Battle at Camden. Lord Cornwallis, hearing that general Gates was approaching Camden, repaired to that place to reinforce lord Rawdon. The two armies met on the 16th of August, and a fevere action ensued. The American militia fled at the first fire, and could not be rallied; the regular American troops fought with great bravery, but were at last overcome and retreated, leaving their artillery, waggons, and two thoufand ftands of arms. The lofs of the Americans was seven or eight hundred men, among whom was the baron de Kalbe, a Pruffian, and the fecond officer in command. The British lofs was three or four hundred men. The next day colonel Tarleton was detached to attack general Sumpter, who lay at Fishing Creek, with a confiderable body of troops. Such was the celerity of Tarleton's movements, that he furprized general Sumpter, cut off his men from their arms, routed, killed and dispersed the whole party. General Gates, with the feeble remains of his army, retreated to Hillsborough, in North-Carolina. 87. Condition of the Carolinas, and the excurfion to: Springfield. During the war in the fouthern ftates, the inhabitants were in a condition of extreme diftrefs. The patriots were profcribed, and their eftates fequeftered by the British commander. The country was overrun and exhaufted of provifions; and inveterate hoftilities were carried on between neighbors and former friends who had efpoufed different fides of the difpute. A large party of royalifts, headed by major Ferguson and encamped on the confines of North Carolina, were attacked and most of them flain or taken prifoners by a band of patriotic vol-unteers.. Lord Cornwallis, by the fickness of his troops, and the fevere lofs of men at Camden, was obliged to remain inactive.. General Sumpter collected a body of volunteers, and continued to harrass the enemy and intercept their convoys.. During thefe operations in Carolina, a body of five thousand troops, under a Heffian general, paffed into New Jersey, burnt a number of houfes at Con necticut Farms, and the prefbyterian church. In this ex Gurfion, the wife of Mr. Caldwell, a refpectable clergy man, was hot as fhe fat with a child in her arms, in her own house. The enemy advanced to Springfield, a confiderable part of which they burnt, but met with fuch fe. vere resistance from a fmall force under general Green, that they returned to New-York. 88. Finances of the United States. There being no conftitutional government, when the war began, and no power to tax the confederated colonies, the congrefs adopted the expedient of defraying the expenfes of the war, by means of bills of credit. One emiffion after another was uíhered into circulation, and none of it recalled by taxes, till fuch a quantity was emitted that its value depreciated to one fortieth part, and ultimately to one hundreth part of its nominal value-that is, it required one hundred dollars in paper, to purchase one dollar in fpecie. With this paper was the army paid. The foldiers had long been difcontented, thus to lose their wages, whilst serving their country; and in 1780, their murmurs ripened into open mutiny. But the punishment of the ringleaders and the expoftulations of the officers, prevailed to bring them back to their duty. 89. Arrival of a French Squadron. In July, 1780, arrived at Newport, a French fleet under monfieur de Ternay, confifting of seven ships of the line, with frigates, and fix thousand land forces commanded by general Rochambeau. The troops were landed, and the fortifications made ftrong. This gave new life to the American councils and arms; the army was reinforced, and dispofitions made to ftrike an effectual blow.. But fuddenly the French fleet left the harbor and returned to France, without giving the leaft notice to General Washington ; fo that all hopes of naval affistance vanished. The land forces remained and co-operated in the final reduction of the British forces in America; but general Washington was extremely angry and difappointed at the conduct of the French commander. 90. Arnold's Treachery. During these affairs, a plot of immenfe danger was happily discovered. General Armold, after his wounds had in a manner disabled him, was appointed to a command in Philadelphia; where his op preffive and overbearing meafures had provoked a fevere inquiry into his conduct. A committee, appointed by congrefs to examin his accounts, had rejected many of them as unjust; and his fevere invectives, on the occa fion, and the charges against him, bad fubjected him to a trial by court martial, by which he was fentenced to be reprimanded. By thefe proceedings, Arnold was greatly exafperated, and he determined on revenge. General Washington ftill valued him for his bravery and his former military services, and intrufted him with the chief command at the important poft at Weftpoint. He took that opportunity to carry on a negociation with the British commander at New-York, for the furrender of the poft into the hands of the enemy. 91. Detection of the Plot. For the purpose of concerting all the requifite measures, major Andre, adjutant general of the British army, proceeded to Weftpoint in disguise, where he took plans of the fortreffes and agreed upon the time and manner of attack.-He then received a paffport from Arnold, and fet out on his return to NewYork, under the name of Anderfon. He had passed all the out pofts of the American army, when riding along the road in Tarrytown, he was ftopped by three militia men, who were on a scouting party. Major Andre, alarmed for his fafety, offered his watch and a purse of gold, for permiffion to proceed, but the men refused the bribe, and feized him. The papers found in his boot evidenced his guilt, and he was condemned and executed. Every effort was made by the British commander in New-York to obtain his release; but in vain. His life was forfeited by the laws of war. His fortitude and amiable deportment however endeared him to the officers of the American army, who regretted the neceffity of his fate. 92. General Arnold's Escape. The news of the seizure of Andre, foon reached the ears of general Arnold, who leaving his family and effects, immediately fled and went on board the Vulture, a floop of war, which the British commander had ftationed near the American lines, for the purpose of carrying on the negociation. General Washington arrived in camp from Connecticut, just after Arnold had made his escape; and found the affairs of the garrifon in diforder. He received a letter from Arnold requesting that his wife might be treated with refpect, and fuffered to join him, or return to Philadelphia, and also that his baggage might be fent to him-which requests were granted. Arnold received the reward of his treason, and the commiffion of brigadier-general in the British army. He then iffued a paper explaining the motives of his conduct, and had the impudence to publifh an addrefs to the American army, inviting officers and foldiers to betray their country; but without the lealt fuccefs. 93. Operations in Carolina in the Winter of 1780-81.In the autumn of 1780, general Green, an excellent officer, was appointed to the command of the American forces in Carolina. He was accompanied by colonel Morgan, an active officer, who commanded a body of rifle men. The first action, after this appointment, was fought at the Cowpens, where colonel Morgan was attacked by colonel Tarleton, who had the advantage of numbers. Colonel Morgan placed a body of militia in front of a wood, while his best troops were drawn up in the rear and out of fight. The firft line gave way, and as Tarleton pursued them, the other line opened to let his men advance, until they were placed between two fires, when a deadly discharge from Morgan's troops threw the enemy into ir recoverable diforder. The enemy. loft three hundred men killed and five hundred prifoners. The lofs of the Amer icans was twelve men killed and fixty wounded. 94. Battle near Guilford Court-Houfe. After the disafler at the Cowpens, lord Cornwallis determined to inter-. cept colonel Morgan, and retake the prifoners, but a hea vy rain during the night, fwelled the rivers fo as to pre vent his defign. To enable his troops to march with more celerity, he deftroyed all his heavy baggage. At length general Green joined colonel Morgan, with additional forces, and lord Gornwallis, having collected his troops, the armies met near the court-houfe in Guilford. E The action was fought, on the 15th of March 1781. · The Americans amounted to between 4 and 5 thousand men, but mostly militia or inexperienced foldiers. The British force confifted of about half the number of veterans. The battle was fought with great bravery and effect; for although lord Cornwallis remained master of the field, his loffes, in a country where he could not recruit his army, had the effect of a defeat, His lofs was more than five hundred men. That of the Americans could not be lefs. 95. Subfequent Operations. Lord Cornwallis not being able to pursue his advantages, general Green marched to Camden, where lord Rawdon was fortified, with nine hundred men. The British commander fallied out and attacked him; victory for fome time hung in fufpenfe; but the retreat of two companies, gave the British the advantage. The lofs on each fide was between two and three hundred men. General Green did not remain inactive-a number of posts, in different parts of the country, fell fucceffively into his power, with fupplies of military fores. General Green laid fiege to Ninety Six, a ftrong poft, but lord Rawdon, with a reinforcement, advancing to its relief, general Green attempted to take it by ftorm. But the attempt failed, with the lofs of one hundred and fifty men. 96. Battle at the Eutaw Springs. Many fkirmishes and movements took place in the fummer of 1781; but on the 19th of September, general Green, with about two thousand men, attacked colonel Stewart, at the Eutaw Springs. After a fevere fire between advanced parties, the action became general, and the militia gave way.General Green then ordered the regular troops of the Maryland and Virginia lines, to advance with trailed arms, and make a free use of the bayonet. A shower of mufketry and a fevere cannonade made no confiderable impre lion on this body-they attacked the enemy and won the victory. Five hundred men were taken prifoners, and the whole lofs of the British was estimated at eleven hundred. Colonel Washington, bravely advancing |