Pyle, defeat of
Recrossing the
Dan after his famous retreat into
Virginia,
General Greene attempted to frustrate the efforts of Cornwallis to embody the loyalists of
North Carolina into military corps.
In this movement the gallant
Col. Henry Lee, with his “Legion,” was conspicuous.
At the head of his cavalry, he scoured the country around the head-waters of the
Haw and
Deep rivers, where, by force and stratagem, he foiled
Tarleton, who was recruiting among the Tories there.
Colonel Pyle, an active loyalist, had gathered about 400 Tories, and was marching to join Cornwallis.
Lee's Legion greatly resembled
Tarleton's, and he made the country people believe that he was recruiting for Cornwallis.
Two prisoners were compelled to favor the deception or suffer instant death.
Two well-mounted young men of
Pyle's corps were so deceived, and informed
Lee (supposing him to be
Tarleton) of the near presence of that corps.
Lee sent word to
Pyle, by one of the young men, of his approach, and, assuming the person of
Tarleton, requested him to draw up his corps on one side of the road, that his wearied troops might pass without delay.
The order, or request, was obeyed.
Lee intended, when be should secure the complete advantage of
Pyle, to reveal himself and give his Tory corps the choice, after being disarmed, to join the patriot army or return home.
He had ordered
Pickens to conceal his riflemen near.
Just as
Lee (as
Tarleton) rode along
Pyle's line (March 2, 1781), and had grasped the hand of the latter in an apparently friendly salute, some of the loyalists discovered
Pickens's riflemen.
Perceiving that they were betrayed, they commenced firing upon the rear-guard of the cavalry, commanded by
Captain Eggleston.
That officer instantly turned upon the foe, and the movement was followed by the whole column.
A terrible fight and slaughter ensued.
Of the loyalists, ninety were killed and a large portion of the remainder wounded in a brief space of time.
A cry for mercy was raised by the loyalists.
It was granted when the
Americans were assured of their safety.
Colonel Pyle, wounded, fled to the shelter of a pond near by, where, tradition says, he laid himself under water, with nothing but his nose above it, until after dark, when
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he crawled out and made his way to his home.
Tarleton, who was near, fled to
Hillsboro, and the disheartened Tories returned to their homes.
Cornwallis wrote: “I am among timid friends and adjoining inveterate rebels.”
