nty-nine men,
took several prisoners, and compelled the nation to sue for peace.]

General Greene was not mistaken in the consequences of leaving Lord
Cornwallis in the peaceable possession of North Carolina. He was
informed that seven independent companies were raised in one day. A
large body of royalists had begun to embody themselves on the branches
of the Haw River; and Colonel Tarlton, with the cavalry of his legion
and some infantry, was detached from Hillsborough to favour their
rising, and to conduct them to the British army.

Intelligence of the movements of the loyalists and of Tarlton being
received, Greene ordered Lieutenant Colonel Lee with the cavalry of
his legion, and General Pickens with between three and four hundred
militia, who had just formed a junction near Hillsborough, to move
against both parties.

[Sidenote: Party of loyalists commanded by Colonel Pyle, cut to
pieces.]

In a long lane, Lee, whose cavalry was in front of the whole
detachment, came up with the royalists. He was mistaken by them for
Tarlton, whom they had not yet seen, to whose encampment they were
proceeding, and whose corps was then taking refreshment, not much more
than a mile distant from them. Perceiving their mistake, Lee received
their expressions of joy and attachment, and had just reached their
colonel, to whom he was about to make communications which might have
enabled him to proceed on his design of surprising Tarlton, when the
infantry who followed close in his rear, were recognized by the
insurgents; and a firing took place between them. It being apparent
that this circumstance must give the alarm to the British, Lee changed
his plan, and turning on the royalists, who still supposed him to be a
British officer, cut them to pieces while they were making
protestations of loyalty, and asserting that they were "the very best
friends of the king." More than one hundred, among whom was Colonel
Pyle, their leader, fell under the swords of his cavalry. This
terrible but unavoidable carnage broke, in a great measure, the
spirits of the tories in that part of the country. Some who were on
their march to join the British standard, returned, determined to
await the issue of events before they went too far to recede.

The hope of surprising Tarlton being thus disappointed, Pickens and
Lee determined to postpone the attack till the morning; and took a
position for the night between him and a corps of militia which was
advan