were not conducted with such caution,
however, but that they became known to the vigilant friends of
the Americans in and about the city. The army was warned of their
preparations. Greene hinted to Marion the necessity of returning to his
command. The latter replies, by declaring his great anxiety to do so,
but urges the impossibility of leaving the Senate, lest the Assembly
should be broken up--an event which might be of fatal importance to the
cause, unless the great business of the session were first disposed
of. He promises to move as soon as this should be the case. The actual
movement of the British detachment made it impossible that Marion should
longer delay to rejoin his brigade, and, accompanied by Col. Mayham, he
reached the ground on which the regiment of the latter was encamped,
by a circuitous route and rapid riding, on the 24th February. Here they
were unhappily told that the enemy was retiring. Marion, accordingly,
remained to rest and refresh himself, while Mayham paid a visit to his
own plantation. In a few hours after Mayham's departure, an express
arrived with the mortifying intelligence that the brigade had been
surprised and dispersed. Marion, instantly putting himself at the head
of Mayham's regiment, hurried on toward Wambaw, the scene of the event,
to check pursuit and collect and save the fugitives.

We have seen the position of Horry. He had sent out his scouts on
all the roads by which the approach of an enemy might be apprehended.
Feeling himself secure, and being sick, he went over the river on the
24th, the day of the catastrophe, to his plantation, leaving the brigade
under the command of Col. M'Donald. Major Benson, as will be remembered,
held a position, with the incomplete regiment of Horry, at Durant's
plantation, about a mile above that of the brigade. By some
unaccountable remissness of patrols or videttes, the British cavalry,
under Coffin, surprised the latter post. Benson, it is said, had been
told by Capt. Bennett, who commanded the scouts in St. Thomas's, that
the enemy was approaching; but the information was brought to him while
at dinner, and a keen appetite made him slow to believe tidings which
might have lessened the enjoyment of the meal. Bennett proceeded to
Horry's headquarters, where Col. M'Donald happened to be at dinner also.
He proved equally incredulous, but desired Major James, who had just
arrived in camp, to take command of his regiment. The surprise of Benson