Resting his troops a while in
Virginia, after his race with Cornwallis,
Gen. Nathanael Greene (
q. v.) recrossed the
Dan into
North Carolina; and as he moved cautiously forward to foil the efforts of Cornwallis, to embody the Tories of that State, he found himself, March 1, 1781, at the head of about 5,000 troops in good spirits.
Feeling strong enough to cope with Cornwallis, he sought an engagement with him; and on the 15th they met near Guilford Court-house, where they fiercely contended for the mastery.
The battle-field was about 5 miles from the (present) village of
Greensboro, in Guilford county, N. C. Greene had encamped within 8 miles of the earl, on the evening of the 14th, and on the morning of the 15th he moved against his enemy.
The latter was prepared
[
185]
to receive him.
Greene had disposed his army in three positions—the first at the edge of woods on a great hill; the second in the forest, 300 yards in the rear; and
the third a little more than one-fourth of a mile in the rear of the second.
The first line was composed of North Carolina militia, mostly raw recruits, nearly 1,100 in number, commanded by
Generals Butler and
Eaton.
These had two cannon, with
Washington's cavalry on the right wing, and
Lee's legion, with
Campbell's militia, on the left wing.
The whole were commanded by
Greene in person.
The
British appeared in front of the
Americans at a little past noon in full force, the right commanded by
General Leslie, and the left by
Colonel Webster.
Under cover of a severe cannonade the
British advanced, delivering a volley of musketry as they approached, and then, with a shout, rushed forward with fixed bayonets.
The American militia fled after the firing of one or two volleys, when the victors pressed on and attacked the second line, composed of
Virginia militia under
Generals Stevens and
Lawson.
After a stout resistance they, too, fell back upon the third line.
Up to this time the battle had been carried on, on the part of the
British, by their right, under
Leslie.
Now
Webster, with the left, pressed forward with the right division in the face of a terrible storm of grape-shot and musketry.
Nearly the whole of the two armies were now in conflict.
The battle lasted almost two hours, when
Greene, ignorant of the heavy losses sustained by the
British, ordered a retreat, leaving his cannon behind and Cornwallis master of the field.
It was one of the most sanguinary battles of the war. The
Americans lost about 400 killed and wounded, besides 1,000 who deserted to their homes.
The British loss was about 600.
Among the fatally wounded was
Colonel Webster.
That battle ended British domination in
North Carolina.
The army of Cornwallis was too much shattered for him to maintain the advantage he had gained.
After issuing a proclamation boasting of his victory, calling upon the Tories to rally to his standard, and offering pardon to the “rebels” who should submit, he moved with his whole army towards
Wilmington, near the seaboard.
The news of the battle produced a profound sensation in
England. “Another such victory,” said
Charles J. Fox, in the House of Commons, “will ruin the
British army;” and he moved, June 12, 1781, to recommend the ministers to conclude a peace with the
Americans at once.
William Pitt (son of the great
Chatham) spoke of the war against the
Americans with great severity.
[
186]
[
187]
[
188]
[
189]
 |
|
Recent type of gunboat (U. S. S. Bennington.) |
topographical engineers, July 7, 1838; engaged with
Capt. Howard Stansbury in drawing maps of the
Great Salt Lake region in 1849-51.
He was author of
A history of the Mormons of Utah: their domestic polity and theology.
He was murdered, with seven others, by a band of Mormons and Indians near
Sevier Lake, Ut., Oct. 26, 1853.
