life of francis marion(弗朗西丝·马利翁传)-第37章
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~Camp； at Haw River； March 8； 1781。~
I have not yet received the blank militia commissions I expected out。 If
I do not get some before I arrive at Richmond； I will there have some
printed and transmitted to you。 In the mean time you will give brevets；
~and in order that you may carry sufficient authority over the several
officers in your brigade； you may remove any of them； and appoint others
in their stead； from time to time； as you think proper。~
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Col。 N。 Balfour to Brig。 Gen。 Marion。
~Charleston； March 12； 1781。~
Sir；
I have received your letter of the 7th inst。 respecting the detention of
Capt。 John Postell； when charged with a flag of truce to Georgetown； and
complaining of the same as a breach of the law of nations。 The best
answer I can return to which is the transmission of his parole； which will
clearly evince that the breach of such law； as well as those of honour； rest
solely with that gentleman； who has acted in a military capacity when
engaged by the most solemn ties to remain in a state of neutrality。
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Col。 Balfour to Gen。 Marion。
~Charleston； March 21； 1781。~
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Life of Marion。
Sir；
I am greatly astonished to find that you have detained one of our
officers；* sent out with a flag of truce to you； and acting under its sanction；
this is indeed an infraction of the laws of nations and of war； as you
complain of in the case of Capt。 Postell； and such a one as if not
immediately redressed I shall be obliged to punish in the most exemplary
manner by the severest retaliation。 If in this action you could have alluded
to the case of Capt。 Postell； my letter of the 12th inst。 must surely have
convinced you； how truly dissimilar they are in every respect； but as from
such conduct I must conceive； Sir； this letter may not have reached you； I
now enclose a copy for your information and conviction。 Let me observe；
as faith had been violated by Capt。 Postell； he naturally became to us an
object for capture and punishment； under whatsoever circumstances he
might be met； and to argue from his justifiable detention； a right to extend
the like to those most unimpeachably upright in their conduct； is a
confounding of right and wrong； and a violation of all principles under
which any intercourse can subsist between powers at war with each other。
* Capt。 Merritt。
I am； Sir； Your most obedient humble servant； N。 Balfour。
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Col。 Watson to Gen。 Marion。
~Blakely's； March 15； 1781。~
Sir；
The very extraordinary method you took of sending the letter I
received from you； makes it rather difficult to guess in what way you
mean to carry on this war； and therefore induces me to take the mode of
addressing you through a neutral person。 The bearer is a little boy of John
Witherspoon's。 We have an officer and some men wounded； whom I
should be glad to send where they could be better taken care of。 I wish
therefore to know if they will be permitted to pass； without interruption
from any of your parties； to Charleston。
Yours； &c。 （Signed） John Watson。
P。S。 If you have no objection to their going； you will be so good as
to send a pass for them。
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Life of Marion。
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Col。 Watson to Gen。 Marion。
~Blakely's； March 16； 1781。~
Sir；
I do not think it necessary to enter into a detail of your conduct； or by
words to justify our own。 Your mentioning that you wished to carry on the
war as usual with civilized nations； led me to mention the circumstance I
did。 Care is taken to prevent any thing being taken from those who do not
bear arms against us； or who do not directly assist our enemies； whatever
other people are deprived of we do not call plunder； but property fairly
taken from the enemy； and what cannot be carried away conveniently we
destroy； if we think proper。 ~The burning of houses and the property of the
inhabitants； who are our enemies； is customary in all civilized nations。~
But further than the distress that is occasioned to their families； the
distressing women and children； is so far from being countenanced by any
officers in our service； that on the contrary every assistance possible is
afforded them。
I am； Sir； Yours； &c。 （Signed） John Watson。
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Capt。 John Saunders to Gen。 Marion。
~Georgetown； March 24； 1781。~
Sir；
The enclosed were received from Lieut。 Col。 Balfour； with orders to
forward them to you。 There is such an apparent dissimilarity in the cases
of Mr。 Merritt and Mr。 Postell； that I am confident that Mr。 Merritt will be
immediately sent in。 I am happy to hear by Capt。 Spencer； who fell into
my hands yesterday； that the detention of Mr。 Merritt is occasioned equally
by that act as by sending an improper person with a flag。
I am； Sir； Yours； &c。 （Signed） John Saunders； ~Commandant；
Georgetown。~
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Gen。 Greene to Gen。 Marion。
~Camp； Deep River； April 4； 1781。~
Dear Sir；
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Life of Marion。
This will be handed to you by Capt。 Conyers；* who will inform you
what we have contemplated。 He is sent forward to collect provisions for
the subsistence of the army； and I beg you will assist him in this necessary
business。 The army will march tomorrow； and I hope you will be prepared
to support its operations with a considerable force； Gen。 Sumter is written
to； and I doubt not will be prepared to cooperate with us。 The captain can
give you a full history of Lord Cornwallis' manoeuvers in this state； and of
the several skirmishes as well as the battle of Guilford； which finally
terminated in a retreat of the enemy； and his lordship was obliged in turn
to run hastily。
* Soon after Major Conyers。
I am； dear Sir； yours； &c。 N。 Greene。
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Gen。 Greene to Gen。 Marion。
~Head Quarters； Widow Shoemaker's； April 17； 1781。~
Dear Sir；
We are on our march for Camden； and shall be there the day after
tomorrow。 I am greatly in the dark respecting the enemy's strength and
situation in South Carolina； and also of Lord Cornwallis' motions。 This
last circumstance is of the highest importance to the safety of our army；
and I beg you to communicate to me all the intelligence you can obtain；
and take measures to get all you can。 Lieut。 Col。 Lee is gone towards the
Santee； intelligence to him is as equally necessary as to me。 You will
please therefore to send him information accordingly。 Do not spare either
time or pains； and forward it as soon as possible。 Your present force and
situation I should be glad to have a particular account of。 Please give me
an official account of Col。 Horry's attack upon a party of Watson's
detachment。
I am； dear Sir； Yours； &c。 （Signed） N。 Greene。
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Extract of a Letter from Col。 Harden to Gen。 Marion。
~Camp； on Saltketcher； April 17； 1781。~
Dear General；
I marched on； and got within sight of Fort Balfour； at Pocotaligo； at
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Life of Marion。
twelve o'clock in the day； I placed my men； and sent ten of the best horses
to draw them out； but luckily Cols。 Fenwick and Letchmere were at
Vanberst； and were taken with seven of the dragoons； and brought to me；
the rest were in the fort。 I then sent Capt。 Harden with a flag； to demand a
surrender of the fort and the men in it； they sent for answer； they would
not give it up。 I sent the second time； and told them that if I was obliged to
storm the fort； that I would give no quarter。 Col。 Kelsel then desired half
an hour to consider。 I gave him twenty minutes： they then agreed to give
up the fort on terms which I granted； and in two hours； the fort with one
militia colonel； one major； three captains； three lieutenants and sixty
privates of Col。 Fenwick's； one lieutenant and twenty…two dragoons with
their horses； gave up to me； and they marched out and piled their arms
without the abbatis； and I marched in and took possession of it； and during
that night and the next day had it destroyed。
（Signed） Wm。 Harden。
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Gen。 Marion to Gen。 Greene。
~Fort Watson； （Scott's Lake） April 23； 1781。~
Sir；
Lieut。 Col。 Lee made a junction with me at Santee； the 14th inst。 after
a rapid march from Ramsay's mill； on Deep river； which he performed in
eight days。 The 15th we marched to this place and invested it。 Our hope
was to cut off their water。 Some riflemen and continentals immediately
took post between the fort and the lake。 The fort is situated on a small hill；
forty feet high； stockaded； and with three rows of abbatis around it。 No
trees near enough to cover our men from their fire。 The third day after we
had invested it； we found the enemy had sunk a well near the stockade；
which we could not prevent them from； as we had no entrenching tools to
make our approach； we immediately determined to erect a work equal in
height to the fort。 This arduous work was completed this morning by
Major Maham； who undertook it。 We then made a lodgment on the side of
the mount near the stockade。 This was performed with great spirit and
address by Ensign Johnson and Mr。 Lee； a volunteer in Col。 Lee's legion；
who with difficulty ascended the hill and pulled away the abbatis； which
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