after which the operations against Augusta were commenced.

The place was bravely defended by Lieutenant Colonel Brown; but the
approaches of the besiegers were so well conducted, that on the 5th of
June he was reduced to the necessity of capitulating; and the
prisoners, amounting to about three hundred, were conducted by Lee to
the main army.

This reinforcement enabled General Greene, who had till then made his
approaches solely against the star, to commence operations against the
works on the left also. The direction of the advances to be made in
that quarter was entrusted to Lieutenant Colonel Lee. While the
besiegers urged their approaches in the confidence that the place must
soon capitulate, Lord Rawdon received a reinforcement which enabled
him once more to overrun the state of South Carolina.

{June 7.}

On the third of June three regiments arrived from Ireland; and, on the
seventh of that month, Lord Rawdon marched at the head of two thousand
men to the relief of Ninety Six. Greene received intelligence of his
approach on the eleventh, and ordered Sumpter, to whose aid the
cavalry was detached, to continue in his front, and to impede his
march by turning to the best account every advantage afforded by the
face of the country. But Lord Rawdon passed Sumpter below the junction
of the Saluda and Broad rivers, after which that officer was probably
unable to regain his front.

Greene had also intended to meet the British and fight them at some
distance from Ninety Six, but found it impossible to draw together