and the quality of his troops, he calculated on a certain and easy victory.

The American advanced corps, under Cunningham and M'Dowell, opened their fire and supported it with animation, under a brisk fire from the British, until the bayonet was presented, when they retired and took their posts in the intervals left for them, in the front line under Pickens. The British advanced, firing, and with loud shouts for approaching victory: Pickens received them with a firmness, with which they were unaccustomed from that description of troops, until the British charged them with the bayonet; when Pickens ordered a retreat to the post assigned to them, on the left of the continental troops. As the militia retreated, they were charged by the British light dragoons of the advance; by which they were unable to form on the left, and they continued to retreat toward the reserve under Washington. Howard received the British van with firmness; a warm fire ensued, and the advance of the enemy was not with such a quick step. At this time the British reserve had got up, and were ordered by Tarleton to advance and turn Howard's right: Howard ordered Triplet, Tait, and Beale, to wheel backward on their left, and face the turning enemy; but this order being misunderstood, the whole of the second corps faced about and retired in good order. Morgan perceiving the movement of the continental troops, and that they were retiring in good order and un

dismayed, and conjecturing the movement to have originated in mistake, rode up to Howard and in a loud tone of voice, pointing to the rising ground in the rear of the hollow way, informed him that was the ground which he wished him to occupy, and to face about. The British perceiving that the continental troops retreated, shouted victory, and advanced rapidly and in disorder, within thirty yards of Howard's rear, when that officer ordered his troops to face about and fire: this turn of Howard's, so unexpected by the enemy, caused their fears to take the place of the joy with which his retreat had inspired them: the moment was critical, and Howard ordered the drums to beat the charge-the inspiring roll was promptly obeyed: Morgan ordered the reserve to advance and charge the British dragoons, who were cutting the militia, which was obeyed with promptness and effect; the militia rallied and advanced on Howard's right, and faced the enemy's reserve; the British infantry, of the van, retreated in confusion; the corps of artillery, with two pieces of cannon, were taken; Howard turned upon the British infantry of reserve, who surrendered, and major M'Arthur, the chief of the battalion of the 71st regiment, yielded his sword to general Pickens; and major James Jackson, of Georgia, who acted as major of brigade to Pickens, accompanied M'Arthur and introduced him to general Morgan. The retiring enemy were pressed in pursuit the defeat was so sudden, that

the British cavalry of reserve had never been brought into action, and remained unbroken: Washington attacked them, and for a short time the contest was severe and bloody; Howard advanced, and the remainder of the enemy fled with precipitation. It was Washington's custom, to be in advance of his troops in the day of battle; perceiving that he was near forty yards ahead, with only a small waiter near him, Tarleton with two of his officers, wheeled on him: Washington broke his sword, and was defending himself; the waiter drew a pistol and wounded one of them, and sergeant-major Perry advancing to the relief of his colonel, parried a cut which was made at him, and disabled the sword-arm of the officer. Tarleton aimed a thrust at Washington, which was parried; upon which Tarleton wheeled and discharged a pistol at him, and wounded his horse. The pursuit was continued several miles.

The Britsh sustained a loss of ten commissioned officers, and above a hundred non-commissioned officers and privates killed; and nearly two hundred, of all ranks, wounded; and upward of six hundred, including the wounded, were taken prisoners. Two field pieces, eight hundred muskets, two stand of colours, thirty-five baggage waggons, and one hundred dragoon horses, fell into the possession of the victors.

The American loss, on this occasion, was eleven men killed, and sixty-one wounded; of the former, three, and of the latter, five, were Georgians.

The position of Cornwallis, on Turkey creek, was thirty miles from the Cowpens, whither Tarleton had promised to escort general Morgan to dinner: the two positions were equi-distant from Ramshauer's mill, on the south fork of the Catawba river, where Morgan must pass in retreat, by the upper route; and from the rapidity of Tarleton's movement, calculations were made that Cornwallis would be apprised of the defeat in three hours. There was no time to be lost : Morgan left the wounded on the field of battle, under the protection of a flag, with surgeons and nurses to take care of them; destroyed the baggage he had taken, and commenced a rapid retreat, directing the militia to take charge of the prisoners, and proceed higher up toward the mountains.

After the action, colonel Howard, in conversing with major M'Arthur, expressed his surprise at the precipitate, desultory manner, in which the British troops were brought into action; the gallant Scot observed, "that nothing better could have been expected, when troops were commanded by a rash foolish boy."

Majors Cunningham and Jackson, with the Georgia troops, continued under the command of general Pickens, and were engaged in several skirmishes during the march of general Greene through North-Carolina, and the destruction of a party of loyalists at Haw river, who were assembling under colonel Piles to join lord Cornwallis

CHAPTER XII.

GENERAL Pickens was ordered to return to South-Carolina, and endeavour to narrow the limits of the British at Ninety-six, and was joined on his march by colonel Elijah Clarke, who had recovered from his wound. As Pickens was pursuing his march, he received intelligence that major Dunlop, with seventy-five British dragoons, had been detached from Ninety-six into the coun try, on a foraging party: Pickens detached Clarke and M'Call, with a suitable force, to attack him. On the 21st of March they came up with Dunlop, who had halted at Beattie's mill, on Little river. Clarke sent a party to take possession of a bridge, over which Dunlop must pass in retreat, and with the main body advanced and attacked him by surprise. Dunlop retired into the mill and some out-houses, but which were too open for defence against riflemen; recollecting, however, his outrageous conduct to the families and friends of those by whom he was attacked, he resisted for several hours, until thirty-four of his men were killed and wounded; himself among the latter; when a flag was hung out and they surrendered. Dunlop died the ensuing night. The British account of this affair, stated that Dunlop was murdered by the guard after he had surrendered; but such was not the fact, however much he deserved such treatment.