Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-12

not. It was now about four o'clock II
the morning. Lee ordered his horse
men to mount. He at their head a
once advanced towards the enemy, di
recting the infantry to follow. TIL,
cavalry had not gone more than TIVE
miles when they met Lieutenant Heard
and his detachment, retiring before tn,
enemy's cavalry. The British horse
men were not pursuing Heard and hi
men hotly, but simply advancing leis
urely Lee not wishing to come ir
contact with the van Of the British
and he so distant from Gen. Greene
and his own infantry, ordered his mer
to retire in troops. The rear which
now became the front under Rudolph
dashed off at full gallop. The squad
under Rudolph was followed by thai
under Eggleston in the same manner.
Lieutenant Colonel Tarieton, who
was as truthful as he was brave
was still liable to be grossly
mistaken. Not discerning the move
ments Of Lee. he supposed the Amer
leans were panic stricken. Tarletor
and his van dashed forward upor
Mark Armstrong, who led Lees front
but on account of the recent change ir
the movements of the legion was now
in the rear. Although the squads un-
der Rudolph and Eggleston were re-
firing at the gallop, Armstrong for the
want of room, was forced to retire al
q walk. Tarleton not understanding
why Armstrong retired so slowly. or
dered his men to fire. Their pistols be-
ing emptied. Armstrong still remained
as sullen as before. Tarleton now or
dered a charge. On came the British
cavalry. The front section had nearly
reached Armstrong when Lee who had
been attentively watching the move
ments Of Tarleton, ordered his men to
right about and charge.
Both parties were in long lane with
high fences on each side Of the road
the fences following the winding Of the
road. Lee chose this place as favor
able to the American cavalry. The
horses in Lees legion were strong
and in good condition, whilst those be-
longing to Tarleton were inferior and
in bad condition. Lee felt confident
that could his cavalry meet Tarleton's
In the lane that he would be able to
trample a large number to death. On
| ly one squad Of each legion met. So
soon as Tarleton saw what Lee was
doing, he ordered retreat. In this
skirmish Tarleton lost a number OF
both men and horses killed. The Amer
leans lost nothing.
Lee now directed his course towards
New Garden meeting house. AT this
point he arrived just as the sun was
rising. The van of the British infan-
try and Lees cavalry reached New
Garden meeting house at the same
moment. Both parties prepared to
fight. Lee ordered the cavalry to re-
treat, and whilst the cavalry was re-
firing before the British, the infantry
attached to Lees legion, and the rifle
men under Colonel William Campbell
rushed up and poured In q most de-
structive fire upon the enemy. For a
few moments the conflict was sharp
Several were killed on both sides. Eth
in this skirmish or In the one which
occurred a few hours previous, Colonel
Tarleton was wounded by ball in his
right hand.
| The conflict between Lee and the
British infantry at New Garden meet
ing house was heard by General Greene
and he now began to make the final
disposition of his troops for action
On the previous day he had sent his
wagons and baggage to Speedwell's
iron works on Troublesome creek. This
place Greene had fortified since he re-
crossed the Dan and consequently II
afforded a safe retreat from Guilford
court house should he be unsuccessful
in the approaching engagement Greene
was by no means sanguine with regard
to the results Of general engagement
He was willing to risk 1t believing that
should the Americans succeed, the
British army under Cornwallis would
be hopelessly ruined; and should the
British succeed the Americans would
only be crippled for short time.
The road leading from Salisbury tc
Virginia, crossing the Dan at Boyd's
ferry, passed through Martinsburg tc
the right or east of the court house
The bearing Of the road was about fif-
teen degrees east Of north. The bear
ing Of the stream which runs through
the valley south and east Of the vii
lage was about forty-five degrees east
point at which the road crossed the
stream was about two miles. The frs
line Of the Americans was placed
across the road, little more than g
mile from the point where the roat
crossed the stream in the valley. This
line was composed Of the North Caro-.
lima militia, commanded by Generals
Butler and Eaton. 1t was good posi-
ton, the men being protected from the
fire Of the enemy by the fences which
enclosed the fields and by grove Of
trees.
. Captain Singleton, with two six.
Founders was placed in the road few
rods in front of the first line. The
second line composed Of Virginia mil
itia under Stevens and Lawson, was
placed across the road about three
hundred yards in the rear Of the frs
line. The division Of Stevens was
placed on the east Of the road: tha
of Lawson on the west. The righ
flank of Stevens upon the left flank o.
Lawson. This line was protected by
the woods which lay between the fields
around the court house and those far
ther down on the slope near the valley
About four hundred yards in th'
rear of the second line, near the cour
house in the field and on the west o
the road was placed the third line.
consisted of about fourteen hundred
and fifty Continental regulars embrac
ed in four regiments. The two Vir'
ginia Continental regiments, unde