Colonel Stewart, who was attacked by the enemy at Eutaw Springs,
having previously suffered a loss of above three hundred men, who were
surprised in foraging. A desperate battle took place, during which
the artillery on both sides was several times taken and retakers Vast
numbers fell on both sides, and each claimed the victory; but it would
appear that it rather belonged to the British; for Greene retreated,
and they remained upon the ground the night after the action and all
the following day without molestation. Notwithstanding the result was
favourable to the Americans; for the British were compelled to
retire, and thenceforward confined their operations to the vicinity
of Charles-town. Hence it was that congress proclaimed the affair as a
great and glorious victory; and they likewise passed a resolution, for
presenting to Greene a golden medal and a British standard.
In the meantime Lord Cornwallis had been engaged in operations in the
heart of Virginia. He advanced from Wilmington right through North
Carolina, the whole of which he traversed without encountering
opposition, and on the 20th of May he reached Petersburg, where the
British forces were waiting for him. Before his arrival, General
Phillips had died of sickness, so that the chief command of the troops
had again devolved upon Arnold. Cornwallis found that Arnold had driven
Jefferson and the assembly of Virginia from Richmond to the village of
Charlottesville, and had compelled Lafayette to take up a post a few
miles below Richmond. Allowing himself but three days' rest, Lord
Cornwallis marched from Petersburg in search of Lafayette. He crossed
James's River at Westover, about thirty miles below the enemy's
encampment; but on his approach, Lafayette retired towards the back
country, in order to effect a junction with eight hundred of the
Pennsylvanian line, under General Wayne. No pursuit was attempted by
Lord Cornwallis, who now directed his attention to various expeditions.
As the Virginian planters possessed excellent horses, he was enabled, by
seizures, not only to remount his cavalry in a superior manner, but also
to have horses for mounting his infantry destined for rapid movements.
With such a force Tarleton was detached to beat up Jefferson and the
assembly at Charlottesville, where they were busy in voting taxes,
making paper-money, draughting the militia, and recruiting for the
Virginian line. Tarleton came upon the assembly so suddenly that sev
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