Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-04-21
ElDGEFIELD, S Sc Pr PIlTL 1881,

separated from the unde
General Greene, ald Tarleton ha'
been detached by CORVALLIS to Gu
him of. South Carolina was literall,
overrun, and military garrisons ha'
been regularly established at tCamaen
CRANKY, Ninety-six. Augusta, anc
other places. Cornwallis and Tarle
ton were pressing. with superior
forces, Greene and Morgan into Nortl
Carolina. The Cowpens is in the mp
per- edge OF spartanburgh district
and very near the North Caroline
line. Tt was Of vast Importance thai
those under General Morgan should
not be rreyentedin their retreat from
sfFecting junction with Greene, who
was also pressed by thesuperior force
Of CORVALLIS. Under these circum.
stances, General Morgans opinion
was against fighting at the Cowpens
Colonel piokens thought shatssone:
thing must be done, or the spirit oi
the country wonld be broken down
and South Carolina become nfyi,sa-
nent and easy conquest. After Il
council of officers was held, the fight
was determined on. The enemy were
superior in numbers by two hundred,
Colonel Pickens formed his line about
two hundred yards in advance of the
second line, consisting Of the light
infantry and a, corps OF Virginia ri
Aemen. The. ..thirdEhne was formed
from the cavalry with about fifty
mounted militia men. Colonel Pick
ems issued strict orders not to fire un
til'the enemy were within forty yards
and when forced to retire, to form or
the right Of the second line. They
were obeyed, and the fire was as de
structiSe as it was unexpected. II
checked the !mpetuoaity of Tarletor
for few moments. when he encount
iereG the second line; and the militia
to The astonishment of the enemy
fell back in good order, snd rallied
under their leader in rrope. time
for the second onset. The seconc
line were forced to give way, and ia!
back upon the cavalry; ard while
Tarleton wa4 cutting down the mill
tia Colonel Washington made a sue
cessful charge upon him; and How
ard, almost atthe same moment, will
his continentals, charged with fixed
bayonets. "The example was in
stautly followed by the militia. Moth
ing could exceed the astonishmen
and confusion OF the British, occa
stoned by these unexpected charges.
The victory was complete. This aca
The first tine in the history Of tn
country, that militia were rallied aDt
brought in good order to the secon'
fire and charge; and it is not detract
ing from any to say, that on that &C
casion, animated by the spirit aIC
courage of their commander, the.
wen at least an equal share Of g(or,
with The continenta!s. The lst bat
talon Of the list, and two British
light infantry companies, laid dowl
their arms to the American militia
Upwards Of three hundred Of ihe en-
emv were killed or rounded, am
above iv2 hundred were taken prls
onere, with baggage, artillery wag
ona, horses, &C., Sc. This victor.
had a tremendoua effect upon tn
whole country, and was followed b,
4 series Of successes up to the victor.
of ttY2otaws, eapi the capture G
Corn@s Etry an
bravery on tbSg 2congres
voted Colonel Pickens sword, an
Immediately afterwards he "as AZ
pointed brigadier general. After thi
battle General Morgan joined Genera
Greene, who was pursued by Corn
wallis, and made one Of the mo;
skilllul and fortunate retreats in tn
history Of the country. The reaso
why General Pickehs happened nc
to be in the battle of Guilford G. E
was, that few days before, the mil
tia under his command from GeorSi
and South Carolina, and from Rowa
and Mecklenberg counties in Mott
Carolina, were offended in the aiiai
of Whiteset's mills; and under Tn
advice Of Governor Rutledge, VIII
had arrived in camp, he marche
them back into South Carolina.
In the meantime, however, Gencl
al Pickens and Lieutenant Colon'
Lee had been detached in pursuit
Tarleton in North Carolina, who W.
exciting the loyalists. Three hui
dred and fifty of the tories fell
: with General Pickens and Colon
Lee, under an impression that the
were Tarleton's men, and while or.
{ ing "God save the king" they wei
: cut to pieces.
3 He Immediately returned and lai
: siege to Augusta, then in posseasie
of the British and tories under Il
command of Brown. Colonel 1t
and himself then acted jointly and
I concert. In a few days Brown su