of June, when an attack was made with rendezvous near the same place. The Britabout one thousand two hundred Americans, ish were equally diligent in preparing for on six or seven hundred of the British, ad- their defence; great numbers were employed vantageously posted at Stono Ferry. The both by day and night, in strengthening and latter had redoubts, with a line of commu- extending their lines. The American mili nication, and field-pieces in the intervals, tia, flushed with the hope of speedily exand the whole was secured with an abatis. pelling the British from their southern posBy a preconcerted plan, a feint was to have sessions, turned out with an alacrity which been made from James Island, with a body far surpassed their exertions in the preceding of Charlestown militia, at the moment when campaign. D'Estaing, before the arrival of general Lincoln began the attack from the Lincoln, demanded the surrender of the town main; but from mismanagement, they did to the arms of France. Prevost in his annot reach their place of destination till the swer declined surrendering on a general action was over. The attack was continued summons, and requested that specific terms for an hour and twenty minutes, and the should be proposed, to which he would giv assailants had the advantage; but the ap- an answer. The count replied, that it wa pearance of a reinforcement, to prevent the part of the besieged to propose terms. which the feint from James Island was in- Prevost then asked for a suspension of hostended, made their retreat necessary. tilities, for twenty-four hours, for preparing Soon after the affair. at Stono, the conti- proper terms. This was inconsiderately nental forces under the command of general granted. Before the twenty-four hours Lincoln retired to Sheldon, a healthy situa- elapsed, lieutenant-colonel Maitland, with tion in the vicinity of Beaufort. Both ar- several hundred men who had been stationed mies remained in their respective encamp-at Beaufort, made their way good through ments, till the arrival of a French fleet on many obstacles, and joined the royal army the coast roused the whole country to imme- in Savannah. The garrison, encouraged by diate activity.

OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH FLEET. COUNT D'ESTAING having repaired and victualled his fleet at Boston, on the third of November 1778 sailed for the West Indies; and on the same day commodore Ho tham, with five men-of-war, a bomb vessel, and some frigates, set out from New-York to convoy a number of transports with general Grant, and five thousand men, to the same theatre of naval operations.

the arrival of so respectable a force, determined on resistance. The French and Americans, who formed a junction the evening after, were therefore reduced to the necessity of storming or besieging the garrison. The resolution of proceeding by siege being adopted, several days were consumed in preparing for it, and in the mean time the works of the garrison were hourly strengthened by the labor of several hundred negroes. The besiegers on the fourth of October opened On the thirtieth of December the British with nine mortars, thirty-seven pieces of took St. Lucia, and count D'Estaing took cannon from the land-side, and fifteen from St. Vincent's and Grenada. Soon after the the water. Soon after the commencement reduction of the latter, the count retired to of the cannonade, Prevost solicited for leave Cape François. Having, in July 1779, re- to send the women and children out of the ceived instructions from the king his master, town; but this was refused. The combined to act in concert with the forces of the army suspected that a desire of secreting United States, and being strongly solicited the plunder, lately taken from the South by general Lincoln, president Lowndes, gov- Carolinians, was covered under the veil of ernor Rutledge, and Mr. Plombard, consul humanity. It was also presumed that a reof France in Charlestown, he sailed for the fusal would expedite a surrender. On a reAmerican continent with expectation of ren- port from the engineers that a considerable dering essential service in operating against time would be necessary to reduce the gar the common enemy. On the first of Sep- rison by regular approaches, it was detertember he arrived on the coast of Georgia, mined to make an assault. This measure with a fleet consisting of twenty sail of the was forced on count D'Estaing by his marine line, two of fifty guns, and eleven frigates. officers, who had remonstrated against his His appearance was so unexpected, that the continuing to risk so valuable a fleet on a Experiment man-of-war, of fifty guns, com- dangerous coast, in the hurricane season, and manded by Sir James Wallace, and three at so great a distance from the shore, that it frigates, fell into his hands. might be surprised by a British fleet, comSIEGE OF SAVANNAH RAISED. pletely repaired and fully manned. In a few As soon as his arrival on the coast was days the lines of the besiegers might have known, general Lincoln, with the army un- been carried into the works of the besieged; der his command, marched for the vicinity but under these critical circumstances, no of Savannah, and orders were given for the farther delay could be admitted. To assault militia of Georgia and South Carolina to or raise the siege was the alternative; pru

dence would have dictated the latter, but a were also at the same place forty sailors on sense of honor determined the besiegers to board of five British vessels, four of which adopt the former. Two feints were made were armed. All these men, together with with the country militia, and a real attack the vessels and one hundred and thirty stand on Spring-Hill battery early in the morning of arms, were surrendered to colonel White, of the ninth of October, with three thousand captain Elholm, and four others, one of which five hundred French troops, six hundred con- was the colonel's servant. On the preceding tinentals, and three hundred of the inhabit-night this small party kindled a number of ants of Charlestown. These boldly marched fires in different places, and adopted the up to the lines, under the command of D'Es- parade of a large encampment. By these taing and Lincoln; but a heavy and well- and a variety of deceptive stratagems, capdirected fire from the batteries, and a cross tain French was fully impressed with an fire from the galleys, threw the front of their opinion that nothing but an instant surrencolumns into confusion. Two standards der, in conformity to a peremptory summons, were nevertheless planted on the British could save his men from being cut to pieces redoubts. A retreat of the assailants was by a superior force. He therefore gave up ordered, after they had stood the enemy's without making any resistance. fire for fifty-five minutes. Count D'Estaing This visit of the French fleet to the coast and count Pulaski were both wounded; the of America, though unsuccessful as to its former slightly, but the latter mortally. Six main object, was not without utility to the hundred and thirty-seven of the French, and United States. It disconcerted the measures upwards of two hundred of the continentals already digested by the British commanders, and militia, were killed or wounded. Gene- and caused a considerable waste of time beral Prevost, lieutenant-colonel Maitland, and fore they could determine on a new plan of major Moncrief, deservedly acquired great operations, It also occasioned the evacuareputation by this successful defence. The tion of Rhode-Island. But this was of no force of the garrison was between two and advantage to the United States; for the three thousand, of which about one hundred greatest blunder committed by the British in and fifty were militia. The damage sus- the course of the American war, was their tained by the besieged was trifling, as they stationing near six thousand men, for two fired from behind works, and few of the as- years and eight months, on that island, where sailants fired at all. Immediately after this they were lost to every purpose of co-operaunsuccessful assault, the militia, almost uni- tion, and where they could render very little versally, went to their homes. Count D'Es- more service to the royal cause, than could taing reimbarked his troops and artillery, have been obtained by two frigates cruising and left the continent. in the vicinity.

BRITISH SETTLEMENTS IN AFRICA
CAPTURED.

WHITE'S REMARKABLE EXPLOIT. WHILE the siege of Savannah was pending, a remarkable enterprise was effected by DURING these transactions in America, the colonel John White of the Georgia line. British settlements on the coast of Africa, Captain French had taken post with about Senegal, and the forts on the river Gambia, one hundred men near the river Ogechee, were taken by a French squadron, under M. some time before the siege began. There de Lauzur.

CHAPTER XVI.

Alarm from the appearance of the combined Fleet off the Coast-Irish VolunteersProceedings of the Irish Parliament-Depredations of Paul Jones-Takes the Serapis-Engagement between the Quebec and Surveillante-Secret enmity between the States-General and the English Cabinet-Meeting of Parliament-Debates on the Address-Debates on Irish Affairs-On Expenses of the War-—Associations and Petitions from York, &c.—Mr. Burke's Plan of Economical Regulation-Progress of Mr. Burke's Bill-Celebrated Vote on the Influence of the Crown-Riots in London-Siege of Gibraltar-Admiral Langara defeated by Rodney-Charlestown taken-Impolitic Proceedings of the English in Carolina-Americans rally-Gates defeated-Distresses of Americans—Arrival of Rochambeau-Defection of General Arnold-André executed as a Spy.

FRENCH FLEET ON THE ENGLISH

COAST.-IRISH AFFAIRS

permitted to treat the agents of America with arrogance and rudeness, even upon oc

THE summer of 1779 did not pass with-casions where humanity was interested, he out considerable alarm, even in England. A continued to transmit to his masters the junction was formed between the French most unequivocal assurances of the pacific and Spanish fleets immediately after the designs of France. Lulled into this dream delivery of the Spanish memorial. They of security, therefore, the ministry had withentered the channel in the month of Au- drawn almost the whole of the troops from gust, with sixty-five ships of the line, ac- Ireland, and the country was left defencecompanied by a number of frigates and fire- less to any invader. Thus apparently abanships. Sir Charles Hardy, who commanded doned by England, the Irish, at this formidathe channel-fleet, found himself in no con-ble crisis, acted with an energy which redition to contend with an enemy which was flects upon them the highest honor. Military greatly his superior in force, and was under associations were formed in every part of the necessity of retiring, while the enemy's the kingdom, and an army of fifty thousand flag rode triumphant on the British coasts. volunteers started up at once, as by a miraAs the port and harbor of Plymouth had cle, like the armed men of Cadmus, well been unaccountably neglected by the minis- appointed and completely disciplined. try who unhappily presided over the affairs undoubtedly occurred to the leaders of the of this country at that period, the greatest Irish nation, in favoring this arrangement, apprehensions were entertained for its safety. that the same men who might be useful to The count D'Orvilliers, the commander, defend the country from foreign attacks, was, however, ignorant either of the weak- might also serve to reclaim their own liberness of the place, or of the little force which ties; but this was a consideration too refined England was able to bring against them. In for the undiscriminating faculties of the their cruise, they captured the Ardent man- English ministry; and instead of counterof-war, of sixty-four guns, but attempted no acting this rising spirit, they virtually enfarther enterprise; and by their return to couraged it, and even furnished several of Brest, relieved the English nation from that the corps with arms from the royal magacloud of apprehension by which their po-zines. On the return of the combined fleet litical atmosphere had been obscured. to Brest, the apprehensions of the Irish sub

It

While all was consternation and dismay sided, but the volunteers did not disband: in England, the Irish nation, happily for and the effect of this extraordinary combithemselves and their posterity, were acting nation was soon apparent in the proceedings a more spirited, and, as it afterwards proved, of their parliament, which met on the twelfth a more politic part, though the danger was of October.-An amendment was then carcertainly more imminent to them than to ried on the address proposed by ministry, inthe inhabitants of this island. To the ab- sisting on a free trade; the thanks of both surd and frantic crusade against American houses were voted to the volunteers, and a liberty, the incompetent ministers of George six months' money-bill passed, to prevent a III. had sacrificed every other consideration; premature prorogation. and while the clouded faculties of lord Stor- PAUL JONES-NAVAL ACTIONS. mont had been completely diverted by the THE empty triumph of the combined fleet finesse of the French court from their real was not the only instance in this campaign, designs; he had wrapped himself up in his in which the naval pride of Britain was morown importance; and satisfied with being tified. Among a number of adventurers,

which the desire of plunder called into ac- from some other accident, a cartridge of tion, on the side of the Americans, in this powder was set on fire, the flames of which, unfortunate war, one of the most remarka- running from cartridge to cartridge, at last ble, both for courage and conduct, was Paul blew up the whole of the people and officers Jones. He is said to have been by birth an on the main deck, rendering also the guns Englishman, and being bred to the sea, con- unserviceable on that part of the ship. At tinued, the greater part of his life, in an in- ten o'clock, the enemy called out for quarter, ferior station on that element. Having ar- and said they had struck: but on captain rived, by what means we are not informed, Pearson inquiring into the truth of this cirto the command of a small privateer in the cumstance, and no answer being made, he service of the American States, in the pre- determined to board the enemy. On looking ceding summer he had swept the whole into her, however, they discovered a supeIrish channel, and had even effected a land-rior number with pikes, ready to receive ing at lord Selkirk's house in Scotland, not them, on which they instantly retreated into far from Dumfries. On his return to France, their own ship. The firing was then conhe was furnished by some American and tinued on both sides till half an hour after French adventurers with a larger vessel, ten, when the frigate coming across the stern which, in company with two others, appear- of the Serapis, poured a broadside into her; ed off the coast of Scotland in the month of after which the captain finding it impractiSeptember 1779. They steered directly up cable to continue the engagement any longer the Frith of Forth, and on the 17th were struck his colors; the main-mast coming by nearly opposite to Leith. His intention was the board at the same instant. The consupposed to have been to burn or destroy the quering vessel was in such distress that she shipping in that harbor, but he was prevent- sunk the next night.

ed from attempting anything by a strong In the month following another very deswest wind, which drove him down the Frith. perate action took place. Captain Farmer Proper precautions were also taken to pre- of his majesty's ship Quebec, being on a vent his repeating the attempt with any cruise off Ushant, in company with the Ramprobability of success. In one day, three bler cutter, came up with, and closely enbatteries were erected; two at the citadel gaged, a large French frigate called the in North Leith, and one near Newhaven, Surveillante, mounting forty guns; while on which were mounted thirty cannon, be- the Rambler was engaged with a French sides carronades, howitzers, &c. Several cutter as superior in force as the French prizes, however, were taken, some of which, frigate was to the Quebec. The action on after being plundered, were set adrift. From both sides was warm and bloody, from ten in this coast, our adventurer sailed directly to the morning till two in the afternoon, when that of Holland, where he fell in with the the French cutter set all the sail she could Serapis and Countess of Scarborough. A crowd, and bore away; but the Rambler bedreadful engagement ensued, the particulars ing so disabled in her mast and rigging, of which are thus related by captain Pear- could not follow her with any hopes of comson, of the Serapis: the enemy's squadron ing up with her. The commander, thereconsisted of two frigates and a two-decked fore, seeing both the frigates dismasted, and ship. About twenty minutes after seven, the Quebec taking fire, endeavored to get the largest ship brought to within musket- as near the Quebec as possible, in hopes of shot, and an engagement immediately com-saving some of her men; but there being menced, which was carried on with the ut- but little wind and a large swell, no other most fury. The enemy at first endeavored assistance could be afforded than by hoisting to board the Serapis; but being repulsed, out the boat, which picked up one master's after various manoeuvres, the two ships be- mate, two young midshipmen, and fourcame entangled with each other in such a teen more of the Quebec's people, the enemanner, that the muzzles of the guns touch-my's frigate at the same time firing at the ed each other's sides. In this situation the boat. The Quebec continued burning very engagement continued for two hours, during fiercely, with her colors flying, till six o'clock, which time, from the great quantity of burn- when she blew up.

ing matter thrown into the Serapis, she was As Paul Jones had brought his prizes into on fire in different places no less than ten the Texel, Sir Joseph Yorke, with the same or twelve times, nor could it be extinguish-wisdom that characterized the rest of the ed without the utmost difficulty; at the administration, presented a memorial to the same time that she was raked in the most States of Holland, demanding the surrender dreadful manner by the frigate, fore and aft, of him as a pirate. The States, with their so that almost every man on the quarter and usual prudence, declined all interference in main-decks was killed or wounded. About the disputed question of American indepenhalf past nine, either from a hand-grenade, dence. But their refusal on this occasion is thrown in at one of the lower deck-ports, or generally supposed to have implanted the

seeds of enmity deeply in the minds of the the state of Ireland had been attended to, it British cabinet, and to have determined a was recommended to consider what further ministry, which appears to have been uni- benefits and advantages might be extended formly actuated by no principle but that of to that kingdom. The usual regret was exa puerile revenge, to embrace the first op- pressed for the unavoidable increase of the portunity of a rupture with the States- supplies: but no notice whatever was taken general. of the affairs of America, or the West InPrevious to the meeting of parliament, a dies, or any part of the campaign. partial change took place in the administra- The motions for addresses, in both houses, tion. Lord Stormont, who had evinced such produced great debates, in which opposition profound diplomatic abilities during his em- delivered their sentiments with unusual conbassy to Paris, and who had been so correct fidence, and pointed their censures with and early in his information to ministers of great skill. They reprobated that ruinous the proceedings of the court of Versailles, system of government which had debilitated was promoted to the office of secretary of and disgraced this country, and which was state in the room of the earl of Suffolk, de- particularly aggravated by its support from ceased. Lord Weymouth resigned, as was a secret combination. The influence of this supposed in disgust, and was succeeded in combination was visible in every departhis department by the earl of Hillsborough. ment of our executive services, and had alEarl Bathurst was made president of the tered the character both of our armies and council in the room of earl Gower, who also navies; and the futility of our councils seemwas supposed to resign in disgust; and the ed to vie with the contempt bestowed by all great seal was transferred to the hands of the world on our arms.

Mr. Thurlow, late attorney-general, but who The general terror which the parade of on the occasion was, as usual, created a peer, the combined fleets of France and Spain in by the title of baron Thurlow; he was cer- the channel had this year occasioned throughtainly a man of ability, but his talents by all out the southern coasts of England, added parties have been greatly overrated. fresh force to the objections of opposition.

Some offence was taken by the people of It was reserved, said they, for the present Scotland at the act which had been passed inauspicious and disgraceful era, for the adin favor of the Roman Catholics, and some ministration of those men who had severed alarming riots ensued at Edinburgh and the one part of the empire from the other, Glasgow, in which the mass-houses were and who had plunged the nation in all the pulled down, as well as several dwelling-guilt and calamity of a cruel and unextinhouses. These, however, were only the guishable civil war, to brand this country preludes to the melancholy scene, which we shall have presently to describe. PARLIAMENT MEETS-VIOLENT DE

BATES.

with the indelible disgrace of the preceding summer, to exhibit the unthought-of and unheard-of spectacle, of a British fleet flying, in sight of their own coast, before that of the house of Bourbon.

THE British parliament assembled on the twenty-fifth of November.-His majesty, in Besides this grand article of accusation, his speech to the two houses, began with the neglect of the island of Jersey afforded the usual complaints concerning the unjust another, very little inferior. Through the and unprovoked war, in which the nation want, they said, of two or three frigates, of was engaged, and the dangerous confederacy that small marine force which would have formed against the crown and people of been then sufficient to repel the desultory Great Britain. By the blessing of Provi- attempts to be expected from St. Maloes, dence, he said, the attempts of the enemy to admiral Arbuthnot was obliged to abandon invade the kingdom had been frustrated; his convoy, and to defer his voyage to Newand though they still continued to menace York. By that means a fleet of three hunus with great armaments and preparations, dred merchantmen and transports were ex-"I know," added his majesty, "the char-posed to the danger of the sea and the eneacter of my brave people; the menaces of my in the open road of Torbay; the trade their enemies, and the approach of danger, was detained a full month at home, and sufhave no effect on their minds, but to animate fered at least an equal delay on the voyage, their courage, and to call forth that national to the immense loss and expense of the merspirit which has so often checked and de- chant; and the reinforcements for Sir Henry feated the projects of ambition and injustice, Clinton, which, to answer any effectual purand enabled the British fleets and armies to pose, should have been landed at New-York protect their own country, to vindicate their before the time of their departure from Engown rights, and at the same time to uphold land, did not reach the continent of America and preserve the liberties of Europe from until the end of August, when the season the restless and encroaching power of the for action was nearly over, and the troops house of Bourbon." After observing that had suffered so much from the unusual