ded to the enemy, breaking up a thousand stand of arms, and
destroying his stores, General Stewart commenced a precipitate
retreat towards Fairlawn. The British power in Carolina was completely
prostrated by this battle. Five hundred prisoners fell into the hands of
the Americans, and it was Greene's purpose to have renewed the fight
on the next day; but the flight of Stewart anticipated and baffled his
intentions. He commenced pursuit, and detached Marion and Lee, by a
circuitous route, to gain the enemy's front, and interpose themselves
between him and the post at Fairlawn, from which Major M'Arthur had been
summoned, with five hundred men, to cover the retreat. But this plan was
unsuccessful. So precipitate was the march of Stewart, and so happily
concerted the movements of the two British officers, that they effected
a junction before Marion and Lee could reach Ferguson's Swamp, their
place of destination. The cavalry of the enemy's rear-guard fell into
the hands of the Americans, but Stewart was beyond pursuit. In this
flight, amongst others, the British lost the brave Major Marjoribanks,
who died of a fever, and was buried on the road. While they admitted a
loss, in killed, wounded, and missing, of half the number brought into
the field, that of the Americans was nearly equally severe, and fell
with particular severity upon the officers. Sixty-one of these were
killed or wounded; twenty-one died upon the field. The returns exhibit
a loss of one hundred and fourteen rank and file killed, three hundred
wounded, and forty missing--an aggregate exceeding a fourth of all who
marched into battle. Many of Marion's men were killed, though not so
many as he lost in the affair of Quinby. Among his officers, Capt. John
Simons, of Pedee, was slain, and Col. Hugh Horry wounded.

Greene retired to the high hills of Santee, while Marion proceeded to
encamp at Payne's plantation, on Santee river swamp. This was one of his
favorite places of retreat. Here, in the depths of a cane-brake, within
a quarter of a mile from the Santee, he made himself a clearing, "much,"
says Judge James, "to his liking," and, with the canes, thatched the
rude huts of his men. The high land was skirted by lakes, which rendered
the approach difficult; and here, as in perfect security, he found
forage for his horses, and provisions in abundance for his men. Such a
place of encampment, at such a season, would hardly commend itself
now to the citizen of Caro