Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-07

situation. determined to await the ar
rival of his whole force. He had 400
men with him, and expected as many
more the next day. Taking position on
an eminence nearby, he was content TO
wait.
To Sumter delay meant danger. Night
was near. Seeing that Tarleton did not
propose to attack, Sumter determined on
taking the offensive and surprising the
man who had surprised him. He issued
his orders hastily had his men creep
down the Hill stealthily, and before the
British realized what was on loot the
Americans had poured in wen directed
fire. The British received the shock with
out a show of panic, and a few minutes
later made a bayonet charge on the
Americans. The British saw the forward
ranks of the Americans falling back. and
thought they were giving way. But II
was only to open for a reserve of rifle
men, whose fire threw the British back.
Tarleton. seeing that his little army was
in peril. charged with his cavalry up the
hill. 1t was glorious but foolish. The
riflemen picked them off until the horse
men turned and fed down hill again.
Surprised at the result. Tarleton now as
sembled his whole force and. with his
cavalry leading. made a furious charge
upon sumter lett where the nun
offered little obstacle 10 horse or man.
Here the fight was stubborn for a short
time. but it was impossible for Tarleton
II make any progress. The fire from the
log barn was murderous. At last his men
gave way and then he and what remained
OF the 400 fed. He left ninety dead and
10 wounded on the field. Sumter had
only three killed and five wounded
hp hp
ceived a bullet wound in the breast. This
laid him up for three months
1t was not until February, 17sI. that he
again was in the field. Then he began
to give TO Lord Rawdon some of the
same treatment he had given to Corn
wallis. Cutting communications, Skin
mishing with the enemy so as To keep
them in constant alarm and capturing
supply trains suited him for a short
time. and then he suddenly turned his
attention in another direction Apnear-
Ing suddenly before Fort CRANKY he be-
sieged that post, but. finding il more of
job than he had expected, he abandoned
the siege temporarily and, rushing upon
Orangeburg, forced the troops at that post
10 surrender. Then he returned To Fort
CRANKY and was chagrined to find that
In his absence Light Horse Harry Lee
had besieged the fort and had allowed
the garrison to surrender on terms that
Sumter considered too generous. AS he
outranked Lee and had begun the lob of
reducing Fort CRANKY the Gamecock
looked upon Lees conduct as unwar-
ranted. Lee made all reasonable apollo
gies, but Sumter felt bitter about it for
a month more. Then he had the salts
faction of defeating Maj. Fraser on the
Broad river handsomely as he had
smashed Tarleton on the Tiger.
The British power in the south was
crumbling now. To add to the discomfl-
ture of the enemy Sumter was sent by
Gen. Greene a flying expedition al
most to the British lines at Charleston
He captured the British posts at Dor
chester and Monks Corner and then, his
wound troubling him again and his gen
eral health being poor, he had to ask for
furlough. The war was over a long,
long time before he was restored to
health. But once well again he became
as active in public affairs as he had been
I'm the army. He took a deep interest In
politics. He was a strong federalist, an
ardent admirer of Washington and an
earnest advocate Of the principles OF
Hamilton and Adams. He was a mem
Der of the South Carolina convention
that ratified the Federal Constitution
and after the organization of the United
States government he served as a repre-
sentative in Congress from South Caro-
lima from 1888 to 1893. From 1901 to 1909
he represented the Palmetto state in the
Senate, and then he was sent to Brazil as
United States minister. When he re-
turned from South America South Caro-
lima again sent him to the United States
Senate.
Despite his slender frame, his wounds,
his campaigns and the strain of a re-
markedly active life he seemed to i'm
prove in health as the years passed by.
He came to be eighty years Old and he
was quite rugged When he was eighty
five he was hale and hearty. At ninety
he was spry. Few of his old companions
in arms were living then. But year fol-
lowed year, and the South Carolina Game
cock lived on. 1t was not until June 1.
1882, when he was ninety eight. that he
died. He the last of the soldiers Of
the French and Indian wars, the last OF
the warriors of the Cherokee war and
the last of the generals of the revolution.
Copyright. 1910, by Richard spillaneD