The Georgians soon reported to their new commander that 250 roughneck militia had been recruited by Thomas Brown from their home state and about 100 of them had been terrorizing the countryside near Ninety Six. They were reported to be a motley group, only a few of them with horses, and extremely brutal in their treatment of the families who were their victims. Colonel Washington prepared to find and attack them, and scouts familiar with the territory soon led his 280 horsemen to the camp of the unsuspecting Tories near Hammond’s store. Washington permitted Major Jackson and the Georgians to be in the vanguard as they savaged their hapless victims. Jackson imposed little restraint on his men, and Ethan joined in the attack with fervor and without compunction. Their foes were considered to be outlaws and criminals, not worthy of treatment as respected combatants. Only a few escaped as the others were killed, wounded, or captured, without a single casualty among the patriots.

Prodded by Elijah Clarke, the Georgia militia leaders urged Morgan to send an expedition southward into their own state, but Greene ordered Morgan’s command to stay close enough so the two small patriot armies could join if threatened directly by a strong British force. At the same time, Cornwallis wanted to advance northward into North Carolina to attack Greene but could not afford to leave his southern flank exposed to Morgan and the militia forces in South Carolina. He dispatched Tarleton to defend Ninety Six and to attack Morgan’s force, while he moved northward toward Charlotte. Tarleton was so serious about a victory that he issued the startling order, “No women present in camp.” Eleven days of rain made it very difficult for troops to cross the rivers or their commanders to communicate. Typically, Tarleton risked his men and horses by crossing the flooding streams and moving toward Morgan, who saw the danger of being caught between Tarleton and Cornwallis. Still encamped at Cowpens, he prepared to move upstream to seek a place to cross the Broad River the next day, but he decided to stand and face Tarleton’s troops when Major Jackson and his experienced militia rejoined him after their fight at Hammond’s store.