to General
Sumpter and the militia he commanded, for this and other services
which had been previously rendered.

The shattered remains of the army defeated near Camden, had been
slowly collected at Hillsborough, and great exertions were made to
reorganize and reinforce it. The whole number of continental troops in
the southern army amounted to about fourteen hundred men.

On receiving intelligence that Lord Cornwallis had occupied Charlotte,
Gates detached Smallwood to the Yadkin, with directions to post
himself at the ford of that river, and to take command of all the
troops in that quarter of the country. The more effectually to harass
the enemy, a light corps was selected from the army and placed under
the command of Morgan, now a brigadier general.

As Lord Cornwallis retreated, Gates advanced to Charlotte, Smallwood
encamped lower down the Catawba on the road to Camden; and Morgan was
pushed forward some distance in his front. In the expectation that
farther active operations would be postponed until the spring, Gates
intended to pass the winter in this position. Such was the arrangement
of the troops when their general was removed.

[Sidenote: November 5.]

On the 5th of November, without any previous indications of
dissatisfaction, congress passed a resolution requiring the
Commander-in-chief to order a court of inquiry on the conduct of
General Gates as commander of the southern army, and to appoint some
other officer to that command, until the inquiry should be made.

[Sidenote: Greene appointed to the command of the southern army.]

Washington, without hesitation, selected Greene for that important and
difficult service. In a letter to congress recommending him to their
support, he mentioned General Greene as "an officer in whose
abilities, fortitude, and integrity, from a long and intimate
experience of them, he had the most entire confidence." To Mr.
Matthews, a delegate from South Carolina, he said, "You have your wish
in the officer appointed to the southern command. I think I am giving
you a general; but what can a general do without men, without arms,
without clothing, without stores, without provisions?" About the same
time the legion of Lee was ordered into South Carolina.

[Sidenote: Arrives in camp.]

Greene hastened to the army he was to command; and, on the second of
December, reached Charlotte, then its head quarters. Soon after his
arrival in camp, he was gratified with the intellige