Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-10-28

I1nfOTCellIeulS lTOth ;NuSInld, dliu 4rOt u
Carolina isoth statesi al lonceI pf9mis,
ed To- Send troops! Indeed, as th'
classic but, somewhat; hackneyed Incl
dent between the; governor of Norti
Carolina and the gbyefnofi of Soutl
Carolina helps to- illustrate, there hae
always been, an Interchange of comi
ties between the two Carolinas. A,
colonies they had marched to eacl
others succor in Indian wars. Happil,
as states they were to continue this
comfy in the Revolution. The frs
letter recorded in the letter book o.
the first state governor Of Nortl
Carolina is request from Governor
Rutledge for aid for South Carolina
In answer to this letter, 1,40o Nortf
Carolina Continentals under General.
James Moore and Robert Howe arriv.
ed at Charleston in time to strengthen
Moultrie in his heroic repulse Of
Clinton in 1776. A little later, 1,90t
Of her soldiers under General Griffith
Rutherford joined South Carolina and
Virginia in breaking the power of the
Cherokee Indians. Some months
earlier, 1,10O North Carolina milita
under Colonies Polk. Rutherford and
Martin braved winter campaign ir
the Ninety-six district to aid South
Carolina in putting down the SOCIAL
ed Scovilite insurrection. In two later
campaigns her soldiers had marched
into South Carolina
Now in the hour of Lincoln's need
North Carolina did not stay her hand
Gen. John Ashe at the head of 2,O0t
militia hastened carly in 1779 to Lin
coins standard. Many of his men had
to be armed after they reached South
Carolina, for their own state had ex-
hausted its supply of guns. The only
North Carolina Continental regiment
not with Washington's army was also
hurriedly dispatched. In Feb. 1873
Charles Pinckney generously wrote:
"As to further aid from North Caro-
line, they have agreed to send us 1000
more troops Immediately. We have
now upwards of 5000 of their men
with us, and esteem this last aug
mentation as the highest possible
mark of their affection and the most
convincing proof of their zeal for the
glorious cause in which they are en-
gagged"
1t may have been that these troops
were not all sent purely as a mark
of affection" The North Carolinians
were canny folk, and they may well
have felt that it was better to help
you South Carolinians to fight the
British than it was to fight them alone
in their own state.
in March. .177.9, Lincoln, finding his
army sfruited ts asept 5000. men en-
deavored to recover Georgia, but the
British upset his plans by defeating
his North Carolina militia under Gen.
John Ashe at Brier Creek.
A month later, Gen. Lincoln, leaving
Moultrie to guard the road to Charles
ton, again set. out for Georgia. Gen.
Provost, apparently thinking that the
best way to stop Lincoln's movement
was to threaten Charleston, moved on
that city. Driving Moultrie before
him, he demanded the surrender of the
city. When this demand was refused,
he retired. but not before Lincoln turn
ed back at Moultrie's call. AS Provost
retired he laid vast; rich section
with abominable noroughness. This
reckless devastat' n wes a foretaste Of
what the state, was to suffer.
In December Lincoln, in high hopes,
arranged 18th the cooperation OF
d'Estainss French fleet to storm
Savannah, but, "Alas," Moultrio COM
ments, lit turned out bloody affair
and .se were repulsed with loss of
eight or nine hundred men killed or
wounded"
Capture of Charleston.
In December Clinton, the British
commander in chief, appeared before
Charleston with 5000 additional
troops. After a siege lasting until
May II, 1880, he received the surrender
of that important city with, as he
claims, $500 prisoners, numerous can
non, and most valuable stores. A
harder blow could not have beiallen
the South. To save the city, If possi-
BILE, Washington had sent to its rescue
all the North Carolina Continentals
under Gen. Hogun, Gen. Woodford's
Virginia Continental brigade. and
some horses. The South Carolina
Continentals were also there. Thus al
one blow all the Continental forces of
the two states most exposed were
swept into captivity. AS far as can
be made out from conflicting reports
the total forces surrendered inclu-
ding Continentals and militia, were by
states as follows: South Carolina,
2,147: North Carolina, 1874: Virginia
1856. The figures do not include gen.
eral and staff officers. To this start
ling military loss must be added the
loss Of Charleston as a port, and OF
nearly all the Revolutionary leaders OF
the state. Governor Rutledge and part
of his council withdrew during the
siege for the sake of the state.
Like !Sherman's Famous March.