their curiosity happened to lead them.
The individual here mentioned moved along, seemingly much interested
with all he saw and heard, until he arrived at the great road leading
directly to the town, in which quarter were only some batteries thrown
up for the protection of the guards. Pausing here for a few moments, he
glanced cautiously around him, and then, suddenly putting spurs to his
horse, he dashed at full speed into the town. Seeing this, the guard
and sentinels opened their fire upon him, but he escaped unhurt,
holding up a letter as soon as he was out of danger. The garrison,
which had observed this movement, understood its meaning, and the gates
were instantly thrown open to receive the messenger, who proved to be
from Lord Rawdon, and brought the welcome intelligence of his near
approach.

Hoping still to reduce the fort before the arrival of Lord Rawdon,
General Greene urged on the work of investment, and by every means in
his power sought to weaken the garrison, so as to make victory certain
when all was ready for the final assault. But before he had
accomplished his task, a messenger from Sumter arrived with the
unwelcome intelligence that Rawdon had succeeded in passing him and was
pushing on rapidly for Ninety-Six. The crisis had now come. Greene must
either hazard an assault upon the fort ere his works were in complete
readiness, risk a battle with Rawdon, or retire over the Saluda, and
thus give confidence and strength to the tories and royalist army. His
first determination was to meet the relieving army under Rawdon, but
every thing depending on his not giving the enemy, at this particular
crisis of affairs in the South, a victory, and seeing that his force
was much inferior to that of the British, he resolved to make an attack
upon the fort, and, if not successful in reducing it, to retire with
his army toward North Carolina before Rawdon came up.

The 18th of June, 1781, was the day chosen for this assault. But made,
as it was, with the besiegers' works incomplete, though the men fought
with desperate courage, the fort was successfully defended, and General
Greene ordered his troops to retire, after they had suffered the loss
of one hundred and eighty-five killed and wounded.

Nothing was now left but retreat. For some twenty-six days the
besieging army had been at work before the fort, and in three days more
all their arrangements would have been completed and the post have
fallen into their h