Significant account of one of the major battles of the Revolutionary War, contained in a long letter from Shepard to his wife. Addresses to "Mrs. Shepard, Hackinsack [NJ]," the letter begins with discussion of family and monetary matters: "...I received a letter from you which gave me an account that Charles had inlisted which I was very sorry to hear... You mention that Mr. Beals had not sent you any money. Mr. Beals sent word to me by Sergeant Lord that he had sent you two thousand dollars. I cannot get a sight of Mr. Beals since he came up as I suppose he is a Shamed to see me on the account of his disapointing you and my self..." He goes on to describe the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, fought in August of 1780, a disasterous defeat for the Americans: "I have so very disagreeable news to inform you of which his Excellency received from Congress yesterday, wich is as follows. General Gates was marching his army towards Camden which lies some Distance from Charlestown, in order to take post at some advantageous place, in order to give battle to Cornwallace [sic] who commands the British army in that Quarter. The enemy had the same object in view, and were marching at the same time - the two Vanguards of Both armys met nearly on the ground each army intended to occupy - the vanguards of each made a charge upon each other, and both consisted of horse and doubtless of some infantry... In the morning both armys formed for action - General Gates's army consisted mostly of Malitia he had eight or twelve hundred Continental troops. The Continental troops were formed on the rite and were commanded by Maj. General De Calb Brigadier General Smallwood and Brigadier General Gist. The Malitia formed the left and was commanded by General Gates... The malitia stood not more than one or two fires before they gave way and retreated in a most precipitate manner... General Gates retreated one hundred and eighty miles before he halted, this he preformed in two days... He can give no other account of the Continental troops which composed the rite wing, than that he left them bravely fighting they had charged the British grenadiers and light infantry and had broke there line to pieces... but as the left wing had entirely given way it must leave the Continental troops in a most disagreeable situation..." He goes on to note that "it is also reported that General De Calb is wounded and taken prisoner and that General Smallwood and Gist are both killed but this is mere conjecture..." The battle, at which some 2000 Americans were lost against 324 British casualties, resulted in the temporary collapse of formal American resistance in the south, with the remaining soldiers resorting to guerrilla warfare. Gates was dismissed, to be replaced by Nathanael Greene; DeKalb was mortally wounded, but, contrary to the supposition in this letter, both Smallwood and Gist survived.