Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-11


be unveiled with appropriate ceremo-
MES.
This battle was one of the most deci-
sive as well as one of the most important
of the revolutionary war. After the de-
feat of General Gates at Camden, and
when his successor, General Greene, had
reorganized his army for the Southern
campaign, Morgan, who had previously
done distinguished service in command
of a corps OF rifemen, was made Briga-
der General, and with a detached com
mand, occupied the country between
the Broad and Pacolet rivers.
CORVALLIS object was to beat General
Greene's forces in the Carolinas in detail,
and to effect this, sent Colonel Tarleton
with !, 100 choice troops and two pieces
of artillery against Morgan, with orders
to force him to fight or to retire into
North Carolina. In pursuance of these
orders Tarleton pushed Morgan to the
utmost, determined either to destroy his
corps, or drive it before him (Tarleton)
over Broad river towards Kings Noun
tain. Pressed by CORVALLIS on one side
and Tarleton on the other, Morgan knew
and appreciated the great embarrassments
and danger to which he was subjected land
wishing to avoid an action, steadily fell
back before Tarleton, but still constant
ly added reinforcements to his command
as he retreated. On the morning of the
10th of January he put himself and COM
mand in full motion towards Broad
river, and on the evening of that day the
camp he abandoned was occupied by
Tarleton's command, while, on the same
day, CORVALLIS with his army arrived
at Turkey Creek, which flows through
Chester county, South Carolina, into
Broad river.
We read in Bancroft's History of the
United States the following description
of the field which Was the scene of the
following day conflict: sin the genial
cline of South Carolina, where the
grass is sprlnging through every month
of winter, cattle, in these days, grazed
all the year round, never housed nor fed
by the hand of man, but driven, from
time to time, into cowpens where each
inhabitant gave salt TO his herd, and
marked them for his own. Two miles
from such an enclosure, on a wide plain
covered with primeval pines and chest
nuts and oak, about sixteen miles from
Spartanburg, seven miles from the
Cherokee ford on Broad river, and
little less than five miles from the line
of North Carolina, Morgan encamped
for the night"
This was the scene of the battle. Gen
eral Greene had left Morgan to his dis
cIetion, yet had warned him against
risking an engagement, and his best
officers now also urged him to avoid an
encounter. He, however, resolved to
give battle, and early the next morning,
the 18th of January, hearing through
spies that TarletOn was approaching,
reused his men, who quietly breakfasted
and prepared themselves for the contest
At this time his entire force consisted of
about one thousand men, and he formed
them in two lines, with skirmishers in
front Two hundred and eighty of the
Maryland Light Infantry, commanded by
Lieut. Col. Howard, formed the centre.
two companies of approved Virginia
rifemen were on each wing, and the vol
unteers from Georgia and the Carolinas,
400 in number, under Pickens, were
posted in advance to defend the sp
proaches. OF these sixty sharpshooters
of the North Carolina volunteers were
10 act as sklrmishers on the right flank,
$50 yards in front of the line, and as
many more of the Georgians at the same
distance on the left. A regiment of
dragons, consisting of eighty men,
under Lieutenant Colonel Washington,
were held in reserve, out of sight and
out of fire.
General Morgan having thus disposed
his forces, awaited Tarleton's approach,
and soon the British officer, with com
mand greatly superior. both in numbers
and appointments, to the Americans,
made his appearance, and began the
attack. The British were first received
with a heavy and well directed fire
from the American skirmishers, and
then from the whole of Pickens' com
mand, and, though they gained slight
advantage at first. the tide of battle was
speedily turned. Morgan ordered the
Maryland line to retreat fifty yards and
form anew. The British, seeing this
retreat, thought they had won the day,
and pressed forward impetuously. Their
impetuosity, however, cost them dear.
The Virginia rifemen quickly formed
on each side of the enemy, who now found
themselves subjected to an oblique fire CT
two companies of sharpshooters on each
flank, and a direct fire from the Mary
landers in front. This sudden change in
the condition of affairs completely stun
ned the British. They broke in disorder,
and Howard, seeing his advantage,
charged forward on them furiously,
while Washington's cavalry, hitherto
unseen, also rushed upon them and they
fed in confusion. The victory was com
plete and decisive. The British continued
their flight for twenty miles. having suf-
fered a loss of ten commissioned officers,
and more than q hundred rank and file
killed, two hundred wounded, and twen-
ty-nine commissioned officers and more
than five hundred privates, besides sew
enty negroes. taken prisoners. Two
standards, more than hundred horses,
thirty-five wagons. eight hundred mus
kets and two field pieces, which had
been taken from the British at Saratoga,
and had been retaken at Camden, fell
into the hands of the victors, while the
British themselves destroyed the i'm
mense baggage of Tarleton's army The
American loss was onlv twelve killed