rion had hitherto carried
on, he had been willing to recognize these necessities on the part of
his followers. Cooperating with an army differently constituted, it was
scarcely possible to do so, with any hope of their permanent usefulness.
Just at this juncture, in particular, he felt the peculiarly mortifying
character of his situation.

To enable Marion to contend with Watson, Greene dispatched Major Eaton,
with a body of Continentals, to his assistance, with instructions
to throw himself across the path of Watson. But Eaton, by an unhappy
misunderstanding of his duty, failed to reach him in season for this
object. When he did join him, which was on the evening of the 2d of May,
it was too late. Marion, writing to Greene, says, "Major Eaton's not
coming up sooner has made me lose a great deal of precious time. I shall
cross the Santee at Wright's Bluff to-morrow." He did so, but Watson had
already passed, and succeeded in eluding Greene also, and in reaching
Camden in safety.

We have spoken of Col. Harden's proceedings against Fort Balfour, and
the capture of that post. This officer was a very brave and active
gentleman, rapid in his movements, and resolute in his objects. As
soon as Marion had received intelligence of Greene's approach to
South Carolina, he had dispatched Harden with seventy select men, well
mounted, to penetrate through the country, and crossing the enemy's
lines of communication, to stir up the people in all that region
which lies southwest of Charleston. So rapid and unexpected were his
movements, that he took the enemy everywhere by surprise, and rendered
himself, for the time, the very terror of the loyalists upon the route.
His force increased with its progress. The inhabitants yearned for an
escape from British authority, and joined his troop. His seventy
men soon became two hundred, and while he baffled the pursuit of
the superior, he visited with sudden and severe chastisement the
disaffected, along and on both sides of the Savannah river. Ascending
this, he soon communicated with Pickens, then operating against Augusta
and Ninety-Six. Nothing now was wanting but the fall of the enemy's
chain of posts, to complete the recovery of the whole country within
thirty miles of the sea. In contributing to this desirable object
Marion, now strengthened by the Continentals of Lee and Eaton, invested
Fort Motte on the river Congaree.

This post was the principal depot of the convoys from Charlesto