Swift on the neighboring hill as Greene arose, He view'd, with rapid glance, the glittering foes, Disposed for combat all his ardent train, To charge, change front, each echelon sustain; Roused well their rage, superior force to prove, Waved his bright blade and bade the onset move. As hovering clouds, when morning beams arise, Hang their red curtains round our eastern skies, Unfold a space to hail the promised sun, And catch their splendors from his rising throne; Thus glow'd the opposing fronts, whose steely glare Glanced o'er the shuddering interval of war. From Albion's left the cannonade began, And pour'd thick thunders on Hesperia's van, Forced in her dexter guards, that skirmisht wide To prove what powers the forest hills might hide; They break, fall back, with measured quickstep tread, Form close, and flank the solid squares they led. Now roll, with kindling haste, the long stark lines, From wing to wing the sounding battle joins; Batteries and field-parks and platoons of fire, In mingled shocks their roaring blasts exspire. Each front approaching fast, with equal pace, Devours undaunted their dividing space; Till, dark beneath the smoke, the meeting ranks Slope their strong bayonets, with short firm shanks Protruded from their tubes; each bristling van, Steel fronting steel, and man encountering man, In dreadful silence tread. As, wrapt from sight, The nightly ambush moves to secret fight; So rush the raging files, and sightless close In plunging thrust with fierce conflicting foes. They reach, they strike, they stagger o'er the slain, Deal doubtful blows, or closing clench their man, Intwine their twisting limbs, the gun forgo, Wrench off the bayonet and dirk the foe; Then struggling back, reseize the musket bare, Club the broad breech, and headlong whirl to war Ranks crush on ranks with equal slaughter gored; Warm dripping streams from every lifted sword Stain the thin carnaged corps who still maintain, With mutual shocks, the vengeance of the plain. At last where Williams fought and Campbell fell, Unwonted strokes the British line repel. The rout begins; the shattered wings afar Roll back in haste and scatter from the war; They drop their arms, they scour the marshy field, Whole squadrons fall and faint battalions yield. The great Observer, fixt in his midsky, View'd the whole combat, saw them fall and fly: He mark'd where Greene with every onset drove, Saw death and victory with his presence move, Beneath his arm saw Marion, Sumter, Gaine, Pickens and Sumner shake the astonish'd plain; He saw young Washington, the child of fame, Preserve in fight the honors of his name. Lee, Jackson, Hampton, Pinckney, matcht in might, Roll'd on the storm and hurried fast the flight: While numerous chiefs, that equal trophies raise, Wrought, not unseen, the deeds of deathless praise.