Chapter 5 of the Life of Washington by M. III by John Marshall. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 5. Discontents and part of the American Army, letter from General Washington on the subject. Colonel Van Schaik destroys an Indian settlement. Expedition against the Indians meditated. Fort Fayette surrendered to the British. Invasion of Connecticut. General Wayne storms Tony Point. Expedition against Penobscot. Powell's Hook, surprised by Major Lee. Arrival of Admiral Arbuth Nott. Of the Count Destang, Siege of Savannah. Unsuccessful attempt to storm that place. Siege raised victory of General Sullivan at Newtown. Spain officer mediation to the belligerents to Claire's War against England. Letter from General Washington to Congress respecting the annual formation of the Army. The Army goes into winter quarters. 1779, the barbarities committed by the Indians in the course of the preceding year on the inhabitants of the Western frontiers that added motives of mingled resentment and humanity to those of national interest for employing a larger force in the protection of that part of the Union than had heretofore been devoted to it. General Washington had always believed that it was impossible to defend the immense Western frontier by any chain of posts which could be established and that the country would be protected much more certainly by offensive than by defensive war. His plan was to penetrate into the heart of the Indian settlements with a force competent to the destruction of their towns and also to reduce the British post at Niagara which gave its possessors an almost irresistible influence over the six nations. This plan constituted one of the various subjects of conference with the Committee of Congress in Philadelphia and received the entire approbation of that body. The state governments also took a strong interest in the protection of their Western settlements. Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania applied severally to Congress urging the adoption of such vigorous measures as would secure the frontiers against the repetition of the horrors which had been already perpetrated. These papers were referred to the committee which had been appointed to confer with General Washington in conformity with whose report it was resolved that the Commander-in-Chief be directed to take efficient measures for the protection of the inhabitants and chastisement of the savages. The six nations had made some advances towards acquiring the comforts of civilized life. Several comfortable houses were to be seen in their populous villages and their fertile fields and orchards yielded an abundant supply of corn and fruit. Some few of their towns were attached to the United States but in general they were under the influence of the British. Many of the loyalists had taken refuge among them and had added to their strength without diminishing their ferocity. It was determined to lead a force into these villages sufficient to overpower any numbers they could possibly bring into the field and to destroy the settlements they had made to guard against reinforcements from Canada means were used to inspire that colony with fears for itself. As the Army destined for this expedition was about to move, alarming symptoms of discontent appeared in the upper part of it. The Jersey Brigade which had been stationed during the winter at Elizabeth Town was ordered early in May to march by regiments, discontents in a part of the American Army. This order was answered by a letter from General Maxwell stating that the officers of the first regiment had delivered a remonstrance to their colonel addressed to the legislature of the state declaring that unless their complaints on the subjects of pay and support should obtain the immediate attention of that body they were at the expiration of three days to be considered as having resigned and requesting the legislature in that event to appoint other officers to succeed them. They declared however their readiness to make every preparation for obeying the orders which have been given and to continue their attention to the regiment until a reasonable time should elapse for the appointment of their successors. This added the letter of General Maxwell that is a step they are extremely unwilling to take but it is such as I make no doubt that they will all take nothing but necessity they're not being able to support themselves in time to come and being loaded with deaths contracted in time past could have induced them to resign at so critical a juncture. The intelligence conveyed in this letter made a serious impression on the commander-in-chief. He was strongly attached to the army and to its interests had witnessed its virtue and its sufferings and lamented sincerely its present distresses. The justice of the complaints made by the officers could no more be denied than the measure they had adopted could be approved. Relying on their patriotism and on his own influence he immediately wrote a letter to General Maxwell to be laid before them in which mingling the sensibility of a friend with the authority of a general he addressed to their understanding and to their love of country. Observations calculated to invite their whole attention to the consequences which must result from the step they were about to take. Letter from General Washington on this subject the patience and perseverance of the army proceeds the letter have been under every disadvantage such as to do them the highest honor both at home and abroad and have inspired me with an unlimited competence of their virtue which has consoled me amidst every perplexity and reverse the fortune to which our affairs in a struggle of this nature were necessarily exposed. Now that we have made so great a progress to the attainment of the end we have in view so that we cannot fail without a most shameful desertion of our own interests anything like a change of conduct would imply a very unhappy change of principles and a forgetfulness as well of what we owe to ourselves as to our country. Did I suppose it possible this could be the case even in a single regiment of the army I should be mortified and chagrin beyond expression I should feel it as a wound given to my own honor which I consider as embarked with that of the army at large but this I believe to be impossible any court that was about to set an example of the kind would weigh well the consequences and no officer of common discernment and sensibility would hazard them if they should stand alone independent of other consequences what would be their feelings on reflecting that they had held themselves out to the world in a point of light inferior to the rest of the army or if their example should be followed and become general how could they console themselves for having been the foremost in bringing ruin and disgrace upon their country they would remember that the army would share a double portion of the general infamy and distress and that the character of an American officer would become as infamous as it is now glorious I confess the appearances in the present instance are disagreeable but I am convinced they seem to mean more than they really do the Jersey officers have not been outdone by any others in the qualities either of citizens or soldiers and I'm confident no part of them would seriously intend anything that would be a stain on their former reputation the gentlemen cannot be in earnest they have only reasoned wrong about the means of obtaining a good end and on consideration I hope and flutter myself they will renounce what must appear to be improper at the opening of the campaign when under marching orders for an important service their own honor duty to the public and to themselves and in regard to military propriety will not suffer them to persist in a measure which would be a violation of them all it will even wound their delicacy coolly to reflect that they have hazarded a step which has an air of dictating terms to their country by taking advantage of the necessity of the moment the declaration they have made to this date is so critical a time that unless they obtain relief in the short period of three days they must be considered out of the service has very much that aspect and that seeming relaxation of continuing until the state can have a reasonable time to provide other officers will be thought only a superficial veil I'm now to request that you will convey my sentiments to the gentlemen concerned and endeavor to make them sensible that they are in an error the service for which the regiment was intended will not admit a delay unless at all events march on Monday morning in the first place to camp and farther directions will be given when it arrives I'm sure I shall not be mistaken in expecting a prompt and cheerful obedience the representations of this letter did not completely produce the desired effect the officers did not receive from their claims in an address to the commander in chief they expressed their unhappiness that any act of theirs should give him pain but proceeded to justify the step they had taken repeated memorials had been presented to their legislature which had been received with promises of attention but had been regularly neglected at length said they we have lost all confidence in our legislature reason and experience forbid that we should have any few of us have private fortunes many have families who already are suffering everything that can be received from an ungrateful country are we then to suffer all the inconveniences fatigues and dangers of a military life while our wives and our children are perishing for want of common necessaries at home and that without the most distant prospect of reward for our pay is now only nominal we are sensible that your excellency cannot wish nor desire this from us we are sorry that you should imagine we meant to disobey orders it was and still is our determination to march with our regiment and to do the duty of officers until the legislature should have a reasonable time to appoint others but no longer we beg leave to assure your excellency that we have the highest sense of your ability in virtues that executing your orders has ever given us pleasure that we love the service and we love our country but when that country gets so lost to virtue injustice as to forget to support its servants it then becomes their duty to retire from its service this letter was peculiarly embarrassing to adopt a stern course of proceeding might hazard the loss of the jersey line and event not less injurious to the servers than painful to himself to take up the subject without doing too much for the circumstances of the army would be doing too little for the occasion he therefore declined taking any other notice of the letter then to declare through general Maxwell that while they continued to do their duty in conformity with the determination they had expressed he should only regret the part they had taken and should hope they would perceive its impropriety the legislature of New Jersey alarmed at the decisive step taken by the officers was at length induced to pay some attention to their situation they consenting on their part to withdraw their remonstrance in the meantime they continued to perform their duty and their march was not delayed by this unpleasant altercation in communicating this transaction to congress general Washington took occasion to remind that body of his having frequently urged the absolute necessity of some general and adequate provision for the officers of the army I shall only observe continued the letter that the distresses in some core are so great either where they were not until lately attached to any particular state or where the state has been less provident that the officers have solicited even to be supplied with the clothing destined for the common soldiery course and unsuitable as it was I had not power to comply with the request the patience of men animated by a sense of duty and honor will support them to a certain point beyond which it will not go I doubt not congress will be sensible of the danger to an extreme in this respect and will pardon my anxiety to obviated Colonel van shake surprises and destroys one of the Indian settlements before the troops destined for the grand expedition were put in motion an enterprise of less extent was undertaken which was completely successful a plan for surprising the town of the on on Degas one of the nearest of the host of tribes having been formed by General Schuyler and approved by the commander in chief Colonel van shake assisted by Lieutenant Colonel Willett and Major Cochran marched from Fort Schuyler on the morning of the 19th of April at the head of between five and 600 men and on the third day reached the point of destination the whole settlement was destroyed after which the detachment returned to Fort Schuyler without the loss of a single man for this handsome display of talents as a partisan the thanks of Congress were voted to Colonel van shake and the officers and soldiers under his command expedition against the Indians meditated the cruelties exercised by the Indians in the course of the preceding year had given a great degree of importance to the expedition now meditated against them and the relative military strength and situation of the two parties rendered it improbable that any other offensive operations could be carried on by the Americans in the course of the present campaign the army under the command of Sir Henry Trenton exclusive of the troops in the Southern Department was computed at between 16 and 17,000 men the American army the largest division of which lay at Middlebrook under the immediate command of General Washington was rather inferior to that of the British in real strength the grand total except those in the Southern and Western country including officers of every description amounted to about 16,000 3,000 of these were in New England under the command of General Gates and the remaining 13,000 were cantoned on both sides of the North River the bear statement of numbers must show the incompetency of the American army to the expulsion of the British from either New York or Rhode Island on their part therefore the plan of the campaign was necessarily defensive and the hazards and difficulties attending the execution of even a defensive plan were considerable independent of an extensive coast that all places accessible to the invading army the Hudson penetrating deep into the country which was to be the theater of action gave great advantages in their military operations of those who commanded the water after the destruction of Fort's Clinton and Montgomery in 1777 it had been determined to construct the fortifications intended for the future defense of the North River at West Point a position which being more completely embusmed in the hills was deemed more defensible the works have been prosecuted with unremitting industry but were far from being completed some miles below West Point about the termination of the highlands as Kings Ferry where the great road affording the most convenient communication between the Middle and Eastern States crosses the North River the ferry is completely commanded by the two opposite points of land that on the West side of rough and elevated piece of ground is the nominated stony point and the other on the East side of flat neck of land projecting far into the water is called Ver Planks Point the command of Kings Ferry was an object worth the attention of either army and Washington had comprehended the points which protected within his plan of defense for the highlands a small but strong work termed Fort Fayette was completed at Ver Planks and was garrisoned by a company commanded by Captain Armstrong the works on stony point were unfinished as the season for active operations approached Sir Henry Clinton formed a plan for opening the campaign with a brilliant coup de main up the North River and towards the latter end of May made preparations for the enterprise these preparations were immediately communicated to General Washington who was confident that the British general meditated an attack on the forts and the highlands or designed to take a position between those forts and Middlebrook in order to interrupt the communication between the different parts of the American army to prevent their reunion and to beat them in detail measures were instantly taken to counteract either of these designs the intelligence from New York was communicated to Generals Putnam and McDookle who were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to march and on the 29th of May the army moved by divisions from Middlebrook towards the highlands May on the 30th the British army commanded by Sir Henry Clinton in person and convoyed by Sir George Collier proceeded up the river and General Vaughan at the head of the largest division landed next morning about eight miles below Ver Planks the other division under the particularly command of General Patterson put a company by Sir Henry Clinton advancing farther up landed on the west side within three miles of Stony Point that place being immediately abandoned General Patterson took possession of it on that same afternoon he dragged some heavy cannon and mortars to the summit of the hill and the course of the night and June 1 at five next morning opened a battery on Fort Fayette at the distance of about 1,000 yards during the following night two galleys past the fort and anchoring above it prevented the escape of the garrison by water while General Vaughan invested it closely by land Fort Fayette surrendered to the British no means of defending the fort or of saving themselves remaining the garrison became prisoners of war immediate directions were given for completing the works at both posts and for putting Stony Point in particular in a strong state of defense it is scarcely supposable that the views of Sir Henry Clinton in moving up the river were limited to this single acquisition the means employed were so disproportioned to the object as to justify belief that he contemplated farther and more important conquests whatever may have been his plans the measures of precaution taken by Washington counteracted their execution and before Clinton was in a situation to proceed against West Point General McDougall was so strengthened and the American Army took such a position on the strong grounds about the Hudson that the enterprise became too hazardous to be farther prosecuted after completing the fortifications on both sides of the river at Kingsbury Sir Henry Clinton placed a strong garrison in each fort and proceeded down the river to Phillipsburg the relative situation of the hostile armies presenting insuperable obstacles to any grand operation they could be employed offensively only on detached expeditions Connecticut from its contiguity to New York and its extent of sea coast was peculiarly exposed to invasion the numerous small cruises which applied in the sound to that great annoyance of British commerce and the large supplies of provisions drawn from the adjacent country for the use of the Continental Army furnished great inducements to Sir Henry Clinton to direct his enterprises particularly against that state he also hoped to draw General Washington from his impregnable position on the North River into the low country and thus obtain an opportunity of striking at some part of his army or of seizing the post which were the great object of the campaign July invasion of Connecticut with these views he planned an expedition against Connecticut the command of which was given to Governor Tryne who reached New Haven Bay on the 5th of July with about 2,600 men General Washington was at the time on the lines examining in person the condition of the works on Stony and Ver Plank's points in consequence of which with the intelligence which was transmitted to headquarters that the fleet at sail could not be immediately communicated to the governor of Connecticut and the first intimation which that state received of its danger was given by the appearance of the enemy the militia assembled in considerable numbers with alacrity but the British affected the landing and took possession of the town after destroying the military and naval stores found in the place they re-embarked and proceeded westward to Fairfield which was reduced to ashes the good countenance shown by the militia at this place is attested by the apology made by General Tryne for the wanton destruction of private property which disgraced his conduct the village was burnt he says to resent the fire of the rebels from their houses and to mask our retreat July from Fairfield the fleet crossed the sound to Huntington Bay where it remained until the 11th when it re-crossed that water after which the troops were landed in the night on the low pasture peninsula on the east side of the Bay of Norwalk about the same time a much larger detachment from the British army directed its course towards Horst Neck and made demonstrations of a design to penetrate into the country in that direction on the first intelligence that Connecticut was invaded General Parsons a native of that state had been directed by General Washington to hasten to the scene of action July placing himself at the head of about 150 continental troops who were supported by considerable bodies of militia he attacked the British in the morning of the 12th as soon as they were in motion and kept up in a regular distant fire throughout the day for being too weak to prevent the destruction of any particular town on the coast Norwalk was reduced to ashes after which the British re-embarked and returned to Huntington Bay there to wait for reinforcements at this place however try and received orders to return to the White Stone where in a conference between Sir Henry Continent and Sir George Collier it was determined to proceed against New London with an increased force on the invasion of Connecticut the commander-in-chief was prompting his exertions to send continental troops from the nearest encampments to its aid but before they could afford any real service Sir Henry Clinton found it necessary to recall Tran to the Hudson General Washington had planned an enterprise against the post at King's very comprehending a double attack to be made at the same time on both but the difficulty of a perfect co-operation of detachments incapable of communicating with each other determined him to postpone the attack on Ver Plaggs and to make that part of the plan dependent on the success of the first his whole attention therefore was turned to Stony Point and the troops destined for this critical service proceeded it on it as against a single object the execution of the plan was entrusted to General Wayne who commanded the light infantry of the army secrecy was deemed so much more essential to success than numbers that no addition was made to the force already on the lines one brigade was ordered to commence its march so as to reach the scene of action and time to cover the troops engaged in the attack should any unlooked for disaster befall them and majorly of the light dragoons who had been eminently useful in obtaining the intelligence which led to the enterprise was associated with general Wayne as far as cavalry could be employed in such a service July the night of the 15th and the hour of 12 were chosen for the assault Stony Point is a commanding hill projecting far into the Hudson which washes three fourths of its space the remaining fourth is in a great measure covered by a deep marsh commencing near the river on the upper side and continuing into it below over this marsh there is only one crossing place but at its junction with the river is a sandy beach passable at low tide on the summit of this hill stood the fort which was furnished with heavy ordinance several breast works and strong batteries were advanced in front of the main work and about halfway down the hill were two rows of Apatis the batteries were calculated to command the beach and the crossing place of the marsh and to rake and inflate any column which might be advancing from either of those points towards the fort in addition to these defenses several vessels of war were stationed in the river and commanded the ground at the foot of the hill the garrison consisted of about 600 men commanded by Colonel Johnson General Wayne arrived about eight in the afternoon at Spring Steals one and a half miles from the fort and made his dispositions for the assault he was intended to attack the works on the right and left flanks at the same instant the regiments of Febeger and the Meigs with major halls detachment formed the right column and butler's regiment with two companies under Major Murphy formed the left 150 volunteers led by Lieutenant Colonel Fleury and Major Posey constituted the van of the right and 100 volunteers under Major Stewart composed the van of the left at half past 11 the two columns moved to the assault the van of each widths unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets they were each preceded by a full-on hope of 20 men the one commanded by Lieutenant Gibbon and the other by Lieutenant Knox General Wayne surprises and takes Tony Point they reached the marsh undiscovered at 20 men after 12 commenced the assault both columns rushed forward under a tremendous fire surmounting every obstacle they entered the works at the point of the bayonet and without discharging a single musket obtained possession of the fort the humanity displayed by the conquests was not less conspicuous nor less honorable than their courage not an individual suffered after resistance had ceased all the troops engaged in this perilous service manifest a degree of ardor and impetuosity which proved them to be capable of the most difficult enterprises and all distinguished themselves whose situation enabled them to do so Colonel Fleury was the first to enter the fort and strike the British standard Major Posey mounted the works almost at the same instant and was the first to give the watch word the forts our own lieutenants Gibbon and Knox performed the service allowed to them with a degree of intrepidity which could not be surpassed of 20 men who constituted the party of the former 17 were killed or wounded 63 of the garrison were killed including two officers the prisoners amounted to 543 among whom were one lieutenant colonel four captains and 20 subaltern officers the military stores taken in the fort were considerable the loss sustained by the assailants was not proportioned to the apparent danger of the enterprise the killed and wounded did not exceed 100 men General Wayne who marched with Febreger's regiment in the right column received a slight wound in the head which stunned him for a time but did not compel him to leave the column being supported by his AED entered the fort with a regiment Lieutenant Colonel Hay was also among the wounded although the design upon four fire had yielded to the desire of securing the success of the attack on Stony Point it had not been abandoned two brigades under General McDougal have been ordered to approach the works on ver planks in which Colonel Webster commanded and being readiness to attack them the instant general Wayne should obtain possession of Stony Point that this detachment might not permit the favorable moment to pass on improved Wayne had been requested to direct the messenger who should convey the intelligence of his success to the commander in chief to pass through McDougal's camp and give him advice of that event he was also requested to turn the cannon of the fort against ver planks and the vessels in the river the last orders were executed and a heavy cannonade was opened on Fort Lafayette and on the vessels which compelled them to fall down the river through some misconception never explained the messenger dispatch by General Wayne did not call on McDougal but proceeded directly to headquarters thus every advantage expected from the first impression made by the capture of Stony Point was lost and the garrison had full leisure to recover from the surprise occasion by that event and to prepare for an attack this change of circumstances made it necessary to change the plan of operation General Howe was directed to take the command of McDougal's detachment to which some pieces of heavy artillery were to be annexed he was ordered after affecting a breach in the walls to make the dispositions for an assault and to demand a surrender but not to attempt to storm until it should be dark to these orders, explicit instructions were added not to hazard his party but remaining before ver planks after the British across Quotan river in force the ruins of Stony Point on the Hudson here on the night of July 16, 1779 Brigadier General Matt Anthony Wayne led his troops up the hill in darkness surprised the British garrison and captured this British stronghold at the point of the bayonet not a shot was fired by the Americans he lost 15 killed and 83 wounded the British 63 killed and 533 prisoners the fortifications were destroyed and the place being untenable was abandoned shortly afterwards by the Americans through some unaccountable negligence in the person's charge with the execution of these orders the battering artillery was not accompanied with suitable ammunition and the necessary entrenching tools were not brought these omissions were supplied the next day but it was then too late to proceed against ver planks on receiving intelligence of the loss of Stony Point and of the danger to which the garrison at Fort Fayette was exposed Sir Henry Clinton relinquished his views on Connecticut and made a force march to Dobbs Ferry some troops were immediately embarked to pass up the river and a light core was pushed forward to the Quotan this movement relieved Fort Fayette the failure of the attempt to obtain possession of ver planks point leaving that road of communication still closed diminished the advantages which had been expected to result from the enterprise so much that it was deemed unadvisable to maintain Stony Point and reconordering the ground General Washington believed that the place could not be rendered secure with a garrison of less than 1500 men a number which can not be spared from the army without weakening it too much for further operations he determined therefore to evacuate Stony Point and retired to the Highlands as soon as this resolution was executed Sir Henry Clinton repossessed himself of that post repaired the fortifications and placed a stronger garrison in it after which he resumed his former situation at Blobsburg the two armies watched each other for some time at length Sir Henry Clinton finding himself unable to attack Washington in the strong position he had taken or to draw him from it and being desirous of transferring the theater of active war to the south withdrew into York Island and was understood to be strengthening the fortifications erected for its defense as preparatory to the large detachments he intended making to reinforce the Southern Army although this movement was made principally with a view to Southern operations it was in some degree hastened by the opinion that New York required immediate additional protection during the absence of the fleet which was about to sail for the relief of Penobscot expedition against Penobscot early in June Colonel McLean with 650 men had penetrated from Nova Scotia into the Eastern parts of Maine and taken possession of a strong piece of ground on the Penobscot which he had begun to fortify the state of Massachusetts alarmed at an invasion which threatened a serious deminition of territory determined to dislodge him a respectable fleet commanded by Commodore Salt and Stahl and an army of near 4,000 men under general level were prepared with so much celerity July 25 that the whole armament appeared in the Penobscot as early as the 25th of July McLean had taken possession of a peninsula on the Eastern side of Penobscot and had entrenched the isthmus connecting it with the continent the part towards the river was steep and difficult to access was also defended by his frigates and batteries the peninsula of which was constructed about the center of the peninsula after being repulsed and is the first attempt general level affected a landing on the Western part of the peninsula where he ascended a precipice of 200 feet and with the loss of only 50 men killed and wounded drove the party which defended it from the ground the battery was erected within 750 yards of the main work of the besieged and a warm cannonade was kept up for several days on both sides perceiving the difficulty of carrying the place with a militia and patient to return to their homes general level represented his situation to the government of Massachusetts who applied to general Gates then commanding at Providence for a reinforcement of 400 continental troops this request was readily granted and Jackson's regiment was ordered to Penobscot in the meantime and an ineffectual cannonade was continued and preparations were made to storm the works on the arrival of the expected reinforcements such was the posture of affairs on the 13th of August when level received information that Sir George Collier had entered the river with a superior naval force he re-embarked his whole army the following night and drew up his flotilla and that crescent across the river as if determined to maintain its position this show of resistance was made in the hope of stopping Sir George Collier until the land forces on board the transports could be conveyed up the river and disembarked on the western shore but the British general was too confident in his strength to permit the stratagem to succeed and as he approached the Americans sought for safety and flight a general chase and unresisted destruction ensued the ships of war were blown up and the transports flooded in the utmost confusion up the river being pursued by the British squadron the troops landed in a wild uncultivated country and were obliged to explore their way without provisions through a pathless wilderness for more than 100 miles exhausted with famine and fatigue they had length gained the subtle parts of the country after having lost several men who perished in the woods while Sir Henry Clinton continued in camp just above Harlem with his upper post at Kingsbridge and the American Army preserved its station in the Highlands a bow plan was formed for surprising a British post at Powell's Hook which was executed with great address by Major Lee this officer was employed on the west side of the river with directions to observe the situation of the British in Stony Point but principally to watch the motions of their main army while his party scoured the country he obtained intelligence which suggested the idea of surprising and carrying off the garrison at Powell's Hook a point of land on the west side of the Hudson immediately opposite the town of New York penetrating deep into the river on the point nearest New York some works had been constructed which were garrisoned by 400 or 500 men a deep ditch into which the water of the river flowed having over it a drawbridge connected with a barge gate had been cut across the Isthmus so as to make the hook in reality an island this ditch could be passed only at low water 30 paces within it was a row of abattoes running into the river and some distance in front of it is a creek affordable only in two places this difficulty of access added to the remoteness of the nearest core of the American army impressed the garrison with the opinion that they were perfectly secure and this opinion produced a military remissness and the commanding officer which did not escape the vigilance of Lee on receiving his communications General Washington was inclined to favor the enterprise they suggested but withheld his full assent until he was satisfied that the assailants would be able to make good there at retreat Hackensack which communicates with the waters of the Hudson below New York runs almost parallel with that river quite to its source and is separated from it only a few miles this neck is still farther narrowed by a deep creek which divides it and empties into the Hackensack below Fort Lee west of that river runs the Paseik which unites with it near Newark and forms another long and narrow neck of land from Powell's hook to the new bridge the first place where the Hackensack could be crossed without boats the distance is 14 miles and from the North River to the road leading from one place to the other there are three points of interception the nearest of which is less than two miles and the farthest not more than three the British were encamped in full force along the North River opposite to these points of interception to diminish the danger of the retreat it was intended to occupy the roads leading through the mountains of the Hudson to the Hackensack with the select body of troops every preparatory arrangement being made the night of the 18th of August was fixed on for the enterprise a detachment from the division of Lord Sterling including 300 men designed for the expedition was ordered down as a foraging party as there was nothing unusual in this movement that excited no suspicion Lord Sterling followed with 500 men and encamped at the new bridge Major Lee at the head of 300 men took the road through the mountains which ran parallel to the North River and having secured all the passes into York Island reached the creek which surrounds the hook between two and three in the morning the British posed the Powell's hook surprised by Major Lee and the Garrison made prisoners he passed first the creek and then the ditch undiscovered and about three in the morning entered the main work and with the loss of only two killed and three wounded made 159 prisoners including three officers very few of the British were killed Major at Sutherland who commanded the Garrison threw himself with 40 or 50 Hessians into a strong redoubt which was thought unadvisable to attack because the time occupied in carrying it might endanger the retreat wasting no time in destroying what could easily be replaced Major Lee hastened to bring off his prisoners and his detachment to avoid the danger of retreating up the narrow neck of land which has already been described some boats had been brought in the course of the night to Dallas Ferry on the Hackensack not far from Powell's hook the officer who guarded them was directed to remain until the arrival of the troops engaged in the expedition which it was understood what happened before day the light having made its appearance without any intelligence for Major Lee the officer having charged of the boats conjectured that the attack had been postponed and to avoid discovery retired with them to Newark the head of the retreating column soon afterwards reached the ferry and fatigued as they were by the torus and march of the preceding night were compelled to pass as rapidly as possible up the narrow neck of land between the two rivers to the new bridge a horseman was dispatched with his information to Lord Sterling and the line of March was resumed about nine in the preceding evening Major Buskirk had been detached up the North River with a considerable part of the garrison of Powell's hook and some other troops for the purpose of falling in with the American party supposed to be foraging about the English neighborhood unreceiving intelligence of the disappointment respecting the boats Lord Sterling took the precaution to detach Colonel Ball with 200 freshmen to meet Lee and cover his retreat just after Ball had passed Buskirk entered the main road and fired on his rear taking it for granted that this was only the advance core of a large detachment sent to intercept the party retreating for Powell's hook Ball made a circuit to avoid the enemy and Buskirk finding a detachment he had not expected took the same measure to secure his own retreat the two parties narrowly missing each other returned to their respective points of departure and Lee reached the new bridge without interruption this critical enterprise reflected much honor on the partisan with whom it originated and by whom it was conducted General Washington announced it to the army in his orders with much approbation and Congress bestowed upon it a degree of applause more adapted to the talent displayed in performing the service than to its magnitude. Arrival of Admiral Arbuth Nott a few days after the surprise of Powell's hook the long expected fleet from Europe under the command of Admiral Arbuth Nott having on board a reinforcement for the British Army arrived at New York this reinforcement however did not enable Sir Henry Clinton to enter immediately on that active course of offensive operations which he had meditated it was soon followed by the Count of Stang who arrived on the southern coast of America with a powerful fleet after which the British general deemed it necessary to turn all his attention to his own security Rhode Island and the post up the North River were evacuated and though army was collected in New York the fortifications of which were carried on with unremitting industry. The Count of Stang and Admiral Byron having sailed about the same time from the coast of North America met in the West Indies where the war was carried on with various success Sandler Gia taken by the British St. Vincent's and Grenada by the French Sandler Gia surrendered to the British in compensation for which the French took St. Vincent's and Grenada about the time of the capture of the latter Island Stang received reinforcements which gave him a decided naval superiority after which a battle was fought between the two hostile fleets in which the Count claimed the victory and in which so many of the British ships were disabled that the Admiral was compelled to retire into port in order to refit. The earnest representations made on the part of the United States have prevailed on the cabinet of Versailles to instruct the Count Stang to afford them all the aid in his power and the present moment seemed a fit one for carrying these orders into execution. Letters from General Lincoln from the executive of South Carolina and from the French consulate Charleston urged him to pay a visit to the Southern States and represented the situation of the British in Georgia to be such that his appearance would ensure the destruction of the army in that quarter and the recovery of the state. Count Stang with his fleet arrives on the Southern coast of America. Yelling to these solicitations the Count sailed with 22 ships of the line and 11 frigates having on board 6,000 soldiers and arrived so suddenly on the Southern coast of America that the experiment of 50 guns and three frigates fell into his hands. A vessel was sent to Charleston with information of his arrival and a plan was consorted for the siege of Savannah. That Stang was to land 3,000 men at Beaulieu on the 11th of September and Lincoln was to cross the Savannah on the same day with 1,000 Americans and effective junction with him. The town of Savannah was at that time the headquarters of General Prevost. After handing no immediate danger he had weakened the garrison by establishing several outposts in Georgia and by leaving Colonel Maitland with a strong detachment in the island of Port Royal in South Carolina. On the appearance of the French fleet expresses were dispatched to Colonel Maitland and to all the outposts directing the troops to repair it without loss of time to Savannah. These orders were promptly abated on the 10th of September. The several detachments in Georgia had all arrived in safety except the sick and convalescence of the garrison of Sunbury who were intercepted. September siege of Savannah by the combined armies on the 11th, General Lincoln reached Zubley's ferry and on the 15th was assured that the French had disembarked and forced. A junction of the two armies was formed the next day before the town of Savannah. On the night of the 12th account to Stang had landed about 3,000 men at Beaulieu and the next day before the arrival of General Lincoln had summoned the garrison to surrender to the arms of their King of France. Being desirous of gaining time, General Prevost answered the summons in such a manner as to encourage the opinion that he designed to capitulate in the expectation of which a suspension of hostilities for 24 hours was granted in that important interval Colonel Maitland arrived from both fort with the troops which had been stationed at that place. As the French were in possession of the main channel by which the Savannah communicates with the sea Colonel Maitland entered the town by a route which had been deemed impracticable. He came round by Dahl, Fusky and Island north of the mouth of the river and landing in a deep marsh drew his boats through it into the Savannah above the place where the ships laid anchor and then made his way by small parties into the town. On receiving this reinforcement the resolution was taken to defend the place to the last extremity and the next day this determination was communicated to the Count de Stang. September, after bringing up the heavy ordinance and stores from the fleet the besieging army broke ground and by the 1st of October had perched their sap within 300 yards of the Abaddis on the left of the British lines. Several batteries were opened on the besiege which played almost incessantly upon their works but made no impression on them. The situation of de Stang was becoming critical. More time had already been consumed on the coast of Georgia than he had supposed would be necessary for the destruction of the British force. In that state he became uneasy for the possessions of France and the West Indies and apprehensive for the safety of the ships under his command. The naval officers remonstrated strenuously against longer exposing his fleet on an insecure coast at a tempestuous season of the year and urged the danger of being overtaken by a British squadron when broken and scattered by a storm with a degree of persevering earnestness which the Count found himself incapable of resisting. In a few days the lines of the besiegers might have been carried by regular approaches into the works of the besieged which would have rendered the capture of the town and garrison inevitable but de Stang declared that he could devote no more time to this object and it only remained to raise the siege or to attempt the works by storm. The latter part of the alternative was adopted. On the left of the Allied army was a swampy hollow way which afforded a cover for troops advancing on the right flank of the besieged to a point within 50 yards of their principal work. It was determined to march to the main attack along this hollow and at the same time to direct feints against other parts of the lines. On the morning of the 9th of October before day a heavy cannonade and bombardment were commenced from all the batteries as preliminary to the assault unsuccessful attempt to storm it. About 3,500 French and 1,000 Americans of whom between 6 and 700 were regulars and the residue militia of Charleston advanced in three columns led by de Stang and Lincoln aided by the principal officers of both nations and made a furious assault on the British lines. Their reception was warmer than had been expected. The fire from the batteries of the besieged reached every part of the columns of the assailants which had emerged from the swamp and did great execution. Yet the Allied troops advanced with a debated order passed through the about us across the ditch amount of the parapet. Both the French and Americans planted their standards on the walls and were killed in great numbers while endeavoring to force their way into the works. For about 50 minutes the contest was extremely obstinate that length the columns of the assailants began to relax and a pause was manifested in the assault. In this critical moment major glasier at the head of a body of grenadiers and Marines rushing suddenly from the lines threw himself on those who had made their way into the redouts and drove them over at the ditch in the about us into the hollow which they had marched to the attack. It became apparent that further perseverance could produce no advantage and a retreat was ordered. In this unsuccessful attempt the French lost in Kildon wounded about 700 men. Among the latter were the Count, the staying himself Major General de Fontaine and several other officers of distinction. The Continental troops lost 234 men and the Charleston militia who though associated with them in danger were more fortunate had one Captain Kildon six privates wounded. The loss of the garrison was astonishingly small in Kildon wounded, it amounted only to 55. So great was the advantage of the cover afforded by their works. The siege raised after this repulse the Count is staying announced to General Lincoln his determination to raise the siege. The remonstrances of that officer were ineffectual and the removal of the heavy ordinance and stores was commenced. This being accomplished both armies moved from their ground on the evening of October 18. The 18th of October the Americans recrossing the Savannah at Zubli's ferry again in Campton, South Carolina and the French re-embarked. Although the issue of this enterprise was the source of severe chagrin and mortification the prudence of General Lincoln suppressed every appearance of dissatisfaction and the army separated with manifestations of reciprocal esteem. The hopes which had brought the militia into the field being disappointed they dispersed and the affairs of the Southern States War a more gloomy aspect than at any former period. On receiving intelligence of the situation of Lincoln Congress passed a resolution requesting General Washington to order the North Carolina troops and such others as could be spared from the Northern Army to the aid of that in the South and during the states of South Carolina and Georgia of the attention of government to their preservation by requesting them for their own defense to comply with the recommendations formally made respecting the completion of their continental regiments and the government of their militia while in actual service. During these transactions in the South a long meditated expedition against the Indians was prosecuted with success. The largest division of the Western Army was to assemble at Wyoming on the main branch of the South Carolina and General Sullivan expected to leave that place in the month of June. Such, however, were the delays in procuring provisions and military stores that it was the last of July before he could move from the place of rendezvous. Another body of troops designed to compose a part of the Western Army had passed the winter on the Mohawk August on the 22nd of August these two divisions united and the whole army amounting to 5,000 men marched up the Taiyoga which led into the heart of the Indian country. Such extensive and tedious preparations could not be made unobserved. The plan of operations contemplated by Sullivan seems to have been completely understood and notwithstanding the vast superiority of his force the Indians determined to defend their country. They resolved to risk a general action for its preservation and selected the ground for the conflict with judgment. About a mile in front of Newtown they collected their whole force estimated by General Sullivan at 1,500 men but by themselves at only 800 commanded by the two butlers, Gray, Johnson, McDonald and Brandt. Five companies of wives calculated at 200 men were united with them. They had constructed a breastwork about half a mile in length. On a piece of rising ground the right flank of this work was covered by the river which bending to the right and winding round their rear exposed only their front and left to an attack. On the left was a high ridge nearly parallel of the general course of the river terminating somewhat below the breastwork and still farther to the left was another ridge running in the same direction and leading to the rear of the American army. The ground was covered with pine interspersed with low shrub oaks many of which for the purpose ground sealing their works have been cut up and stuck in front of them so as to exhibit the appearance of being still growing. The road after crossing a deep brook at the foot of the hill turned to that right and ran nearly parallel to the breastwork so as to expose the whole flank of the army to their fire if it should advance without discovering their position. Parties communicating with each other were stationed on both hills so as to fall on the right flank in rear of Sullivan as soon as the action should commence. August about 11 in the morning of the 29th of August this work was discovered by Major Parr who commanded the advance guard of the army upon which General Han formed the light infantry in a wood about 400 yards distant from the enemy and stood upon his ground until the main body should arrive. In the meantime a continual scram machine was kept up between Parr's Rifle Corps and small parties of Indians who sell it from their works and suddenly retreated apparently with the hope of being in cautiously pursued. Conjecturing that the hills on his right were occupied by the savages Sullivan ordered General Parr to take possession of that which led into his rear and then to turn the left and gain the rear of the breastwork while hand aided by the artillery should attack in front. These orders were promptly executed while the artillery played on the works Parr pushed up the mountain and a sharp conflict commenced which was sustained for some time with considerable spirit on both sides. Parr continued to advance rapidly pressing the Indians before him at the point of the bayonet and occasionally firing on them. They retreated from tree to tree keeping up on a regular fire and deligained the summit of the hill perceiving that their flank was completely uncovered by this movement and that they were in danger of being surrounded. The savages abandoned their breastwork and crossing the river fled with the utmost precipitation. Victory of General Sullivan at Newtown. This victory caused the Americans about 30 men. The ascertained loss of the Indians was also inconsiderable but they were so intimidated that every idea of farther resistance was abandoned. As Sullivan advanced they continued to retreat before him without harassing his main body or even skirmishing with his detachments except in a single instance. He penetrated far into the heart of their country which his parties were scoured and laid waste in every direction. Houses, cornfields, gardens and fruit trees shared one common fate and Sullivan executed strictly the severe but necessary orders he had received to render the country completely uninhabitable for the present and thus to compel the hostile Indians by want of food to remove to a greater distance. The objects of the expedition being accomplished Sullivan returned to Easton in Pennsylvania having lost only 40 men by sickness and the enemy. The devastation of the country had been spoken up with some degree of disapprobation but this sentiment is the result rather of an amiable disposition in the human mind to condemn whatever may have the appearance of tending to aggravate the miseries of war than of reflection. Circumstances existed which reconciled to humanity this seeming departure from it. Great Britain possessed advantages which ensured a controlling influence over the Indians and kept them in almost continual war with the United States. Their habitual ferocity seemed to have derived increased virulence from the malignity of the whites who had taken refuge among them. And there was real foundation for the opinion that an annual repetition of the horrors of Wyoming could be prevented only by disabling the savages from perpetrating them. No means in the power of the United States promised so certainly to effect this desirable object as the removal of neighbors whose hostility could be diminished only by terror and whose resentments were to be assuaged only by fear. While Sullivan laid waste to the country on the South Square Hanna, another expedition under Colonel Broadhead was carried on from Pittsburgh up the Allegheny against the Mingo Monsky and Seneca tribes at the head of between six and 700 men. He advanced 200 miles up the river and destroyed the villages and cornfields on its head branches. Here too, the Indians were unable to resist the invading army. After one unsuccessful skirmish, they abandoned their villages to a destruction which was inevitable and sought for personal safety in their woods. On receiving the communications of General Sullivan, Congress passed a vote approving his conduct and that of his army, bad approbation. However, it seems not to have extended beyond his conduct in the Indian country. His demands for military stores for the expedition had been so high. In his conversations with his office, he has so freely centered the government for his failure to comply with those demands and general orders. He had so openly complained of inattention to the preparations necessary to secure the success of the enterprise that considerable offense was given to several members of Congress and still more to the Board of War. From the operation of these causes when Sullivan, at the close of the campaign, complained to bill health and offered on that account to resign his commission, the endeavors of his friends to obtain a vote requesting him to continue in the service and permitting him to retire from actual duty until his health should be restored were overruled and his resignation was accepted. The resolution permitting him to resign was, however, accompanied with one thanking him for his past services. Although these great exertions to terminate Indian hostility did not afford complete security to the Western frontiers, they were attended with considerable advantages. The savages, though not subdued, were intimidated and their incursions became less formidable as well as less frequent. The summer of 1779 passed away without furnishing any circumstance in America which could be supposed to have material influence on the issue of the war. In Europe, however, an event took place which had been long anxiously expected and was believed to be of decisive importance. Spain at length determined to make one common cause with France against Great Britain. It was supposed that the two powers would be able to obtain a complete ascendancy and that their combined fleets would maintain a superiority on the American coast as well as in Europe. From the first determination of France to take part in the war, it appears to have been the earnest wish of the cabinet of Versailles to engage Spain likewise in the contest. Her resentments against England, her solicitude to diminish the naval strength of that nation and her wish to recover Jamaica Gibraltar and the Florida's urge to seize the fair occasion now offered of dismembering the British Empire and accomplishing these favorite objects. But a dread of the effect which the independence of the United States might produce on our own colonies mingled with some apprehensions of danger from the contest she was about to provoke had produced an appearance of a resolution which rendered her future course for a time uncertain in this conflict of opposite interests, the influence of the cabinet of Versailles and the jealousy of the naval power of Britain at length obtained the victory and his Catholic majesty determined to prevent the re-annexation of the United States to their mother country but to affect this object by negotiation rather than by the sword. Spain offers her mediation to the belligerent powers. In pursuance of this specific system he offered his mediation to the belligerent powers. This proposition was readily accepted by France but the minister of his Britannic majesty evaded any explicit arrangements on the subject while he continued to make general verbal declarations of the willingness of his sovereign to give peace to Europe under the mediation of his Catholic majesty. In consequence of these declarations the Spanish minister proposed a truce for a term of years and that a congress of deputies from the belligerent powers should assemble at Madrid to adjust the terms of a permanent treaty into which deputies from the United States were to be admitted as the representatives of a sovereign nation. Although an explicit acknowledgement of their independence was not to be required it was to be understood that they should be independent in fact and should be completely separated from the British empire. This negotiation was protracted to a considerable length and in the meantime all the address of the cabinet of London was used to detach either France or the United States from their alliance with each other. Notice of it was given to the American government by the minister of France of Philadelphia as well as by Mr Arthur Lee one of their agents in Europe and congress was repeatedly urged by the former to furnish those who might be authorized to represent them in the conferences for a general treaty with ample powers and instructions to conclude it. An extraordinary degree of solicitude was manifested to hasten the full powers and to moderate the claims of the United States. It seems to have been the policy of the cabinet of Versailles to exclude the American states from a share of the fisheries and to limit their Western boundary to the settlements than may either from a real apprehension that the war might be protracted should the United States insist on the acknowledgement of their independence as a preliminary to any treaty or from an opinion that such preliminary acknowledgement would leave the terms of the treaty less under the control of France and the American planet potential areas more masters of their own conduct Monsieur Girard labor to persuade Congress to receive from that demand if they could be independent in fact he thought the form not worth contending for. While Congress was employed in debating the instructions to their ministers the negotiation was brought to a close as Spain became prepared for hostilities the offered mediation was pressed in such terms as to produce the necessity of either accepting or rejecting it. This drew from the cabinet of London a declaration that the independence of the United States was inadmissible upon which his Catholic majesty determined to take part in the war. War between Spain and England on the departure of his minister from London without taking leave the British government issued letters of mark and reprisal against the vessels and subjects of the Spanish ground and a powerful Spanish fleet which had been preparing during the negotiation was expedited to cooperate with that of France yet the independence of the United States was not acknowledged nor was their minister accredited dispatchers giving notice of the hostilities meditated by his Catholic majesty were forwarded to Don Galvez the governor Louisiana who collected a considerable military force at New Orleans and reduced the settlements held by the British crown on the Mississippi which had not been apprised of the war. Intelligence of this important event was given to Congress while that body was deliberating on the instructions to their negotiators it is not impossible that this information has some influence on those deliberations and rendering the American government less solicitous about the future conduct of Spain diminish the motives for making territorial sacrifices to that power. Their ministers were ordered to make it a preliminary article to any negotiation that Great Britain should agree to treat with the United States as sovereign free and independent and that their independence should be expressly assured and confirmed by the terms of the treaty itself that the United States might be unable to avail themselves without further delays of any occasion which might be presented for terminating the war. Mr. John Adams who was already in Europe was authorized to negotiate a treaty of peace and a commercial treaty with Great Britain and Mr. Jay at that time president of Congress was appointed minister plenty potentially to the court of Madrid with instructions to insist on the free navigation of the Mississippi a claim to which Spain objected and which was discounted by France as the campaign grew to a close without affording any solid foundation for the hope that the war was about to terminate general Washington repeated those efforts which he had made so often and so unsuccessfully to induce early preparations for the ensuing year he submitted to the view of his government a detailed report of the whole army which exhibited the alarming fact that by the last of the following June the terms of service of nearly one half of the men under his command would expire. It was not the least considerable of the inconveniences attending the complex system of government then prevailing in the United States that measures essential to the safety of the nation were never taken in season that's when the time for raising the quotas of the respective states by voluntary enlistment had passed away and the necessity of resorting to coercive means had become absolute those means were so delayed and so irregularly put in execution that the terms of service of different portions of the army expired almost every month in the year in raw troops ignorant of the first rudiments of military duty were introduced in the most critical moments of a campaign had timely and correspondent measures been taken by the states to raise their respective quotas by a specified time in the depth of winter the recruits would have received the advantages of a few months training before they were brought into actual service and the general that about certain uninterrupted force for each campaign this course of proceeding have been continually recommended and the recommendation have been as continually neglected. Letter from General Washington to Congress in the more early stages of the contest said the commander in chief to Congress in that letter of the 8th of November when men might have been enlisted for the war no man as my whole conduct and the uniformed tenor of my letters will events was ever more opposed to short enlistments than I was and while they remained a prospect of obtaining recruits on a permanent footing in the first instance as far as duty and a regard to my station were permitted I urged my sentiments in favor of it but the prospect of keeping up an army by voluntary enlistments being changed or at least standing on two precarious and uncertain of footing to depend on for the exigency of our affairs I took the liberty in February 1778 in a particular manner to lay before the committee of arrangement then with the army at Ballet-Forge a plan for an annual draft as the surest and most certain if not the only means left as of maintaining the army on a proper and respectable ground and more and more confirmed in the propriety of this opinion by the intervention of a variety of circumstances unnecessary to detail again took the freedom of urging the plan to the committee of conference in January last and having reviewed it in every point of light and found it right at least the best that has occurred to me I hope I shall be excused by Congress and offering it to them and in time for carrying into execution for the next year if they should conceive it necessary for the states to complete their quota of troops the plan I would propose is that each state be informed by Congress annually of that real deficiency of its troops and called upon to make it up or such less specific number as Congress may think proper by a draft that the men drafted joined the army by the 1st of January and serve until the 1st of January in the succeeding year that from the time the drafts joined the army the officers of the states from which they come be authorized and directed to use their endeavors to enlist them for the war under the bounties granted to the officers themselves and to the recruits by the act of the 23rd of January in 1779 these $10 to the officer for each recruit and 200 to the recruits themselves that all state county and town bounties to drafts if practical boat be entirely abolished on account of the uneasiness and disorders they create among the soldiery the desertions they produce and for other reasons which will readily occur that on or before the 1st of October annually an abstract or return similar to the present one be transmitted to Congress to enable them to make their requisitions to each state with certainty and precision this I would propose as a general plan to be pursued and I am persuaded that this or one nearly similar to it will be found the best now in our power as it will be attended with the least expense to the public and will place the service on the footing of order and certainty and will be the only one that can advance the general interest to any great extent these representations on the part of the commander chief were not more successful than those which have before been made although the best dispositions existed in Congress the proceedings of that body were unavoidably slow and the difficulty of affecting our concert of measures among 13 sovereign states was too great to be surmounted in consequence of these radical defects in the system itself the contributions of men made by the states continued to be irregular uncertain and out of season and the army could never acquire the consistency and stability which would have resulted from an exact observance of the plan so often recommended on receiving information of the disaster which have been sustained by the allied arms at Savannah Sir Henry Clinton resumed his plan of active operations against the southern states a large embarkation took place soon after that event had been announced to him which sailed from the hook towards the end of December the troops were commended by himself in person and the fleet by Admiral Arbuth Knot the defense of New York and its dependencies were entrusted to General Niphausen the preparations made in New York for some distant enterprise were immediately communicated by his faithful intelligences to General Washington who conjectured its object and hastened the march of the troops designed to reinforce General Lincoln the season for action in a northern climate being over the general turned his attention to the distribution of his troops in winter quarters habit had for me rise the American army to the use of huts constructed by themselves and both officers and men were content to pass the winter in a hutted camp in disposing of the troops therefore until the time of action should return would in water a healthy situation convenience for supplies of provisions stations would enable them to cover the country and to defend particular position where the objects taken it in consideration and were all to be consulted the army goes into winter quarters with a view to these various circumstances the army was thrown into two great divisions the northern was to be commanded by General Heath and its chief object was the security of West Point and of the post on the North River as low as Kingsbury subordinate to this was the protection of the country and the sound and down the Hudson to the neighborhood of Kingsbridge the other and principal division under the immediate command of General Washington was put under cover late in December in the neighborhood of Morris town in chapter five chapter six of the life of Washington volume three by John Marshall this LibriVox recording is in the public domain chapter six South Carolina invaded the British fleet passes the bar and gets possession of the harbor of Charleston opinion of General Washington on the proprietary defending that place Sir Henry Clinton invests the town Tarleton surprises an American corps at Monks Corner Fort Maltry surrendered Tarleton defeats Colonel White General Lincoln capitulates Buford defeated arrangements for the government of South Carolina and Georgia Sir Henry Clinton embarks for New York General Gates takes command of the Southern Army is defeated near Camden death of DeKalb success of General Sumter he is defeated 1780 the departure of the French fleet produced a sudden change in the prospects of the Southern States the sanguine hopes which had been entertained of the recovery of Georgia gave place to gloomy and well-founded apprehensions for South Carolina the facility with which General Prevost had passed through the state and the assurances he had received of the end disposition of a large portion of the people to defend themselves disclosed to certainly the true situation of the country not to convince all discerning men that a real attempt at conquest would be made the ensuing year General Lincoln perceived the approaching danger without being able to provide against it his power as military commander was too limited and his influence on the government of the state too weak to draw forth even the means it possessed and time for its protection though the preservation of its metropolis was of vast importance to the state no preparations were making to put it in a condition to stand a siege the forts on the islands were in ruins and the works across the neck remained unfinished the representations made on this subject to the governor by General Lincoln were not disregarded but from some defect in the existing law the executive founded impracticable to obtain labor for these interesting objects Admiral Arbuth Knot arrived at Savannah on the 31st of January, January 23 one of his transports which had been separated from the fleet in a storm was brought into Charleston Harbor on the 23rd of that month and the prisoners gave the first certain intelligence that the expedition from New York was destined against the capital of South Carolina before the middle of February the fleet entered the harbor or inlet of North Addisto and landed the troops without opposition on St. John's Island Sir Henry Clinton invests Charleston a part of the fleet was sent round to blockade the harbor of Charleston while the army proceeded slowly and cautiously from Stono Creek to Wapu Cut and through the islands of St. John and St. James this delay in the event so fatal but then deemed so propitious to the American arms was employed to the utmost advantage in improving the defense of Charleston the legislature had enabled the executive to employ slaves to work on the fortifications and had passed an act delegating great powers to the governor and such of his counsel as he could conveniently consult under these acts 600 slaves were employed on the works invigorous though not very successful measures were taken by the executive to assemble the militia of the country the fallacious hope was entertained that if the town could be rendered defensible the garrison would be made sufficiently strong by reinforcements from the north and by the militia of the state to maintain the place and compel Sir Henry Clinton to raise the siege the American army being too weak to make any serious opposition to the progress of the British through the country the cavalry with a small corps of infantry were directed to hover on their left flank and the other troops consisting of about 1400 regulars fit for duty aided by the militia were drawn into the town and employed on the works understanding that great exertions were making to improve the fortifications and that the garrison was gaining strength Sir Henry Clinton ordered General Patterson to join him with the troops which could be spared from Georgia and directed Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton after supplying the horses which had been lost during a very stormy voyage from New York to cover his march through South Carolina Colonel Washington defeats Tarleton in one of the excursions of that active officer to disperse the militia who assembled to oppose the progress of Patterson through the country his cavalry encountered Lieutenant Colonel Washington who commanded the remnant of Baylor's regiment and were driven back with some loss but the want of infantry disabled Washington from pressing his advantage in defending Charleston the command of the harbor is of great importance to preserve this advantage Congress had ordered four frigates to South Carolina which with the Marine force belonging to the state and two French vessels were placed under the command of Commodore Whipple General Washington was the more sanguine in the hope of defending the harbor because it was understood that the bar was impassable by a ship of the line and that even a large frigate could not be brought over it without first taking out her guns or careening her so much that the crew would be unable to work her on sounding within the bar it was discovered that the water was too shallow for the frigates to act with any effect and that in making the attempt they would be exposed to the fire of the batteries which the assailants had erected under these circumstances the officers of the Navy were unanimously of opinion that no successful opposition could be made at the bar and that the fleet might act more advantageously in concert with the fort on Sullivan's Island the intention of disputing the passage over the bar being abandoned, Commodore Whipple moored his squadron in a line with Fort Moultrie in a narrow passage between Sullivan's Island and the middle ground and the British ships without their guns past the bar and anchored in five fathom whole it being now thought impossible to prevent the fleet from passing Fort Moultrie and taking such stations in Cooper River as would enable them to rake the batteries on shore and to close that communication between the town and country the plan of defense was once more changed and the armed vessels were carried into the mouth of Cooper River and sunk in a line from the town to shoot folly this was the critical moment for evacuating the town the loss of the harbor rendered the defense of the place if not desperate so improbable that the hope to maintain it could not have been rationally entertained by a person who was not deceived by the expectation of AIDS much more considerable than were actually received opinion of General Washington on the subject of defending Charleston when this state of things was communicated to General Washington by Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence he said in reply the impracticability of defending the bar I fear amounts to the loss of the town and garrison at this distance it is impossible to judge for you I have the greatest confidence in General Lincoln's prudence but it really appears to me that the propriety of attempting to defend the town depended on the probability of defending the bar and that when this cease the attempt ought to have been relinquished in this however I suspend a definitive judgment and wish you to consider what I say as confidential unfortunately this letter did not arrive in time to influence the conduct of the besieged April one having crossed Ashley River Sir Henry Clinton moved down the neck and on the night of the first of April broke ground within 800 yards of the American lines the defenses of Charleston had been constructed under the direction of a Mr. Lo May a French gentleman in the American service and although not calculated to resist a regular siege were far from being contemptible while the besiegers were employed on their first parallel the garrison received a considerable reinforcement General Woodford who had marched from Morristown in December entered the town with the old continental troops of the Virginia line now reduced to 700 effectives General Hogan with the line of North Carolina had arrived before him the garrison consisted of rather more than 2000 regular troops of about 1000 North Carolina militia and of the citizens of Charleston the exertions of the governor the brink in the militia of South Carolina had not succeeded April 9 by the 9th of April Sir Henry Clinton completed his first parallel extending across the neck and mounted his guns in battery his works formed an oblique line from six to 700 yards distant from those of the besieged about the same time Admiral Abarthnut passed Sullivan's Island under a heavy and well-directed fire from Fort Moultrie then commanded by Colonel Pinkney and anchored under James Island near Fort Johnson just out of gunshot of the batteries of the town being now in complete possession of the harbor the British general and Admiral sent a joint summons to General Lincoln demanding the surrender of the town to which he returned his firm and modest answer 60 days have elapsed since it has been known that your intentions against this town were hostile in which time has been afforded to abandon it but duty and inclination point to the propriety of supporting it to the last extremity on receiving this answer the besiegers opened their batteries but seemed to rely principally on proceeding by SAP quite into the American lines about this time the governor with half the members of the council went into the country in the hope of collecting a respectable force in the rear and on the left flank of the besieging army the lieutenant governor and the other members of the council remained in town either to Sir Henry Clinton had not extended his lines the north of Charleston neck and the communication of the garrison with the country northeast of Cooper remained open the American cavalry under the command of General Huger had passed that river and were stationed in the neighborhood of Monks corner about 30 miles above Charleston as an additional security to this the only remaining communication two posts of militia were established one between the Cooper and the Santy rivers to which the governor repaired in person and another at a ferry on the Santy boats were to be collected for the purpose of facilitating the passage of the American army over that river should it be deemed advisable to evacuate the town such importance was attached to this object that Lincoln after Woodford had entered Charleston detached a part of his regular troops to throw up some works about nine miles above the town on Wanda the eastern branch of Cooper and on land prayers point the militia it was hoped though unwilling to enter Charleston might be drawn to these posts April 14 after the fleet had entered the harbor Sir Henry Clinton turned his attention to the country on the east of Cooper to acquire the possession of which it was necessary to disable the American cavalry this service was committed to Lieutenant Colonel Webster who detached Charleston with a horse and a core of infantry to execute it he succeeded completely Charleston surprises and defeats an American corps at Monks corner conducted in the night through unfrequented paths to the American videttes he entered the camp with them killed and took about 100 men and dispersed the residue who saved themselves on foot in a swamp near 50 wagons loaded with military stores and about 400 horses fell into the hands of the victors this decisive blow gave Lieutenant Colonel Webster possession of the whole country between Cooper and Wanda and close the only route by which the garrison could have retreated the besiegers had now commenced their second parallel and it became every day more apparent that the town must ultimately yield to their regular approaches and evacuation was proposed and Lincoln is understood to have been in favor of that measure but the remonstrances of the principal inhabitants who entreated him not to abandon them to the fury of a disappointed enemy added to the great difficulty which must attend such an attempt especially when opposed by the civil government deterred him from adopting the only course which afforded even a probability by saving his army of saving the southern states soon after the affair amongst corner Sir Henry Clinton received a reinforcement of 3,000 men from New York this addition to his strength enabled him to detach largely to the aid of Lieutenant Colonel Webster after which Lord Cornwallis took command of the troops on that side of Cooper River April 20 upon this change of situation Lincoln called another council of war notwithstanding the multiplied difficulties attending an evacuation of Charleston he appears to have been still inclined to it but a number of fortunate circumstances must have concurred to render a retreat possible and the attempt was effectively prevented by the opposition of the civil government the opinion seems to have prevailed that the escape of the garrison would be followed by the destruction of the town and the ruin of its inhabitants the council advised that a capitulation should be proposed and that the town should be surrendered on condition that the garrison should be at liberty still to bear arms and that the inhabitants should be secured in their persons and property these propositions being rejected hostilities recommenced the besiegers had completed their second parallel and had begun the third when Colonel Henderson made a vigorous sally on their right which was attended with some success that this was the only sortie made during the siege as to be ascribed to the weakness of the garrison General Lincoln deemed it necessary to reserve all his strength to man his lines in the event of an assault or to force a retreat should he determined to evacuate the city in this state of things General DuPortea who had been directed to join the southern army was conducted by secret ways into the town he perceived the impossibility of defending the place and repeated the proposition for attempting a retreat this proposition was again rejected and it only remained to defer the surrender as long as possible in the vain hope that some fortunate occurrence might bring relief every day diminished this hope and added to the difficulties of the besieged the garrison at Fort Maltry surrendered themselves prisoners of war the admiral took possession of Mount Pleasant which induced the immediate evacuation of Lampereer's point soon after which the garrison at Fort Maltry amounting to about 200 men surrendered themselves prisoners of war on the same day the cavalry which had escaped the disaster amongst corner and had been reassembled under the command of Colonel White of New Jersey was again surprised and defeated by Lieutenant Colonel Tartan at La Nos Ferry the investment of the town was now complete the advances were rapid and it became obvious that the place could be defended only a few days longer the besiegers had finished their third parallel and by a sap pushed to the dam that supplied the canal with water had drained it in many places to the bottom the garrison fatigued and worn out with constant duty was too weak to man the line sufficiently their guns were almost all dismounted most of the embrasures demolished their shot nearly expended their provisions with the exception of a few cows entirely consumed and the approaches of the besiegers so near that their marksmen frequently picked off them and from the guns and killed any person who showed himself above the works in this state of things the garrison was summoned a second time to surrender on which the council was again called which advised the capitulation in pursuance of this advice General Lincoln proposed terms which were refused and hostilities recommenced the besiegers now advanced their works in front of their third parallel crossed the canal, pushed a double sap to the inside of the abaddis and approached within 20 yards of the American works preparations for an assault by sea and land were making with less than 3000 men many of whom were militia lines three miles in extent were to be defended against the flower of the British army assisted by a powerful maritime force convinced that success was not possible the citizens prepared a petition to General Lincoln in treating him to surrender the town on the terms which had been offered by the besiegers General Lincoln capitulates this proposition was made and accepted and the capitulation was signed on the 12th of May May 12 the town and all public stores were surrendered the garrison as well as the citizens who had borne arms as the continental troops, militia and sailors were to be prisoners of war the garrison were to march out of town and to deposit their arms in front of their works but their drums were not to beat a British march nor their colors to be reversed the militia were to retire to their homes on parole and their persons and property as well as the persons and property of the inhabitants of the town to be secure while they adhered to their paroles these terms being agreed on the garrison laid down their arms and General Leslie was appointed to take possession of the town the defense of Charleston was obstinate but not bloody the besiegers conducted their approaches with great caution and the besieged to weak to hazard repeated sorties kept within their lines the loss on both sides was nearly equal that of the British was 76 killed and 189 wounded and that of the Americans excluding the inhabitants of the town not wearing arms was 92 killed and 148 wounded from the official returns made to Sir Henry Clinton by his deputy adjutant general the number of prisoners exclusive of sailors amounted to 5,618 men this report however presents a very incorrect view of the real strength of the garrison it includes every male adult and habitant of the town the precise number of privates and the continental regiments according to the report made to Congress by General Lincoln was 1,977 of whom 500 were in the hospital the unfortunate are generally condemned and the loss of the garrison of Charleston so maimed the force and pause the operations of the American government in the south that century was unsparingly bestowed on the officer who had undertaken and persevered in the defense of that place in his justificatory letter to the commander-in-chief General Lincoln detailed at large the motives of his conduct and stated the testimony in which those delusive hopes of substantial assistance were founded which tempted him to remain in town until the unexpected arrival of the reinforcement from New York deprived him of the power to leave it the importance of that great mark of the southern states which have become the depot for the country to a considerable extent around it the magazines and military stores they are collected which from the difficulty of obtaining wagons could not be removed the ships of war which must be sacrificed should the town be evacuated the intention of Congress that the place should be defended the assurances received that the garrison should be made up to 10,000 men of whom nearly one half would be regular troops the extra solicitude of the government of South Carolina all concurred to induce the adoption of a measure which in its consequences was extremely pernicious to the United States in the opinion of those who were best enabled to judge of his conduct General Lincoln appears to have been completely justified the confidence of his government and the esteem of the commander-in-chief sustained no diminution So Henry Clinton was aware of the impression his conquest had made and of the value of the first moment succeeding in calculating on the advantages to be derived from showing an irresistible force in various parts of the country at the same time he made three large detachments from his army the first and most considerable towards the frontiers of North Carolina the second to pass the salute to 96 and the third up to Savannah towards Augusta Lord Cornwallis who commanded the northern detachment received intelligence soon after passing the Santee that Colonel Buford with about 400 men was retreating in perfect security towards North Carolina he detached Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton with his legion the infantry being mounted in pursuit of this party Buford defeated that officer by making a movement of near at 100 miles in two days overtook Buford in a line of march at the wax halls and demanded a surrender on the terms which have been granted to the garrison of Charleston this was refused while the flags were passing Tarleton continued to make his dispositions for the assault and the instant the truce was over his cavalry made a furious charge on the Americans who had received no orders to engage and he seemed to have been uncertain whether to defend themselves or not in this state of dismay and confusion some fired on the assailants while others threw down their arms and begged for quarter none was given Colonel Buford escaped with a few cavalry and about 100 infantry who were in advance saved themselves by flight but the regiment was almost demolished Tarleton in his official report says that 113 were killed on the spot 150 so badly wounded as to be incapable of being moved and 53 were brought away as prisoners the loss of the British was five killed and 14 wounded Tarleton gives a very different account of the circumstances which preceded this massacre he says that the demand for a surrender was made long before Buford was overtaken and was answered by a defiance that on overtaking him the British vanguard made prisoners of a sergeant and four light regoons in the presence of the two commanders who immediately prepared for action that as he advanced to the charge when within 50 paces the American infantry presented and were commanded by their officers to retain their fire until the British cavalry should be nearer the American officers who survived the carnage of the day generally assert that flags passed after being overtaken that they'd received no orders from Colonel Buford when the charge was made and that the fire of their troops was retained until the enemy was upon them because they did not think themselves authorized to give it the facts that Buford's field pieces were not discharged that the loss was so very unequal or not to be reconciled with the idea of deliberate preparation for battle and justified the belief that the statement made by the American officers is correct after the defeat of Buford scarcely the semblance of opposition remained in South Carolina and Georgia the military force employed by Congress was nearly destroyed the spirit of resistance seemed entirely broken and a general disposition to submit to the victor displayed itself in almost every part of the country the two other detachments saw no appearance of an enemy they received the submission of the inhabitants who either became neutral by giving their paroles not to bear arms against his Britannic majesty or took the oaths of allegiance and resumed the character of British subjects to keep up this disposition garrisons were posted in different stations and a series of measures was pursued for the purpose of settling the civil affairs of the province and of giving stability to the conquest which had been made Sir Henry Clinton takes measures for settling the government of South Carolina and Georgia June 3, so entirely did the present aspect of affairs convince Sir Henry Clinton of the complete subjugation of the state and of the favorable disposition of the people towards the British government that he ventured to issue a proclamation in which he discharged the militia who were prisoners from their paroles with the exception of those who were taken in Charleston and Fort Moultrie and restored them to all the rights and duties of British subjects declaring at the same time that such of them as should neglect to return to their allegiance should be considered and treated as enemies and rebels this proclamation disclosed to the inhabitants their real situation it proved that a state of neutrality was not within their reach that the evils of war were unavoidable that they must arrange themselves on the one side or the other and that the only alternative presented to them was to drive the enemy out of their country or take up arms against their countrymen June 5, with the most sanguine hopes that the southern states would be reunited to the British Empire Sir Henry Clinton embarked for New York leaving about 4,000 British troops in South Carolina under the command of Lord Cornwallis his lordship found it necessary to suspend the expedition he had meditated against North Carolina the impossibility of supporting an army in that state before harvest as well as the intense heat of the season required his delay his first care was to distribute his troops through South Carolina and the upper parts of Georgia so as to promote the great and immediate objects of enlisting the young men who were willing to join his standard of arranging the plan of a militia and of collecting magazines at convenient places in the meantime he dispatched emissaries to his friends in North Carolina to inform them of the necessary delay of his expedition into their country and to request them to attend to their harvest collect provisions and remain quiet until late in August or early in September when the king's troops would be ready to enter the province the impatience of the royalists stimulated by the triumph of their friends in a neighboring state and by the necessary severities of a vigilant government could not be restrained by the salutary council anticipating the immediate superiority of their party they could not broke the authority exercised over them and broke out into premature and ill concerted insurrections which were vigorously encountered and generally suppressed one body then however amounting to about 800 men led by Colonel Brian marched down the east side of the Yadkin to a British post at the Chiraz whence they proceeded to Camden having made his dispositions unfixed on Camden as the place for his principal magazines Cornwallis left the command of the frontiers to Lord Rodden and returned to Charleston for the purpose of making those further arrangements of a civil nature which the state of affairs and the interest of his sovereign might require his lordship as well as Sir Henry Clinton seems to have supposed the state of South Carolina to be as completely subdued in sentiment as in appearance impatient to derive active aids from the new conquest his measures were calculated to admit of no neutrality for some time these measures seemed to succeed and professions of loyalty were made in every quarter but under this imposing exterior lurked a mass of concealed discontent to which every day furnished new element and which waited only for a proper occasion to show it so the people of the lower parts of South Carolina though far from being united were generally attached to the revolution and had entered into the war with zeal they were conducted by a high spirited and intelligent gentry who artently sought independence as a real and permanent good several causes had combined to suspend the operation of this sentiment many of their leaders were prisoners and the brilliant successes of the British arms had filled numbers with despair others were sensible of the in utility of present resistance and a still greater number fatigued and harassed with malicious duty were willing to withdraw from the conflict and as spectators to wait its issue to compel these men to share the burdens of the war was to restore them to their former friends late in March General Washington had obtained the consent of Congress to reinforce the Southern Army with the troops of Maryland and Delaware and with the first regiment of artillery this detachment was to be commanded by the Baron DeKalb a German veteran who had engaged early in the service of the United States such however was the deranged state of American finances and such the depression of public credit that these troops could not be put immediately in motion they would link them barked at the head of elk and conveyed by water to Petersburg in Virginia and went they marched towards South Carolina their progress was delayed by that difficulty of obtaining subsistence which had induced Lord Cornwallis to suspend the invasion of North Carolina until harvest should be gathered no preparations having been made for them they were reduced to the necessity of spreading themselves over the country in small detachments to collect corn and grind it for their daily food in this manner they proceeded through the upper parts of North Carolina to Deep River and encamp near Buffalo Ford in July at this place the Baron halted for a few days and some uncertainty respecting his future course The militia of North Carolina commanded by General Caswell were beyond the Padi on the road to Camden and had nearly consumed the scanty supplies which could be gleaned from our country that was far from being productive the Baron was premeditating on a plan for leaving the direct road and moving up the country to the fertile banks of the Yadkin when the approach of Major General Gates was announced by the arrival of his aide to the camp Major Armstrong aware of the danger to which the loss of Charleston had exposed that part of the Confederacy Congress deemed it of the utmost importance to select a general for that department in whom great military talents should be combined with that weight of character which might enable him to draw out the resources of the country General Gates appointed to the command of the Southern Army July they turned their eyes on Gates and Sanguine hopes were entertained that the conqueror up were going would prove the savior of the Southern States on the 13th of June he was called to the command in the Southern department and was directed to repair immediately to the army he entered without loss of time on the duties of his station and on the 25th of July reached the camp where he was received by the Baron de Calve with the utmost cordiality and respect the approach of this army and the information that great exertions were making in Virginia to augment it revived the hopes of South Carolina and brought again into action a spirit supposed to be extinguished the British troops having occupied the Northwestern parts of the state the most active friends of the revolution in that quarter fled from their homes and sought an asylum in North Carolina and Virginia as the discontents of their countrymen increased and the prospects of being supported by regular troops brightened a small body of these exiles amounting to less than 200 assembled together and choosing Colonel Sumter an old continental officer for their chief entered South Carolina they skirmished with the Royal Malaysia and small corps of regulars on the frontiers sometimes successfully and always with the active courage of men fighting for the recovery of their property the followers of Sumter were soon augmented to 600 men and a disposition once more to take up arms showed itself in various parts of the state some corps of Malaysia which had been embodied under the authority of Lord Cornwallis deserted his standard and joined their countrymen perceiving this change of temper the British general thought it necessary to draw in his outposts and to collect his troops into larger bodies on taking command of the Southern Army General Gates directed the troops to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning and on the morning of the 27 put the whole in motion disregarding the judicious remonstrances which were made to him against pursuing the direct road he determined on taking the nearest route to the advanced post of the British on Lynch's Creek a few miles from Camden the motives assigned by himself for passing through this barren country were the necessity of uniting with Casswell who had evaded the orders repeatedly given him to join the army the danger of dispiriting the troops and intimidating the people of the country by pursuing a route not leading directly towards the enemy and the assurances he had received that supplies would overtake him and would be prepared for him on the road these assurances were not fulfilled and that country being still more barren than had been anticipated the distress of the army was extreme the soldiers subsisted on a few lean cattle found in the woods and a very scanty supply of green corn and peaches August 13, encouraged by the example of their officers who shared all their sufferings and checked occasional murmurs they struggled through these difficulties and after effecting a junction with General Casswell it was the general Colonel Porterfield the army reached Claremont sometimes called Rouge Lee's Mills on the 13th of August possession was taken of this place without any opposition from Lord Rodden who on the approach of the American army drew in his outpost and assembled all his forces at Camden the day after the arrival of Gates at Claremont he was joined by 700 militia from Virginia commanded by Brigadier General Stevens an officer of considerable merit who during the campaigns of 1777 and 1778 had commanded a Continental Regiment on the same day in Express arrived from Colonel Sumter with information that an escort of clothing ammunition and other stores for the Garrison at Camden was on the way from 96 and must pass the Watery at a ferry about a mile from Camden which was covered by a small redoubt on the opposite side of the river 100 regular infantry with two brass field pieces were immediately detached to join Colonel Sumter who was ordered to reduce the redoubt and to intercept the convoy to attract the attention of the Garrison at Camden and thus cooperate with the expedition under Sumter it was determined in a council of general officers to put the army in motion that evening and to take a post about seven miles from Camden with a deep creek in front the thick heavy baggage in the military stores were ordered under a guard to wax halls and the army was directed to be in readiness to march precisely at ten in the evening in the following order Colonel Armand's Legion composed the van Portofio's Light Infantry reinforced by a company of picked men from Stevens's Brigade covered the right flank of the Legion while Major Armstrong's Light Infantry of North Carolina militia reinforced in like manner from Caswell's division covered the left the Maryland Division followed by the North Carolina and Virginia militia with the artillery composed the main body in rear guard and the volunteer cavalry were equally distributed on the flanks of the baggage in the event of an attack in front by the British cavalry the infantry on the flanks were directed to march up and to continue their fire on the assailants it was supposed they would enable Colonel Armand to resist the shock and his orders were posited to maintain his ground against the cavalry whatever their numbers might be at the time of communicating these orders to Colonel Otho H. Williams the Deputy Adjutant General Gates showed him a rough estimate of the army making it upwards of 7,000 convinced that this estimate was exaggerated Colonel Williams availed himself of his means of information to make an abstract of the whole which he presented to the general and which exhibited exactly 3,052 in the column of present fit for duty of whom more than two-thirds were at militia Gates expressed some surprise that the numbers but said there are enough for our purpose and directed the orders to be issued to the army about 10 at night the line of march was taken up and the army had advanced about halfway to Camden when a firing commenced in front intelligence of the approach of the American army and of the defection of the country between PD and the Black River had been communicated to Lord Cornwallis and had induced him to hasten in person to Camden which place he reached the day Gates arrived at Claremont the British army did not much exceed 2,000 in of whom about 1,900 were at regulars but as the whole country was rising Lord Cornwallis apprehended that every day would strengthen his enemy and therefore determined to attack him in his camp hoping by prompt execution of this resolution to surprise him by one of those caprices of fortune on which great events often depend he marched from Camden to attack Gates in Claremont at the very hour that Gates moved from that place towards Camden August 16, about half past two in the morning the advanced parties of the hostile armies to their mutual surprise met in the woods and began to skirmish with each other some of Armand's cavalry being wounded by the first fire through the others into disorder and the whole recoil so suddenly that the first Maryland regiment composing the front of the column was broken and the whole line thrown into consternation from this first impression the raw troops never recovered the light infantry however particularly Porterfield's corps behaves so well as to check the advance of the British unfortunately their gallant commander received a mortal wound which compelled him to leave his regiment yet a part of it kept its ground and with the aid of the legion infantry stopped the British van upon which order was restored to the American army the officers were immediately employed informing a line of battle in front the Maryland division including the troops of Delaware were on the right the North Carolina Militia in the center and the Virginia Militia on the left in this round com today some prisoners were made from one of whom Colonel Williams drew the information that the British army consisting of near 3,000 men commanded by Lord Cornwallis in person was in full March 5 or 600 yards in front this intelligence was immediately communicated to General Gates who had supposed Lord Cornwallis to be still in Charleston the general officers were assembled in the rear of the line and this information submitted to them after a short silence Stephen said gentlemen is it not too late to do anything but fight no other advice being given General Gates who seems to have been himself disposed to risk a battle directed the officers to repair to their respective commands the ground on which the army was drawn up was so narrowed by a marsh on each flank has to admit of removing the first Maryland brigade so as to form a second line about 200 yards in rear of the first the artillery was placed in the center of the first line and Armstrong's light infantry was ordered to cover a small interval between the flank of the left wing and the marsh frequent skirmishes occurred during the night between the advance parties with scarcely any other effect than to discover the situation of the armies events the intention of the generals and service are prelude to the events of the succeeding morning at dawn of day the British appeared in front advancing in column Lieutenant Colonel Webster commanded on the right and Lord Rodin on the left the 71st regiment composed the reserve four field pieces were attached to the left and one to the core to reserve Captain Singleton opened some field pieces on the front of the column at the distance of about 200 yards soon after which the American left was ordered to commence the action it was then perceived that the British right was advancing in line and as Stevens led on his brigade in good order Colonel Williams advanced in front with a few volunteers intending by a partial fire to extort that of the enemy at some distance and thereby diminish its effect on the militia the experiment did not succeed the British rushed forward with great impetuosity firing and huzzling at the same time and the terrified militia disregarding the exertions of Stevens who in the firm tone of courage endeavored to inspire them with confidence in the bayonets they had just received threw down their loaded muskets fled from the field with the utmost precipitation and were followed by the light infantry of Armstrong the whole North Carolina division except one regiment commanded by Colonel Dixon an old Continental officer which was posted nearest the Continental troops followed the shameful example other parts of the same brigade which was commanded by Gregory paused for an instant but the terror of their brethren was soon communicated to them and they also threw away their arms and sought for safety and flight their general while endeavoring to rally them was dangerously wounded Tarleton's Legion charged them as they broke and pursued them in their flight gates in person assisted by their generals made several efforts to rally the militia but the alarm in their rear still continuing they poured on like a torrent and bore him with them he aced in with General Caswell to Claremont in the hope of stopping a sufficient number of them at their old encampment to cover the retreat of the Continental troops but this hope was entirely disappointed believing the Continental troops also to be dispersed he gave up all as lost and retreated with a few friends to Charlotte about 80 miles from the field of battle where he left General Caswell to assemble the neighboring militia and proceeded himself to Hillsborough in order to concert some plan of farther defense with the government entirely deserted by the militia who composed the whole center and left wing of the army the Continental troops with Baron de Calbe at their head were left without orders under circumstances which might have justified a retreat but taking counsel from their courage and seeing only the path of duty they preferred the honorable and dangerous part of maintaining their position they were charged by Lord Rodin about the time the militia on their left were broken by Webster but the charge was received with unexpected firmness the bayonet was occasionally resorted to by both parties and the conflict was maintained for near three quarters of an hour with equal obstinacy during this time the regiment on the left of the Second Maryland Brigade being covered by the reserve so that it could be only engaged in front gained ground and made prisoners the reserve having its left entirely exposed was flanked by the British right wing under Webster who after detaching a part of his cavalry and light infantry in pursuit of the flying militia wheeled on that brigade and attacking it in front and round the left flank through it into some disorder the soldiers were however quickly rallied and renewed the action with unimpaired spirit overpowered by numbers they were again broken and by the exertion of their officers were again formed so as still to maintain the combat and still to cover the flank of their brethren of the Second Brigade who were in a manner blended with the enemy and who kept a desperate conflict in the hope of yet obtaining the victory the fire of the whole British Army was now directed against these two devoted brigades they had not lost an inch of ground when Lord Cornwallis perceiving that they were without cavalry pushed his dragoons upon them and at the same instant charged them with the bayonet these gallant troops were no longer able to keep the field they were at length broken and as they did not give way until intermingled with the enemy they dispersed and fled in confusion before they were reduced to this last extremity the Baron DeKalb who fought on foot with the Second Maryland Brigade fell under 11 wounds is a DeCamp Lieutenant Colonel Dew Bison received him in his arms announced his rank and nation to the surrounding foe and begged that they would spare his life while thus generously exposing himself to save his friend he received several wounds and with his general was taken prisoner death of DeKalb the Baron expired in a few hours and spent his last breath in dictating a letter expressing the warmest affection for the officers and men of his division and the most exalted admiration of their courage and good conduct never was a victory more complete every corps was broken and dispersed in the woods the general officers were divided from their men and except Rutherford of the North Carolina militia who was made a prisoner reached Charlotte at different times Colonel Williams who witnessed the whole battle and bore a conspicuous part in it concludes his very animated description of it with the observation that if in this affair the militia fled to sin the regulars may be thought almost as blameable for remaining too long in the field especially after all hope of victory must have been despaired of he centers freely the conduct of the brigadiers who gave he says no orders whatever to their brigades about 200 wagons with a great part of the baggage military stores, small arms and all the artillery fell into the hands of the conqueror the loss of men could never be accurately ascertained as no returns were received from the militia of the North Carolina division between three and 400 where it made prisoners and between 60 and 100 were wounded of the Virginia militia three were wounded on the field and as they were the first to fly not many were taken where the numbers engaged the loss sustained by the regulars was considerable it amounted to between three and 400 men of whom a large portion were officers the British accounts state the loss of the American army at eight or 900 killed and about 1,000 prisoners while their own is said to be only 325 of whom 245 were wounded although many of the militia were killed during the flight this account is probably exaggerated it would seem to that while continental troops kept the field the loss on both sides in that part of the action must have been nearly equal on his retreat the day of the battle general gates received information of the complete success of Sumter that officer had on the evening that Lord Cornwallis March from Candon reduced the redoubt on the watery captured the guard and intercepted the escort with the stores this gleam of light cheered the dark gloom which enveloped his affairs but for a moment he was soon informed that his corps also was defeated and entirely dispersed on hearing of the disaster which had befallen gates Sumter began to retreat up the south side of the watery believing himself out of danger he had halted on that 28th during the heat of the day near the Catawba Ford to give his harass troops some repose August 18th at that place he was overtaken by Tarleton who had been detached in pursuit of him on the morning of the 17th and who advancing with his custom celerity entered the American camp so suddenly as in a great measure to cut off the men from their arms some slight resistance made from behind the wagons was soon overcome and the Americans fled precipitately to the river and woods between three and 400 of men were killed and wounded their baggage, artillery, arms, and ammunition were lost and the prisoners and stores they had taken were recovered this advantage was gained with the loss of only nine men killed and six wounded two vedettes had been placed by Sumter and the road along which Tarleton had advanced two fired upon his van and killed one of his dragoons upon which they were both sabred we are informed by Colonel Tarleton that the inquiries made by Sumter respecting the two shots were answered by an assurance from an officer just returned from the advanced sentries that the militia were firing at cattle August 19th, intelligence of this disaster reached Charlotte next day General Smallwood and Jist were then arrived at that place in about 150 straggling dispirited and half-famished officers and soldiers had also dropped in it was not advisable to retreat immediately to Salisbury from that place General Gates directed the remnant of the troops to march to Hillsborough where he was endeavoring to assemble another army which might enable him yet to contend for the southern states End of chapter six