Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-02-15
Aisturp at 8. Garalima,
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
EarIy Settlement of South Carolina
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
INCIDENTS OF GENERAL GREENE's
RETREAT.


No sooner had CORVALLIS learned, with
certainty, that General Greene, with his
whole force and all bis baggage, was over the
Dan, than, with heavy heart, he directed
his course to Hillsboro, the capital, at that
time, of North Carolina. All that mortals
are capable of doing had been done by Corn
wallis to thwart the purposes of the American
General, and yet be had failed, signally fail.
ed. That Greene's army might be destroyed,
be had deliberately destroyed his baggage,
marched his men night and day for near =
month through mud, over swollen creeks and
rivers, and in all sorts of weather. Bravely
the British soldiers pursued the Americans
amid teeming rains, drifting shows and pelt.
ing sleet. But all accomplished nothing. On
the morning of the fifteenth of February,
the British Earl looked beyond the Dan and
saw the American army quietly encamped in
Halifax county, Virginia. CORVALLIS knew
that Greene, for the present, was safe. With
out giving his army but single day to rest,
he wheeled about and marched to Hillsboro.
Here, on the twentieth of February, he
erected the royal standard, published Aa-
ming proclamation and invited the loyalists
of the surrounding country to join him in bis
efforts to subdue the Whigs.. This proclama-
ton of CORVALLIS is in some respects most
remarkable document. 1t scarcely contains
syllable of truth. The first sentence is q
lie in that it was intended to deceive the un.
suspectiug loyalists Whereas" he starts,
"it has pleased the Divine providence to pros
per his Msjesty's arms in driving the rebel
army out of this North Carolina) province; i;
and whereas it is his Majesty's most gracious
wish to rescue bis faithful and loyal subjects
from the cruel tyranny under which they have
groaned for many years." Neither Of these
statements contained in this proclamation was
true, and CORVALLIS knew it. He knew that
the British had suffered more by the escape
of Greene across the Dan, than the Americans
had he also knew that his Majesty was not
desiring to rescue his subjects from cruel ty-
ranny. ...
The truth is, CORVALLIS never did approve
of the course which the British government
took toward her American colonies. In 1770,
Lord Camden protested against taxing the
American colonies. He was joined in that
protest by four young peers, one Of whom
was CORVALLIS. Chief Justice Mansfield
said, with sneer, "Poor Camden could get
only four boys to join him." Az statesman,
CORVALLIS was opposed to the American war,
but as soldier, be did everything in his pow
er, to advance the arms of the King of Eng
land and quash the rebellion.
In his proclamation, he invited the loyal
North Carolinians to repair to his standard,
"without loss of time, with their arms and
ten days provisions" Straws show which
way the wind blows. In this proclamation,
which begins with boast that North Carroll
ma is subjected, it is, at the same time, intima-
ted that he who had conquered the province
could neither arm nor feed his recruits. In
the next sentence of this proclamation, it is
admitted that there is still in North Carolina
"the remains of rebellion" and the loyal
people of the country are requested to COM
bine with his Ma;estys army in attempting
to suppress it.
"Like murder, the truth will out" So far
from being able to provide for recruits, Corn
wallis was unable to feed the soldiers then un-
der his command. The supplies in the coun-
try around Hillsboro were soon exhausted,
and although the British army remained there
only ten days, so great was the scarcity of
food that Stedman, one of the officers of the
British army, was obliged to take file of
men and gather up supplies from the citizens
of the place. This he did by going from
house to house and taking whatever he could
find in every family. This was no plunder-
ing party. acting without or contrary to or
ders of the commanding officer; but regu-
larly constituted party of men acting in obe-
dience to the directions of CORVALLIS. Sted.
man gives as an excuse for such remarkable
conduct, the pressing necessities of the Brit
ish army: In. other words, the army of Corn.
wallis was, whilst at Hillsboro, reduced to
such strait that it was either take, by force,
the bread out of the mouths of helpless wo.
men and children, or starve.
The friends of the British from the ada
cent country, came into the camp of Corn.