Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-03-22

| not well nelD II, was lllC
remark of CORVALLIS, who yet locke
approvingly upon the person whom h
thus partially censured. Tarleton sim
/ ply smiled; his thin lips slightly part
| ing, and exhibiting a brief glimpse Q
| the closed teeth, as he replied
Better they should howl than hurt
| their bark is music; their bite migh
| be something worse. l am content l
bear the reproach, so long as our goo
sovereign reaps the benefit; and WI
always prefer to amputate the Vlclou
member that we cannot so surel
heal"
"Our wish is for the fight, gentle
men," said CORVALLIS; my own opin
ion insists upon it as the preterapi
measure. They outnumber us, 1t
true: but I feel satisfied we can out
fight them. Whether we can or not
I think, at least, we should try for II
We gain everything by victory; della.
increases their force; and even with
out defeat, makes the difficulty o
conquest with us so much the great
er. The suggestion of Tarleton Is on
also of importance. The rebels ar
half starved men; their provision
have been unequal to their wants, AM
unsatisfactory, for some time past
Disease too-so we learn from Hugh
son-has thinned them greatly; ant
i'm every possible aspect, our condition
imperiously calls for fight This il
my opinion"
And mine," responded Tarletor
slowly, letting down his sabre whict
ratified quiveringly in the sheath witt
the stroke. The same opinion wa!
expressed by Rawdon. Webster, ant
the rest; the resolve for fight wa!
rn.nuolliS than nrDPpp1,
ed to arrange his army in order o
battle. They displayed in one line
completely occupying the ground, one
flank resting on a swamp, the othel
on a slight ravine which ran parable
with, and near it. The infantry OF
the reserve. dividing equally. took pos
N a second line, opposite the centre
of each wing. The cavalry, command
ed by Tarleton, held the road, where
the left of the right wing met the vol
unteers of Ireland. corps which, thu:
placed, formed the right of the left
wing. On the right, Lieutenant-Col-
onel Webster was placed in command
To Colonel Lord Rawdon the left was
assigned. Two six and two three
Founders. under Lieutenant M'Leod
were placed in the front line, and two
other pieces with the reserve.
though at midnight, so perfectly drill
ed and we'll experienced had they been
was the movement of machines rather
than of men. Every step was taken
under the eyes of superior officers
every cannon found in its assigned
place with a niceness, admirably con-
trasting with the confusion which is
supposed to belong to battle. Each
soldier, before the dawn had his sup
Oly of rum provided him; and officers
and men, resolute and ready, held
their places in order of battle, anx-
iously awaiting the approaching day
light.
The American army was formed
with similar precision, and at the
same hour. The second brigade OF
Maryland, with the regiment Of Della
ware. under General Gist, took the
right; the brigade of North Carolina
militia, led by Caswell, the centre;
that of Virginia, under Stevens, the
left. The first Maryland brigade was
formed in reserve, under Genera
Smallwood. Major General Baron Dc
Kalb, charged with the line of battle
took post on the right, while Gates
chief, placed himself on the road
between the line and the reserve. TIC
each brigade a due proportion of ar
tillery was allotted; but the wing OF
an army-the horse-was utterly
wanting to that Of Gates. The caval-
ry Of Armand, defeated at the first en-
counter Of the night, is thought, by
some of the simple countrymen who
witnessed their rapidity, to be flying
to this very day.
Gates's line Of battle has been crit
icised, with the rest of his proceed
ings, in this unhappy campaign. His
arrangements placed the Virginia mil
itia, an untried body, which had never
before seen service, on the left, a dis
position which necessarily put then
in front of the enemy's right, consist
ing of his veterans. The better course
would certainly have been, to have
thrown the Continentals, our regulars
upon the left; by which arrangement
the best men Of both armies must have
encountered the plan ol
Lincoln in previous events, and GER
tainly that plan most comformable 10
and indeed called for by, the circum-
stances of the case. The flank OF the
American, like that of the British
army, rested upon a morass; and
thus disposed it awaited upon the
;round, and in the given order, FOL
the first glimpses Of daylight and the
enemy.
With the dawn of day the British
were discovered in front, in column
and on the advance. This was com.
municated to the adjutant general
Williams, who, soon distinguished the
British uniform about two hundred
yards before him. Immediately order
ing the batteries to be opened upor
~ N
was in the rear of the second line, anC
informed him of what had been done
communicating his opinion, at the
same time, that the enemy were dis
playing their column by the right; bu
still nothing was clear enough in the
proceedings of the opposite army fol
certainty on either side. Gates heard
him attentively, but gave no orders
and seemed disposed to await the
progress Of events: upon which the
adjutant general presumed upon q
farther suggestion.
Does not your eXcellency think thai
if the enemy were attacked briskly BY
Stevens. while in the act Of deploying
the effect"
Yes. sir" said Gates. hurriedly in
terrupting him; that's right-let 1t be
done, sir"
These were almost the last order:
given by the unhappy commander
Quick as thought. Williams seized the
brigade to the charge; all seemingly II
fine spirits. But the instructions came
too late-the evolution Of the enemy
was complete: they were already II
line. and prepared To receive the at
tack.
But this did not alter the determine
tion either Of Stevens or the adjutant
Assigning a force of fifty men to the
latter to commence the action by fir
ing from the cover of trees as rifle
men. in the hope of eXtOrting the pre-
mature fire of the British, Stevens crieC
out to his brigade, as he saw the en-
emy's column moving down upon hin
in 'front.'
Courage, my men, and charge
charge home! You have bayonets a
well as they"
His words were drowned and lost il
the wild huZzas and the fierce onse
Of the opposing British, who fired a
they came on. with their pieces in res
for the charge of bayonets. The mil
itia was seized with panic, and il
spite of all the efforts Of the gallan
Stevens. could not be persuaded eithe
To stand the charge or to return tn
| fire. A few only stood with their lead
er. The great majority, throwing
away their loaded arms, fled in ever
direction. and catching from ther