Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-03-29

tain Hayes. That on the left, commanded by
Colonel Otho H. Williams, was led by Colo
mel Gunby and Lieutenant-C Colonels Howard
and Ford. The artillery was placed under
Colonel Harrison, and so situated as to COM
mand the road. The North Carolina militia,
about two hundred and fifty, who were Sta
toned in the rear, under Colonel Washing.
ton, we're commanded by Colonel Reade.
The Kings American volunteer Regiment,
formed the British right; the sixty.third
Regiment was on the left, and the New York
Volunteers composed the centre. The Brit
ish right was supported by Robertson's corps,
and the left by the Irish Volunteers. As the
enemy's forces advanced, presenting narrow
front, Campbell and Ford were ordered to
turn his fanks, while Gunby, with the Mary.
land regiment, was directed to attack his CEN
tre. Lord Rawdon, on discovering Gresnes
plans, strengthened his position by ordering
the Irish volunteers into line and thus ex-
tending his front. ...
The battle commenced on the British left,
| and extended to tho right Gone-al Graana,
aided by Huger, Campbell and Hawes, led
the two Virginia regiments. The Virginians
stood firm, and even drove the enemy back,
whilst Colonel Washington, with his cavalry,
was carrying every thing before him on the
British right. Col. Harrison, in the centre,
was thinning the ranks Of the British with the
artillery. At this juncture Of affairs, Gun
by's Maryland regiment rushed forward with
fixed bayonets. The British began to falter,
and Colonel Hawes was ordered to charge the
New York Volunteers. To all human ap-
pearances, victory was about to declare in fa-
vor of the Americans. Just at this important
moment, Captain William Beatty, who COM
manded the right battalion of Gunby's vete.
ran regiment, was killed, and his command
paused, and soon the whole regiment gave
way. Colonels Williams, Gunby and Ford
all endeavored to stop it, but failed. In the
attempt, Ford was mortally wounded and
-esfs carried to the rear Gunby. finding that he
could not restore the regiment to order on the
field, ordered it to fall back to the rear and
then form. This order proved most ruinous.
As the American regiment fell back, the Brit
ish rushed forward with shout, and soon the
whole American army began to retreat.
Colonel Washington, at this moment, was
in the rear of the British, striking terror in
every direction. When the retreat commenc-
ed, he had no less than two hundred priso-
ners. When he learned that General Greene
was retreating, he paroled the British officers
he had captured, and taking with him fifty
prisoners, cut his way to Greene with the loss
of only three men.
So soon as General Greene saw that it was
necessary to withdraw his troops, Hawes was
ordered to cover the broken line. The Brit.
ish pursued and kept up, at intervals, the &C.
ton until about four o'clock. The Ameri.
cans had crossed Sanders creek, four miles
from the battle ground. At this point Colo
mel Washington, with his cavalry and the
North Carolina militia, turned upon the pur:
suing foe. He charged, with characteristic
fury, the New York volunteers, killing nine
and scattering the whole. Here the British
drew of, and the fight ended. The Ameri-
cans encamped for the night two miles north
of Sanders creek, and the British returned
to Camden. The dead were left on the battle
field.
The loss in killed, wounded and missing,
was nearly equal on both sides. The Amer
lean loss was two hundred and sixty-six; that
of the British two hundred and 6fty.eight.
Very few, On either side, were killed. The
British loss, in killed, was thirty-eight; that
of the Americans only eighteen, but two Of
these were Colonel Ford and Captain Beatty,
both gallant officers. .....
Never was any officer more disappointed
than was General Greene in the results of
this battle. From the firing of the first gun
by the pickets, which announced the approach
of the enemy, he calculated, with certainty,
on glorious victory. Evidently, the pivot
upon which the results Of the battle turned
was Gunby's regiment. Had it stood firm, it
is highly probable that the victory in favor of
Greene would have been complete. The mo-
ment it faltered, the scales began to turn, and
so soon as it began to fall back in disorder, the
day was lost to Greene. The conduct Of Gun.
by's regiment on this occasion was very re-
markable. 1t was regarded as the choice
regiment in the southern army. At the
Cowpens and at Guilford Court House, it
had fought bravely. At Hobkirk's Hill, there
was some defect about the manner in which
the regiment was led into battle About this
matter Greene was displeased with Gunby,
and Gunby was displeased with Greene.
What was the exact character Of the differ
ence of opinion between these two officers We
Without censuring, we may be permitted to
say that Gen. Greene, under the circumstances,
attempted too much at once. That the vic
tory might be complete, he so led his troops
into battle that simultaneous attack would
be made upon the whole front and rear Of the
British. This was an admirable arrangement
to secure complete victory, had it been in
fallibly certain that none of his troops would
give way. Greene's forces, if not surprised,
we're led into battle before they were proper
ly arranged, and the wonder is that they
fought as we'll as they did. Asit turned out,
the British, although claiming a victory, were
terribly crippled. By their own account,
more than one.fourth of Lord Rawdon's men
were rendered unfit for service One British
L:lIoJ ood a1ovan M rod o,,d