to the east side of the river, posted the riflemen at the bridge,
threw off the planks, and engaged the enemy. The British occupied
the houses on the west bank, from which they kept up a galling fire;
a number of Laurens' men were killed and wounded, and,
as he was very conspicuous on horse back in regimentals,
with a large white plume, he was soon wounded himself, and his horse killed.
Laurens then retired, and captain, afterwards Col. Shubrick,
ordered a retreat. In the mean time Moultrie had decamped,
and the riflemen were obliged, as the planks were thrown off,
to pass Tulifinny and Pocotaligo bridges on the string pieces;
and did not overtake the main body till they had passed Saltketcher bridge.
Here let us pause for a moment, and take a view of the ground;
twelve miles of country had been passed over in one morning,
which was a continued defile of causeway, lined on both sides with either
thick woods, or ditches and fences, and four rivers had been crossed;
over which were high bridges, and only a slight skirmish had taken place.
True, the swamps above the bridges were dry, but then they were
so wide and thick, that the British would never have ventured into them.
It is likewise true that Col. Laurens said the militia would not fight,
yet the riflemen stood till they were ordered to retreat,
and their retreat had like to have been cut off. Laurens was not wrong
in fighting, for it is always best to keep militia employed:
but in engaging without orders, and in not burning down the houses
near the river, he is blamed by Gen. Moultrie.** However Moultrie himself
was more to blame in suffering the enemy to pass over Coosawhatchie.
At least they ought not to have been permitted to cross the Saltketcher.
There is no doubt but Moultrie was a firm patriot and a brave soldier,
but he acted now under the impulse of an opinion, which then
generally prevailed among the officers of the South Carolina troops,
that Charleston was all important, and if taken, the state must be lost.