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THE ROYAL
GEORGIA GAZETTE.
Lord CORNWALLTS’s Dispatches.
(Concluded from our Paper of the 2sd cf Augujl.)
My Lord, GuildfordMarch 1 7, 178 I.
A the fatisfa&ion to
tM’ inform your Lordlhip, that
~ ?K fiis Majelly’s tioops under
my command obtained a
’ ifc ‘ hgnal victory on jhe 15th
% fk. foil over the Rebel army
*• f Commanded by Gen Green.
)*.; $’ £’ 9 porfuance of my in
tended plan, communicated
to your Lordship in my dispatch N O . 7, I had
encamped on the 13th inst. at the Quaker Meeting
between the forks of Deep River. On the 14th
I received information that Gen. Butler, with a
body of North Carolina militia,, and the expefled
rernforcemeats from Virginia, (hid to consist of a
• Virginia Rate regiment, a corps of Virginia 18
months men, 3200'Virginia inijioa-, and recruits
apd that the whole army, which was reported, to
amount to q or 10,000 men, was marching to at
tack the BriiiiK troops. During the afternoon in*
tellige ice was brought, which Was confirmed in
the night, that he had advanced that day to Guild
ford, about 2 miles from our camp. Being%iovv
persuaded that he had resolved to hazard an en
gagement, after detaching Lieut. Col. Hamilton
wuh our waggons and baggage, escorted by his
own regiment, a detachment of ico infantry, and
20 cavalry, towards Bell’s Mill on Deep River, I
marched with the rest of the corps at day break,
on the morning of the 15th, to meet the enemy,
or to attack them in their encampment. About
four miles from Guildford our advanced guard,
commanded by Lieut. Col. Tarleton, fell in with
* co r ps of the enemy, consisting of Lee’s legion,
fome..back mountain men and Virginia militia,
which he attacked with his usual good conduit and
spirit, and defeated ; and continuing our march,
we found the Rebel army polled on riling ground
about a mile and a half from the Courthouse. Tne
priloners taken by Lieut. Col. Tarleton, having ~
been several days with the advanced corps, could
; give nre no account of the enemy’s order or pofi
iion, and the country people were extremely inac
curate in their defeription of the ground. ‘lmme
diately between the head of the column and the
enemy s line was a conliderable plantation, one
large field of which was on our left cf the road,
and two others, with a wood of about 200 yards
broad between them, on our right of it; beyond
these fields the wood coutinuedfor several miles to
our fight. The wood beyond the plantation in our
front, in the skirt of which the enemy’s firft line
were formed, was about a mile in depth, the road
then leadjpg into an extensive fpacc of cleared
ground about Guildford Courthouse - Thewoo4s
on our right and left were reported to be imprailic
. .able for cannon ; but, as that on our right appeared
to be moft open, I resolved to attack the left wing
of the enemy, and, whilst my disposition was mak- *
ing for that purpose, I ordered Lieut. Macieod to
bring forward the guns, and cannonade their cen
ter. The attack was diredled to be made in the
following o r der:
On the right the regiment of Bose and the 71st
regiment, led by Major Gen. Lcflie, and supported
by the lit battalion of guards ; on their left the
23d and 33d regiments, led by Lieut. Col. Web
ster, and supported by the grenadiers and 2d batta
lion of guards, commanded by Brigadier General
O’Hara; the yagers and light infantry of the
a guards remained in the wood on the left of the
guns, and the cavalry on the road, ready to a<ft as
- circumllanccs might require. Our preparations
being made, the aftion began about half an hour
paftone in the afternoon; Major General Leslie,
-after being obliged, by the great extent of the en
emy’s line, to bring up the ift battalion of the
guards to the right of the regiment of Bose, fooh
defeated every thing before him ; Lieut. Col. Web
ber having joiaeJ the left of Major General Leflre’s
flivifion, was no lelf faccefsful in his front, when,
on finding the left of the 33d was exposed to a
.. from the right wing of the enemy, he
changed his front to the left, and being supported
y the yagers and light infantry-of the guard*, at-
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, i 7 Bi.
tackedand routed it; the grenadiers and 2d batta
lion of guards moving forward to occupy the’
ground left vacant by the movement of Lieut. Col.
Webster. *•
All the infantry being now in the line, Lieut. >
Col. 1 arleton had difetlions to keep his cavairj
compact, and not to charge without positive orders,
except to protedl any of the corps from the mod
evident danger of being defeated. The excessive
thickness of the woods rendered our bayonets of
lutle life, and enabled tne broken enemy to make
frequent stands, with an irregular fire, which oc
cafioncd fome loss, and to several of the corps great
delays, particularly on our right, where the ift
battalion of guards and regiment of Bose were
warmiy engaged in front, flank; and rear, with
4 fume of the enemy thatliad been routed on the firft
attack, and with part of the extremity of their left
* w fog> which, by thedofenefs of the wood, had
been palled unbroken. The 71st regiment.and
grenadiers,-and zibatta.lion of khefty
‘WmZvmpa#]g- on tfitrf right,/ ancMiearfog ’ ‘
the flee advance on their left/ continued to move
forward, the artillery keeping pace with them on
the road, followed by the cavalry; The 2d bat- .
tation of the guards firft gained the clear ground ‘
near Guildford Courthoule, and found a corps of
continental infantry, much superior in number,
formed on the open field on the left of the road.
Glowing with impatience to signalize themselves,
they inltantly attacked and defeated them, taking
two 6 pounders, but, purming into the Wood with
too much ardour, were thrown into confuhon by
firc, and immediately charged and driven
back into the field, by Col. Wtfhmgto.Vs dra
goons, with the loft of the 6 pounders they had
t .ken. Jhe enemy s cavalry was soon repulied by
a well and retted fire from two 3 pounder jjft brought
up by Lieut. Macieod, and by tne appearance of
—!he gi enadicrs of t.ne guards and of tne 7ft regi
ment, which, having been impeded deep
ravines, were now coming out of the wood, on the
right of the guards, opposite to the Cvurthoufe.
By tne fpiriced exertions of Br.giLer General O’-
Hara, though wounded, the 2d battalion of the
guards was soon rallied, and, fopported. by the
grenadiers, returned to the charge with tne meaccft
alacrity. The 23d regiment arriving at that in
stant from our left, and Lieut. Col. 1 arleton hav
ing advanced with part of the cavalry, the enemy
were soon put to flight, and the two 6 pounders
once more fell into our hands; two ammunition
waggons, and two other 6 pounders, being all the
artillery they had in the field, were likewise taken. -
About this time the 33d regiment and light infan
try of the guards, after overcoming many difficul
ties, the corps which was op
put an end to the action in this
quarter: The zjd and 71st regiments, with part
of the cavalry, were ordered to pursue ; the re
mainder of the cavalry was detached with Lieut.
Col. Tarlctdn to our light, Mwrteavy fire ftili
continued, and where his appearance and spirited
attack contributed much to a speedy termination
of the a£Lon, Ihe militia, With which our right
had been engaged, dispersed ia the woods; the
continentals went off by the Reedy Fork, beyond
which it was not in my power to follow them, as
their devilry had fuffored but little. Our troops
were excefirvely fatigued, by an aaion which Med
an hour and a half; and our numerous wounded,
dispersed over an extensive space of country, rc ~
quired immediate attention. The care of our
wounded, and the total jvantof provilioiis in an
cxhautled made it equally impoifible for
me to follow the blow next day. The enemy did
not flop until they got to the iron wo;ks on
Troublesome Creek, 18 miles from the field of
from our own observation, and the best accounts
we could procure, we did not doubt but the strength
of the enemy exceeded 7000 men ; their mihtia
composed their line, with parties advanced to the
rails of the fields ia their front; the continentals
were posted obliquely in the rear of their right
wing. Their cannon fired on us whilst we were
forming from the center of the line of milttia, but
vvere withdrawn to the continental before the at
-1 have the honour tc endofe your Lordfliip the
lift of our killed and wounded. Capt. Schutz’*
wound is supposed to be mortal; but the furgeon*
afiure me that none of the other officers are in dan*,
ger, and that a great number of the men will soon
recover. I cannot afeertain the loss of the cnemv
but it must have been coafiderable; between 2 and
300 dead were left upon the field ; many of their
wounded that were able ft move, whilst. we were
employed m the care of our own, escaped and fol
lowed the routed enemy; and our cattle drivers
and foraging parties have reported to me that the
houses in a circle of fix or eight miles round us are
fuH of others; those that remained we have taken
the best care of in our power. We took few nri
foners, owing to the excessive thickness of the
woods facilitating their efeipe, and every man of
our army being repeatedly wanted for a<W
~ 1 condud and adions of the officers and sol
diers that compose this little army will do more
jullice to their merit than I can by wpids. Their
.•..e±SSf lne ’ r invincibJc ,
rente the namiYirps hnu fatiguesW a
of above 6qo miles, in which they have forded
several large rivers and numberleft creeks, many
X)f which would be reckoned large rivers in any
’ Other country , n the world, without tents or co
verings hgainft the climate, and often without
prOvifions, will fofficiently manifeft their ardent
zeal for the honour and intcrefts of their Sovereieti
and their country. b
I have been particularly indebted to Major Ge
neral Lefl.e for hrs galiantry and exertion in the
aaion, as well as his affiitunce in every other part
of the fcrvKj. The zeal and spirit of Brigadier
General O Har a me „ : ray highe|( commendations,
lor, alter receiving two da.igerom wounds, he
continued m the field whilst tne ad son M e d : By
hrs eaoitft attentionpjiidLjQffheroccafiem , seconded
by the officers and foldicfrs of the brigade, his Ma
lay’s guards are no left ciftjtrguifhed by their or
der and difciplme than by their fpirrt and valour. ‘
The Hefluti regiment of Bjfc deserves my
warmest praise for its difeiphne, alacrity, and cou
rage, and does honour to Major du Buy who
co.iiinanus it, and who is an officer of superior merit.
I am much obliged to B igidier General How
ard, who served as a volunteer, for his spirited
example on all occasions.
L !s ur * C r ol * c °ndudled his brigade like
an officer of experience and gallantry. Lieut. Col.
1 arleton s good condufland spirit in the manage
ment or his cavalry was conspicuous during the
whoie aft ion; and Lieut. Macieod, who command
ed the artillery, proved himfelf upon this, as well
as all former occasions, a moft capable and deserv
ing officer. The attention and exertion of my Aids
oe Camp, and of all the other publick officers of
the army, contributed very much to the success of
the day.
I have constantly received the moft zealous aA
_ nftance from Governor Martin daring my com
mand in rhe Southern diftridh Hoping ehat his
presence would tend to excite the loyal fubjetfs ia
this province to take anaaive part with us, fie has
cheerfully submitted to the fatigues and dangers of
our campaign; but his delicate constitution has
fuffrred by his publick spirit, for, by the advice of
the phyficuns, fie is now obliged to return to Eng
land for the recovering his health.
1 his part of the country is so totally destitute
of subsistence, that forage is not nearer than nine
miles, and the ioldier9 have been two days without
bread ; 1 ihall therefore leave about 70 of the worst
of the wounded csfes kt the New Garden Quaker
Meetinghoule, with proper assistance, an.l’ move
the remainder with the army tomorrow morning roi
Btli’s Mill. I hope our friends will heartily take
an active pa s t wi h to whicn I fha.ll continue to
them, ftili pproaching our fhippn g
cafy marches that we may procure the necetfiry
supplies for further operations, and lodge cur tick
?nd wounded wlure proper attention can be paid
to them. v
Tnis will be delivered to your Lordjffiip
by my Aid de Camp, Capt. Broderick, who is w
very promising officer, ad whom I beg leave to
recommend to your Lordship’s countenance and
favour. I have the honour to be, &c.
- . CORN WALLIS,
( Ses tbo fourth P*£C, )
[N 0 . 133.]
