ermediate posts of defence,
from Orangeburg to Ninety-Six, and the latter was now so thoroughly
isolated, that prudence led to its abandonment. This necessity brought
with it another, which was much more painful and humiliating to the
unfortunate loyalists of that country, who had so long sided with the
British arms against their countrymen. They were compelled to abandon
their homes and share the fortunes of the retreating army. They were
without refuge, and the spirit of the warfare had been such as to leave
them hopeless of mercy in any encounter with the Whigs. A mournful
cavalcade followed in the train of the British army, and retarded its
progress. Greene, as he discovered Rawdon's movements to be retrograde,
turned upon his retreating footsteps. His cavalry harassed the enemy
and hastened his flight. At Ancrum's ferry on the Congaree, Greene, in
advance of his army, joined Marion and Washington, the latter with his
cavalry, the former with four hundred mounted militia; and, at the head
of these two corps, pressing down the Orangeburg road, on the 6th
of July, he succeeded in passing Lord Rawdon. Retaining command of
Washington's cavalry, he dispatched Marion with his mounted militia to
intercept a valuable convoy, freighted not only for relief of Rawdon's
army, but with all the various supplies and material necessary for the
establishment of the British post at Granby. Marion was unsuccessful.
The convoy under Lieut.-Col. Stewart escaped without being conscious of
its danger. He had taken one of two roads, while Marion watched for him
upon the other. On the morning of the 8th, Stewart and Rawdon effected a
junction in Orangeburg. The condition of the British army on that day is
thus described in a letter of Marion to Greene:

* Johnson's Greene, vol. 2, p. 146.--

"Their troops are so fatigued they cannot possibly move. Three regiments
were going to lay down their arms, and it is believed they will to-day,
if they are ordered to march. They have no idea of any force being near
them."

At Orangeburg, Rawdon was too strongly posted for any attempts of
Greene. Here, with his own force and that of Stewart, numbering fifteen
hundred men, he was joined by Col. Cruger from Ninety-Six, with thirteen
hundred more. Orangeburg is situated on the east bank of the North
Edisto, which half encircles it. North and south are swamps and ravines,
which so nearly approach each other as to leave but a narrow and broken
passa