***

the men as follows: "My brave fellows, we have beat the Tories and we can beat them. When engaged you are not to wait for the word of command from me. I will show you by my example how to fight; I can undertake no more. Every man must consider himself as an officer and act

from his own judgment. *** If we are repulsed, let us make a point to return and renew the fight. *** If any of you are afraid, such have leave to retire, and they are requested immediately to take themselves off."'*

The attack was immediately begun, the Americans climbing the rocky sides of the mountain and placing themselves behind rocks and trees, and pouring in a galling fire upon the solid British ranks. Several times the British made a bayonet charge to drive the Americans back, but as often the latter returned to the conflict and in turn compelled the British to give way.† For nearly an hour the contest raged with great fury; the advantage being now on one side and now the other. Finally, however, Ferguson was mortally wounded in an attempt to cut his way through the American lines, and soon after the officer who succeeded to the command saw that it was useless to continue the fight and thereupon sur

Ramsay, Revolution of South Carolina, vol. ii., pp. 182-183; Draper, King's Mountain and Its Heroes, pp. 248-249.

† McCrady, South Carolina in the Revolution, pp. 794-797.

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This blow was a very severe one to Cornwallis, for it completely disconcerted his plans and prevented his progress northward. On October 14, when he learned of the annihilation of Ferguson's force, Cornwallis left Charlotte and began to retreat toward South Carolina. In this movement the army suffered severely, for it rained almost incessantly, the soldiers had no tents, and the roads. were almost impassable. Being inured to the climate, the Loyalists who had joined the royal army were extremely useful at this juncture, but because of harsh' treatment, abusive language and even blows, a large number deserted the army.* Finally Cornwallis succeeded in passing the Catawba, and on October 29 reached Wynnsborough (or Winnsboro).†

Meanwhile, having considerably augumented his forces, Sumter continued to harass the British in all quarters. He was a veritable will-o

less ways kept the army in constant alarm. Marion, too, continued to harass Tarleton and so successfully eluded the latter that he exclaimed "Come, my boys! let us go back, and we will soon find the game-cock [Sumter]; but as for this d-d old fox [Marion] the devil himself could not catch him.''*. On November 12 Sumter was attacked by Major James Wemyss at Broad River, but he successfully repelled the assault. Wemyss was wounded and taken prisoner, but notwithstanding he had committed many acts of vandalism, he was protected from the fury of the militia. On the 20th Sumter was again attacked at Blackstock Hill by Tarleton, but the latter also was defeated with great loss. In this conflict Sumter was wounded and for some months compelled to remain quiet.‡ Thus the Americans

tion before the British could gather sufficient troops to pursue him. He intercepted their convoys, cut off various detachments and in number

inal evidence has been exhaustively collected; Bancroft, vol. v., pp. 395-401; M. A. Moore, The Life of General Edward Tracey, with a list of Battles and Skirmishes in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War (1859); Ramsay, Revolution of South Carolina, vol. ii., p. 812 et seq.; McCrady, chap. xxxv.; Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. ii., pp. 342-365; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 424429.

* Stedman, American War, vol. ii., p. 225. Bancroft, vol. v., p. 401; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., p. 429.

On Marion's operations against Tarleton see American War, vol. ii., p. 227 et seq.; McCrady, South Carolina in the Revolution, p. 815 et seq.; James, Life of Marion, p. 60 et seq.; Horry and Weems, Life of Marion, p. 137 et seq.; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., p. 563

et seq.

Tarleton, Campaigns, p. 173 et seq.; McCall, History of Georgia, vol. ii., p. 340 et seq.; James, Life of Marion, p. 73; Johnson, Life of Greene, vol. i., p. 317; Ramsay, Revolution of South Carolina, vol. ii., p. 189; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 445-446; McCrady, pp. 821-824; Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. ii., pp. 369–370.

‡ McCall, History of Georgia, vol. ii., p. 343 et seq.; Lee, Memoirs of the War, p. 205 et seq.; Tarleton, Campaigns, p. 175 et seq.; Moore, Life of Lacey, p. 22 et seq.; Bancroft, vol. v., pp. 402-403; Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, pp. 521-522; McCrady, pp. 824-830; Draper,

were gradually winning back all the ground lost by Gates in his defeat at Camden, and with one or two exceptions from this time the British were continually defeated until the final surrender of Cornwallis at York

town.*

King's Mountain and Its Heroes, pp. 376-377; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 446-447; Gordon, American Revolution, vol. iii., p. 471 (ed. 1778); Stedman, American War, vol. ii., pp. 228–236.

* During the year, 34 battles had been fought in South Carolina (not including the affairs at Rugley's Mills, December 4, Hammond's Store, December 20, and Williams' Plantation, December 31, which properly belong to Greene's Campaign of 1781). Several engagements had also taken place in North Carolina and Georgia. In the 34 battles the Americans lost 1,967 killed and wounded and 7,227 prisoners a total of 9,194, against a British loss of 1,816 killed and wounded and 1,317 prisoners -a total of 3,133. The chief American losses were at Charleston, where over 5,000 were surrendered and at Camden where over 1,200 were captured, the killed and wounded in these two battles being over 1,100. These losses occurred principally in the first half

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But while the men were doing the actual fighting, we must not forget the part played in this memorable contest by the female element of the population. population. The mothers, wives and daughters of the patriots gloried in being called "rebel ladies." They visited the prison-ships in their efforts to relieve the sufferings of the soldiers, and in all parts of the country they were zealously employed in providing clothing for the soldiers. At Philadelphia a society was formed at the head of which was Martha Washington, wife of the commander-in-chief. Among other members were Mrs. Joseph Reed and Mrs. Sarah Bache, daughter of Benjamin Franklin. These women subscribed considerable sums of money to the public cause, and when their means were exhausted made a house to house canvass to collect as

the American armies, and during the same time the British had only suffered a total loss of about 650. After the partisan leaders assumed command, the conditions were exactly reversed, the British losing a total of about 2,500 men, whereas the American forces suffered a loss of only a few over 800.- See the statistical tables in McCrady, South Carolina in the Revolution, pp. 849-854.

habitants. Societies were formed to prepare lint and other necessities for the hospital service, and everything possible was done to offset the illeffects of the delinquencies of Congress in this respect.