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

left. Washington and Lee with TN
forces under them were instructed =
watch the flanks. In the rear OF ths
whole and near the court house, weri
parked two pieces Of artillery, all tha'
General Greene had except the tw(
six Founders. which were placed u
front in charge of Captain Singleton
Such was the disposition which Gen.
eral Greene made Of his forces in an.
ticipation Of meeting in a general en-
gagement, the forces under CORVALLIS
The sun was just rising when the
van of the British army reached New
Garden meeting house. Here as We
have seen a sharp skirmish occurred
between Campbelrs rifiemen and thu
British infantry. Lieutenant Colone
Lee perceiving that the enemy was
advancing in force. called off his troops
and retired from before the enemy tc
Greene's camp and took his place y
battle order. %
From the forks of the road whert
Lee and Campbell encountered the en-
emy, to Guilford court house. the dis
tance Is between five and six miles
The British took the Salisbury road
and In solid column advanced to Gull
ford court house. 1t was about noon
when the van reached the valley soutf
Of Greene's lines. The army Of Corn
wallis marched In the following or
der: The cavalry under Colonel Tar.
Teton and the light infantry under
General o'Hara were in front. Then
followed Colonel webster's brigade and
the regiment Of Bose. In the rear Of
Bose was brigade Of guards. The ar
tiDery advanced with the divisions to
which it belonged. ~
When the British van entered tho
valley and approached in the direction
Of the Americans. Captain Singleton
opened upon 1t with his two six-poundr
ers.sS Lieutenant Mcleod of the roy1l
artillery rushed forward with two
pieces which he posted near where the
road crosses the stream in the valley
and commenced returning the fire
Neither Singleton nor Mcleod effect
ing anything Of Importance.
From the firing Of Singleton. Corn
wallis knew that Greene was near by
prepared for battle and waiting for
his arrival. CORVALLIS knew that
Greene had double the number Of men
that he had and that Greene had leis-
urely chosen his ground and arranged
his men for battle. Still he determined
to fight. When Singleton commenced
firing the main forces Of the British
were more than a mile in the rear. but
in full view of the American lines
Their FURNISHED arms cleaned In the
sun light and the gay uniforms OF the
officers and men presented an impos-
ing sight when contrasted with the
tattered uniforms Of the American Of
ficers and the dirty and ragged gar
ments Of the American soldiers.
Having determined to hazard bat
tie, CORVALLIS made the following dis
position Of his forces: Major Genera
Leslie with Fraser's Highland regt-
ment, (the 71sD and the Hessian reg
iment under Colonel Bose, was ordered
to file to the right and advance against
the American left. Colonel Webster
with the twenty third and thirty-third
regiments was Instructed to file to the
left and advance against the American
right. Lieutenant Colonel Norton with
the first battalion Of guards was or
dered to support General Leslie; and
General O'Hara with the second bat
TALON of guards and grenadiers was
directed to support Colonel Webster
The royal artillery commanded by
Lieutenant Mcleod and supported by
the light infantry of the guards and
Yagers was ordered to advance direct
ly up the road. Tarleton was ordered
to keep his cavalry in reserve with in
struction to act as circumstances might
indicate.
During the time that the British
were firing and until the first division
had reached the edge Of the slope on
which the American forces were drawn
up in battle array, Captain Singleton
kept up a brisk cannonade. In about
half an hour the British began to ad-
vance for battle. Singleton according
to instructions retired to the rear near
the court house, where the other two
pieces Of artilley were placed. Having
crossed the stream and approached
within a few hundred yards Of the
field. the British began to deploy, Les
lie filing to the right and Webster to
the left. The left flank Of Leslie and
the right flank Of Webster rested on
the road. CORVALLIS had but one line
This being formed, the command was
given to advance.
The left wing Of Leslie and the right
wing Of Webster, had to cross an
open field to meet the first line Of the
Americans. The men commanded by
both Leslie and Webster were ex-
perienced soldiers. Without a wave
the line moved forward, the supports
in regular order taking their proper
places.
The North Carolina militia COM
menced firing at random when the
British were one hundred and fifty
yards distant. At this distance no in
jury was inflicted upon the enemy
AS they approached nearer. many OF
the Highlanders, who were in the Brit
ish van were moved down by Camp
bells men. Still as If nothing was
transpiring, Leslie and Webster anc
the men in their commands, continued
to advance without firing a gun. When
the British came within about sixty
yards Of the first American line, they
threw in a fire which did no damage
No one was killed and not single
man wounded. So soon as the British
delivered their fire, they rushed for.
ward with q shout, and to the utter
dismay Of every one, the North Caro-
lima militia threw down their guns
stripped themselves of their knapsacks
and canteens and ran through the
woods in every direction. Their com
manders, Butler and Eaton, Lieutenant
Colonel Lee, Colonel William Davie-
at that time commissary general-ane