第 35 节
作者:江暖      更新:2021-02-19 20:44      字数:9321
  publicity。 At so early an age; none behaved better than Deliesseline; and
  no one   has   refreshed   the   author's   memory  more   in   the   detail of   facts   of
  that period。
  Many of the privates of Marion's brigade were men of character and
  honour; most of them lost their fortunes by the war; and many made them;
  or at least handsome   competencies; after  it;   but it   is believed   that   more;
  cast out of the ways of industry and economy; and losing their all; sunk
  under   the   pressure   brought   upon   them。   Where   they   are   known;   what   an
  injustice   would   it   be   to   pass   over   the   merits   of   such   men?      On   the
  monument erected by the Greeks at Thermopylae; the names of Leonidas
  and   his   three   hundred   men   were   not   inscribed;   because   it   was   thought
  impossible to imagine they could ever be forgotten。
  Pardon   me;   ye   sons   of   my   fellow   soldiers!   should   my   memory   be
  found not so tenacious; and should I have passed over the merits of many
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  of your fathers without even a shade of remembrance。
  Chapter IV。
  CAMPAIGN OF 1782。
  The military history of this year; is not remarkable for any great events;
  but the most material of these happened in the brigade of Marion。 As they
  are not altogether of a pleasant nature; it appears to have been the wish of
  many   to   bury   them   in   oblivion;   and   therefore   some   of   them   have   been
  suppressed;      and   others    but  slightly   recorded。     But;   the  correspondence
  gives dates and hints; which bring the whole to recollection; and it is the
  duty  of   the  biographer  to   be   impartial。  It   was  hoped   that   he   might   have
  avoided   saying   any   thing   more   about   the   dispute   which   arose   between
  Cols。 Peter Horry and Maham; but; as that dispute terminated in unhappy
  consequences; it becomes necessary that they should be developed。 Gen。
  Marion       was    returned;    at   the   elections     which     took    place    for   the
  Jacksonborough assembly; a member of the senate for St。 John's; Berkley。
  Being   about   to   take   his   seat;   he   gave   the   immediate   command   of   the
  brigade to Col。 Peter Horry;* subject to his future order。 Of this order; all
  that is necessary to state here; is as follows: 〃You will take command of
  my     brigade    until  I  return。   You   will   keep   the   guards    at  Cainhoy     and
  Fogartie's。 Their orders are to prevent any boats or persons from going to
  or from town; without a written pass from me or yourself。 Col。 Maham's
  corps will be ordered to Mepkin; to remain there until my further orders。〃
  As the enemy got most of their intelligence from persons; more especially
  women; going to and from town; this part of the order was very material。
  In   the   mean   time   application   was   made   by   Gen。   Marion   to   Greene   to
  decide this   unhappy  dispute between   the  colonels;   and;  in   a   conciliating
  letter; he decided it in favour of Horry。 (16th Jan。) On the 18th of January;
  Gen。 Marion writes to Horry: 〃I send you Gen。 Greene's letter in answer to
  mine; sent him as soon as I arrived here; and it is determined as I expected。
  You will keep the letter; and if the enemy should approach your quarters;
  and you find it necessary; you must call on Col。 Maham's troops and horse;
  as   reinforcements;   and   I   wish   he   may   not   be   called   upon   for   any   other
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  purpose。〃 In a letter from Col。 Maham to Horry; of the 20th of January; it
  is   to   be   inferred   that   the   latter   had   immediately   called   upon   him   for   a
  return of his corps; and to submit to his orders; for he answers; 〃I cannot
  think of being commanded by an officer of the same rank。 I think it proper
  not to make you any return of my regiment; and I shall not obey any order
  you    may     be  pleased     to  send。〃    It  appears    from   a   subsequent      letter  of
  Maham's   of       the  same     date;  that   Gen。   Marion      had   not   written    to  him
  concerning   the   determination   of   Gen。   Greene;   but   Gen。   Marion's   order;
  both   then   and   subsequently;   was   certainly  sufficient   to   convince   him   he
  ought     to  submit。     After   this   Col。   Horry    writes    to  Gen。    Marion:     〃Col。
  Maham interferes with my command so much that I can scarcely act; he
  gave   passes   to   several   ladies   to   go   to   town   without   my   leave;   and   they
  accordingly went in a boat; which boat has since returned; and the ladies
  have   since   come   up。〃   And   again;   〃I   assure   you   your   presence   is   much
  wanted。 Your   brigade   lessens   daily。〃   (31st   Jan。)   On   the   3d   of   February;
  Marion answers: 〃I am surprised at Col。 Maham's interference with your
  command。 I have written him positive orders not to do so in any respect
  whatever; and was in hopes Gen。 Greene would have prevented such evils
  before     this。〃   But   from    a  former     letter  of   Gov。    Rutledge;     which    is  a
  philippic      against    Horry;     and    the   subsequent       determination       of   Gov。
  Matthews; it is evident that Maham had got the civil authority on his side;
  and he did not regard the general's。 And thus it is; when civilians interfere
  with     military    affairs    that   they    invariably     commit      blunders。     Having
  premised these facts; to show that in Marion's absence there was naught
  but discord and dissention; we now proceed to state the consequences。
  * Marion's letter to Horry; 10th January。
  Almost   the   whole   of   the   warfare   was   henceforth   carried   on   in   St。
  Thomas' and St。 James'; Santee。 About this time; Col。 Richard Richardson
  commanded the post at Cainhoy。 A British galley lay in the river Wando;
  which he watched; and patroled the road down to Daniel's island by day;
  and returned into the woods and lay without fire by night。 A fortnight after
  he   was   posted   there;   hearing   of   a   party   of   British   which   had   landed   at
  Daniel's island; he immediately sent out scouts to the causeway over to the
  island;   and   wrote   for   a   reinforcement。   In   the   morning   Maham's   horse
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  arrived;   four   troops   in   uniform;   and   fully   equipt;   but   their   colonel;   who
  would have   been ranked   by Richardson;  was not present; and they  were
  under the command of Maj。 Giles。 The British took the Strawberry road;
  and about noon stopped at Bishop Smith's; Brabant; about fourteen miles
  up   the   road。   To   the   north   of   that   plantation   is   a   swamp   of   considerable
  width;   with   a   causeway   and   bridge。   Beyond   the   causeway;   on   the   right
  going up; was a fence on a bank and a ditch behind it; with trees in front。
  Richardson   passed   the   swamp   above;   and   going   down   to   the   hill   above
  this fence; immediately went to reconnoitre; but came back with a British
  troop     and   Capt。   Campbell       at  his  heels。   He   ordered     a  charge。    At   the
  commencement of the onset it was easy to be seen that Maham's corps had
  not yet been trained。 They charged in some disorder; but at first drove the
  British     horse   easily   before    them。    At   the   bridge    they   met    the  British
  infantry; who gave them a volley。 All was now confusion; horses and men
  wedged   together   upon   a   narrow   causeway。   The   front   striving   to   retreat;
  and the rear urging them on。 The British horse being rallied; now came in
  to   aid   the   infantry;   and   a   total   rout   and   scene   of   carnage   ensued。   Of
  Maham's officers; Capt。 Samuel Cooper rallied his men; and returning to
  the road; saved several lives and drove back a troop of black dragoons。 In
  this affair the   six months   men particularly  suffered。 Being near the   road
  when the rout commenced; they wheeled their lean horses and ran directly
  up    it;  consequently      they   were    trampled      down    by   both    parties。   Capt。
  Bennett; with twelve men; after having been pursued by a party of British;
  double his number; and stopped by an   impassable creek;  when   inspiring
  his   men   with   courage;   and   setting   the   example;   they  wheeled   about   and
  drove back the enemy。 In the course of this day; G。 S。 Capers took three
  swords from the British in