A Sketch of the life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion Part 14

_Camp, before Camden, April 24, 1781._

Dear Sir,

I thank you for the measures you have taken to furnish us with provisions, and for the intelligence you communicate. A field piece is coming to your a.s.sistance, which I hope will enable you and Col. Lee to get possession of the fort. With the artillery you will receive one hundred pounds of powder and four hundred pounds of lead; I wish my present stock would enable me to forward you a larger supply, but it will not, having sent you nearly half we have.

(Signed) N. Greene.

Gen. Greene to Gen. Marion.

_Head Quarters, before Camden, April 26, 1781._

Dear Sir,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your two letters, dated 23d and 25th inst. I congratulate you on your success against Fort Watson.

The articles of capitulation I highly approve of, and feel myself particularly indebted to you, and all the officers and men under you, for their spirit, perseverance and good conduct upon the occasion. The enemy advanced upon us yesterday and gave us battle. The conflict was short, and seemed at one time to promise us advantage; but we were obliged to retire and give up the field; though without material loss.

We are now within five miles of Camden, and shall closely invest it in a day or two again. That we may be enabled to operate with more certainty against this post, I should be glad you would move up immediately to our a.s.sistance, and take post on the north side of the town. I have detached a field piece to your a.s.sistance, with an escort of a few continental troops under the command of Major Eaton. I should be glad you would send them a guide and conduct them to your camp.

I am, Sir, With great esteem and respect, Yours, &c. (Signed) N. Greene.

P.S.--I should be glad you would move up within seven miles of Camden.

Gen. Greene to Gen. Marion.

_Camp, at Cornal's Creek, May 9, 1781._

Dear Sir,

I am favoured with yours of the 6th instant. I am sorry the militia are deserting,* because there is no greater support. If they were influenced by proper principles, and were impressed with a love of liberty and a dread of slavery, they would not shrink at difficulties. If we had a force sufficient to recover the country, their aid would not be wanted, and they cannot be well acquainted with their true interest to desert us, because they conceive our force unequal to the reduction of the country without their consent. I shall be always happy to see you at head quarters, but cannot think you seriously mean to solicit leave to go to Philadelphia. It is true your task has been disagreeable, but not more so than others. It is now going on seven years since the commencement of this war. I have never had leave of absence an hour, nor paid the least attention to my own private affairs. Your state is invaded; your all is at stake; what has been done will signify nothing unless we persevere to the end. I left a wife in distress and every thing dear and valuable, to come and afford you all the a.s.sistance in my power, and if you leave us in the midst of our difficulties, while you have it so much in your power to promote the service, it must throw a damp upon the spirits of the army, to find that the first men in the state are retiring from the busy service, to indulge themselves in more agreeable amus.e.m.e.nts. However, your reasons for wis.h.i.+ng to decline the command of the militia, may be more pressing than I imagine. I will therefore, add nothing more upon this subject till I see you. My reasons for writing so pressingly respecting the dragoons, was from the distress we were in. It is not my wish to take the horses from the militia if it will injure the public service--the effects and consequences you can better judge of than I can. You have rendered important service to the public with the militia under your command, and done great honour to yourself; and I would not wish to render your situation less agreeable with them, unless it is to answer some very great purpose; and this I persuade myself you would agree to from a desire to promote the public good. I wish you success in the fort you are besieging. Lord Rawdon was out yesterday; we had the night before taken a new position on Sawney's creek, and I imagine he came out to attack, expecting to find us on the Twenty-five mile creek. We did not like the position on Sawney's creek to risk an action on, and therefore took a new one at this place, leaving the horse, light infantry and picketts at the old encampment; the enemy came and drew up on the other side of the creek, but did not attempt to cross, and retired into Camden before night. We are in daily expectation of a large reinforcement of Virginia militia and some continental troops; when those arrive we shall push our operations with more vigour. No further news of Lord Cornwallis.

* This letter is an answer to one of Marion's, (which is missing,) soon after his arrival at Fort Watson, with only eighty men. See page 109. [Chapter III Paragraph 26. See Simms for more complete details.--A. L.]

I am, Sir, With the highest esteem and regard, Yours, &c. N. Greene.

Gen. Greene to Gen. Marion.

_Camp, before Ninety-Six, June 10, 1781._

Dear Sir,

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favours of the 22d and 29th ult. It gives me great pleasure to hear the enemy have left Georgetown, and I am of opinion with you, that it will be attended with many good consequences to that part of the country. After you have dismantled the enemy's works, you will collect your force, take the position you mentioned, and act in conjunction with Gen. Sumter, agreeable to the advice I gave you before. I have the pleasure to congratulate you on the reduction of the enemy's fort at Augusta. This event took place on the 7th inst. by capitulation; and I hope in a few days to have the pleasure of congratulating you on the reduction of this place; but we are opposed to many difficulties, and the garrison resists with great obduracy.

I am, Sir, With every sentiment of respect and esteem, Yours, &c. N.

Greene.

Extract of a Letter from Gen. Greene to Gen. Marion.

_Head Quarters, near Sandy River, June 25, 1781._

Dear Sir,

I am favoured with your letter dated at the Congaree. The enemy have obliged us to raise the siege of Ninety-Six, when it was upon the eve of surrendering. It was my wish to have fought Lord Rawdon before he reached Ninety-Six, and could I have collected your force and that of Gen. Sumter and Pickens, I would have done it: and am persuaded we should have defeated him; but being left alone, I was obliged to retire.

(Signed) N. Greene.

Finis.

Notes:

(1) About this etext.

(2) A. S. Salley's Introduction from the 1948 edition.

(3) For the purists: A list of changes and corrections to the text.

(1) About this etext.

This etext was prepared from the original 1821 edition and the 1948 edition. In the case of any differences in the text, the 1821 edition was used, except where there was an obvious mistake (see the section for the purists). Although the 1948 edition maintained the original text as far as possible, a few errors crept in--only one which changed the meaning of the text, and only in a minor way. This etext was transcribed twice, and electronically compared using "diff". This weeds out most errors, so that, with the correction of a number of errors in the original, this is very likely the cleanest copy to date.