June 1st.

York as a victor; but before his departure proceeded to reorganize the civil government on the basis of a recovered British colony. Shortly after the surrender of Charleston, he issued a proclamation, threatening severe penalMay 221. ties and the confiscation of their estates, against all who should obstruct the re-establishment of the king's authority, or " hinder the king's faithful subjects from joining his forces, or performing those duties their allegiance required." Another proclamation, by Clinton and Arbuthnot, as Commissioners of Peace, extended to the inhabitants, with few exceptions, "pardon for their past treasonable offences," and a restoration to their rights and immunities as British subjects, "exempt from taxation, except by their own legislatures." The silent acquiescence of the mass of the people in these proceedings, an acquiescence which flowed from a dread of the further calamities of war, and the hopelessness of making any effectual resistance against so powerful an enemy, was assumed by the British general as conclusive proof of the extinction of the revolutionary feeling, and the willingness of the people to resume the character of British subjects. Acting under this impression as to the majority, and with a wanton disregard of the feelings of the few who were yet openly faithful to Congress, he proceeded to demand of the people the services of British subjects. He issued a proclamation, declaring it to be " proper for all persons to take an active part in settling and securing his majesty's government;" discharging all those citizens who had given their parole as prisoners, requiring of them all the "duties" of citizens, and affirming that such of them as refused to return to their allegiance, should be considered and treated as "enemies and rebels.' That no further doubt of his course might remain, he required all persons to be in readiness to bear arms for the king-those who had families for a home militia, those who had none to serve with the royal militia, for six months out of twelve. It was granted as a favor that they should not be called on to serve out of the two Carolinas and Georgia. These arbitrary proclamations left the inhabitants no resource, but to arm in behalf of Great Britain, or flee from the State. To obstruct even this choice of evils, it was soon after forbidden to make any transfer of property, but with the license of the Commander-in-chief.

In the beginning of June, Clinton left the command of

the Southern forces to Earl Cornwallis, then at Camden, and returned with a large body of troops to New York, where he joined General Knyphausen, as already mentioned. But his harsh policy had left a very different state of feeling from that upon which he had calculated so strongly. The multitude were exasperated, and ready to fly to arms at the first prospect of relief. In a little while it became evident that the forced quiet of the Carolinians was full of danger to the British troops. Feigned submission was hardly less fatal, because it disarmed vigilance, than open opposition. The more determined whigs gathered together, in corps, carrying on an indefatigable warfare against tories and enemies. Generals Sumpter and Marion distinguished themselves by their enterprise and gallantry in carrying on these partizan expeditions. The tories retaliated where they could; and, especially in North Carolina, exhibited impatient zeal to join the enemy. Collisions between republicans and loyalists-one party struggling to aid the British in keeping the country under subjection, and the other struggling to harass the traitors and retard the operations of the enemy-made the frontiers a scene of perpetual alarm, and kept the country in a state of restless and feverish excitement.

In July, Sumpter, who was in North Carolina, at the head of a small corps of exiled South Carolinians, made a dashing attack upon a detachment of the royal forces, near the frontier, and routed them, with heavy loss. His numbers were rapidly increased by volunteers; and, a few days afterwards, he made another attack upon the British, entrenched at Rocky Mount, but, for the want of ammunition, was unable to make any impression. Foiled here, he turned rapidly against a detachment composed of the Prince of Wales regiment, and a large body of tories from North Carolina, and scattered them with prodigious loss. Nine only, out of two hundred and seventy-eight of the regulars, survived, and the tories were dispersed. These gallant and successful enterprises raised the spirits of the whigs, and like parties, under independent leaders, started up in other parts of the State, keeping the field to harass the royal militia and regulars wherever they could, and when retreating before superior force they easily eluded pursuit. These actions served to reanimate the spirits of the native Carolinians, while, in the mean time, a continental force was advancing to relieve them, through the Middle States.

With much difficulty Congress had been enabled to furnish, late in the season, a body of regular force to operate in the South. They consisted of the Maryland and Delaware lines, about two thousand in number. They landed in Petersburgh in April, and marched to Hillsborough, North Carolina, under the command of Major-general the Baron de Kalb. The militia of North Carolina, commanded by General Caswell, and those of Virginia, by General Stephens, prepared to join him. The animation which the presence of these troops inspired, augured well of the success of the campaign; and the appointment of General Gates to the chief command strengthened this confidence. Great results were anticipated from the tried valor and skill of the hero of Saratoga. The strength of the army, when he July 25th. joined it at Deep Run, was more than three thousand men. Advancing into South Carolina, he issued a proclamation, inviting the inhabitants to take up arms, and promising pardon to all who had been coerced into taking the British oaths, except such as had committed depredations against the lives and property of citizens. The proclamation brought multitudes to his standard. In more than one instance, whole companies that had been levied in the province for the king's service, went over to Gates, carrying their arms, and sometimes their officers with them. Lord Rawdon, who was then in command at Camden, on receiving tidings of the approach of Gates, drew in his posts, and concentrated his force at that place. Cornwallis himself hastened from Charleston, and arrived at Camden on the fourteenth of August.

Gates had, however, committed a capital error, as the event showed, in his choice of routes from Hillsborough to the vicinity of Camden. The council of war had advised De Kalb to make a detour through the well cultivated settlements of the Waxhaws; but Gates, on taking command, decided on pursuing the direct route, considering it to be his policy, while his numbers were superior, to reach the British position by the shortest road. This unfortunately led through pine barrens, sand hills, and swamps; and, during the march, provisions failed. The troops were reduced to feed on the lean cattle they could pick up in the woods, and for some days had no other food than green corn and peaches. From the unhealthiness of the season and climate, added to this meager and unwholesome diet, violent diseases

broke out among them, threatening the to destruction or dispersion of the army. The symptoms of insubordination that at first appeared, were easily quelled by the prudence of the officers; and the sufferings of the soldiers were borne with great patience and good humor. On the 13th of August they reached Clermont, about twelve miles from Camden, in a state of extreme exhaustion. The next day they were strengthened by General Stephens's Virginia brigade.

Aug. 15th.

Intelligence having been received from Sumpter, who was encamped beyond the Wateree river, that a convoy of provisions was on the way from Ninety-Six to Camden, Gates sent Colonel Woodford, with four hundred men of the Maryland line to aid in surprising it. Thus weakened, his troops were about 3,660; of whom 970, infantry and cavalry, were continentals, the rest militia. Cornwallis had but seventeen hundred infantry and three hundred cavalry. On the night of the 15th, Cornwallis put his army in motion, to attack the Americans in their camp, and Gates was advancing to take up a position nearer to Camden. The vanguards of both armies met in the night and engaged. The skirmish dispirited the Americans, who were repulsed, and their line thrown into disorder for a while. Some cross firing took place during the night, and in the morning a general engagement commenced between the two armies. The fate of the battle was in effect decided at the first onset. The Virginia and Carolina militia, who formed the left wing, on being ordered to advance to support the artillery, wavered. The British, seeing their hesitation, charged them with fixed bayonets, upon which, panic struck, they threw down their arms and fled from the field. No efforts could rally them, and the whole force of the enemy was turned against the Maryland and Delaware regiments, who formed the right. These sustained the fight gallantly. Colonel Howard, with his regiment, who were in the van, several times drove in the enemy, who were then commanded by Lord Rawdon. For some time they had clearly the best of the action, and, had the left behaved well, must have gained a victory. They were at last charged in the flank by Tarleton's cavalry, surrounded, overpowered, and driven from the field in complete route. They were pursued for upwards of twenty miles. The loss was terrible in every respect. All the American artillery, field pieces, ammunition wagons, and much of the baggage, was lost.

The killed, wounded, and captured, were not less than two thousand. General De Kalb was mortally wounded; General Rutherford was wounded and taken prisoner; and so total was the defeat, that few officers who escaped could find their respective commands. The British reported their loss at three hundred and twenty-four.

Aug. 18th.

Sumpter, who had succeeded in his expedition against the convoy, on hearing of the defeat of Gates, retreated, as he thought, to a safe distance. On the eighteenth, he was overtaken by Tarleton's cavalry, at Fishing Creek, surprised, and his troops routed with great slaughter. One hundred and fifty of his men were killed, three hundred taken prisoners, and his baggage and artillery captured. He, with about three hundred and fifty men, were fortunate enough to escape by dispersing themselves.

Gates, with the shattered remnants of his army, arrived at Charlotte, eighty miles from Camden, on the nineteenth; and hearing of Sumpter's defeat retired further to Salisbury; and again, after a few days, to Hillsborough, a hundred and eighty miles from the field of action.

Cornwallis did not pursue the fugitive Americans, after withdrawing his troops from the action at Camden. The complete dispersion of the continental army, left the country totally in his power, and he proceeded to use his triumph rigorously. His first care was to inflict vengeance upon all those who had taken arms against the king, after receiving protections. Orders were given to hang every militiaman, who, having been enrolled under the king's proclamation, had joined the Americans, and a number were actually executed. He appointed commissioners to confiscate their estates. Some of the most respectable inhabitants were confined in prison-ships, or sent away from their families to St. Augustine. Having enforced these rigorous measures, to break the spirit of the people, and received supplies and reinforcements from Charleston, on the 16th of September, he set out towards North Carolina. Marion kept the field with his corps, occasionally making rapid excursions against the tories or straggling parties of the British, and suddenly retiring into the mountains. Sumpter, soon after, gathered his forces together, and resumed the like enterprises in the eastern part of the State. They did most valuable service to the Americans cause, especially in keeping the tories in check.