Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-07-06


same proclamation, pardon was offered to al
except those who, in the hour of devastation
had exercised acts Of barbarity and depreda
ton on the persons and property of their fel
low-citizens.
On the sixth of August-the day that Sum
ter gained a partial victory over Colone
Garden at Hanging Rock, and only few
miles from that place, on Lynch's creek
General Gates was joined by General Caswel
with his North Carolina militia.
Lord CORVALLIS was in Charleston, adjust
ing the civil affairs of the State and maturing
his plans for his future operations So soon
as he learned that General Gates was ap
preaching with considerable army, he left
Charleston, on the thirteenth Of August, fol
the British camp at Camden. Previous tc
his arrival, Lord Rawdon was in command Of
the post. This officer, on the near approach
of General Gates, had called in his out-posts.
The principal points at which detachments
were stationed, were Cheraw, Hanging Rock
Rocky Mount and Rugeley's Mill. Lord
Rswdon, thinking it would be to his disad'
vantage to suffer Gates to attack him at
Camden, marched out with nearly all his
available force and took position at strong
post on Lynch's creek. The two armies lay
for four days facing each other, with nothing
between them but Lynch's creek. Here
Gates began to blunder. Rawdon's post was
strong and Gates hesitated to attack him, but
he could have fanked Rawdon with the
greatest ease and captured all his heavy bag.
gage, and put himself in position to attack
the British in detail. Lord Rawdon was
aware of this, and sent an order to Colonel
Cruger, to send, from Ninety.Six, four com.
panies of light infantry. Garden was order
ed to Camden, and Turnbull was directed to
Join Ferguson on Little river.
It is evident that Lord Rawdon had become
greatly alarmed. The battles fought by Sum-
ter, Davie and others, at Flat Rock, Rocky
Mount and Hanging Rock, as we'll as the
great name of Gates, had filled the minds Of
both British and loyalists with terror.
On the day that the battle of Hanging
Rock was fought, Colonel Tarleton, with thir-
ty dragons and ferty mounted militia, which
he had picked up in Charleston, crossed the
Santee at Lannieu's ferry. For some time,
Tarleton had been prostrated with fever.
He was sick in Charleston and his legion was
being cut to pieces by Sumter's and Davies
men. Tarleton, with his small force, secured
the region bordering on the Santee, striking
terror, as he was wont, into the inhabitants.
After having committed various depredations,
he set out for Camden.
Deceiving the inhabitants Of the Black
river region, by pretending that he was an
American officer on bis way to join Gates, he
secured man by the name # Bradley, a
member of the General Assembly of South
Carolina, as guide. Bradley, with few
friends, conducted Tarleton safely until the
neighborhood of the British camp was reach
ed. At this point. Tarleton secured Bradley
and his friends as prisoners, and conducted
them to Camden.
Tarleton Joined Rawdon at Lynch's creek
on the 18th. On the same day General Gates
gave signs that he was about to move his
camp to Rugeley's Mill. Rawdon gave or:
ders to evacuate that point at once. He and
'rte troops which were srarfoued ar Rugefey 3
Mill and Lynch's creek, moved back to
Loptown, near Camden. On the next day
CORVALLIS arrived at Camden. He began to
prepare for active operations at once. The
troops we're reviewed. The force from Nine.
ty.Six arrived OH the same day that Cornwall
lis dtd, bus-many of the British we're sick.
It was hazardous in CORVALLIS to light it
was more 80 10 suffer himself to be attacked
by Gates. ,
On the same day that CORVALLIS arrived
at Camden, General Gates moved the Amerl-
can army to Rugeley's Mill, about fourteen
miles from Camden. By strange coinci-
dence both Generals began to make prepara-
tions to do the same thing. Gates contem.
plated surprising CORVALLIS, and CORVALLIS
contemplated surprising Gates.
General Sumter, who was on the look out
for small parties of the British, learned that
a large wagon train was approaching Cam
den from Ninety.Six. These wagons, under
small escort, were conveying supplies to the
main army. Sumter advised General Gates
of the fact. Gates detached one hundred
infantry, a company of artillery of the Mary
land line, and three hundred North Carolina
militia to assist Sumter in capturing this pro-
vision train. On the fifteenth of August,
Sumter captured small redoubt in Fairfield
county, and intercepting the wagon train, Sc
cured forty.four wagons loaded with various
army supplies, and several wagons loaded with
sick and worn out soldiers. This was a bril-
liant affair, but in the end amounted to moth
ing, as we will, at the proper place, see.
At Rugeley's Mill, Gates posted the Ma
ryland brigades, the Delaware regiment, the
cannon, the cavalry, the baggage and the
militia on the north side of Granny's Quarter
creek; Colonel Armstrong; corps and Colonel
Porter6elds command were posted on the
south side, on the road leading to Camden.
On the fourteenth, seven hundred Virginia
militia, under General Stevens, Joined Gates at
Rugeley's. On the fifteenth, CORVALLIS issued
orders for the troops to be ready to march at
a moments warning. In the afternoon of the
same day, Colonel Tarleton was sent out for
the purpose of gaining intelligence respecting
the American army. About ten miles from
Camden, on the road to Rugeley's Mill, three
American soldiers we're captured. From
these Tarleton secured all the information ne
desired. From them he learned that General
Gates intended setting out for Camden that
night. Tarleton fastened back to Camden
with his prisoners. CORVALLIS examined
them carefully, and was convinced that Gates
contemplated making an attack upon him as
soon as he could reach his camp. Orders
were given at once for the troops to parade.
At ten o'clock the march to meet Gates COM
menced. Major Macarthur, with a small force,
was left in charge of the town. The British
army set out from Camden in the following
order: The front division was commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel Webster. His advance
guard was composed of his own cavalry and
some mounted infantry, supported by four
companies of light infantry and the twenty
third and thirty-third regiments of regulars.
The centre was commanded by Lord Raw