The Royal Georgia gazette. (Savannah, Ga.) 1779-1782, September 13, 1781, Image 1

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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.]