een the Haw and the Deep
Rivers. Greene now advanced a little, and having crossed the Haw
near its source, took post between Troublesome Creek and Reedy Fork.
Discovering this movement, Cornwallis carried his army across Allamance
Creek and marched towards Reedy Fork, hoping to beat up the quarters of
Greene's light troops, and to tempt Greene into a general engagement.
Cornwallis attacked Reedy Fork, and some light troops made a slight
stand upon the creek, but they were defeated with considerable
slaughter; and then Cornwallis found that Greene was retreating as
fast as he could across the Haw. Soon after, however, Greene received
considerable reinforcements, and considering himself strong enough to
face Cornwallis, he recrossed the Haw, and moved forward to Guildford
Court-house. Cornwallis instantly prepared to meet him, and a battle
was fought at that place on the 15th of March. The engagement, which was
maintained with determined valour on both sides, terminated honourably
to the British arms. Greene was compelled to retreat, and to leave the
field of battle, with his artillery, consisting of four pieces, in the
hands of Lord Cornwallis. The victory, however, was dearly purchased,
as about one hundred were killed and above four hundred wounded, which
amounted to nearly one-third of all the British troops engaged. The
loss was rendered more severe on the following night, when many of the
wounded expired from want of covering to shelter them from the rain,
which poured down in torrents on the field of battle. On discovering the
extent of his loss, Cornwallis felt that he was not in a condition to
follow up his victory, and as he could obtain no provisions where he
was, he was under the necessity of retreating. He left about seventy
of his wounded, who could not be removed, under a flag of truce, at a
Friends' meetinghouse, and on the third day after the battle, directed
his march towards Wilmington, near the mouth of Cape Fear River, a
post already occupied by the British troops, under the command of Major
Craig, and where he arrived on the 7th of April. In the meantime General
Greene, who had slowly moved in the rear of Cornwallis till he descended
towards the sea-coast, carried the war into South Carolina. Aware of his
movements, Cornwallis sent an express to Lord Rawdon, whom he had left
in that state, warning him of his danger. Rawdon occupied cantonments,
with the town of Camden for his centre, and against this p