Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/323

 GUILFORD COURT HOUSE GUILLEMOT 309 settlement in the town was made by a irty of English nonconformists in 1639, and le residence of their leader, the Rev. Henry bitfield, called " the old stone house," is still ling, near the railroad station. GUILFORD COURT HOUSE, a locality about m. from Greensborough, Guilford co., N. 0., smorable for a battle fought, March 15, 1781, tween the Americans under Gen. Greene and le British under Lord Cornwallis. The Ameri- force numbered 4,243 foot and 161 horse, )ut 1,500 being regular troops, and the rest iinly raw militia. The British were about ,400 strong, and consisted chiefly of veteran Idiers. Greene had chosen a strong position the declivity of a hill, and drew up his army three lines. The battle began shortly after . o'clock with a brisk cannonade on both sides, uring which the British advanced upon the Forth Carolina militia, posted across the road, rho after a discharge of musketry threw away }ir arms and accoutrements and fled through woods. The Virginians of the second line, >wever, who were in a wood 300 yards in sir rear, poured a galling fire upon the ad- icing troops ; but their right finally retreated jfore the bayonet and fell back to the court )use, and the left soon followed their example, le whole British infantry was now engaged, rhile the flower of the American army was in reserve. The British pressed forward the third line, composed of regulars under fnger and Williams, posted near the court >use. The first regiment of Maryland conti- itals received them with a well directed fire, id before they recovered from the shock rout- them with the bayonet. The second regi- mt of Marylanders, however, fled at the first it, leaving two field pieces in the hands of le enemy ; but the pursuers were repulsed by le victorious first regiment, and driven back confusion by Lieut. Cols. Howard and Wash- igton. To check the pursuit, Cornwallis or- his artillery to play upon the Americans, le expedient was successful, but he was forced fire full in the face of his retreating guards, id only half the battalion was extricated, "le British line was now formed anew, and rreene, convinced by the flight of his militia- m and the Maryland continentals that a fresh iflict would result in the annihilation of his my, ordered a retreat. The British lost more lan 600 in killed and wounded ; the Arneri- is lost about 400 killed and wounded and 850 lissing. Notwithstanding his victory, Corn- wallis was so much crippled that he retreated the 18th with the Americans in full pursuit. GUILLEMOT, an arctic web-footed bird, of le family alcid,c&, and subfamily urince, inclu- ling the genera uria (Mohring), brachyrham- phus (Brandt), and mergulus (Ray). The last, which the little guillemot belongs, has been lescribed under AUK. The genus uria is char- acterized by a moderate head ; rather long, straight, and pointed bill, with a distinct angle the under mandible ; wings short and point- ed, with the first quill longest ; tail very short ; tarsi shorter than middle toe ; legs short and robust ; toes rather long, fully webbed ; claws strong and curved ; bind toe wanting. The general form is short and robust, the size never large, and the prevailing colors black and white. There are about seven species, inhabiting the arctic seas between America and Asia, migra- Guillemot (Uria grylle) Summer Plumage a. Head. &. Foot. ting to temperate regions during winter. The flight is rapid, with short flaps, near the surface of the water ; they are excellent swimmers and divers, but poor walkers from the shortness and posterior position of their legs ; they feed on fish and other products of the sea; they deposit usually a single egg, of large size, on rocks overhanging the water, breeding in large companies. The black guillemot (U. grylle. Guillemot and Young Winter Plumage. Lath.) is 14 in. long, and 22 in. in extent of wings; the general color in summer is black tinged with green ; a large transverse oval spot on the wing, under wing coverts, and axillaries,