ligence of the habitual negligence of the garrifon, landed by night about four hundred troops, part of a much larger force which the tempeftuoufnefs of the weather had feparated, in a cove at the back of the ifland. This fpirited officer, confiding in his fortune, advanced with his troops, as foon as day-light appeared, to the citadel, which they immediately ftormed, and carried with little difficulty; and the furprise being very complete, near feven hundred men, with colonel Cockbourne their commander, were, by a moft humiliating neceffity, conftrained to surrender themselves prifoners of war. The generofity of M. de Bouillé was on this occafion, as on every other, no less confpicuous than his gallantry, forming a contraft with the conduct of the late captors, very flattering to the feelings of his countrymen. Reftitution, fo far as circumstances would permit, was immediately made to thofe unfortunate individuals who had been stripped and plundered of their property; and a declaration published, that the forces of his most christian majesty defended the island only till relieved by the troops of their high mightineffes.

On the continent of America, the war in the central colonies, though conducted by the oppofing commanders in chief, feemed to languifh, and affords fcarcely any incident worthy of hiftoric regard. Early in the present year it happened that the whole Pennfylvania line in the continental army, from caufes of diffatisfaction not well afcertained, at once revolted; and, collecting the artillery, ftores, &c. belonging to them, moved in an entire body out of the camp. General Clinton, anxious to improve to the utmoft this feeming advantage, immediately paffed over to Staten ifland with a large body of forces, and difpatched meffengers to the revolters with almost unlimited offers of pay, pardon, and protection. Thefe propofitions were not only rejected with difdain, but the mef fengers were actually delivered up by them to congrefs;

and

and having obtained a promise of the redress of grievances, they foon returned to their duty.

An expedition under the conduct of general Arnold and general Philips was foon after this undertaken into Virginia, where they signalized themselves by laying waste the country, and did much damage to the Americans by the deftruction of an immenfe quantity of provifions, merchandize, and stores depofited in different parts; and a permanent station was established at Portsmouth in order to co-operate with lord Cornwallis, whofe tranfactions to the fouthward were still carried on with spirit and success. A plan having been formed between the French and American commanders, count Rochambeau and general Wafhington, to invest the pofts occupied by general Arnold, a warm engagement took place in the month of March between admiral Arbuthnot and a French fquadron under M. Deftouches, at the entrance of the Chesapeak, in which the former obtained the advantage, and was left mafter of the navigation of the bay and in his difpatches to the admiralty, the naval commander writes, "The count Rochambeau muft feek another opportunity of vifiting Virginia-the plan of the REBEL campaign is entirely difconcerted." But the event of the campaign ill corresponded with the confidence of this prediction.

At the conclufion of the year 1780, general Gates, whofe recent difafters had obliterated the memory of his former fucceffes, was fuperfeded in his command by general Green; a man who, in military talents, appears to have been inferior to no officer employed in the fervice of the American states during this war. Early in the month of January 1781, lord Cornwallis began his march to NorthCarolina, general Green retiring at his approach beyond the Pedee, having previously detached colonel Morgan at the head of the light troops to the weftward of the Wateree, to penetrate into South Carolina and watch the motions of the English at Wynnefborough and Camden. Lord

Cornwallis,

Cornwallis, not choofing to leave fo confiderable a corps in his rear, ordered colonel Tarleton at the head of a fuperior force, and who had been hitherto uniformly fuccessful in all his enterprises, to drive Morgan from his ftation.

On the 17th of January the Americans were discovered pofted at a place called the Cowpens, near an open wood, and drawn up in two lines; the first of which consisted of militia only, the fecond of continental infantry and Virginia riflemen; and a chofen body of cavalry was pofted as a corps de referve at fome diftance in the rear. Colonel Tarleton led on the attack with his ufual impetuofity; and the American militia, as colonel Morgan had forefeen, gave way on all quarters. The British then advanced, fecure of victory, to the attack of the fecond line; and the continentals, after an obftinate conflict, retreated towards the cavalry. In the mean time the militia had formed again, agreeably to their previous orders, on the right of the continentals; and the American corps de reserve, perceiving the British troops difordered in the pursuit, now came forward to the attack-the militia and continentals at the fame time vigorously charging with fixed bayonets. Nothing could exceed the aftonishment of the British troops at these unexpected charges. The advanced corps immediately fell back, and communicated a general confufion and panic, which all the efforts of colonel Tarleton could not remedy. Such was the precipitate flight of the cavalry, that the officers, in attempting to rally their men, were overborne and carried away with the torrent; and the greatest part of the infantry, perceiving themfelves abandoned, threw down their arms and begged for quarter. The cannon, colours, and baggage waggons, with more than 700 prifoners, fell into the hands of the victors. Colonel Morgan received, as he well deferved, the thanks of the congrefs accompanied with a gold medal for this important victory, which left his antagonist deftitute of all confolation, excepting that arifing from the confciousness VOL. II.

L

of

of his own gallant perfonal exertions; and colonel Tarleton might exclaim in the language of Francis I. after the fatal defeat of Pavia, "All is loft except our honor!"

Inftead of being overwhelmed with their repeated difafters, the Americans feemed to rife with fresh courage from each misfortune. The affair of Cowpens, which so foon followed the defeat of major Fergufon, might have fufficed to deter an officer lefs enterprifing than lord Cornwallis from profecuting his bold and hazardous projects. His lordship, who in his public difpatches ftyled the defeat of Tarleton an unexpected and fevere blow, in the hope of recovering the prifoners captured at the Cowpens, and intercepting the victorious Americans, immediately marched with the greater part of his army by rapid movements in pursuit of colonel Morgan. That officer had crossed the Catawba a few hours only before the arrival of lord Cornwallis on its fouthern banks, where, by heavy rains, he was detained two or three days.

On the Ift of February, however, the paffage was found practicable; but colonel Morgan had by this time croffed the Yadkin, and effected his junction with general Green, who, on the 5th, wrote confidentially to a military corres pondent, general Huger, that he was preparing to receive the enemy's attack. "It is," fays he, "not improbable, from lord Cornwallis's pufhing difpofition and the con-. tempt he has for our army, that he may precipitate himfelf into fome capital misfortune." At length the whole American army, after croffing the Dan into Virginia, fuddenly returned into the province of North Carolina; and with powerful reinforcements took (March 14) a strong pofition near Guildford court-houfe. At day-break on the 15th, lord Cornwallas advanced to the attack of the Americans, who were formed in three lines ready to receive him. Through the mifbehavior of the North Carolina militia, who were pofted in front, the British troops foon forced their way to the fecond line compofed of Virginians, who

made

made a much better defence, and, when at length thrown into diforder, effected a good retreat. The continental troops, who formed the third line, were laft engaged; and here the conteft was long and fevere, but the British ultimately carried their point by fuperiority of numbers and difcipline. The Maryland brigade being broke, an attempt was made to turn the flank of the Americans, and to furround the continental troops; on which general. Green drew off the army, and left the field of battle, with the artillery confifting of four field pieces, to the enemy. The Americans retired in good order, and took poft behind a river three miles only from the scene of action.

This was a victory very different from that of Camden, and dearly purchased on the part of the English by the lofs of about 600 veteran troops. Instead of pursuing his advantage, his lordship found himfelf under the neceffity, in order to procure the requifite fupplies for his army, to direct his march towards Willington, situated near the mouth of Cape-Fear river, a post already occupied by a detachment of British troops, where he arrived on the 7th of April.

General Green, perceiving lord Cornwallis reduced to a ftate of reluctant inaction, immediately, by a bold and decifive manœuvre, directed his march to the fouthward, and unexpectedly attacked the important poft of Camden. This was gallantly maintained by lord Rawdon; but the furrounding stations of Fort-Motte, Orangeburg, Congarees, and Augufta, being fucceffively forced, his lordship was compelled to evacuate Camden, and retire to the fouth of the Santee. General Green then laid close fiege to the town or township of Ninety-fix, which was confidered as commanding the whole of the back country; and on the approach of lord Rawdon, who had recently received great reinforcements from England, attempted to storm the garrifon; but was repulfed with lofs, and retired with his army behind the Saluda. Being advifed by divers of