camped
at Colonel Dickson's plantation, three miles northwest of Tuckaseege
ford. General Rutherford broke up his encampment at that place, early
on the morning of the 20th of June, 1780, then sixteen miles from
Ramsour's Mill, and marched with his forces, expecting to unite with
Colonel Locke in making a joint attack upon the Tories, but failed to
reach the scene of conflict until two hours after the battle. The
Tories had been signally defeated and routed by Colonel Locke and his
brave associates, and about fifty made prisoners, among the number a
brother of Colonel Moore, the commander of the Tory forces.

Immediately after this battle he received orders from Colonels
Johnston and Dickson to proceed with his company to Colonel Moore's
residence, six or seven miles west of the present town of Lincolnton,
and arrest that Tory leader, but he had fled with about thirty of his
follower's to Camden, S.C., where Cornwallis was then encamped. Soon
after this service Captain Martin was ordered to proceed with his
company to Rugeley's Mill, in Kershaw county, S.C. Here Colonel
Rugeley, the Tory commander, had assembled a considerable force, and
fortified his log barn and dwelling house. Colonel Washington, by
order of General Morgan, had pursued him with his cavalry, but having
no artillery, he resorted to an ingenious stratagem to capture the
post without sacrificing his own men. Accordingly he mounted a _pine
log_, fashioned as a cannon, elevated on its own limbs, and placed it
in position to command the houses in which the Tories were lodged.
Colonel Washington then made a formal demand for immediate surrender.
Colonel Rugeley fearing the destructive consequences of the formidable
cannon bearing upon his command in the log barn and dwelling house,
after a stipulation as to terms, promptly surrendered his whole force,
consisting of one hundred and twelve men, without a gun being fired on
either side. It was upon the reception of the news of this surrender
that Cornwallis wrote to Tarleton, "Rugeley will not be made a
Brigadier."

After this successful stratagem, seldom equaled during the war,
Captain Martin was ordered to march with his company in pursuit of
Colonel Cunningham, (commonly called "bloody Bill Cunningham") a Tory
leader, encamped on Fishing creek, but he fled so rapidly he could not
overtake him. During the latter part of August and the whole of
September, Captain Martin was rarely at home, and then not remai