Kirkwood." To Colonel Williams he acknowledged himself
to be particularly indebted. He gave that praise too to the valour of
his enemy which it merited. "They really fought," he said, "with
courage worthy a better cause."

The loss on both sides bore a great proportion to the numbers engaged.
That of the Americans was five hundred and fifty-five, including sixty
officers. One hundred and thirty were killed on the spot. Seventeen
commissioned officers were killed, and four mortally wounded. "This
loss of officers," said their general, "is still more heavy on account
of their value than their numbers."

Among the slain was Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, who received a mortal
wound while leading the Virginia brigade to that bold and decisive
charge which broke the adverse line.

The loss of the British army was stated by themselves at six hundred
and ninety-three men, of whom only eighty-five were killed in the
field. If this statement be correct,[6] the American dead greatly
exceeded that of the adversary, which was probably the fact, as the
carnage of the former, during their unavailing efforts to dislodge the
latter from the house and strong adjoining ground, was immense.

[Footnote 6: The British accounts acknowledge only two
hundred and fifty-seven missing; but General Greene, in his
letter of the ninth of September, says, that including
seventy wounded who were left at Eutaw, he made five hundred
prisoners.]

Each party had pretensions to the victory, and each claimed the merit
of having gained it with inferior numbers. The truth probably is that
their numbers were nearly equal.

Nor can the claim of either to the victory be pronounced unequivocal.
Unconnected with its consequences, the fortune of the day was nearly
balanced. But if the consequences be taken into the account, the
victory unquestionably belonged to Greene. The result of this, as of
the two preceding battles fought by him in the Carolinas, was the
expulsion of the hostile army from the territory which was the
immediate object of contest.

Four six-pounders, two of which had been taken in the early part of
the day, were brought to play upon the house, and, being pushed so
near as to be within the command of its fire, were unavoidably
abandoned; but a three-pounder which had been also taken, was brought
off by Captain Lieutenant Gaines, whose conduct was mentioned with
distinction by General Greene. Thus the trophies of vi