STONY POINT AND CHARLESTON.
A. D. 1779 TO 1780.
The capture of Savannah caused uneasiness in all the Southern
States. It was seen at once that Georgia was but a starting
point in a general scheme of transferring hostilities from the
north. Early in 1779, General John Ashe reached Charleston with
two or more brigades of militia. These were hurried off, at the
importunate demand of the Governor of South Carolina, to attack
the British at Augusta.
2. General Ashe remonstrated, saying his men were not yet ready
for active service in the field; he obeyed orders, however, and
took the field as directed. On his approach the enemy retired
down the Savannah River, and Ashe, dividing his force, was so
unfortunate as to fall into an ambush on Brier Creek, where his
men, who were raw, undisciplined troops, were taken by surprise
and routed.
3. A little later, and elsewhere, there was better fortune. At
Stony Point, on the Hudson River, a strong American
fortification had been recently captured by the British.
General Wayne found that it was garrisoned by six hundred Scotch
Highlanders, constituting one of the regular Royal regiments.
The work was nearly surrounded by the river and by morasses, and
the single approach was so swept by the guns of the work, and
also by those of several ships-of-war lying close by for the
purpose of aiding in its defence, that it seemed wellnigh
hopeless to attempt its capture.
4. But hopeless as it seemed, General Wayne determined to make
the attempt. He drew near at midnight, and with unloaded
muskets, and courage that has never been surpassed, captured the
stronghold at the point of the bayonet.
5. Two columns of assault were sent in on the right and left;
but to Major Hardy Murfree's two companies of the Second North
Carolina Continental Regiment, as a forlorn hope, was the post
of real honor and danger assigned. They charged full in front,
up the steep hillside, through several lines of abattis, and in
this way received the hottest of the enemy's fire. The capture
of the fort was largely due to the gallantry of the North
Carolina troops.
1780.
6. Governor Caswell being ineligible for the next term, was
succeeded, at the beginning of the year, by Abner Nash as Chief
Magistrate of North Carolina. The constitution provided that
after three years' service the Executive became ineligible for
the next term, and Caswell had served three terms. Governor
Nash, like his predecessor, was a man of ability and patriotism,
but did not equal him in the versatility of his powers or his
consummate skill in the management of men.
7. In February, 1780, all of the North Carolina troops of the
Continental Line had been ordered to the south. They were at
Charleston with General Lincoln, being besieged there by an
overwhelming force under Sir Henry Clinton. In addition to the
army, the British commander had come down from New York with a
great fleet.
8. The defence was a brave one, but unavailing, and on May 12th
General Lincoln was forced to surrender. It was a direful day
for North Carolina. All of her regular troops and a full
thousand of her militia became prisoners of war. It was a fatal
rashness in General Lincoln to allow himself to be cooped up in
a city. Thus, while no real benefit resulted to the American
cause, or to the State of South Carolina, North Carolina was, at
one fell blow, stripped of all her defenders.
9. Sir Henry Clinton sailed back to New York after the
capitulation, but he left a man of far superior ability with an
army to continue the conquest of South Carolina. This was Lord
Cornwallis, who was the bravest and most skillful British
soldier then in the world. He was to remain this time long
enough to be forever remembered and to take bloody vengeance for
his inglorious experience with Sir Peter Parker four years before.
10. The first movement of Cornwallis, after capturing
Charleston, was to send Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton, with his
dragoons, to intercept a column of infantry which was
approaching from Virginia, under the command of Colonel Buford.
These were surprised and cut to pieces. Among others, the North
Carolina company of Captain John Stokes lost heavily in the
sudden and bloody attack.
11. This disaster occurred in the Waxhaw settlement, on the
State line, not far from Charlotte, in North Carolina. Thus, at
a time when everything indicated another invasion, not a single
troop of disciplined soldiers was left for the defence of this
State, except the two companies of mounted infantry which were
commanded by the gallant Major William R. Davie. This little
band hovered continually in the neighborhood of the scene of
Colonel Buford's defeat.
12. Governor Rutledge, of South Carolina, upon the fall of
Charleston, offered to cease fighting the British if they would
allow his State to remain neutral for the remainder of the war;
but a very different feeling actuated Governor Nash and his
people when apprised of the great disaster. If her Continental
veterans were all prisoners, there were still brave hearts and
deadly rifles left with which to continue the struggle, and
North Carolina had no thought of quailing.
QUESTIONS.
1. What was apprehended in North Carolina after the fall of
Savannah, and why? Who was put in command of the brigades under
General John Ashe? Where were these troops carried?
2. What befell the command on the route?
3. What victory was gained by the Americans on the Hudson River?
Who was in command? Describe the situation of Stony Point.
4. Give an account of the attack on this stronghold?
5. What troops occupied the post of special danger?
How did they perform their duty?
6. Who succeeded Governor Caswell?
Why was Governor Caswell not re-elected?
7. Where were the North Carolina soldiers in 1780?
What enemy was besieging them?
8. How did the siege terminate? Why was this surrender disastrous
to North Carolina?
9. What did Clinton do after the capitulation ? Who was left in command
of the British? What is said of Lord Cornwallis?
10. What was his first military movement? Describe the engagement
between Tarleton and Buford.
11. Where did this action occur? What was the condition of
North Carolina's defences?
12. What proposition was made to the British by the Governor of
South Carolina? What was the sentiment in North Carolina?