ped up in the raw hide of a bullock, suspended
between two horses, and, guarded by a hundred faithful followers,* was
conveyed in safety to North Carolina, where, unhappily, he lay for some
time totally incapacitated from active performance.

* Judge James says "a guard of five men".--A. L., 1996.--

This event was preceded and followed by others quite as encouraging to
the American cause. The battle of King's Mountain took place on the 7th
October, 1780, in which the British, under Major Ferguson, experienced a
total defeat; Ferguson being slain, and the killed, wounded and captured
of his army, amounting to eleven hundred men. Meanwhile, the example
of Marion and Sumter had aroused the partisan spirit in numerous other
places; and every distinct section of the country soon produced its
particular leader, under whom the Whigs embodied themselves, striking
wherever an opportunity offered of cutting off the British and Tories
in detail, and retiring to places of safety, or dispersing in groups,
on the approach of a superior force. This species of warfare was, of all
kinds, that which was most likely to try the patience, and baffle the
progress, of the British commander. He could overrun the country, but he
made no conquests. His great armies passed over the land unquestioned,
but had no sooner withdrawn, than his posts were assailed, his
detachments cut off, his supplies arrested, and the Tories once more
overawed by their fierce and fearless neighbors. Marion's brigade, in
particular, constantly in motion,--moving by night as frequently as by
day, singularly well informed by its scouts, and appearing at the least
expected moment,--was always ready to prevent the gathering, into force
and strength, of the loyalists. And this activity was shown, and this
warfare waged, at a time, when, not only was the State without an army,
without any distinct embodiment of its own, or of its confederates,--but
when it was covered everywhere with strong and well appointed posts of
the enemy. The position of Earl Cornwallis at Winnsboro', completed his
chain of posts from Georgetown to Augusta, in a circle, the centre of
which would have been about Beaufort, in South Carolina, equidistant
from Charleston and Savannah. These posts consisted of Georgetown,
Camden, Winnsboro', Ninety-Six and Augusta. Within this circle was an
interior chain, at the distance of half the radius, consisting of Fort
Watson on the road to Camden, Motte's ho