se by which his predecessor seems to have been
distinguished. New hopes were awakened by this change of command, which,
though slow of fruition, were not finally to be disappointed. Greene's
assumption of command was distinguished by a happy augury. In a few
hours after reaching camp Charlotte, he received intelligence of
the success of Lt.-Col. Washington, against the British post held at
Clermont, South Carolina, by the British Colonel Rugely. Rugely was
well posted in a redoubt, which was tenable except against artillery.
Washington's force consisted only of cavalry. A pleasant 'ruse de
guerre' of the latter, which produced some little merriment among the
Americans at the expense of the British colonel, enabled Washington to
succeed. A pine log was rudely hewn into the appearance of a cannon,
and, mounted upon wagon wheels, was advanced with solemnity to the
attack. The affair looked sufficiently serious, and Rugely, to avoid
any unnecessary effusion of blood, yielded the post. Cornwallis, drily
commenting on the transaction, in a letter to Tarleton, remarks, "Rugely
will not be made a brigadier."

Greene proceeded in the duties of his command with characteristic
vigilance and vigor. He soon put his army under marching orders for the
Pedee, which river he reached on the 26th of December. He took post
near Hicks' Creek, on the east side of the river. Before leaving camp
Charlotte, he had judiciously made up an independent brigade for General
Morgan, composed of his most efficient soldiers. It consisted of a corps
of light infantry, detached from the Maryland line, of 320 men; a body
of Virginia militia of 200 men, and Washington's cavalry, perhaps one
hundred more. Morgan was to be joined, on reaching the tract of country
assigned to his operations in South Carolina, by the militia lately
under Sumter; that gallant leader being still 'hors de combat', in
consequence of the severe wound received at Blackstock's. The force of
Morgan was expected to be still farther increased by volunteer
militia from North Carolina; and he received a powerful support in the
cooperation of Col. Pickens, with the well exercised militia under his
command.

The object of this detachment was to give confidence and encouragement
to the country, to inspirit the patriots, overawe the Tories, and
facilitate the accumulation of the necessary provisions. The main army
at Hicks' Creek, meanwhile, formed a camp of repose. This was necessary,
as we