as favoured by friends, and often to hide in the woods, until he got better;
but, as soon as he was able, he collected a few friends, and joined
Gen. De Kalb, who was then advancing, with about fourteen hundred men,
of the Maryland and Delaware troops, towards South Carolina.
The correspondence of Gen. Horry here breaks off suddenly;
and we hear no more of Marion for five months. But an accident,
which must have appeared to him a great misfortune, at the time,
was afterwards productive of the most happy effects. Another has been noted
only a few pages back.

In the mean time, the enemy proceeded cautiously in the siege of Charleston.
They formed a depot on James Island, and erected a fortification on it,
and the main, near Wappoo cut. On the 28th of March they crossed
Ashley river, near the ferry, and made a lodgement in Charleston neck.
Col. Laurens, with the light infantry, skirmished with them;
but, as they greatly exceeded him in numbers, he was obliged to retire
within the lines. On the night of the 1st of April, Sir Henry Clinton
commenced his first parallel, at the distance of eleven hundred yards
from the American works. On the 7th, twelve sail of the enemy's ships
passed Fort Moultrie, under a heavy fire. The garrison had been assiduous
in preparing for defence; the old works were strengthened,
and lines and redoubts were extended from Ashley to Cooper river.
A strong abbatis was made in front, and a deep, wet ditch was opened
from the marsh on one side, to that on the other, and the lines
were so constructed as to rake it. On the 10th, the enemy had completed
their first parallel, and Gen. Lincoln was summoned to surrender; but refused.
All attempts at removing the force besieged, out of the town,
had, while it was practicable, been opposed by the governor and council,
and the officers of the South Carolina troops; and Gen. Lincoln, had not
the resolution to counteract them. At length it was thought advisable,