d when he could find utterance to his thoughts, declared
that its tender sympathy and considerate delicacy had conveyed more
consolation and delight to his heart than he had believed it possible
ever to have felt again.

General Greene arrived at Charlotte, on the 2d of December. On his way
from the North he had made arrangements for supplies from the
different States; and had left the Baron Steuben in Virginia to defend
that State and procure and send on reinforcements and stores for the
Southern army. On the day following his arrival, Greene took formal
command. The delicacy with which he conducted himself towards his
unfortunate predecessor is said to have been "edifying to the army."
Consulting with his officers as to the court of inquiry on the conduct
of General Gates, ordered by Congress, it was determined that there
was not a sufficient number of general officers in camp to sit upon
it; that the state of General Gates' feelings, in consequence of the
death of his son, disqualified him from entering upon the task of his
defence; and that it would be indelicate in the extreme to press on
him an investigation, which his honor would not permit him to defer.
Gates, in fact, when informed in the most delicate manner of the order
of Congress, was urgent that a court of inquiry should be immediately
convened: he acknowledged there was some important evidence that could
not at present be procured; but he relied on the honor and justice of
the court to make allowance for the deficiency. He was ultimately
brought to acquiesce in the decision of the council of war for the
postponement, but declared that he could not think of serving until
the matter should have been properly investigated. He determined to
pass the interim on his estate in Virginia.

The whole force at Charlotte, when Greene took command, did not much
exceed twenty-three hundred men, and more than half of them were
militia. It had been broken in spirit by the recent defeat. The
officers had fallen into habits of negligence; the soldiers were loose
and disorderly, without tents and camp equipage; badly clothed and
fed, and prone to relieve their necessities by depredating upon the
inhabitants.

A recent exploit had given some animation to the troops.
Lieutenant-colonel Washington, detached with a troop of light-horse to
check a foraging party of the enemy, scoured the country within
thirteen miles of Camden. Here he found a body of loyalist militia
strong