between the 2d and 3d of February, after a sharp skirmish in which he lost a few of his wagons. But he secured all the boats to prevent Cornwallis from using them. The British commander reached the river too late to cross in the darkness. Again the opportunity slipped from his grasp. A night of storm swelled the river, so that daylight showed him the Americans beyond, and no ford or boats to reach them. From the English artillery, a furious cannonade was opened on the American camp, and directed especially against a small cabin among the rocks, in which General Greene had established his head-quarters. Here the American general was busy writing orders, dispatches, reports, indifferent to the cannonade, although the balls tore off boards from the frail structure.

Baffled, but not disheartened, Cornwallis marched up the river to seek a ford, and General Greene, released from immediate pursuit, pressed on.

On the 7th of February he formed a junction with the forces under Generals Huger and Williams, at Guilford Court-House, thus uniting all the army but, till he received reinforcements, he did not wish to risk a battle with Cornwallis. So he still kept on towards the Dan. Cornwallis struck for the same point, both armies making daily most extraordinary marches, tasking the endurance of their men to the very utmost, without tents, with scant provisions, over wretched roads, and through heavy rains; the Americans, ragged and barefoot, marking their route by their blood.

Greene passed the Dan on the 14th, with his army, baggage, and stores, having safely effected his masterly retreat of more than two hundred miles.

Cornwallis, abandoning the pursuit, resolved to rouse the Tory spirit

in North Carolina, and sent Tarleton to the country between the Haw and Deep rivers, to encourage the adherents of the English cause.

To thwart these plans of Cornwallis, Greene detached Lieutenant-Colonel Lee and General Pickens, to gain the British front, and check any Tory movement. Getting on Tarleton's track, Lee pretended his party to be a reinforcement sent to that officer. Two scouts of a Tory party fell into the trap, and the whole body, some four hundred in number, under Colonel Pyle, were suddenly confronted by Lee and his men. They opened fire on the Americans, however, but the superior discipline of Lee's command made the struggle a short though bloody one. Nearly a hundred of the Tories were slain on the spot, and almost every survivor wounded, without the loss of an American on Lee's side. Tarleton was only a mile off, but when some of the survivors of Pyle's party came dashing into his line wild with terror, their exaggerated accounts so alarmed him that he recrossed the Haw in hot haste, and did not draw bridle till he reached Hillsborough, cutting down on the way a Tory party hastening to join him, as nothing could convince him that they were not Lee's troopers in disguise. In a few days after this blow, Greene, who did not believe in letting things stagnate, moved on the enemy, recrossing the Dan into North Carolina. Cornwallis at once retreated from Hillsborough. Greene followed him up, and hovering around Troublesome Creek, made himself very troublesome to his Lordship, moving in one direction one day, in another the next, scouring the country with his light troops, and perplexing him beyond measure, while it gave his own men confidence and courage, and lessened their respect for their antagonists. So high had Greene brought up the spirit of his men, that a small detachment at Wetzell's mill held at bay for a considerable time the very flower

of the British force. At last Cornwallis took post on the Alamance, and here Greene, who had received reinforcements from Virginia and North Carolina, resolved to give him battle, and advanced to Guilford Court-House. Cornwallis, seeing his object, sent off his baggage and stores under a strong guard, and moved out to meet General Greene on the way, or attack him in his encampment.

Tarleton, supported by a brigade of the Guards, led the British line, but had not gone far before they were confronted by Lee, who opened by some irregular skirmishing, then suddenly made a furious dash, cut to pieces a section of the British dragoons, and drove the remainder in upon the Guards, whom Lee next attacked, inflicting severe loss, sweeping all before him, till Cornwallis ordered up a fresh regiment, the Welsh Fusileers. Then Lee fell back, and Cornwallis pushed on till he came in sight of Greene. The American general was drawn up on a large hill surrounded by other hills, most of them still covered by woods, with dense undergrowth. His first line, occupying the edge of the wood and two cleared fields, consisted of North Carolina militia, under Generals Eaton and Butler. The second line in the wood comprised Stevens' and Lawson's Virginia militia, while in a third, on a hill, were stationed the Continental troops of the Maryland and Virginia line.

Cornwallis drew up his army, and about one o'clock moved forward with steadiness and composure upon the American forces. Greene's first line opened an irregular fire, but when the British replied with a steady volley, and charged with fixed bayonets, the militia turned and fled through the second line. There the Virginia militia stood firm, while Lee on their left, and Colonel Washington on the right, so galled the enemy that he had to call up his reserves. For a time this brave

body of militia contended for victory with the best troops and ablest officers in the British service, but at last it was forced to yield, and, retiring, formed again behind the Continentals; though Campbell's rifles and the Legion infantry still held their ground.

Smail

The first attack of the enemy was steadily repulsed by the sturdy Continentals, but when other English troops came up, the second Maryland broke before the charge of the guards and grenadiers who pursued them, till Colonel Gurley, with his veteran Marylanders, whom the English had not seen, wheeled, and taking the British in the flank, opened a destructive fire. The British, surprised at this unexpected attack, met it with great resolution. A fierce conflict ensued. wood's veteran Marylanders, who had met the English at Brooklyn, Chatterton Hill, Germantown, Camden, and Cowpens, were full of ardor to achieve honor and fame. The English Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart fell by the hand of Captain Smith, of the Maryland line. The fall of their brave commander disheartened the Guards, they began to waver, when Colonel Washington's horse dashed down on them, and, Colonel Howard ordering a charge of bayonets, the Guards were almost annihilated. Americans and fugitives, in almost an inextricable mass, came rolling towards Lord Cornwallis, who, massing his artillery, opened a furious fire on friend and foe.

Howard's own regiment, meanwhile, was again attacked by Webster and O'Hara with all the troops they conld gather and still farther off, Campbell's militia was holding the Hessians at bay.

Greene felt that he had done enough, and ordered a retreat, which he effected without loss, though pursued by the British reserve.

The battle of Guilford Court-House was well fought, and creditable alike to both generals. It was a victory to Cornwallis, but a victory

that cost him one-third of his army, and such a victory that another like it would sweep his whole army away. From pursuers the English became a retreating force, Cornwallis retiring so rapidly from the field he had just won, that he left nearly a hundred wounded on the field. Among his trophies were two six-pounders, captured from Burgoyne at Saratoga, recovered by Cornwallis from Gates at Camden, recaptured by Morgan at Cowpens, and now again fallen into English hands. This battle was the first step in the movements which terminated in the overthrow of English power. Greene, beaten in the field, was

now pursuing the triumphant victor.

Cornwallis, retreating rapidly, reached Wilmington. Greene on the 5th of April resolved on a new course, and instead of following up Cornwallis, resolved to attack Lord Rawdon at Camden. This left Cornwallis in perplexity. Should he pursue Greene, or make his way to Virginia and leave Rawdon to fight it out? He settled the question by marching to Petersburg in, Virginia, where, on the 25th of May, he took command of all the British forces in that State.

Greene moved rapidly down on Camden, but found Rawdon too strongly posted to justify an attack. Learning, however, that Colonel Watson was approaching the English general with reinforcements, he resolved to intercept him. Sending off his heavy artillery and baggage, he moved with celerity, and taking a good position awaited Watson. Finding that he did not come, he returned to Hobkirk's Hill. There Rawdon suddenly attacked him. Greene drew up his army skillfully, and had flanked Rawdon on both sides and was crushing him with his main body, when a panic arose in one of his best regiments, the 1st Maryland. It spread to others, and Greene saw the victory he had all but won slip from his grasp. He retreated to Saunder's