astonishing efforts to
get through the thicket to charge the enemy in the rear, but
found it impracticable, had his horse shot under him, and was
wounded and taken prisoner. Four six-pounders were ordered up
before the house--two of our own and two of the enemy's, which
they had abandoned--and they were pushed on so much under the
command of the fire from the house and the party in the thicket
as rendered it impracticable to bring them off again when the
troops were ordered to retire. Never were pieces better served;
most of the men and officers were either killed or wounded.
Washington failing in his charge upon the left, and the legion
baffled in an attempt upon the right, and finding our infantry
galled by the fire of the enemy, and our ammunition mostly
consumed, though both officers and men continued to exhibit
uncommon acts of heroism, I thought proper to retire out of the
fire of the house, and draw up the troops at a little distance in
the woods, not thinking it advisable to push our advantages
further, being persuaded the enemy could not hold the post many
hours, and that our chance to attack them on the retreat was
better than a second attempt to dislodge them, in which, if we
succeeded, it must be attended with considerable loss.

We collected all our wounded, except such as were under the
command of the fire of the house, and retired to the ground from
which we marched in the morning, there being no water nearer, (p. 055)
and the troops ready to faint with the heat and want of
refreshment, the action having continued near four hours. I left
on the field of action a strong picquet, and early in the morning
detached General Marion and Lieutenant-Colonel Lee, with the
legion of horse between Eutaw and Charleston, to prevent any
reinforcements from coming to the relief of the enemy; and also
to retard their march, should they attempt to retire, and give
time to the army to fall upon their rear and put a finishing
stroke to our success. We left two pieces of our artillery in the
hands of the enemy, and brought off one of theirs. On the evening
of the 9th the enemy retired, leaving upward of seventy of their
wounded behind them, and not less than one thousand stand of arms
that were picked up on the field, and found broke and concealed