but a short distance below him.

* It is believed, at English's ferry, nine miles below
Camden.

Here he received intelligence that the British army commanded by
Brigadier Gen. Stewart* had retreated and halted at the Eutaw Spring,
about forty miles below, that they had been reinforced there, and were
about to establish a permanent post. To prevent this, he determined to
risk a battle, though his force was thought to be inferior. Accordingly
he sent back his baggage to Howell's ferry, and proceeded by easy
marches to Burdell's plantation seven miles from Eutaw, where he
was joined by Gen. Marion. Gen. Stewart had posted himself to great
advantage at Eutaw; his head quarters were in a strong brick house,
which stood at that time a little to the west of the spring or rather
fountain. In his rear, to the south, there was an open field; in his
front a thick wood covered with pines and scrubby oaks. Below the
fountain on his right there was a deep valley, through which the Eutaw
creek, five or six feet deep, takes its course towards the north-east.
Between the fountain and the brick house the Congaree road passes to the
north.

* Col. Doyle gives him that title in a letter hereafter
noticed.

It was down this road Gen. Greene marched to attack the British army, on
the memorable 8th of September, 1781. The effective force of each army
was nearly equal, except the cavalry, in which Greene would have had the
advantage, if the nature of the ground had permitted the use of it, for
none of the ground was then open, and particularly on his left it was
covered by scrubby oaks. While moving down the road in the morning
with much circumspection, Col. Lee in advance met a party which covered
another that was foraging. Several of these were killed, and their
captain and forty men taken. Pressing forward, Lee soon met another
party, with whom another action commenced, and he requested the support
of artillery to counteract that of the enemy, which had now opened. Two
field pieces were quickly brought up by Capt. Gaines, and began to fire.

During this firing both armies formed. The South Carolina militia under
Marion, and the North Carolina under Col. Malmedy occupied the first
line; the South Carolinians on the right. The continentals formed the
second line. The Virginians under Col. Campbell, occupied the right.
Gen. Sumner with the North Carolina new levied troops, the centre;
and the Marylanders, und