History of the Loyalists: the Story of the War in the South

HISTORY OF THE LOYALISTS. THE STORY OF THE WAR IN THE SOUTH. A Contest In Which Many Loyalist Regiments Were Engaged - The Affair at Hanging Rock. BY JAMES HANNAY. CHAPTER XXXIV.— Concluded. The chief interest of the story of the campaign in the south of 1780 and 1781, arises from the fact that the loyalist regiments had so large a part in them. At this period of the war the contest so far as the British were concerned, had become a hopeless one, because the forces arrayed against the mother country were too great to be overcome. England was then maintaining not only a contest in America, bit in the West Indies, in India, at Gibraltar, and indeed at every vulnerable point where she could be attacked by the fleets of France and Spain. The fight had become one, not so much for the conquest of the rebels in America, as for the existence of the nation. When Sir Henry Clinton left Charleston for New York, Lord Cornwallis who had the command of the British armies in the south, had a force of about 6500 effective men, of which about 5,400 were in South Carolina, and 1,100 in Georgia. The 23rd and 33rd regiments of infantry, the volunteers of Ireland, the Infantry of the British legion, Hamilton's North Carolina volunteers, and a part of Browne’s King's Rangers Carolina were placed in and about Camden, Major McArthur with the 71st regiment was stationed at the Cheraws in the vicinity of the Pedee river, to cover the country between Camden and Georgetown, the latter being occupied by A SMALL DETACHMENT OF LOYALISTS. The chain to the westward of Camdan was connected with fort 96, by Rocky Mount, a strong post on the Wateree river, which was occupied by Lieut.-Colonel Turnbull, with the New York volunteers and some militia. Fort 96 was under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Cruger, who had with him the fine battalion of DeLancey’s, Colonel Innis' South Carolina Royalists, and Lieut.-Colonel Isaac Allan's 2nd battalion of New Jersey volunteers, with the 16th regiment and three companies of light infantry. Major Ferguson with a corps of rifleman and a body of loyal militia traversed that part of the province situated between the Wateree and Saluda. Lieut.-Colonel Browne held possession of Augusta with a part of his own regiment and a number of Florida rangers, numbering 250 white men and 300 Indians. Savannah, the capital of Georgia, was garrisoned by a corps of Heseians and loyalists under Col. Alured Clark. Charleston contained the 7th, 63rd and 64th regiments of British infantry, two battalions of Hessians, a large detachment of royal artillery and some loyalists all under the command of Brigadier General Patterson. During the heat of the summer the principal business of Lord Cornwallis was THE REESTABLISHING OF BRITISH AUTHORITY in South Carolina, and embodying forces of loyalists. In considering the success of Lord Cornwallis' efforts, it must be borne in mind that the people were mainly hostile to the British cause, and that their apparent acquiescence in the form of government established by Lord Cornwallis among them, was largely due to fear. This was shown very clearly whenever news came of the slightest rebel success. Two prominent men of South Carolina, Patrick Cunningham and a Mr. Harrison, raised corps of loyal volunteers, and their example was followed by others, Col. Bryan collecting a force of 800 men, most of whom had been driven from their homes by the rebels, who were embodied under the name of the North Carolina Loyal Militia. Wherever such forces could be collected composed of men who had suffered for their loyalty, their fidelity could be depended upon, however lacking they might be in other military qualities. But when the regular militia of the country was relied on it was generally found that their sympathies were wholly with the rebels. Several instances of gross treachery occurred on the part of the southern militia. SOON AFTER THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON, the militia of the district about Tiger and Enneree rivers were embodied under the orders of Colonel Floyd. Colonel Neale, the former commanding officer, having turned rebel and fled from the province. One Lisle who was second in command of the same corps, although he had been a rebel, and was banished to the Islands, availed himself of the proclamation of Lord Cornwallis to return to his allegiance and exchanged his parole for a certificate that he was a good subject This precious scoundrel, as soon as the battalion was supplied with arms and ammunition carried it off bodily to Colonel Neale who had joined the rebel Colonel Sumpter’s command in the Catawba. A still more flagrant instance of treachery occurred in connexion with the command of Colonel Neale. These militia had been detailed for the purpose of operating upwards of 100 sick men of the army to Georgetown. The rascally militia, who had swallowed the oath of allegiance, as soon as they found themselves out of the power of the regulars, mutinied against their own officers, and carried them and the sick of the British army prisoners to General Gates in North Carolina. These two instances of gross treachery will serve to show how deceptive was the appearance of content in the south WITH BRITISH RULE, and how great were the difficulties of the British general. The lenient conduct of Lord Cornwallis towards those who had been rebels, and who were ready to be rebels again only encouraged them to further acts of treachery, and discouraged loyal men who had suffered for their attachment to the cause of Great Britain. At this time the Americans were beginning to recover from their panic and were making great efforts to recover their ascendancy to the south. Colonel Bryan who succeeded in reaching the British 71st regiment stationed at the Cheraws with his 800 loyalists, brought the alarming news that Major General Dekalbe, a French officer in the American service, was advancing from Salisbury with a large body of Continental troops, that Col. Porterfield was bringing state troops from Virginia, that General Caswell had raised a powerful force in North Carolina, and that Colonel Sumpter had already entered the Catawba, a settlement contiguous to the Wacsawa. This news produced great alarm among the loyal inhabitants of South Carolina, and in a corresponding degree encouraged those who were rebels at heart. COLONEL SUMPTER, an enterprising and active rebel officer, was the first to make a demonstration against the British pests. With 900 men he passed the Broad river at Blair's ford and advanced upon Rocky Mount, which was occupied by Lieutenant Colonel Turnbull with 150 men of the Now York volunteers and 150 militia. The defenses of Rocky Mount consisted of two log houses, a loop hole building and an abbatis, surmounting an eminence. Turnbull defended his post with great vigor and drove the Americans away with severe loss. The larger part of this loss fell on the treacherous militia, who had deserted under Lisle to Colonel Neale, and Neal himself was killed. After this repulse Sumpter obtained reinforcements, and selected Hanging Rock as the most vulnerable point of attack in the British lines. On the morning of the 6th of August Sumpter approached the flank of the post at Hanging Rock, which was entrusted to the North Carolina volunteers, under the command of Colonel Bryan. The other forces at Hanging Rock consisted of Colonel Browne's Carolina rangers, a part of the infantry of the British legion and the Prince of Wales’ American regiment. The whole, under the command of Major Carden, Bryan's UNDISCIPLINED MEN when attacked, gave way and threw Colonel Brown’s regiment into confusion, but the Legion infantry held their ground, so that Browne’s men were able to rally, and finally Sumpter was forced to retreat with heavy loss. The Americans left about 100 dead and wounded on the field; the British legion lost Captain McCullough, who commanded the infantry, and 22 other officers and men killed and upwards of 30 wounded. Colonel Browne’s regiment also suffered considerable loss. Colonel Bryan’s North Carolina volunteers were dispersed, but were soon collected again and fought well 10 days later at the battle of Camden. (To be continued.)