416 - 
ties of the ftate, to protect thofe who were 
well difmofed to the revolution from the 
ravages of the diflafetted. 
This force, which was the firft which 
had appeared there on the part of ) America 
for a confiderable time, in{pired the friends 
of her caufe with renovated ardour; and 
fuch numbers flocked around Morgan’s.. 
ftandard, that Lord Cornwallis thought i it 
proper to fend Colonel (now Genera 1) 
‘Tarleton to diflodge him from the fation 
he had taken, ‘That officer, with every 
advantage which could be derived froma 
f{uccefsful reputation, is faid to have put 
himfelf at the head of a thoufand regular 
troops, with two field-pieces. On the 
17th of January, 1781, ata place called 
the Cow Pens, he came up with General 
Mo srean, whofe force was inferior in point 
of numbers ; and in addition to this, only 
one-third of his troops confifted of conti- 
nestal foldiers ; the remainder confifted of 
undifciplined. militia. An engagement 
took fete immediately, and the Americans 
proved victorious. 
This fuccefs on the part of General 
Greene entirely difconcerted the plans of 
Lord Cornwallis; who could have had 
no idea of fuch an enemy in South Caro- 
lina, which feemed to be completely con- 
quered. He had, indeed, made the necef- 
dary arrangements for carrying his opera- 
tions into the Northern States, where he 
was flattered with the profpeét of fimilar 
fuccefles. Difappointed, however, in 
thefe operations, he now found it necef- 
fary to poftpone his defign, and march 
fpeedily after General Morgan, in hopes 
of not only recovering the priforers, but’ 
of revenging the loffes fultained by Col. 
‘Tarleton, ‘The rapid movements of the 
Americans once more eluded his efforts ; 
and General Greene aftually found means 
to efreét a junction of the two divifions of 
his little army, on the 7th of February :_° 
but it was yet too weak to refiff Lord 
Cornwallis, and he found it neceflary to 
make a retrograde movement, which the 
vigilance of his Lordhhip was not able to 
prevent. 
The American Commander having con- 
du&ed his army in fatety into Virginia, 
and received -fome reinforcements there, 
with the promife of fiJl more effeCtual 
aid, foon returned into North Carolina 
with the hopes of being able to aét offen- 
fively. He even encamped in the vicinity 
of his enemy, and conduéted his enter- 
prizes with fuch ability and promptitude, 
that, during three weeks that he lay near 
to ee Cormnwa aliis, that officer ‘was un- 
-¢o reap any advantage from his fu- 
periority 3 on the contrary, he found 
fl 
! 
Biographical Account of the late Major-general Greene. 
[Dec. }, 
himfelf cut off from thof fuccours which 
the royal party weredilpofed to afford him. 
_ About the beginning of March General 
Greene ‘effected a junction with a conti- 
nental regiment, and two confiderable 
bodies of Virginia and North Carolina Mi- 
litia. He then determined on attacking 
the Britifh army without lofs of time 5 
‘being perfuaded,’? as’ he declared in his 
fubfequent difpatches, ‘‘that if he was 
fuccefsful it would prove ruinous te the 
enemy ; but, if otherwife, it would be 
only a partial evil to himfelf.” 
- Onshe 14th he arrived atGuildford@ourt 
Hovfe, from which place the Britifh army 
was only twelve miles diftant. His forces 
confifted of about four’ thoufand five hun- 
dred men, ‘of whom: hear two-thirds were 
North Carolia and Virginia Militia. The 
Britifh were about two thoufand four hun- 
dred, all regular troops, and the greater 
part were inured to difcipline and fervice 
in expeditions under an able commander, 
who, on the morning of the 15th, being’ 
apprifed of the enemy’s intention, marched 
to meet him. 
The engagement commenced at half an - 
hour paft one o’clock by a brifk cannonade; 
after which the Britith advanced in three 
columns, and attacked the Nerth Caro- 
lina Militia, which gave way, and could 
not. be rallied by its officers.” This difaf- 
ter decided the fate of the day, although 
the Virginia Militia, which compofed the 
fecond line, behaved with great gallantry ; 
for they fought with great bravery, and 
feveral times returned to the charge after 
being repeatedly broken and difordered, 
after they had kept up a heavy fire for a 
long time. At length, however, they were — 
driven back on the third line; arid the 
action becoming general, fevere, and 
bloody, terminated in favour of Britifh 
difcipline againf{ American - numbers. - 
This conflict lafted an hourand a half; and 
was ended by General Greene’s ordering g 
a retreat, when he perceived the enemy 
were on the point of — his | 
troops. 
The lofs fuftained by Lord Cornwallis? s- 
army was ftated at 532, including killed, © 
wounded and miffing ; among whom were 
feveral officers of rank and importance. | 
Such trifling difatters as thefe, cb 
compared with the more ripened f{cience 
of {laughter at the prefent day, may per- 
haps appear trivial: but they were, on, 
this occalion, decifive in their confequence, 
for, i in three days after, Lord Cornwallis. 
in his turn was impelled to a retrograde 
movement, and retreated from the fcene of 
his victory to Wilmington, which is more 
than’ two hugdred miles diftant from the 
field 
