Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-19

The baggage was ordered to Rugeley's,
some eight or nine miles in the rear.
The American army was soon ready
to meet the enemy and notwithstand-
ing the unexpectedness of the attack,
General Greene felt confident that he
would gain complete victory. Such
being his calculations he ordered Colo
mel Washington to turn the enemy's
right and charge upon them in the
rear
In the meantime, the pickets fought
bravely, disputing every inch Of ground
until Rawdon advanced with his whole
force, and Kirkwood was forced to fall
back into line The brigade on the
American right commanded by General
Huger was led by Lieutenant Colonel
Richard Campbell and Capt. Halves.
That on the left commanded by Colo
mel Otho H. Williams was led by Colo
mel Gunby and Lieutenant Colonels
Howard and Ford. The artillery was
placed under Colonel Harrison and so
situated as to command the road. The
North Carolina militia, about two hun
dred and fifty, who were stationed in
the rear under Colonel Washington,
were commanded by Colonel Reade.
The Kings American Volunteer
regiment formed the British right; the
Sixty-third regiment was on the left
and the New York volunteers composed
the centre. The British right was sup
ported by Robertson's corps and on the
left by the Irish volunteers. AS the
enemy's forces advanced, presenting a
narrow front, Campbell and Ford were
ordered to turn his flanks. while Gun
by with the Maryland regiment was
directed to attack his centre. Lord
Rawdon on discovering Greene's plans
strengthened his position by ordering
the Irish volunteers into line and thus
extending his front.
The battle commenced on the British
left and extended to the right, General
Greene aided by Huger, Campbell and
Halves, led the two Virginia regiments.
The Virginians stood firm and even
drove the enemy back, whilst Colonel
Washington with his cavalry was car
rying every thing before him on the
British right. Colonel Harrison in the
centre was thinning the ranks Of the
British with the artillery. At this
juncture of affairs, Gunby's Maryland
regiment rushed forward with fixed
bayonets. The British began to fall
ter and Col. Hawes was ordered to
charge the New York volunteers. To all
human appearances victory was about
to declare in favor of the Americans.
Just at this important moment, Cap
tain William Beatty who commanded
the right battalion of Gunby's veteran
regiment was killed, and his command
paused and soon the whole regiment
gave way. Colonels Williams. Gunby
and Ford all endeavored to stop 1t, but
failed In the attempt Ford was NOR
tally wounded and carried to the rear
Gunby finding that he could not restore
the regiment to order on the field or
dered it to fall back to the rear and
then form. This order proved most
ruinous. AS the American regiment fell
back, the British rushed forward with
shout and soon the whole American
army began to retreat.
Colonel Washington at this moment
was in the rear of the British striking
terror in every direction. When the re-
treat commenced he had no less than
two hundred prisoners. When he
learned that General Greene was re-
treating he paroled the British officers
he had captured and taking with him
fifty prisoners, cut his way to Greene
with the loss of only three men.
So soon as General Greene saw that
| 1t was necessary to withdraw his
troops, Hawes was ordered to cover the
broken line. The British pursued and
kept up, at intervals the action until
about four o'clock. The Americans
had crossed Sanders creek four miles
from the battle ground. At this point
Colonel Washington with his cavalry
and the North Carolina militia turned
upon the pursuing foe. He charged
with characteristic fury the New York
volunteers, killing nine and scattering
the whole. Here the British drew off
and the fight ended. The Americans
encamped for the night two miles north
OF Sanders creek, and the British re-
turned to Camden. The dead were left
on the battlefield.
The loss in killed, wounded and miss
ing was nearly equal on both sides.
The American loss was two hundred
and sixty; that of the British two
hundred and fifty-eight. Very few on
either side were killed. The British
loss in killed was thirty eight; that of
the Americans only eighteen, but two
of these were Colonel Ford and Captain
Beatty, both gallant officers.
Never was any officer more disap-
pointed than was General Greene in the
results of this battle. From the firing
of the first gun by the pickets, which
announced the approached of the enc
my, he calculated with certainty on a
glorious VICTORY. ENlueHtly tHe piNoe
upon which the results of the battle
turned was Gunbys regiment. Had 1t
stood firm, 1t is highly probable that
the victory in favor Of Greene would
have been complete. The moment 1t
faltered, the scales began to turn and
so soon as it began to fall back in dis
order, the day was lost to Greene. The
conduct of Gunby's regiment on this
occasion was very remarkable. 1t was
regarded as the choice regiment In the
southern army. At the Cowpens and
at Guilford court house, it had fought
bravely. At Hobkirk's Hill, there was
some defect about the manner in which
the regiment was led into battle
About this matter Greene was dis
pleased with Gunby and Gunby was
displeased with Greene. What was the
exact character of the difference OF
opinion between these two officers we
can not now learn.
Without censuring, we NAV be per-
mitted to say that General Greene, un-
der the circumstances attempted too
much at once That the victory might
ha comnlete he so led his troops into