1781: "Cleared ground about Guildford Court-house"

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse, fought on March 15, 1781, and resulted in a British victory. However, as General Cornwallis notes toward the end of this letter, limited supplies would force him to move. This report was written to be sent to Lord Germain who was King George III's Secretary of State for the Colonies. 

Guilford, March 17, 1781.

My Lord,

I have the satisfaction to inform your lordship, that his majesty's troops under my command obtained a signal victory on the 15th instant over the rebel army, commanded by general Greene.

In pursuance of my intended plan, communicated to your lordship in my dispastch, No. 7 I had encamped on th 13th instant, at the Quaker Meeting between the forks of Deep River. On the 14th I received information that general Butler, with a body of North Carolina militia, and the expected reinforcements from Virginia, said to consist of a Virginia state regiment, a corps of Virginia 18 months men, 3000 Virginia militia, and recruits for the Maryland line, had joined general Greene; and that the whole army, which was reported to amount to 9 or 10,000 men, was marching to attack the British trops. During the afternoon intelligence was brought, which was confirmed in the night, that he had advanced that day to Guilford about 12 miles from our camp. Being now persuaded that he had resolved to hazard an engagement, after detaching lieutenant colonel Hamilton with our waggons and baggage, escorted by his own regiment, a detachment of 100 infantry, and 20 cavalry towards Bell's mill on Deep River, I marched with the rest of the corps at day break, on the morning of the 15th, to meet the enemy or to attack them in their encampment. About four miles from Guildford our advanced guard, commanded by lieutenant colonel Tarleton, fell in with a corps of the enemy, consisting of Lee's legion, some back mountain men, and Virginia militia, which he attacked and with his usual good conduct and spirit, and defeated; and continuing our march, we found the rebel army posted on rising ground, bout a mile and a half from the Court-house. The prisoners taken by lieutenant colonel Tarleton, having been several days with the advanced corps, could give me no account of the enemy's order or position, and the country people were extremely innacurate in their descripton of the ground. Immediately between the head of the column and the enemy's line, was a considerable plantation, one large field of which was on our left of the road, and two others, with a wood of about 200 yards broad between them, on our of it; beyond these fields the wood continued for several miles to our right. The wood beyond the plantation in our front, in the skirt of which the enemy's first line was formed, was about a mile in depth, the road then leading into an extensive space of cleared ground about Guildford Court-house. The woods on our right and left were reported to be impracticable for cannon; but, as that on our right appeared to be most open, I resolved to attack the left wing of the enemy, and whilst my disposition was making for that purpose, I ordered lieutenant Maclend to bring forward the guns, and cannonade their center. The attack was directed to be made in the following order.

On the right the regiment of Bose, and 71st regiment, led by major general Leslie, and support by the 1st battalion of guards; on their left the 23d and 33d regiments, led by lieutenant colonel Webster, and supported by the grenadiers and 2d battalion of guards commanded by brigadier general O'Hara; the Yager [Jager] and light infantry of the guards remained in the wood on the left of the guns; and the cavalry in the road ready to act as circumstances might require. Our preparations being made, the action began about half an hour past one in the afternoon; major general Leslie, after being obliged, by the great extent of the enemy's line, to bring up the 1st battalion of guards to the right of the regiment of Bose, soon defeated every thing before him; lieutenant colonel Webster having joined the left of major general's Leslie division, was no less successful in his front, when, on finding that the left of the 33d was exposed to a heavy fire from the right wing of the enemy, he changed his front to the left, and being supported by the Yagers and light infantry of the guards, attacked and routed it; the grenadiers and second battalion of guards moving forward to occupy the ground left vacant by the movement of lieutenant-colonel Webster.

All the infantry being now in the line, lieutenant-colonel Tarleton had directions to keep his cavalry compact, and not to charge without positive orders, except to protect any of the corps from the most evident danger of being defeated. The excessive thickness of the woods rendered our bayonets of little use, and enabled the broken enemy to make frequent stands, with an irregular fire, which occasioned some loss, and to several of the corps great delay, particularly on our right, where the first battalion of guards and regiment of Bose were warmyly engaged in the front, flank, and rear, with some of the enemy that had been routed on the first attack, and with part of the extremity of the left wing, which by the closeness of the wood been passed unbroken. The 71st regiment and grenadiers and 2d battalion of guards, not knowing what was passing on their right, and hearing the fire advance on their left, continued to move forwward, the artillery keeping pace with them on the road, followed by the cavalry. The 2d battalion of the guards first gained the clear ground near Guilford Court-house, and found a corps of continental infantry, much superior number, formed in the open field on the left of the road. Glowing with impatience to signalize themselves, they instantly attacked and defeated them, taking two six pounders, but, pursuing into the wood with too much ardour, were thrown into confusion by a heavy fire, and immediately charged and driven back into the field, by colonel Washington's dragoons, with the loss of the six pounders they had taken. The enemy's cavalry was soon repulsed by a well-directed fire from two three pounders just brought up by lieuteant Macleod; and by the appearance of the grenadiers of the guards and of the 71st regiment, which, having been impeded by some deep ravines, were now coming out of the wood, on the right of the guards, opposite to the Court-house.

By the spirited exertions of brigadier general O'Hara, though wounded, the second battalion of guards was soon rallyed, and supported by the grenadiers, returned to the charge with the greatest alacrity. The 23d regiment arriving at that instant from our left, and lieutenant colonel Tarleton having advanced with part of the cavalry, the enemy were soon put to flight, and the two six pounders once more fell into our hands; two ammunition waggons, and two other six pounders, being all the artillery they had in the field, were likewise taken. About this time the 33d regiment and light infantry of the guards, after overcoming many difficulties, compleatly routed the corps which was opposed to them, and put an end to the action in this quarter; the 23d and 71st regiments, with part of the cavalry, were ordered to pursue; the remainder of the cavalry was detached with lieutenant colonel Tarleton to our right, where a heavy fire still continued and where his appearance and spirited attack contributed much to a speedy termination of the action.

The militia, with which our right had been engaged, dispersed in the woods; the continentals went off by the Reedy Fork, beyond which it was not in my power to follow them, as their cavalry had suffered by little. Our troops were excessively fatigued, by an action which lasted an hour and a half; and our numerous wounded dispersed over an extensive space of country, required immediate attention. The are of our wounded, and the total want of provisions, in an exhausted country, made it equally impossible for me to follow the blow next day. The enemy did not stop until they got to the iron woks on Troublesome creek, 18 miles from the field of battle.

From our own observation, and the best accounts we could procure, we did not doubt but the strength of the enemy exceeded 7000 men; their militia composed their line, with parties advanced to the rails of the fields in their front; the continentals were posted obliquely in the rear of their right wing. Their cannon fired n us whilst we were forming, from the center of the line of militia but were withdrawn to the continentals before the attack.

I have the honor to enclose your lordship the list of our killed and wounded. Captain Schutz's wound is supposed to be mortal; but the surgeons assure me that none of the other officers are in danger, and that a great number of the men will soon recover. I cannot ascertain the loss of the enemy, but it must have been considerable; between two or three hundred dead were left upon the field; many of their wounded that were able to move whilst we were employed in the care of our own, escaped and followed the routed enemy; and our cattle drivers and foraging parties have reported to me, that the houses in a circle of six or eight miles round us are full of others; those that remained we have taken the best care of in our power. We took few prisoners, ownng to the excessive thickness of the woods facilitating their escape, and every man of our army being repeatedly wanted for action.

The conduct and actions of the officers and soldiers that compose this little army will do more justice to their merit than I can by words. Their persevering intrepidity in action, their invincibile patience in the hardships and fatigues of a march of above 600 miles, in  which they have forded several large rivers and numberless creeks, many of which would be reckoned large rivers in any other country in the world, without tents or coverings against the climate, and often without provisions, will, sufficiently manifest their ardent zeal for the honour and interests of their sovereign and their country.

I have been particularly indebted to major general Leslie for his gallantry and exertion in the action, as well as his assistance in every other part of the service. The zeal and spirit of brigadier general O'Hara merit my highest commendations, for, afte receiving two dangerous wounds, he continued in the field whilst the action lasted; by his earnest attention on all other occasions, seconded by the officers and soldiers of the brigade, his majesty's guards are no less distinguished by their order and discipine, than by their spirite and valor.

The Hessian regiment of Bose deserves my warmest priase, for its discipline, alacrity, and courage, and does honour to major de Buy who commands it, and who is an officer of superior merit.

I am much obliged to brigadier general Howard, who served as volunteer, for his spirited example on all occasions.

Lieutenant colonel Webster conducted his brigade like an officer of experience and gallantry. Lieutenant colonel Tarleton's good conduct and spirit in the management of his cavalry, was conspicious during the whole action; and lieutenant Macleod who commanded the artillery, proved himself upon this as well as all former occasions, a most capable and deserving officer. The attention and exertion of my aids de camp, and of all the other public officers of the army, contributed very muh to the success of the day.

I have constantly received the most zealous assistance from governor Martin, during my command in the southern district. Hoping that his presence would tend to excite the loyal subjects in this province to take an active part with us, he has cheerfully submitted to the fatigues and dangers of our campaign; but his delicate constitution has suffered by his public spirit; for, by the advice of the physicians, he his now obliged to return to England for the recovering his health.

This part of the country is so totally destitute of subsistence, that forage is not nearer than mile miles; and the soldiers have been two days without bread; I shall therefore leave about 30 of the worst wounded at the New Garden Quaker meeting house, with proper assistance, and move the remainder with the army, tomorrow morning, to Bell's mill. I hope our friends will heartily take an active part with us, to which I shall continue to encourage them, still approaching our shipping by easy marches, that we may procure the necessary supplies for further operations, and lodge our sick and wounded where proper attention can be paid to them.

This dispatch will be delivered to your lorship by my aid de camp, captain Brodrick, who is a very promising officer, and whom I beg leave to recommend to your lordship's countenance and favour.

I have the honour to be, &c.

CORNWALLIS

Source:

Charles Cornwallis to Lord George Germaine, March 17, 1781. Accessed through The American Revolution in North Carolina at Western Carolina University.