第 8 节
作者:江暖      更新:2021-02-19 20:43      字数:9322
  *   Two   boys;   Francis   G。   Deliesseline   and   Samuel   Dupre;   had   the
  boldness to undertake; and did recover fourteen of White's cavalry horses
  from  the   British;  and   delivered them  to   Major   Jamieson in   Georgetown;
  refusing a reward he offered。
  As soon as the town had surrendered; Lord Cornwallis; with 2500 men;
  and five field pieces; marched from St。 Thomas' to Nelson's ferry。 Thence
  he   detached   Tarleton;   with   700   infantry   and   cavalry;   in   quest   of   Gen。
  Caswell      and    Col。   Buford;     who    had   been    approaching       to  the   relief  of
  Charleston; with about 700 militia; and between 3 and 400 continentals。 At
  Camden; Caswell; with the militia; quitted Buford; who then commanded
  the continentals; and retreated by the way of Pedee。 Buford's regiment was
  soon after placed under the command of Gen。 Huger; as an escort to Gov。
  Rutledge; then at Camden; and was detained; with a fatal security; by the
  general; for two days in that place。 And so much off their guard; were our
  rulers   themselves;   that   Gov。   Rutledge;   and   his   council;   were   soon   after
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  hospitably      entertained;     at  Clermont;      by   Col。   Rugely;    an   Englishman;
  professedly opposed to the American cause。 At midnight; he woke them up;
  advised them of Tarleton's approach; and with some difficulty; persuaded
  them to escape; at daylight; Tarleton arrived at Clermont。 That morning;
  Huger gave up the command again to Buford; and took the Charlotte road;
  with the governor and his two remaining council; Daniel Huger and John
  L。   Gervais。   Buford   proceeded   on   rapidly;   upon   the   Salisbury   road;   and
  from circumstances; his baggage waggons must have been sent on before
  he took the command again; that morning; otherwise; in making the very
  quick march he did; they must have been left far in his rear。 But Tarleton
  blames him; for sending them ahead; because they might have served him
  as a rampart; and other historians have adopted his account。 After a pursuit
  of   one   hundred   miles;   in   fifty…four   hours;   Tarleton   approached   Buford;
  about     forty   miles    from   Camden;       and   twenty…six     from    Clermont;      and
  dispatched Capt。 David Kinloch with a flag; summoning him to surrender
  upon   the   terms   granted   to   the   garrison   of   Charleston。   Buford   called   a
  council   of   his   officers;   who   deeming   it   a   deception;   he   continued   his
  march。 In the afternoon; Tarleton overtook him; unfortunately; in an open
  wood; and cut to pieces his rear guard。 At the sound of his bugle; Buford
  drew   up     his   men;   all   infantry;   but   Capt。   Carter;   (not   Benjamin;)   who
  commanded   his   artillery;  and   led   the van;   continued   his   march。 Tarleton
  advanced; with his infantry in the centre; and his cavalry on the wings。 He
  was checked by  Buford's   fire;   but the   cavalry  wheeling; gained   his   rear。
  Seeing no hope of any longer making a defence; Buford sent Ensign Cruitt
  with a flag of truce; and grounded his arms。 Disregarding the flag; and the
  rules   of   civilized   warfare;   Tarleton   cut   Cruitt   down;   and   charged   upon
  Buford;  with   his   cavalry  in   the  rear;   while   Maj。  Cochrane;  an   infuriated
  Scotchman; rushed with fixed bayonets; in front。 A few of Buford's men;
  resumed their arms; and fired; when the British were within ten steps; but
  with    little   effect;*  as   might   have   been   expected;   from   what   has   been
  stated。
  *   See   Dr。   Brownfield's   account   of   this   affair;   which   throws   more
  light upon it; than any thing heretofore written。 Appendix; p。 1。 To paliate
  his conduct; Tarleton   has written a  most partial account of it; which has
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  been     followed     by  Moultrie;     and   substantially     by   Ramsay。     The    faults
  committed by Buford; he says; were his sending his baggage ahead; and
  not    firing    till  the  cavalry     were    within     ten   steps。     But    Buford;
  notwithstanding all the odium excited against him by his ill fortune; was
  tried   by   a   court   martial;   and   acquitted。   Tarleton   excuses   his   cruelty;   by
  stating;   that   his   horse   was   knocked   down;   at   the   first   fire:   and   his   men;
  thinking him killed; to avenge his death; were more sanguinary than usual;
  and he was unable; from that circumstance; for a while to restrain them。
  But    Lord    Cornwallis      approved      the  whole;     and   praised    and   caressed
  Tarleton; while he was fortunate。
  Buford's regiment was entirely broken by the charge; no quarters were
  given by the British; 113 men were killed of the Americans; and 151 so
  badly wounded as to be left on the ground。 This was nearly two thirds of
  the whole American   force;   according to Tarleton's   own   account;   and the
  manner in which those left on the ground were mangled; is told; by others;
  as horrible。 No habitation was near; but the lone cabin of a poor   widow
  woman; and the situation of the dead; was fortunate; when compared with
  that of the living。 Tarleton says; he lost but two officers; and three privates
  killed; and one officer and thirteen privates wounded。 The massacre took
  place    at  the  spot   where     the  road   from   Lancaster      to  Chesterfield    now
  crosses the Salisbury road。 The news of these two events; the surrender of
  the town; and the defeat of Buford; were spread through the country about
  the   same   time;   and   the   spirit   of   the   whigs;   sunk   into   despondency。   The
  American cause appeared to be lost; but; on this expedition; Tarleton burnt
  the house of Gen。 Sumter; near Stateburgh;* and roused the spirit of the
  lion;   at   Camden;   a   party  of   his   men   cut   to   pieces   Samuel Wiley;   whom
  they mistook for his brother; John Wiley; then sheriff of the district; at his
  own house。** Governor Rutledge and his council again escaped Tarleton;
  by a few minutes; and by taking the road to Charlotte; in North Carolina。
  On the 1st of June; Sir Henry Clinton and Admiral Arbuthnot offered to
  the inhabitants; with   some exceptions;  〃pardon for   their past treasonable
  offences;   and   a   reinstatement   in   their   rights   and   immunities   heretofore
  enjoyed; exempt from taxation; except by their own legislature。〃 To many;
  this specious offer appeared to be all that they had been contending for;
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  and they flocked in from all quarters to gain such high privileges。 These;
  having signed declarations of allegiance; received protections as subjects;
  or were parolled to their plantations as prisoners of war。 But; in the short
  space   of   twenty   days;   a   second   proclamation   was   issued;   stating;   that   it
  was     necessary     for   all  persons    to   take   an   active   part   in  securing     his
  majesty's   government;   that   all   the   inhabitants   then   prisoners   on   parole;
  except   those   taken   at   Charleston;   and   others   in   confinement;   should   be
  freed from their paroles; and restored to the rights of citizens; and all who
  neglected to return to their allegiance should be considered as rebels。
  * The proper name is Stateburgh。 But so great is the propensity of
  Americans for introducing the S into the already hissing English language;
  that it is now written commonly Statesburgh。 ** Tarleton despatched his
  favourite sergeant Hutt; who always charged by his side; with a sergeant's
  guard; to perform this deed。 The visit was quite unexpected by Wiley。 In
  going up to his house; two men were left concealed; behind two large gate
  posts; at the entrance of the yard; while Hutt; with the rest; broke into the
  house abruptly; he demanded Wiley's shoe buckles; and while he stooped
  down to unbuckle them; the wretch Hutt aimed a stroke with his sword at
  his head。 Wiley; seeing the gleam of the descending weapon; parried the
  blow   from   his   head;   by   his   hand;   with   the   loss   of   some   fingers;   then;
  springing   out   of   the   door;   he   ran   for   the   gate;   where   the   two   concealed
  men   despatched   him   with   many   blows。   The   cause   of   offence   was;   that
  John Wiley; as sheriff; had superintended the execution of some men under
  the   existing   state   laws;   at   that   time   against   treason。   After   the   battle   of
  Cowpens Hutt disappeared。
  No