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

you, my men are always ready to offe
1t for their country. Have l your eX
cellency's permission to retire?"
You have, Colonel Marion; but
trust you will still continue operation
on the Peedee and the Santee river:
One service, If you will permit me,
will require at your hands; and tha
breaking up all the boats which yo
can possibly find at the several cross
ing places on the Wateree-at Nelson
and Vance's ferries in particular. w
must not let my Lord Rawdon escap
U.S."
| 1t was now Marion's turn to smile
and his dark eyes kindled with an arcl
and lustrous expression as he heard o
the anticipated victory. He we'll knew
| that Rawdon could not and would no
endeavor to retreat. Such a move
ment would at once lose him the coun
try. 1t would have stimulated the dor
mant hopes of all the people. 1t woulC
| have crushed the Tories. by withdraw
ing the army whose presence. had beer
| their prop. 1t would destroy all thu
immense labors, at one blow, by which
| the invader had sought, not only t
| realize, but to secure his power.
The weakness of Gates amused tht
partisan, and the smile upon his lip:
was irrepressible. But the self-com'
plaisance of the general did not suffer
him to behold 1t; and, concluding his
wishes and his compliments at the
same time, he bowed the Swamp Fo1
out of the marquee, and left him t
the attention of the old baron, d.
Kalb. The veteran was gloomy, anc
did not scruple to pour his melancholy
forebodings into the ears of Marion
for whom he had conceived liking
When they were about to separate
with ludicrous smile, he reminded
Marion of the employment which Gates
had assigned him in the destruction
Of the boats.
You need not hurry to its execution
my friend" said he: ut is sad waste
of property, and, If my thoughts do moi
greatly wander, l fear an unnecessary
waste. But God cheer us, and his
blessing be upon you"
They parted-never to meet again
The partisan led his rejected warriors
oack in the direction Of his swamp
dwelling, on the Santee. while the vet
eran went back with a heavy heart to
his duties in the camp.
In an hour, the onward march Of the
army was again resumed. The troops
vent forward with more aiacrity, as
satisfaction to themselves than or
many days before. small supply OF
indian meal had been brought into
camp by the foragers, and produced
quite a sensation. This gave a mess
to all; and the impoverished beef
which, hitherto, they had eaten either
alone or with unripe fruit, boiled along
with it, grew particularly palatable
With all the elacticy which belongs
to soldiers, they forgot past privations
md hurried on, under the promise OF
improving circumstances, which Were
to meet them at every step OF theiI
farther progress.
This spirit was the more increased
IS the commanding officer, aware ol
the critical situation of the troops
'nfolded himself more freely than ne
had hitherto done to Colonel Williams
who acted as deputy adjutant general
The Show of confidence operated favor
ably on the troops, who were at loss
to know why General Gates, against al
counsel, had taken the present route
He said ii had been forced upon him;
that his object was to unite with cas-
we'll; that Caswell had evaded every
order to join with him, that Caswells s
vanity desired separate command
and that he probably contemplated
some enterprise by which to distin'
guish himself.
"I shouldn't be sorry said he, "tc
see ks ambition checked by rap over
the knuckles, II it were not that the
militia would disperse and leave this
handful of brave men (meaning the
Continentals) without even nomina
assistance"
He urged that the route was taken
to counteract the risks Of Caswell, by
forcing him to the junction he seem
ed so desirous to avoid and, at the
same time, to secure some OF the sup
plies of provisions and other necessa.
ries, which he asserted, on the alleged
authority of the executive Of Nortt
Carolina, were even then in the great
est profusion in Caswelrs camp. He
moreover, guessed that change OF
direction now would not only dispirl'
the troops, but intimidate the people
Of the country, who had generally SEM
in their adhesion as he passed, prom
ising to join him under their owr
leaders. These were the arguments OF
Gates: and whatever may be theil
value, he should have the benefit OF
them in his defence. To these were
opposed, in vain, the poverty ano
destitution of the country, and the
perfidious character Of the people
llong the route they pursued The die
was cast, however and the army wen!
forward to destruction. But we VII
not anticipate.
On the fifth of August, in the after
noon, General Gates received a letter
from Caswell, notifying him OF an at,
tack which he meditated upon pos
of the British, on Lynch's creek, abou'
fourteen miles from the militia en-
campment. This increased the anxiet!
IF the general to advance, fearing les'
Caswell should involve himself In Ut
ter ruin: and he eagerly pressed tor'
ward the regulars. While urging tneH
still upon the ensuing day, new des'
patch was received from the genera
militia, stating his apprehensions o.
an attack from the very post which
the day before, he had himself medi'
tated to assault. Such a strange mix
ture of boldness and timidity alarmed
Gates even for his safety; and he no"
hurried forward to relieve him IRON
himself. and with more rapidity thar
ever. On the seventh Of August, pS
dint Of forced marching, he ATTAINED
his object and the long delayed juno
ton was safely effected, at the cross
Roads, about fifteen miles east OF th'
enemv's most advanced post OF
Lynch's creek.
The army was now refreshed; every
thing was in plenty: for amid the
greatest confusion, and in spite OF al
his difficulties, Caswell had cOntriVeC
to keep a constant supply OF wines
and other luxuries on hand VIII
which the half-famished Continen'
tails were pleasantly RECALLED. Al
Ter the junction. which occurred abou
noon in the day, the army marched
few miles towards the advanced sta
ton of the British. On the next day
pressing forward to the post, they
found the field their own; the enemy
had evacuated it, and had retired
back, at his own leisure, to a mucf
stronger position on Little Lynch
creek, and within a days march OF the
main post Of Camden. There Raw'
don commanded in person, with {
force already strong. and hourly in
creasing from a judicious CONTRACTOR
Of the minor posts around him, whlcf
he effected as soon as apprised or th'
approach of the Continentals.
Still. the army pressed forward, II
obedience to command, ignorant OF IL:
course and totally unconscious OF th'
next step to be taken. The command
er. however, began to take his precau
tions, as he saw the danger OF encoun
tering an enemy-encumbered as m
now was with unnecessary baggage
and the large numbers of women an.
children, whom he has found viii