“Surely the Cause has none in the Carolinas save this beggarly force to which you are attached, while the British occupy every advantageous point in the country. Our people are dispersed or captured; the Virginia and North Carolina militia are scattered to the four winds; Sumter’s Legion has been whipped by Tarleton, and their leader is fleeing for his life. In addition to all that, here is a copy of the order which Lord Clinton has sent to the commandants of the different posts throughout the Colonies.” Then the officer handed me a slip of paper on which was written the following: “I have given orders that all the inhabitants of this province who have subscribed and have taken part in this revolt shall be punished with the greatest rigor; and also those who will not turn out, that they be imprisoned and their whole property taken from them or destroyed. I have ordered in the most positive manner that every militia man who has borne arms with us and afterward joined the enemy shall be immediately hanged.” Lad though I was, and all unused to such business, I soon came to understand how hopeless would be the effort to enlist any more of these men who literally owed us their lives, and said to Gabriel and Archie: “Let us gain such rest as may be possible while halting here, for it is wasting breath and time to argue with men who, instead of asking for reasons as to why they ought to defend their country, should be eager to get an opportunity.” Then we Minute Boys camped by ourselves--that is to say, lay down on the ground in the same place, for those brave hearts of Carolina who fought against the king had nothing whatsoever of camp equipage. Our company now numbered eight, and it seemed to me, when taken into comparison with General Marion’s “ragged regiment,” that we were in great strength. The disappointment of gaining only sixteen recruits when we should have had a hundred and fifty, and the certainty that those whom we had stampeded would soon be hot on our trail, did not prevent us from sleeping during such time as the halt was continued, and when we were awakened an hour after sunset, it seemed to me as if the desire for yet more slumber was so great that it could not be shaken off. I was ashamed of such weakness very shortly afterward, when I learned that neither our commander nor Captain Horry had closed their eyes, but busied themselves while we rested in learning whatsoever they might of the situation by questioning those whom we had released. Thus it was they learned that Colonel Wemyss was in command of the escort from whom we had taken the prisoners. We knew he was a brave officer, who served his king as loyally as we tried to serve the Colonies, and would not rest content under the disgrace we had put upon him. Therefore was it certain he would come in pursuit of us as soon as might be.