The Life of George Washington, Vol. 4 | Page 8

Greene was reinforced by Sumpter and Marion with
about one thousand men; and, on the 11th of July, marched towards

Orangeburg with the intention of attacking the British army at that
place. He arrived there the next day, but found it so strongly posted as
to be unassailable. He offered battle, but prudence restrained him from
attacking the enemy in his camp.
{July 13.}
At this place, intelligence was received of the evacuation of Ninety Six,
and that Lieutenant Colonel Cruger was marching down to Orangeburg.
The north branch of the Edisto, which, for thirty miles, was passable
only at the place occupied by Rawdon, interposed an insuperable
obstacle to any attempt on Cruger; and Greene thought it most
adviseable to force the British out of the upper country by threatening
their lower posts at Monk's corner and at Dorchester. Sumpter, Marion,
and Lee, were detached on this service; and, on the same day, Greene
moved towards the high hills of Santee, a healthy situation, where he
purposed to give some refreshment and repose to his harassed army,
and where he hoped to be joined by a few continental troops and militia
from North Carolina.
The detachments ordered against the posts in the north-eastern parts of
the state, under the command of Sumpter, were not so completely
successful as their numbers, courage, and enterprise deserved. The
several corps took distinct routes, intending to fall on the different posts
between Ashley and Cooper rivers, at the same time. That at Dorchester
was broken up, on the approach of Lee, who captured horses, military
stores, and baggage to a considerable amount, and obtained some trivial
successes over the flying enemy. Lieutenant Colonel Wade Hampton,
of the state cavalry, fell in with a body of mounted refugees, dispersed
the whole, and made forty or fifty prisoners.
Sumpter advanced against Monk's corner. This post was defended by
Lieutenant Colonel Coates with the 19th British regiment, and a troop
of horse. He had taken possession of a brick church at a bridge over
Biggin creek, the most northern of the water courses which form the
west branch of Cooper river. After passing Biggin, the road to
Charleston crosses first Wattoo, and then Quinby creek; neither of
which is passable except at the bridges over which the road leads, and

at a ferry over Quinby.
On the sixteenth, Sumpter approached Monk's corner, but, not
supposing himself strong enough to hazard an attack until all his
detachments should be collected, sent a party to seize the bridge over
Wattoo, and either to hold or to destroy it. This party being attacked by
a superior force, retired from the bridge without completing its
destruction, and without informing Sumpter that his orders had not
been fully executed.
Marion had joined Sumpter. Lee arrived late in the evening, and the
resolution was taken to attack Coates early next morning.
In the course of the night he set fire to the church, in order to destroy
the stores which were collected in it, and commenced his march to
Charleston, by the road east of Cooper. Having repaired the bridge over
Wattoo, he met with no obstruction; and proceeded with his infantry on
the road leading to Quinby bridge, directed his cavalry to take a road
turning to the right, and crossing the creek at the ferry.
About three next morning, the flames bursting through the roof of the
church announced the retreat of the British; and the pursuit was
immediately commenced. Sumpter was preceded by the legion,
supported by the state cavalry. A detachment from this regiment
followed the British horse, in the vain hope of overtaking the troop at
the ferry, while Lee pursued the infantry. Within a short distance of the
bridge, which is eighteen miles from Monk's corner, he perceived the
rear guard of the British, consisting of about one hundred men,
commanded by Captain Campbell, which the cavalry charged, sword in
hand. They threw down their arms, and begged for quarter; upon which
they were placed under the care of a few militia horsemen, and the
American cavalry resumed the pursuit.
They had not proceeded far, when Lee was called to the rear, by
information that the prisoners had been ordered to resume their arms.
At this critical moment, Armstrong, at the head of the leading section,
came in sight of Coates, who having passed the bridge, and loosened
the planks, lay, unapprehensive of danger, intending to destroy it as

soon as his rear guard should cross the creek. Armstrong, in obedience
to orders, given in the expectation that he would overtake Coates before
passing the creek, dashed over the bridge on the guard stationed at the
opposite end with a howitzer, which he seized. In this operation, his
horses threw off some of the loosened planks, and made a