From Island to Empire; A Short History of the Expansion of England by Force of Arms (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ...into action, over onethird had fallen, and the survivors, so far from profiting by their heroism, found themselves in a forlorn and destitute condition, without provisions, without adequate support from the loyalists, and without boats in which to cross the innumerable rivers and creeks that intersected the country. Rightly or wrongly the General determined to abandon South Carolina, and sending a messenger to Lord Rawdon at Camden to acquaint him with the decision, he fell back towards the coast at VVilmington. As might have been April 7. April 25. June 29. A pril 2 5. June 26.. expected, Greene, as soon as Cornwallis was safely out of the way, set out for Camden on the heels of the British messenger; and Lord Rawdon, who was twentysix years of age and had less than 1,000 men at his disposal, suddenly found himself responsible for the safety of numerous garrisons scattered over the province--a responsibility which might well have tried the nerve of a commander of much greater age and experience. Nearly all the British posts were rapidly invested by American bands, and most of them were too weak to offer much resistance; but Rawdon, acting with admirable daring and quickness, attacked and defeated Greene during the absence of his light troops, escaped from Camden during the respite thus obtained, and then, picking up three regiments which had accidentally landed at Charleston instead of proceeding straight to New York, advanced upon Ninety-Six, compelled the enemy to raise the siege, and withdrew the bulk of his forces in safety to Charleston. With a bloody but indecisive action between Greene and a British force at Eutaw Springs on September 8, operations in the South came to an end. We must now follow the fortunes of Cornwallis, who had...