Tarleton’s horse was killed under him; and the men, thinking that their leader was dead, became mad. The Americans lost 14 officers and 99 men killed; 8 officers and 142 men wounded, 3 officers and 50 men prisoners, also 3 colours, 2 guns, and the whole of their baggage train. The British lost but 2 officers and 3 men killed, 1 officer (Lieutenant Patteshall of the Seventeenth) and 11 men wounded, and 40 horses. After this action, known as the engagement of Waxhaws, the Americans who were advancing from North Carolina at once retired; and Tarleton rejoined Cornwallis at Camden. South Carolina was now virtually cleared of American troops; and Cornwallis having established a few outlying posts to keep order, and left Lord Rawdon in command at Camden, returned to Charleston to take up the business of civil administration. General Washington now detached 2000 men from the North to North Carolina, which nucleus being reinforced by 4000 more men from Virginia, entered South Carolina once more on the 27th July, and advanced along the line of the Upper Santee upon Camden. To the great disgust and disappointment of the British commander the whole country welcomed the arrival of the Americans with joy, and Cornwallis in great anxiety hastened up to Camden in person. General Gates with 6000 men was advancing in his front, General Sumpter with 1000 men was threatening his communications with Charleston in rear; 800 of the garrison of Camden were in hospital, and a bare 2000 men fit for service. Nevertheless Cornwallis decided rather to advance against Gates than to retreat upon Charleston; and accordingly marched at 10 P.M. on the 15th August, almost exactly at the time when Gates started down the same road to meet him. [Sidenote: 16th Aug.] At 2 A.M. the advanced parties of the two columns met, fortunately just at a point where Cornwallis had reached a good position, his flanks being secured by swampy ground, and the line of [Sidenote: 1780.] Gates’s advance narrowed by the same cause to a point which prevented deployment of his far superior force. Cornwallis drew up his little army in two lines, holding Tarleton’s cavalry in reserve in the rear. Even this small force of mounted men had been weakened by the recall of part of the Seventeenth to New York; but the regiment was nevertheless represented. Cornwallis took the initiative, and after an hour’s hard fighting broke up the Americans completely. Then Tarleton was let loose with his men of the Seventeenth and dragoons of the legion, who pursued the defeated army for twenty-two miles, capturing seven guns, the whole of the baggage, and a great number of prisoners. Cornwallis lost 345 men killed and wounded, nearly all of them from the infantry, while the Americans lost in killed, wounded, and prisoners, not far from 2000 men, a number equal to that of the whole British force engaged.