Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-27

fall back on at Salisbury.
In the counsel Of DeKalb and Will
liams there was a vast amount Of goot
sense, but Gen. Gates would do hi:
own way. He was encamped on the
road leading to Camden and TO nc
other place would he go but to Cam.
den. He was anxious to meet the foe
as soon as possible. The shortest route
to Camden, no matter what might be
its disadvantages was the route he
would go and no other. On the morn
ing of the twenty-eight, he was join.
ed by Colonel Porterfeld and ons
hundred :. .Virginians. At once the
army with General Gates at its head
set out for Camden.
The sufferings of the army under
General Gates, in its march toward
Camden, can be better imagined thar
described. The country was poor and
but sparsely populated. The army
was poorly provided with supplies and
the country afforded neither bread
nor meat The weather was intensely
hot and the men sick. The bad food
and green corn and peaches the SOL
diers were forced to eat, in order tc
support life, brought on disease and
aggravated 1t when contracted. Gen
Gates in spite Of all impedimenrs
pushed on slowly but surely.
On the fourth Of August, whilst en-
camped on Little Lynch's creek, he
issued a proclamation, in which he
announced to the people of South
Carolina, that he had been enabled BY
the patriotic exertions Of the citizens
of the United States. 20 come to theil
assistance with "a numerous, well-ap-
| pointed and formidable army. In one
| word he was able and he was deter
mined to compel their late trium-
phant and insulting foe to retreat
from his strong posts with precipita.
| ton and dismay, His proclamation
was when compared with his future
conduct mere braggadocio. In the
same proclamation, pardon was offer.
ed to all except those who In the hour
| Of devastation had exercised acts OF
barbarity and depreciation on the
persons and property Of their fellow
citizens.
On the sixth OF Augustine day
that Sumter gained a partial victory
over Colonel Garden at Hanging Rock
and only a few miles from that place
on Lynch's creek, General Gates wa:
joined by General Caswell with hi:
North Carolina militia.
| Lord CORVALLIS was in Charles
ton, adjusting the civil affairs Of the
state and maturing his plans for hi:
| future operations. So soon as he
learned that General Gates was ap
preaching with a considerable army
he left Charleston, on the thirteenth
of August for the British camp a
Camden. Previous to his arrival
Lord Rawdon was in command Of the
post. This officer on the near ap
proach of General Gates had called
in his outposts. The principal points
at which detachments were stationed
were Cheraw, Hanging Rock, Rocky
Mount and Rugeley's Mill. Lore
Rawdon thinking 1t would be to hi!
disadvantage to suffer Gates to attach
him at Camden, marched out with
nearly all his available force and tool
position at a strong post on Lynch!
creek The two armies lay for foul
days facing each other with nothing
between them but Lynch's creek
Here Gates began to blunder. Raw
don's post was strong and Gates hes
itated to attack him, but he could
have lanked Rawdon with the great
est ease and captured all his heavy
baggage and put himself in a position
to attack the British In detail. Lore
Rawdon was aware of this and sen
an order to Col. Cruger to send from
Ninety-Six, four companies Of ligh
infantry. Garden was ordered tt
Camden and Turnbull was directed
to join Ferguson on Little river.
| 1t is evident that Lord Rawdon hac
become greatly alarmed. The battles
fought by Sumter, Davie and other
at Flat Rock, Rocky Mount ant
Hanging Rock as we'll as the grea
name Of Gates, had filled the minds
of both British and loyalists.
On the day that the battle of Hang
ing Rock was fought, Colonel TarletoI
with thirty dragons and forty mount
ed militia, which he had picked up II
| Charleston crossed the Santee at Ian
nieu's ferry. For some time, Tarletol
had been prostrated with fever. HI
was sick in Charleston and his legioI
was being cut to pieces by Sumter
and Davies men. Tarleton with hi
small force, secured the region Dor
dering on the Santee. striking terro
| as he was wont, into the inhabitants
After having committed various dep
relations, he set out for Camden.
| Deceiving the inhabitants of th'
Black river region, by pretending tina
he was an American officer on his wa!
10 join Gates, he secured man by TIT
name of Bradley a member of th'
| general assembly of South Carolina
as a guide. Bradley with few
friends. conducted Tarleton safely un
til the neighborhood Of the British
camp was reached. At this point
TarIeton secured Bradley and hi
friends as prisoners and conducted
them to Camden.
Tarleton joined Rawdon at Lynch
creek on the 18th instant. On tn
same day, General Gates gave sign
that he was about to move his caml
to Rugeley's Mill. Rawdon gave or
ders to evacuate that point at once
He and the troops which were sta
toned at Rugeley's Mill and Lynch
creek, moved back to Logtown, nea
i Camden. On the next day Cornwall
| lis arrived at Camden. He began t
prepare for active operations at once
The troops were reviewed. The fore
from Ninety-Six arrived on the sam
day that CORVALLIS did but many o
the British were sick. 1t was hazard
GUS in CORVALLIS to fight; 1t was NOR
so to suffer himself to be attacked
b,y