Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-16
SOVFa CAROLINA m
FaE REVOLUTION
How the Spirit of Liberty Was Kept Alive By an
UncOnquerable People.
REV. ROBERT LATHAM. ID. ID.
From the Yorkville Enquirer Of 1876
INSTALLMENT XII.
The Retreat of CornWaiiis.


About the middle of the afternoon Of
the 18th Of March. 1880. General Greene
drew off his troops from the field al
Guilford court house. Neither Greene
nor Cornwallis had a clear idea Of the
results Of the battle. Greene retreateo
to Speedwelps iron works and made
preparations for another conflict
CORVALLIS was too much crippled tc
pursue him. For a period Of two
months, CORVALLIS had been exertine
all his energies and plying every strate-
gy his fertile mind could devise, to
bring on a general engagement with
Greene. At last the long wished fol
moment arrived and the conflict came
While its management did honor to
the military talents Of the British gen.
eral, its results paralyzed his arm and
rendered the accomplishing Of his ultf-
mate purpose hopeless. Since leaving
Turkey creek, In York county, on the
18th of January. he had lost one-half
of his army and nearly all his baggage
Instead of making friends Of the in
habitants Of the country through which
he passed, his operations had convert
ed many Of the loyalists into Wings or
caused them to assume a passive atti-
tude.
The night after the battle Of Guilford
court house was cold and rainy. The
dead and wounded, both Of the Amer
leans and British, lay scattered pro-
miscuously all over the field Of con-
fiict. The groans Of the wounded rose
above the noise of the falling rain.
More than fifty of the wounded died
during the night. The next morning
was devoted to burying the dead and
caring for the wounded. This duty
devolved upon the British army. To
the honor of CORVALLIS, he devoted as
much attention to the dead and wound
ed Of the American army. as he did to
those of the British.
So soon as the dead were buried
and the wounded cared for Cornwallis
set out for New Garden meeting house.
This was not the course conquering
general would have taken. Had Corn
wallis really believed that ''his Majes-
tvs arms had been crowned with sig
nal success" he would most certainly
have followed General Greene. Instead
of doing this, he led his depleted and
diSpirited army back to New Garden
meeting house. There he was Joined
by the baggage wagons which had been
sent on, before the battle. to a place
OF safety. Notwithstanding his boast
ings Of victory, CORVALLIS was now
actually retreating from Greene and In
accordance with the principles of that
philosophy which prompts the little
boy to whistle when passing a grave
yard, that he may frighten away the
ghosts, the British general issued
proclamation in which he announced
that complete victory had been gain
ed over the rebel forces on the 18th,
at Guilford court house.
On the 18th. leaving under flag OF
truce, seventy of his wounded, who
were unable to be moved, and few
wounded Americans at New Garden
he set out for the Scotch settlement on
the Cape Fear river at what was then
called Cross Creek-now Fayetteville
On its way to Cross Greek, the royal
army encamped at Bells mill on Deep
river. About the middle Of the after
noon, CORVALLIS and the van Of the
royal army reached the house Of Mr.
Bell. The British earl dismounted and
entered the house. Having taken q
general survey Of everything in the
house, he asked Mrs. Bell where heI
husband was.
I'm Greene's camp" was the prompt
reply. well, madam" continued Corn
wallis, must make your house my
headquarters for few days and take
your mill to grind corn for my SOL
diers."
"Sir, you have the power to do as
you please. but permit me to ask. dc
you intend to burn my house and mil
when you leave?"
why do you ask that question:"
Answer me first and then 1 will tel
you"
NO" said CORVALLIS. your house
and mill shall not be burned. l viii
make your house my headquarters anC
your person and property shall be pro-
tected from insult and injury"
We'll, sir said Mrs. Bell, "sinc'
YOU were so kind as to answer my
question, l will answer yours. HaC
IL been your intention to burn my mil
and house after using them, had de-
termined to save you the trouble b!
burning them myself before you useC
them"
At this bold and fearless declaration
CORVALLIS took no offence. AS th'
different divisions came in, he gave in
structions to each in a nervous man
ner, which attracted the attention o
Mrs. Bell. He would sit down but re
main only for a moment and thel
rising up excitedly. walk hastily across
the house for few times and then 81
down again, and soon rise and wall
across the house as before.
During the time that he was exhib
iting so much nervousness, he toll
Mrs. Bell in rather a boasting tone
that he had completely annihilate'
General Greene's army. Never again,
he said. will Greene be able either t
assist his friends or injure his enc
mics"
The evening was cold and Mrs. Bel
had closed the door. Cornwallis wen
to the back door and having opened II
looked excitedly up the road for feV
moments and commenced his tram
across the house. Mrs. Bell got up an
quietly shut the door which the eaI
had left open. Again Cornwallis open
ed the door and gazed up the road an
in few moments began to walk acros
the house. leaving the door open as be
fore. For a number of times Corn
wallis opened the door and Mrs. Be
closed It, Finally, CORVALLIS opene
It and said in a commanding tone tina
the door must remain open. Mrs. Bel