The "Battle of the Eutaws" [pp. 291-293]

1859.]
THIE "BATTLE OF THIE EUTAWVS."
Virginia, Aug. 22, 1859.
EDITOR SOU. LIT. M-ESSENGER:
Dear Sir.-I offer you for.publication the enclosed letter from Gen. Win. H. Gaines to
Gen. Henry Lee, containing a picturesque and valuable sketch of the battle of Eutaw.
It is written currente calanio, but with great candlour, modesty and force: and should be
preserved among the stray leaves of our Revolutionary story.
I am, very truly, yours,
forlorn hope, and was happy to believe
in the General's confidence in me by this
instance of the honour he had conferred.
By a very quick march, I had in a very
few minutes advanced nearly or quite a
mile in firont of the army, when I received information from you that a body
of the enemy were in rapid march and
close upon me, on the left. You advised
me to prepare immediately for action.
I replied that my orders were peremptory
to march until I should see the enemy.
While in hasty march and in conversation with you the enemy appeared. In
five seconds I engaged him with my little
grass-hoppers and twenty-two fine fellows of the infantry, of whom I made
mention above. "Farewell," said you,
"Gaines; I will endeavour to send a
regiment to your relief; but I never expect to see you again." I replied, "Farewell, Colonel; I will do my duty."
If I have not replied to your ftvoutr of
the 6th of February until now, you will
be pleased to impute it to the length of
time between its date and the hour that
it found its way into my hand, and not
to want of attraction or respect.
Your first question, "iII)w many pieces
of artillery had we on that day, how
stationed, and wlo commanded our artillery?" Answer: Four; two six pounders, commanded by Capt. Brown, of
Ha-mpton's regimient, and twio three
pounders, comnanded by me. The two
three pounders under my command were
in front of the infantry-the six pounders were in the centre. About half an
hour before the attack, I received orders
from Gen. Green through his aid, Capt.
Pierce, of our regiment, to push forward
down the road and to attack the enemy
wherever I should find him; tnd for my
better security against an attempt upon
me by a small party of horse, he threw
under my command a Lieutenant and
twenty-two men. I considered mine a
In a few minutes the action became
general, and no t a m an could be spared
from me. By per mission of Ipesaven,
with my t w o threes and the Lieutenant's
command, at least one hundred and ffty
of t he enemy were beaten, a nd by far
the greater par t killed on the spot. I
did not fire a single round until the eneny we r e within twenty-fivepa ces. Canister shot I relied upon alto gether, the
d istance being too near even for the use
of grape. In the heat of the conflict, by
repeated firing the straps which covered
the trunnions of one of my pieces gave
way, and recoiled several feet from the
carriage. I had it instantly taken up
and put in place to keep up a good countenance,-but it was, you know, no
291
J. E. C.
'Firginia, Ist April. 1810.
DEAP. SIR:
My arrival at camp, with dispatches
from the INIarquis of F. to Gen. Green
the evening before the battle of the Eutaws, put it out of my power to answer
.you so minutely,ts I could wish or you
desire. With pleasure, however, I give
you all the inforination.I can;,iltliough
from your activity, command in the
.,ti-iiiy,,tnd superior ability to.discern, I
am very sure that you are much better
,acquainted with the transactions of that
day than;. possibly can be.