e pines that skirted the field surrounding
the fort. The British within the fort were resting quietly, and were
not aware that an enemy was at hand. A prompt and decisive movement was
necessary; and when his men and horses had rested a little while, Lee
dismounted the militiamen he had brought with him, and ordered them to
make a demonstration against the fort on the side opposite the position
he had taken. This famous commander reasoned, that, as soon as the
militiamen appeared before the fort, the garrison would sally from the
stockade. The militia would retreat, the garrison pursuing, and he would
seize upon that moment to assault and capture the post left defenseless.
To carry out this plan, Captain Rudolph (who was supposed to be some
great general in disguise), with a detachment of picked infantry, was
held in readiness to rush upon the fort; while the rest of the troops,
supported by the dragoons, were placed where they could shield the
militia from the pursuit of the British.

The affair took place just as Lee had foreseen. The garrison sallied out
to the attack. The militia, before making a show of resistance, began
a retreat. The garrison gave pursuit. Captain Rudolph dashed across the
field, and captured the fort without any trouble, The end came, when the
militia rallied, and the foot soldiers and dragoons closed around the
soldiers of the garrison. During the engagement the Americans lost one
man from sunstroke. The enemy lost only three or four men. The rest,
together with the valuable stores in the stockade, fell into the hands
of the patriots.

Following this successful affair, which was of more importance than it
seems now to be, Lee formed a junction with General Pickens; and these
two then joined their forces with those of Clarke, who commanded the
Georgia militia, and the siege of Augusta began. The first movement
was the capture of Fort Grierson, so called in honor of the man who
commanded its garrison. Grierson, hard pressed, threw open the gates of
the fort, and endeavored to escape. Thirty of his men were killed, and
forty-five wounded and captured. Grierson was made a prisoner, but was
killed by a Georgia rifleman. He was as cruel and vindictive as Brown
himself. He was a monster who had made himself odious to the followers
of Clarke. In his history, Captain McCall strongly hints that Grierson
was shot by one of the sons of the aged Mr. Alexander, who had been made
prisoner and dragged to Augus