Lt. Col. J.W.T.

Watson

Prior to the arrival of this piece, as the river soon rose and interrupted our communications with Nelson's
Post, we were obliged to make long marches in pursuit of provisions, and as the enemy were all mounted,
they used to attack us in small parties at a distance, drive when they could the cattle before us and, by
long and chance shots at the column wound our men; nor did they neglect on our first taking the field,
their customary attack by day on the sentinels and piquets by night. But ambuscades being laid with
success and the spirit and activity of the officers, together with the courage and zeal of the men to emulate
the Light Infantry of the Line, occasioned their constant impulse [to attack] with loss, soon rendered their
visits less frequent, thus[making their] feeling for our several posts more tender [to their sensibilities].

[A few months later, the narrative picks up with Watson’s campaign into the eastern reaches of his
campaigning region, where Marion was operating from the swamps.] The stores being sent forward from
our Post and the country on this side of the Black River, evacuated by Marion, I determined to make the
tour of the eastern part of the district, where Marion still continued his ravages upon those supposed
to be well affected. He forced those who were disposed to remain at home, out in arms, under pain
of military execution. As he had broken up all the bridges upon the River, I did not choose to
expose the troops to his long shot with a river between us. I took the lower road [toward Sampit
Creek].

Over Sampit Creek was a bridge rising in pyramid form, so that till upon it, you could not see that the
boards had been taken up on the opposite side. Ordering therefore a few Light Infantry to get over upon
the rafters and make that examination, so suspicious a circumstance warranted. They soon espied the
enemy behind the thickets and railings of a house adjoining; who upon this came out and began firing
upon the troops at the Bridge, whilst Mr. Marion at the same instant appeared formed to attack our rear.
Having ordered one gun up with Major Barclay of the Light Infantry to face the Bridge, I formed the 64th
to receive Mr. Marion. A better regiment than this never took the field.

The spirit of these hardy veterans soon broke his [Marion's] line and put them in confusion. The enemy
being driven by the Light Infantry and the Bridge secured, I ordered part of the 64th to pursue, whilst the
commanding officer, with the remainder, followed in good order. But observing a little knot of them, who
from eagerness to run different ways, had got huddled, they could not clear themselves. I led those twenty
mounted men of Captain Harrison's to charge them, when by one on those panics, which are never meant
to be accounted for, in the very instant of charge, where each of the enemy were twisting how to avoid the
stroke, every individual man turned about, galloped off, and would have rode over the 64th Regiment, if
Captain Kelly, who commanded it, had not ordered his men to present their arms and swore he would fire
upon them, calling out and pointing to where they had left me; for not feeling the destruction they
expected, the enemy, turning their heads over their shoulders, saw me alone. Our surprise was mutual, but
Parthian like, they fired a volley as they fled and shot my horse. On seeing him fall and me laying under
him, one fellow more determined than the rest, separated himself to fire at me, but a black servant I had,
who always carried a fowling piece of mine, seized by anxiety, at seeing my horse fall, ran up, stood over
me and shot him. Providentially, I was not hurt and we continued our march, the Light Infantry having
repaired the Bridge. Going up the west side of the Great Peedee River, in order to cross through the heart
of the country, which showed the strongest marks of disaffection, I received a deputation from the
inhabitants of the Little Peedee, to say if I would only cross the Great One, to cover them whilst they
assembled, they would join to a man. I did and the day following about 200 of them rode into our camp.
The assembling of these people, Mr. Marion's latter ill success and our better showing, together
with the declarations we have out that, whenever Marion insists upon them turning out in arms, we
only advise them to stay at home, cultivate their land and that every man found at home might rely
upon protection, had reduced their Partisan numbers from 400 to less than 150, daily diminishing.