rd, from Snow's island.
But before retreating he had Marion's arms, stores and ammunition thrown
into Lynch's creek. This, at the crisis, was a most serious loss.

From Sampit, Gen. Marion marched back towards Snow's island; on the way
he received intelligence that Doyle lay at Witherspoon's ferry, and he
proceeded forthwith to attack him. Doyle had taken a position on the
north side of the ferry, and when M'Cottry, in advance, with his mounted
riflemen, arrived at the creek, the British were scuttling a ferry boat
on the opposite side. He took a position behind trees, and gave them
a well directed and deadly fire; they ran to their arms and returned a
prodigious volley, which did no more harm than that of knocking off
the limbs of trees among the riflemen. Doyle had received news, which
occasioned him to retreat for Camden. The ferry boat being now scuttled
and sunk on the opposite side, and Lynch's creek being swollen, and at
this place wide and deep, Gen. Marion proceeded up the creek, and swam
over it at the first place he reached, five miles above Witherspoon's.
This was the shortest route to come at Doyle. He pursued all that day,
and the next morning till nine or ten o'clock, when he came to a house
where Doyle had destroyed all his heavy baggage, and had proceeded on
with great celerity towards Camden. This seemed mysterious at the time;
but here Marion halted.

It appears from what follows, shortly, as well as from Horry's account,
that this pursuit was undertaken by Gen. Marion with the desperate
resolution of either selling his own life and that of his followers, as
dearly as possible, or of cutting his way through the enemy to make good
a retreat into North Carolina. Happily for his country, Doyle evaded
him, and thus prevented the dangerous attempt. The general now received
the melancholy account of the extent of his loss in ammunition and other
stores on Snow's island, which under present circumstances appeared
irretrievable. However he was but little disposed to brood over
misfortunes, and if he had, his enemies were not inclined to allow him
leisure. In the mean time Col. Watson, having refreshed and reinforced
his party, and received a fresh supply of military stores and provisions
at Georgetown, proceeded again towards the Pedee. On his march he had
nothing to impede him but a few bridges broken down. He took the nearest
route across Black river at Wragg's ferry, and crossing the Pedee at
Euhany, and