Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-07-19
Misturp nt 8. Garulina.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
Early Settlement of South Carolina.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

THE sANTEE.
From Orangeburg, as we have seen, Gen.
Greene retired, with the larger portion of his
army, to the High Hills of the Santee. At
ter the battle of Quinby bridge, the partisan
leaders-Lee Sumter, Marion and others
repaired to the camp of Greene.
The principal object Greene had in view in
selecting this locality for his camp, was to dis
cipline his troops and receive reinforcements
from North Carolina and Virginia. The To-
cality was also chosen with special reference
to the health of his army. For period OF
near seven months, the army of Greene had
been doing hard service on what may, with
the utmost regard to truth, be called short ra-
tions of the most ordinary kind. Many OF
the soldiers were sick. This is not matter
to be wondered at; but it is matter Of won
der that the whole of Greene's army had not
fallen down dead. They had marched-some
of them-from near the centre of South Caro-.
lima, across the whole of North Carolina into
Virginia, pursued by two Of the most dashing
officers in the British army. From the Dan,
they had marched to Camden, South Carroll
ma from that point they marched to Ninety
Six; from Ninety.Six, they retreated across
the State as far as Chester. From that point
they went to Orangeburg ; and some of them
as far as the city of Charleston. During all
this time, they were pressed by hunger and
privations of every kind and pursued or
watched by veteran foes. The hardships
which these men had endured and the priva-
tons which they had experienced, are almost
incredible. During this time, they had fought
many battles and won several grand victories.
They had broken the power of the British
and humbled the tories.
The British had not been reposing, during
this time, on beds of down and feasting on
the luxuries of the earth. From the day
that Greene pitched his camp on Hobkrk' 3
Hill, the living of the British army became
precarious. They depended on supplies sent
them from Charleston, by wagon trains.
These, the patroling parties of Greene, led by
Lee Sumter and the invincible Marion and
other partisan leaders of little less note, sell
dom failed to capture.
After the battle of Quinby's bridge, the
British made Orangeburg their headquarters.
Here they felt that the condition of things
had changed. Their commissary stores had
become exhausted, and they were forced to
live almost entirely on beef, which they pro.
cured, at the risk of their lives, from the sur
rounding country. Greene was master of the
position. He had virtually rescued the State
from the British. The tories and loyalists
we're heart broken.
The High Hills of the Santee are in Sum-
ter county, East of the Wateree river, about
five miles. These Hills extend in North
eastern direction, nearly parallel with the
Wateree river, for a distance of between ff-
teen and twenty miles. The climate, compar-
ed with that of the more southern sections
of the State, is delightful and healthy. In
this favored region, the sick in Greene's army
rapidly recovered their health, and the tired
and broken down regained their strength.
There is an item of historic interest con-
nected with these Santee Hills, which we
must not omit. When Charles Edward, the
grand son of James II. was defeated at the
battle of Culoden, his followers were placed
in most critical condition. Some of them
had voluntarily Joined the Young Pretender.