第 26 节
作者:江暖      更新:2021-02-19 20:44      字数:9322
  surrendered himself prisoner to a lieutenant of the British; and after he had
  delivered his sword; was struck by the lieutenant with the broad side of it。
  At   the   battle   of   Guilford;   Smith   had   killed   Col。   Stewart;   of   the   British
  guards;   in   a   single   rencounter;   and   his   bravery   was   otherwise   so   well
  known that the British officers invited him to a dinner in Camden。 Before
  dinner; he mentioned how he had been treated by the lieutenant; and it was
  agreed among them; that; as that officer was to be present at the dinner;
  Smith   should   be   at   liberty   to   treat   him   as   he   thought   fit。   Accordingly
  Smith kicked   him  down   stairs;   and   as   he   did   not   resent   it;   he   was   soon
  after cashiered。
  Upon Watson's arrival in Camden; Lord Rawdon being now reinforced;
  marched out to attack Gen。 Greene; at Sawney's creek; on the west side of
  the Wateree。   Greene   did   not   like   his   position   for   a   general   engagement;
  and took a new one at Cornal's creek; leaving the horse; light infantry and
  pickets; at   his old   encampment。 The   enemy approached   and drew up on
  the opposite side of the creek; but did not attempt to cross; and retired into
  Camden before night。 Early in the morning of the next day (10th of May;
  1781;) Lord   Rawdon burnt the mill   at Camden;  the gaol;  his stores;  and
  many private houses; and evacuating it; retreated towards Nelson's ferry。
  Thus was Camden evacuated in less than a year after the British obtained
  possession of it; but during that short period it had become the scene of
  innumerable spoliations; and other atrocities。 While they held it; the loss
  of   property;   and   being   reduced   to   poverty;   were   the   least   considerable
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  incidents; which happened to the inhabitants。 To form an accurate idea; as
  well of the wretched situation of the people of that town and its vicinity;
  during this period; as to elucidate a part of history not yet explained; let
  the reader take the following narrative; partly in and partly out of its due
  order。   Gen。   Greene;   having   traversed   that   part   of   North   Carolina   from
  Guilford to Pedee; and passed through nearly one half the breadth of South
  Carolina; by the way of Cheraw hill; and Lynch's creek; arrived at Town
  creek; four miles below Camden; about the middle of April。 Except at the
  Pedee;     the   country    through    which     he   had   marched     was    destitute   of
  provisions; and no where; unless he had impressed salt provisions; could
  he find any thing better than beef driven out of the woods; which in April
  is well known to be lean and nauseating。 For the last fifty miles; his route
  had been across the sand hills; between Pedee and the Wateree; here his
  guide deserted him; and when he arrived at Town creek; he and his men
  were at a loss which way to proceed; and were literally starving。 The fine
  low   grounds   of   the  Wateree   now   lay   before   him;   where   he   expected   an
  abundance   of   provisions;   but   he   was   most   grievously   disappointed。   The
  British had swept away every thing of the kind that could be found; and
  what little subsistence was left to the planters was hid in small parcels; and
  in different places in the swamps。 Scarcely any thing fit to eat; was visible;
  where prior to this period; and subsequently; every kind of provisions had
  been so abundant。 But Gen。 Greene; in his distress; happily*   met with a
  young man; whom; while he had been at Hick's creek in January last; he
  had appointed assistant commissary general; and who had served him with
  zeal   and   ability   in   that   department。   This   young   man;   (the   present   Gen。
  Cantey; of Camden;) had but just returned from Dan river; where he had
  supplied Gen。 Greene; with fifteen waggon loads of flour; and nearly one
  thousand   head of   hogs;  which   he  had   driven from  the  Pedee;  by  private
  ways; with so much skill and address; as to avoid Lord Cornwallis; and the
  numerous       tories   by   whom     he   was   surrounded;      and   Cantey     was   still
  zealous to serve his country。 After gaining some intelligence of the enemy;
  Gen。   Greene   requested   his   commissary   to   endeavour   to   get   them   some
  provisions; for they were famishing。 Cantey's father lived not far off; and
  recollecting     he   had   some    bacon     and   corn   meal    hid  in   a  swamp;     he
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  immediately   went   and   brought   enough   for   the   general's   mess;   and   in   a
  short time after; drove in beeves; such as they were; sufficient for a supper
  for    the   men;     but   so   destitute    was    the   neighbourhood;         that   Cantey
  recommended it to Gen。 Greene to move above Camden; where provisions
  might be collected from the upper country; and it was more probable he
  would   receive   aid   from   the   militia。   But   for   this   explanation;   the   good
  judgment   of   Gen。   Greene;   in   taking   post   above   Camden;   might   well   be
  questioned; since his wisest; and hitherto favoured plan; had been to strike
  at the posts below。 It is thought; if he could have taken a position at Town
  creek;   or   Swift   creek   below;   all   surprise   might   have   been   prevented。 At
  this time; Gen。 Greene sent Cantey to Gen。 Sumter; distant more than one
  hundred       miles;    to  request     him    to   join   him;    but   Sumter;     who     was
  meditating   an      attack    on  fort   Granby;     declined   any   further   cooperation
  except in that way。 When this answer was communicated to Gen。 Greene;
  by   Cantey;   he   was   exceedingly   angry;   and   said   he   had   a   great   mind   to
  leave   ~them~   to   defend   the   country   as   well   as   they   could;   without   his
  assistance。 Could he have concentrated his force; and ~had not regarded
  Ninety…Six~; he might have driven the British into Charleston; before the
  sickly season commenced。 But the system of leaving fortresses behind an
  invading   army;   so   strongly   recommended   by   Machiavelli;   and   so   much
  followed   by  Bonaparte;   had   not   yet   been   adopted   in   tactics。   But   we   are
  anticipating our narrative。
  * As all the accounts of the movements of Greene and Col。 Lee; into
  South   Carolina;   are   confused;   from   a   want   of   information   of   the   local
  situation   of   the   country;   and   the   clashing   of   the   names   of   places;   the
  present note   has   been   subjoined   to   rectify  misconceptions。   From  Ensign
  Johnson Baker's account we have seen Lee at the Long bluff; since called
  Greenville; now Society…hill。 At that time; the marshes of Black creek; and
  the bogs of Black river; were impassable (except to Marion;) on any direct
  route to Camden; or Scott's lake; or Santee; but there was an Indian path;
  by   the   way   of   the   present   Darlington   court   house   and   Day's   ferry;   on
  Lynch's creek; to Kingstree; and from the latter place there was a road to
  Murray's   ferry  on   Santee。   From  the   necessity  of   the   case;   therefore;   this
  must have been Lee's route; for he cannot explain it himself。 Lee had been
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  the principal adviser of Greene to return to South Carolina; for which the
  country can never be too grateful to him; and being now about to invest
  fort   Watson;   he   sent   Dr。   Matthew   Irvine;   for   whom   both   leaders   had   a
  great   friendship;   and   who;   from  his   persuasive powers   was   highly  fitted
  for   the   mission;    to  inspire   Greene     with   hope    and   confidence。     Irvine
  obtained a guide and   an escort   from Col。  Richardson; and   proceeded by
  the   route   of   the   Piny   lands;   back   of   the   Santee   hills;   then   a   pathless
  wilderness; now a thickly settled country; and ~on the first broad road~ he
  fell in with in this tract; he unexpectedly met with Greene; about fifteen
  miles from Camden。 Irvine continued with him; until descending a range
  of Sand hills between little and great Pinetree creeks; about a mile from
  Camden; he crossed great Pinetree creek at the place now called M‘Crae's
  mill。 From the latter place; Greene proceeded about three miles to an old
  mill on Town creek; called English's; and here Irvine left him; and Cantey
  met   with   him   as   a   general   and   his   army   emerging   from   the   wilderness。
  This ~first broad road~ must again f