Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 55.djvu/373

 The two 3-pounders and the colours of the 7th fusiliers were taken, but the guns were abandoned only when the artillerymen were cut to pieces. When all appeared lost Tarleton, with characteristic spirit but with difficulty assembled a party of his troopers, whom, with fourteen officers accustomed to follow him, he led in a final charge against Colonel Washington's horse, repulsing them, then retook the baggage of the British corps, cutting to pieces the detachment of the enemy who had taken possession of it. But no partial success could retrieve the fortunes of the day, and, after destroying such of the baggage as could not be carried, Tarleton retired with the remainder unmolested to Hamilton's Ford, near the mouth of Bullock's Creek, on his way to join Cornwallis, then at Turkey Creek, about twenty-five miles from the field of action. The British loss was over four hundred men in killed, wounded, and taken.

A junction with Leslie having been effected on 18 Jan. 1781, the army, destroying all baggage which could be spared, moved as rapidly as possible to overtake either Morgan or Greene and strike a blow, arriving at the Catawba river on the evening of 29 Jan. just as Morgan's last corps had crossed the fords. A heavy rain rendered the river impassable, and enabled the enemy to make arrangements to dispute the passage; but on 1 Feb. the passage was made under fire, in the face of the enemy, who were attacked and dispersed, and Tarleton was sent with the cavalry and 23rd regiment in pursuit. Learning on his march that three or four hundred of the neighbouring militia were to assemble that day at Tarrants House, about ten miles off, he left his infantry behind, and pushing forward with the cavalry, surprised the militia men, as he expected; ‘with excellent conduct and great spirit,’ says Cornwallis (despatch to Lord George Germain, 17 March 1781), ‘Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton attacked them instantly, and totally routed them with little loss on his side, and on theirs between forty or fifty killed, wounded or prisoners.’

This stroke of Tarleton's, with Cornwallis's spirited passage of the fords, so effectually disheartened the American militia that no further opposition was encountered in the march to the Yadkin river through one of the most rebellious districts. On 2 March 1781 Tarleton moved from Allemance Creek, and fell in with three or four hundred of Lee's legion, whom he immediately attacked and routed, ascertaining that General Greene was not far distant. On 6 March the outposts at Weitzell's Mill on the Rocky Fork were driven in. On 14 March Cornwallis sent his baggage under escort to Bell's Mills on Deep river, and marched at daybreak of the 15th to meet Greene. Tarleton, who commanded the advanced guard about four miles from Guildford, fell in with an outpost of the enemy, which he attacked ‘with his usual good conduct and spirit,’ and defeated. The main body of the enemy, three times the strength of the British, were found posted a mile and a half from the court-house. Tarleton was directed to keep his cavalry compact, and in readiness to act when required. Towards the close of the action he swept down on the enemy's left and put them to flight. Four 6-pounders, all the artillery they had in the field, were captured. Tarleton was badly wounded in the right hand.

Tarleton accompanied the army to Wilmington, and in its march thence into Virginia, covering all its movements with his legion. Cornwallis, in his despatch from Wilmington of 10 April, refers to the great assistance he received from Tarleton as deserving of his warmest acknowledgments and highest commendation; and again, in his despatch from Cobham, Virginia, writes in a similar strain. In June the army was in Hanover County, Virginia, and Tarleton, having obtained remounts for his cavalry, was sent with 180 horse of the legion and seventy mounted infantry of the 23rd regiment to break up the Virginia general assembly then sitting at Charlotteville. Tarleton proceeded with great expedition, and, having destroyed in his way twelve wagons laden with arms and clothing, dashed into the village through a ford of the Revanna, and took or dispersed the guard on the opposite bank, seized seven members of the assembly, and captured or destroyed one thousand new firelocks, four hundred barrels of gunpowder, and some hogsheads of tobacco, clothing, and stores. Tarleton was promoted to be lieutenant-colonel in the English army on 15 June 1781.

On 6 July the army, having left Williamsburg to cross the James river, was attacked near Jamestown by Lafayette and General Wayne, and Tarleton did good service in the victory gained by the British. In August Yorktown and Gloucester were occupied, in obedience to orders from Sir Henry Clinton, and Tarleton held the post of Gloucester with a force of six hundred men. The siege began on 29 Sept. On 1 Oct. Tarleton made a sally, and took a good many prisoners. By the 17th, however, after vainly waiting for relief by Clinton, which arrived just too late, Cornwallis found