Extract of a letter
from General Gates to the President of Congress, dated
Hillsborough, Aug. 20, 1780
SIR,
IN the deepest distress and anxiety of mind, I am obliged to
acquaint your excellency with the defeat of the troops under
my command. I arrived with the Maryland line, the artillery,
and the North-Carolina militia, on the (a.) 13th instant at
Rugeley's, thirteen miles from Camden; took post there, and
was the next (b.) day joined by General Stevens, with seven
hundred militia from Virginia. Colonel Sumpter, who was at
the Wacsaws with four hundred South-Carolina militia, had
the Sunday before killed and taken near three hundred of the
enemy, who were posed at Hanging rock. This, and other
strokes upon the enemy's advanced posts, occasioned their
calling in all the outposts to Camden. The 15th, at
daylight, I reinforced Colonel Sumpter with three hundred
(d.) North-Carolina militia, one hundred of the Maryland
line, and two three-pounders from the artillery, having
previously ordered him down to the Wacsaws, and directed, as
soon as the reinforcements joined him, that he should
proceed down the Wateree, opposite Camden, intercept any
stores coming to the enemy, and particularly the troops from
Ninety Six, who were likewise withdrawn from that post. This
was well executed by Colonel Sumpter, as his letter inclosed
will shew.
Having communicated my plan to the general officers in the
afternoon of the 15th,
it was resolved to march at ten at night, to take post in a
very advantageous situation, with a deep creek in front,
seven miles from Camden; the heavy baggage. &c. being
ordered to march immediately by the Wacsaw road. At ten the
army began to march in the following order: Colonel Armand's
legion in the front, supported on both flanks by Colonel
Porterfield's regiment, and the light infantry of the
militia; the advaned guard of infantry, the Maryland line,
with their artillery, in front of the brigades, the
North-Carolina militia, the Virginia militia, the artillery,
&c. and the rear guard. Having marched about five miles,
the legion was charged by the enemy's cavalry, and well
supported on the flanks, as they were ordered, by Colonel
Porterfield, who beat back the enemy's horse, and was
himself unfortunately wounded; but the enemy's infantry
advancing with a heavy fire, the troops in fronty gave way
to the first Maryland brigade, and a confusion ensued, which
took some time to regulate. At length the army was ranged in
line of battle, in the following order: General Gist's
brigade (c.) upon the right with his right close to a swamp,
the North-Carolina militia in the center, and the Virginia
militia, with the light infantry and Porterfield's corps, on
the left; the artillery divided to the brigades; and the
first Maryland brigade as a corps de reserve, and to cover
the cannon in the road at a proper distance in the rear.
Colonel Armand's corps were ordered to the left, to support
the left flank, and oppose the enemy's cavalry. At daylight
the enemy attacked and drove in our light party in front,
when I ordered the left to advance and attack the enemy; but
to my astonihment, the left wing and North-Carolina militia
gave way. General Caswall and myself, assisted by a number
of officers, did all in our power to rally the broken
troops, but to no purpose, for the enemy coming round the
left flank of the Maryland division, completed the rout of
the whole militia, who left the continentals to oppose the
enemy's whole force. I endeavoured, with General Caswall, to
rally the militia at some distance, on an advantageous piece
of ground, but the enemy's cavalry continuing to harass
their rear, they ran like a torrent, and bore all before
them. Hoping yet, that a few miles in the rear they might
recover from their panic, and again be brought into order, I
continued my endeavour, but this likewise proved in
vain.
The militia having taken the woods in all directions, I
concluded, with General Caswell, to retire towards
Charlotte. I got here late in the night; but reflecting
there was no prospect of collecting a force at that place
adequate to the defence of the country, I proceeded with all
possible dispatch hiterh, to endeavour to fall upon some
plan of defence, in conjunction with the legislative body of
the state. I shall immediately dispatch a flag to Lord
Cornwallis, to know the situation of our wounded, and the
number and condition of the prisoners in his hands.
(From A History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781, in the
Southern Province of North America?, by
Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton, pp145-147.)
Tarleton, Ch 2., [M], p. 145
8/20/1780
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