on the mountain, the shot generally went over their heads. The Americans too protected themselves by fighting in the Indian fashion, from tree to tree.

It was a brilliant victory, and, like that at Moore's Creek in Feb., 1776, took place at an important crisis, checked the British at their first advance into the State, intimidated the Tories, cheered the Whigs, and gave our leaders time to breathe.

Lord Cornwallis heard with dismay of this disaster. While waiting at Charlotte he had found it no place of repose. His position was dangerous, for the spirit of the country-people of Mecklenburg rose high against him. He was too far from Charleston or other posts in South Carolina where his supplies for his army were, and the countrypeople would furnish him with nothing voluntarily, while Davie and Davidson hovered around, shooting his sentries, destroying his stores, cutting off his foraging-parties, and ready to strike him at every opportunity.

He declared that this was the most rebellious and ill-disposed county in all America, and Tarleton gave it the name of "the hornets' nest." They said "there was a rebel in every bush outside the British camp."

Departing from Charlotte in the night, they retreated to Winnsboro, South Carolina, Davie and Davidson pursuing them and capturing part of their baggage. Here Lord Cornwallis himself was sick, and a good many of his officers and men. The climate was against them, and their habits were not suited to it.

In those days drinking was more common than it is now,

and the British army especially was given to it. They carried rum for the soldiers, and served it out every day with their bread and meat; many of the outrages committed by Tarleton's dragoons were done because they were half drunk. Fevers and other diseases assailed them.

Cornwallis now hesitated whether to strike North Carolina again in the western counties or to enter the State this time among the Tory settlements on the Cape Fear, and establish himself there and in Wilmington.

This would have been his best move, keeping near the seaports and near his friends and supplies. Fortunately for America, he resolved on a different plan, which finally led to his ruin.

General Nathaniel Greene had been ordered to succeed General Gates in the command of the shattered Southern army, and he arrived in Charlotte in December. Early in January he sent General Morgan and Colonel William Washington with one thousand men to protect the northwestern part of South Carolina. They encamped at the "Cowpens," a region among the Thicketty Hills abounding in grassy valleys and fine springs, where large herds of cattle were pastured. Thence came its name.

Lord Cornwallis ordered Tarleton with his Legion to disperse Morgan's command. But the Americans would not be dispersed. They stood firm, and the end was the rout of the British Legion with the loss of its colors, its cannon, and four hundred men. Tarleton fled precipitately back to Cornwallis, Colonel Washington chasing him for twenty miles.

This defeat stung and roused the British general to instant action. He resolved to try to overtake Morgan encumbered with his prisoners, and prevent

Jan., 1781.

him from joining Greene, who was on the Catawba above Charlotte waiting for him.

He left Winnsboro in hot pursuit, entering North Carolina about forty miles west of Charlotte. He halted at Ramsour's Mill and lightened his army by destroying all the heavy baggage. The officers and private soldiers all did this with great cheerfulness, being resolved to catch both Morgan and Greene if possible, for they knew the hopes of the Southern "rebels" depended now on them. Morgan eluded them, joined Greene in safety, and sent his prisoners on.

RECITATION.

THE SOLDIER'S REST.

SOLDIER, rest! thy warfare o'er,

Sleep the sleep that knows no breaking;
Dream of battlefields no more,

Days of danger, nights of waking.
No rude sound shall reach thine ear,
Armor's clang or war-steed champing,
Trump nor pibroch summon here

Mustering clan or squadron tramping.
Yet the lark's shrill pipe may come
At the daybreak from the fallow,
And the bittern sound his drum,

Booming from the sedgy shallow.

CHAPTER XXV.

GREENE'S RETREAT.

It was now a chase of two hundred miles. Greene made for the Dan River, knowing that if he could get over into Virginia he would be safe. Cornwallis pressed so closely at his heels that the two armies could hear each other's bugles, and were often in sight.

Greene and his men knew the country well, and, rapidly as they fled before the British, they used the greatest vigilance and neglected nothing. Greene guarded every ford and kept his outlying light troops in constant motion.

A heavy rain swelled the Catawba after the Americans had crossed it, so that Cornwallis was delayed forty-eight hours. He finally crossed at Cowan's Ford, where Greene had stationed General Davidson's command to check him. In the skirmish here about twenty of our patriots were killed, and among them was the noble and intrepid General Davidson, shot by a Tory at the last moment of the fight.

Governor Martin, who was still in the train of Cornwallis, was so unfortunate as to lose his hat, which was picked up in the river ten miles below the ford, and had his name written in it. There was a fight at Torrence's Tavern,