Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-23

sured by Greene. Lee and Marion.
General Greene soon rose above his
misfortune. Lee and Marion were in
structed to prevent If possible, the
junction Of Rawdon and Watson. Ir
order to cut off all supplies from Cam
crossed the Wateree river and station
ed himself in the neighborhood OF
Camden ferry. 1t was now evident
that Watson could not reach Camden
watching Watson, who was now in
Orangeburg county, near the conflu-
ence of the Wateree and Congaree. II
was doubtful where he would cross the
river Marion and Lee were endeavor-
ing to overtake him and bring him to
battle: but in spite Of Marion and Lee,
Watson on the 9Th Of May crossed the
Congaree and on the next day crossed
the Wateree and on the same day en-
tered Camden.
General Greene learned in a short
time after the arrival Of Watson, that
the junction between him and Raw
don was formed. He wisely concluded
that Rawdon would begin Immediately
to advance upon the American army.
This connection being fixed in his mind
and not desiring to bring on general
engagement. General Greene retired to
a ridge on Sawney creek, near the di-
viding line between the counties of
Kershaw and Fairfield. The forces Of
Greene and Rawdon each numbered
about twelve hundred men. On the
Sth, the day after the arrival Of Colonel
Watson, Rawdon crossed the Wateree
at the point where the bridge now
spans the river and Immediately di-
rected his course towards Greene's
camp. General Greene now retired to
Colonel's creek, in Fairfield county, a
short distance from the present site
Of Longtown.
Lord Rawdon becoming satisfied
that he would not be able to dislodge
General Greene and being startled by
the intelligence that the American army
was rapidly increasing in strength,
returned to Camden and began at
once to make preparation for evacuat-
ing the post. So alarmed was he for
the safety for his various military
posts, that he posted a messenger to
Cruger, ordering that official to aban-
Ion Ninety-Six and retire to Augusta.
At the same time, Maxwell who COM
manded the garrison at Fort CRANKY,
4 short distance below the present city
of Columbia was ordered to retire to
Orangeburg. All of the messengers
sent by Rawdon were captured and the
orders they bore never reached the
persons for whom they were designed.
On the 10th Of May. Lord Rawdon
Ted his forces out ot Camden. BEFORE
leaving the town, he burned the mills,
jail and a number of private resi-
dences. All his supplies, except so
much as he could conveniently take
with him were burned. In his train
followed five hundred negroes, who
had fiocked to his camp from the sur
rounding country. The most noted
royalists in the adjacent country left
their farms and followed the British
army. The scales they saw had begun
to change. Heretofore the poor Wings
from all sections of the state had been
dragged to Camden and tortured. Some
were hanged like dogs, multitudes
were starved to death or suffered to
die of sheer neglect, and all were
grossly insulted. During all this time,
the Tories and loyalists in and around
Camden had been feasting on the lus-
cious dainties Of the earth. and supine-
ly reclining beneath the folds of the
British flag. When Lord Rawdon
marched his forces out of the town. a
cold tremor ran through the bodies Of
every Tory and loyalist in the region.
The day of rejoicing was done and
phantoms Of future misery frightened
them.
In the meantime. the partisan lead
ers, Marion. Lee, Sumter and Horny
were not idle. General Sumter, possi-
bly, on receiving the orders Of General
Greene, set out to join Greene at Cam
den, but for some reason which as
said before cannot now be satisfacto-
rily accounted for. turned aside and
laid siege to Fort CRANKY.
The British post was located on the
right bank of the Congaree river. about
two and one-half miles below the site
now occupied by the city Of Columbia.
At an early day some one came to this
point. From Pine Tree, afterwards
Camden) and erected store house for
the purpose of trading with those
boating produce down the river
to the lower country. This attract
ed other settlers and the result was
that small village sprung up, which
has long since ceased to exist. In the
neighborhood were several individuals
by the name Of Friday. They were OF
German descent and managed their
affairs with thrift. Unfortunately for
themselves and for their country all OF
them, except two brothers were loyal
L
| lists. One of these Friday brothers
lived at Fort CRANKY. He owned a
mill and the ferry by which the river
at that point was crossed belonged to
him and bore his name. The only in
ldividual residing at that time within
the present limit of the city Of Colum-
bia, was Colonel Thomas Taylor. He
and General Sumter were warm
friends and had been together since
shortly after the fall OF Charleston, or
the - of May. 1880.
In February. 1881, Sumter made ar
attack upon the British stationed a,
Fort CRANKY. but with no decided re-
suits. Again he and Taylor began tc
besiege the place shortly before Raw
don evacuated Camden. When Raw
don learned that Sumter had laid siege
to Fort CRANKY, he ordered the garri-
son at Orangeburg to retire. Sumter
on learning this. left Colonel Taylor tt
continue the siege of Fort CRANKY ant
hastened to Orangeburg, that he might
attack the garrison before it would
leave