under Captain Browne, with the second.

The legion and State troops formed our advance, and were to
retire upon the flanks upon the enemy's forming. In this order we
moved on to the attack. The legion and State troops fell in with
a party of the enemy's horse and foot, about four miles from
their camp, who, mistaking our people for a party of militia,
charged them briskly, but were soon convinced of their mistake by
the reception they met with. The infantry of the State troops
kept up a heavy fire, and the legion in front, under Captain
Rudolph, charged them with fixed bayonets; they fled on all
sides, leaving four or five dead on the ground, and several more
wounded. As this was supposed to be the advance of the British
army, our front line was ordered to form and move on briskly in
line, the legion and State troops to take their position upon the
flanks. All the country is covered with timber, from the place
the action began to Eutaw Springs. The firing began again between
two and three miles from the British camp. The militia were
ordered to keep advancing as they fired. The enemy's advanced
parties were soon driven in, and a most tremendous fire began on
both sides from right to left, and the legion and State troops
were closely engaged. General Marion, Colonel Malmady, and
General Pickens conducted the troops with great gallantry and
good conduct; and the militia fought with a degree of spirit and
firmness that reflects the highest honour upon that class of
soldiers. But the enemy's fire being greatly superior to ours,
and continuing to advance, the militia began to give ground. The
North Carolina brigade, under General Sumner, was ordered up to
their support. These were all new levies, and had been under
discipline but little more than a month, notwithstanding which
they fought with a degree of obstinacy that would do honour to
the best of veterans, and I could hardly tell which to admire
most, the gallantry of the officers or the bravery of the troops.
They kept up a heavy and well directed fire, and the enemy
returned it with equal spirit, for they really fought worthy of a
better cause, and great execution was done on both sides. In this
stage of the action, the Virginians under Lieutenant-Colonel
Campbell, and the Marylanders under C