human "a
tire than most Generals would have re
qaircd.
The Americans knew the reputation an
fame Or tie troops that Nere slowly and de
terininedly approaching their lines. The.
knew, for instance, he fame 81 the list, .
Ffaytr Ilighlanders,--a regiment that hs'
distinguished itself AZ Louisburg 10 u
French war-a regiment # which Genera
Wolfe bad sai,l, "Amhersts aud the High
landers alone, by the soIdierlike and Coz
manner thry were formed 10, would undoubi
sdIy have beaten back Tie whole Canada
array. II they had sentured To attack them,
---shd nho. 10 company with the Welsh "
siiief., we're lie iirst 10 scale the heights Q
Abraham, Under tie eve II tie litrepi
ll-.IL. ..-L. a. -. l-.aL LnLD.lnl Mimi