e against Camden, that had
prompted the destruction and abandonment of that place by Lord Rawdon.
This was the plan and object of Greene. The precipitate movements of
Rawdon, who anticipated the purpose of the former, necessarily defeated
it. Pickens was operating against Augusta; while Sumter, leaving the
investment of Granby, the conquest of which was considered sure, to
Col. Taylor, proceeded down the country, with the two-fold object of
harassing the descent of the British army, and to prevent them from
carrying off the cattle of the inhabitants. In the former object,
neither Marion nor himself had much success. They did not succeed in
effecting a junction, and the sanguine desire of Sumter, with united
forces, to operate boldly upon the retreating army of Rawdon, was
not encouraged by Greene, who preferred a safe and sure, though slow
progress, to any attainment of his end by a hazardous attempt, however
glorious. The task of holding Rawdon in check, was confided to
Marion and Sumter, while Greene proceeded with his whole army, to the
investment of the post of Ninety-Six, at the village of Cambridge. In
the execution of their duties, the two partisans closed in upon the
British commander, until he established a line of fortified posts,
extending from Georgetown, by Monk's Corner, Dorchester, &c., to
Coosawhatchee. Within this line our partisans continually made
incursions, keeping the enemy in constant check and apprehension. They
were not in force to do more. Georgetown, however, separated by water
courses and swamps of great magnitude, from the other posts, was left
with a garrison so feeble, as to tempt Marion to proceed against it. The
parishes that lie along the Santee, on both sides, towards its mouth,
had turned out with so much zeal on his return into their neighborhood,
that he soon found himself in sufficient force to cover the country with
a strong detachment under Col. Mayham, while, with his main body, he
went against Georgetown. He appeared before this place on the 6th of
June, and instantly began his approaches. But his simple demonstration
was sufficient. The enemy made but a show of resistance. As the attempt
was pressed, the garrison fled to their galleys, and took a position in
the bay beyond the reach of the Americans. They finally abandoned the
harbor altogether. It was not in the power of Marion to man the post
efficiently, and his policy forbade that he should do it inadequately.
Accordingly,