the 22d of August he broke
up his encampment to march against Colonel Stuart. The latter still
lay encamped about sixteen miles distant, in a straight line; but the
Congaree and Wateree lay between, bordered by swamps overflowed by
recent rains; to cross them and reach the hostile camp, it was
necessary to make a circuit of seventy miles. While Greene was making
it, Stuart abandoned his position, and moved down forty miles to the
vicinity of Eutaw Springs, where he was reinforced by a detachment
from Charleston with provisions.

Greene followed on by easy marches. He had been joined by General
Pickens with a party of the Ninety-Six militia, and by the State
troops under Lieutenant-colonel Henderson; and now moved slowly to
give time for Marion, who was scouring the country about the Edisto,
to rejoin him. This was done on the 5th of September at Laurens'
place, within seventeen miles of Stuart's camp. Here baggage, tents,
everything that could impede motion was left behind, and on the
afternoon of the 7th the army was pushed on within seven miles of the
Eutaws, where it bivouacked for the night. At four o'clock in the
morning this little army was in motion. Greene's whole force at that
time did not exceed two thousand men; that of the enemy he was
seeking, about twenty-three hundred. The Americans, however, were
superior in cavalry. His army advanced in two columns, which were to
form the two lines of battle. Within four miles of Eutaw they met with
a British detachment of one hundred and fifty infantry and fifty
cavalry under Major Coffin, sent forward to reconnoitre; it was put to
flight after a severe skirmish. Supposing this to be the van of the
enemy, Greene halted his columns and formed. The South Carolinians in
equal divisions formed the right and left of the first line, the North
Carolinians the centre. General Marion commanded the right; General
Pickens the left; Colonel Malmedy the centre. Colonel Henderson with
the State troops covered the left of the line; Colonel Lee with his
legion the right.

Of the second line, composed of regulars, the North Carolinians, under
General Sumner, were on the right; the Marylanders, under Colonel
Williams, on the left; the Virginians, under Colonel Campbell, in the
centre. Colonel Washington with his cavalry followed in the rear as a
corps de reserve. Two three-pounders moved on the road in the centre
of the first line; two six-pounders in a like position in the second
li