a second
time from Ninety-Six, at the head of eleven hundred infantry, with
cavalry, artillery, and field-pieces, marching by the south side of
the Saluda for the Congaree.

He was now pursued in his turn by Greene and Lee. In this march more
than fifty of his lordship's soldiers fell dead from heat, fatigue and
privation. At Orangeburg, where he arrived on the 8th of July, his
lordship was joined by a large detachment under Colonel Stuart. Greene
had followed him closely, and having collected all his detachments,
and being joined by Sumter, appeared within four miles of Orangeburg,
on the 10th of July, and offered battle. The offer was not accepted,
and the position of Lord Rawdon was too strong to be attacked. Greene
remained there two or three days; when, learning that Colonel Cruger
was advancing with the residue of the forces from Ninety-Six, which
would again give his lordship a superiority of force, he moved off
with his infantry on the night of the 13th of July, crossed the
Saluda, and posted himself on the east side of the Wateree, at the
high hills of Santee.

He now detached Sumter with about a thousand light troops to scour the
lower country, and attack the British posts in the vicinity of
Charleston, now left uncovered by the concentration of their forces at
Orangeburg. Under Sumter acted Marion, Lee, the Hamptons, and other
enterprising partisans. They were to act separately in breaking up the
minor posts at and about Dorchester, but to unite at Monk's Corner,
where Lieutenant-colonel Coates was stationed with the 9th Regiment.
This post carried, they were to re-unite with Greene's army on the
high hills of Santee.

Scarce was Sumter on his march, when he received a letter from Greene,
dated July 14th, stating that Cruger had formed a junction with Lord
Rawdon the preceding night; no time, therefore, was to be lost. "Push
your operations night and day: station a party to watch the enemy's
motions at Orangeburg. Keep Colonel Lee and General Marion advised of
all matters from above, and tell Colonel Lee to thunder even at the
gates of Charleston." Conformably to these orders, Colonel Henry
Hampton with a party was posted to keep an eye on Orangeburg. Lee with
his legion, accompanied by Lieutenant-colonel Wade Hampton, and a
detachment of cavalry, was sent to carry Dorchester, and then press
forward to the gates of Charleston; while Sumter with the main body,
took up his line of march along the road on t