While  attached  to  the  light  corps  command-
ed by  General  Morgan,  Colonel  William  Wash-
ington, by  a  very  ingenious  stratagem,  carried
the  post  at  Rugely's,  taking  a  large  body  of  the
enemy,  without  firing'a  single  shot.  Apprized
of  the  character  of  his  opponent,  Rugely,  he
fixed  a  pine  log  on  the  front  wheels  of  a  wagon,
so  as  to  make  it  appear,  at  a  distance,  as  a  field-
piece,  and  threatening  immediate  destruction
should  resistance  be  attempted;  the  affrighted
colonel  requested  that  quarter  might  be  allow-
ed, and  surrendered  at  discretion.  On  this
occasion,  Lord  Cornwallis,  writing  to  Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Tarleton,  laconically  said—
"Rugely  will  not  be  a  brigadier."  He,  in  a
high  degree,  contributed  to  the  achievement  of


COLONEL  WILLIAM  WASHINGTON.  !iiO

ihe  brilliant  victory  at  the  Cowpens,  although
his  too  ardent  zeal  had  nearly  cost  him  his
life ;  for,  anxious  by  example,  to  increase  the
energy  of  pursuit,  he  was  led  so  far  in  advance,
as  to  be  surrounded  by  several  officers  of  the
British  legion  ;  and  must  have  fallen,  had  he
not  been  rescued  by  the  gallantry  of  a  sergeant
and  his  bugleman.  Ball,  who,  by  a  well-aimed
pistol-shot,  disabled  the  officer,  whose  sword
was  raised  for  his  destruction.  In  the  retreat
into  Virginia,  and  in  all  the  manoeuvres  subse-
quent to  the  recrossing  of  the  Dan,  he  essen-
tially aided  to  baffle  the  skilful  efforts  of  Lord
CornwaUis,  to  force  General  Greene,  heading
an  inferior  army,  to  battle.  At  Guilford,  he
acted  a  most  conspicuous  part.  By  a  spirited
and  most  judicious  charge,  he  broke  the  regi-
ment of  guards  commanded  by  Colonel  Stew-
ard, who  fell  in  the  action,  and  followed  by  the
gallant  Colonel  Howard,  leading  on  the  Mary-
landers,  with  fixed  bayonets,  nearly  annihilated
them.  Trifles  have  often,  in  the  heat  of  battle,
been  productive  of  the  most  unlooked  for  con-
sequences. Washington's  cap  fell,  and  while
he  dismounted  to  recover  it,  a  round  of  grape,
from  the  British  artillery,  fired  by  the  order  of


216      STORIES  OF  THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION.
