ing of the 71st, which resisted one
of the columns till almost all of the men of the picket, were either
killed or wounded, Lieutenant Cumming being among the latter. The
Americans lost fifteen killed and eighty-three wounded.

The force which had so ably defended Savannah remained there in quarters
during the winter of 1779 and 1780. In the month of March 1780, Sir
Henry Clinton arrived before Charleston with a force from New York,
which he immediately invested and rigorously pushed the siege. The chief
engineer, Captain Moncrieff was indefatigable, and being fearless of
danger, was careless of the lives of others. Having served two years
with the 71st, and believing it would gratify the Highlanders to select
them for dangerous service, he generally applied for a party of that
corps for all exposed duties.

After the surrender of Charleston, on May 12, 1780, to the army under
Sir Henry Clinton, the British forces in the southern states were placed
under the command of lord Cornwallis. The 71st composed a part of this
army, and with it advanced into the interior. In the beginning of June,
the army amounting to twenty-five hundred, reached Camden, a central
place fixed upon for headquarters. The American general, Horatio Gates,
having, in July, assembled a force marched towards Camden. The people
generally were in arms and the British officers perplexed. Major
Macarthur who was at Cheraw to encourage the royalists, was ordered to
fall back towards Camden. Lord Cornwallis, seeing the gathering storm
hastily left Charleston and joined lord Rawdon at Camden, arriving there
on August 13th. Both generals of the opposing forces on the night of
August 15th moved towards each other with the design of making an
attack. The British troops consisted of the 23d and 33d regiments, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Webster; Tarleton's legion; Irish volunteers; a part
of Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton's North Carolina Regiment; Bryan's corps
of royalists, under lord Rawdon, with two six and two three pounders
commanded by Lieutenant McLeod; and the 71st regiment. Camden was left
in the care of Major Macarthur, with the sick and convalescents.

Both armies were surprised, and each fired at the same moment, which
occurred at three o'clock on the morning of August 16th. Both generals,
ignorant of each other's force, declined general action, and lay on
their arms till morning. When the British army formed in line of battle,
the light infantry of the