Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-16
From the YorEville Enquirer of 1876.
INSTALLMENT LII.
Incidents of the Battle of Eutaw
Spring.

Spring.
The day on which was fought the
battle of Eutaw Spring was intensely
hot Both armies suffered for the want
of water Many Of the Americans
were almost naked and entirely bare
footed. The water Of Eutaw Spring
was redeemed with the blood of the
wounded, who crept there to quench
their thirst. There is a tradition that
for some time after the battle the vol
ume OF the water which bursts from
this fountain was considerably dimin-
ished This decrease in the amount OF
water was attributed to the blood
which was mingled with the water
How much credence is to be given
to this tradition we will not undertake
to say. All that we aver Is that we
have seen individuals who declared
that for some time after the battle
the Eutaw went nearly dry"
Both parties claimed q victory at
Eutaw. The American general re-
ceived a vote of thanks from the con-
gress of the United States for the
"most signal victory which he had
gained. A British standard was also
presented to General Greene, as IAN
honorable testimony Of his merits" :"
In addition to this General Greene
was presented with golden medal
emblematical of the battle and victo-
ry." General Greene was instructed to
present the thanks Of congress to his
aids-de-camps. Hynre, Pierce, Pendle-
ton and Shubrick. Pierce who bore
General Greene's dispatches giving an
account Of the victory to congress,
was presented with a sword.
On one side Of the golden" medal
presented to General Greene is the
profile OF a man-designed for the
general himself, no doubt. Around the
profile are the words: Nathaniel
Greene egregio duel comitia Ameri-
cana"-"The American Congress to the
distinguished leader, Nathaniel
Greene" On the other side Of the
medal is the Goddess Of Victory grace
fully gliding down upon the earth. In
her right hand is wreath with which
to crown the victor; in her left hand
a culver. Gently she descends and
places her left foot upon broken
shield. The head Of the goddess is
encircled with the words. "Salus Re-
gionum Australium'e"The Safety Of
the Southern region.S Underneath her
feet are the words. "Hostibus ad Eu-
taw Debellatis VIII Sept. MDCc.
LXXXP-The enemy conquered at
Eutaw on the sth Of Sept, 1871,
The congress Of the United States
passed q vote of thanks to the several
divisions of troops which composed the
army of General Greene,
From ali this We would be led to
believe the Americans had In reality
gained "a most signal victory" The
British on the other hand claim a vic
tory and rest their claim upon two
facts. They were able to hold the
brick house and palisade garden dur
ing the whole Of the contest and In
the end force the Americans to aban-
don the conflict. The truth Is neither
party gained at the time signal VIC
tory The ranks Of both armies were
feaFfully thfnned. In no battle during
the whole Revolutionary war did the
Americans lose so many oflcers. Col
eneis Washington, Howard and Hen
deFson were wounded and Col. Richard
Campbell was killed. OF the six col
enels only two-Williams and Lee
were unhurt. The whole number Of
American officers killed was seventy
two; the number Of wounded thirty
nine, This In itself was severe blow
upon the American army.
The troops on both sides fought
bravely. The British admit that the
bayonet which heretofore had been so
much dreaded by the Americans, had
lost all its power to produce terror in
them and had become In their hands a
most deadly weapon. With this weap-
on in the hands of the Virginians and
Marylanders, General Greene drove the
British regulars from the battlefield.
Evidently the Americans were emf
nently successful until the hungry and
thirsty soldiers entered the British
camp. Here they began to plunder and
were soon incapacitated for anything.
An amusing scene took place in
front o. the brick house. So great
was the rush Of the British to enter
the brick house and so closely were
they pursued by the Americans that
the more advanced Of the latter reach
ed the door before the hindmost Of the
former. The British were in haste to
enter the house and the Americans
were in haste to reach the place before
the door could be shut Lieutenant
Naming and a few daring followers,
reached the door almost as soon as
Major Sheridan and his men. One of
Manning's men actually made his way
partly into the house. Sheridan began
to push him out and Manning at the
same time push him in. Finally Sher-
idan succeeded. The door was imme-
diately closed and barred. Many of
the British were left out.
Among those was a brother OF the
somewhat remarkable Colonel Isaac
Barre. The brother of this Irish colo
mel held a captains commission. Lieu
tenant Manning finding that he could
not force the house turned his atten-
tion to the unfortunate British who
were too late to enter. So soon as
Captain Barre found that he could
neither enter the brick house nor es-
cape, he began with a glibness Of ton
que for which the Irish are noted and
with a solemnity in harmony with his
circumstances to recite his titles. Il
am" said he, "Sir Henry Barre, deputy
adjutant general of the British army;
captain of the SIND regiment. secreta-
of the commandant at Charleston"
And my prisoner" interrupted Man
ming. You are the very man l have
been looking for. Come with me and
will take good care of you"
1t soon became necessary for Man
MING opd bic foIlowerS IN retire from