ཝཱ 1781. the plans of the British ministry. They afterward landed on the 15th and marched to Smithfield; and from thence they proceeded to Portsmouth by land. Here Arnold took poft, and began to fortify by the 20th, as the militia were collecting apace, under baron Steuben, generals Nelfon, Weedon and Muhlenburgh: but it was the unhappiness of the state to be deftitute of arms, and (by bad management) of almost every thing else neceffary for defence. Gen. Washington laid a plan for catching Arnold and his detachment, which was serviceable, though unsuccessful in the main point. The general was the more eager in it, having been confirmed by letters found on board captured veffels, in the intelligence he had before received of a British project, to make a lasting establishment in Virginia. Four ships of the British fleet, which had been lying for fome time Jan. 22. in Gardener's-bay, failed on the 22d as far eastward as Narraganset-bay. A gale of wind and a very thick fnow coming on at night, the Culloden was totally loft, and the Bedford difmafted, each carrying 74 guns. No fooner did the general receive a certain account of the fame, than he put in motion, under the command of the marquis de la Fayette, 1200 light infantry, as large a part of his small force as he could, with prudence, detach to Virginia. He at the fame time intimated to count de Rochambeau the poffibility and importance of improving the opportunity in an attempt upon Arnold; and requested of him and the chevalier d'Eftouches (to whom the command of the French fleet had devolved upon the death of adm. Ternay) to fend the whole fleet, and a detachment of their land force to the Chefapeak. Instead of the whole, a part only of the fleet was was fent; the Eveillie a 64 gun fhip, and two frigates, 1781. under the command of Monf. Tilly. They failed from Newport on the 9th of February, with orders to go to the Chesapeak, and attempt the deftruction of the Britifh fhips there, and the frigates that protected them. They returned on the 25th without accomplishing the object of their miffion, through the precaution taken by the enemy. They however took or destroyed ten veffels, and brought to Newport the Romulus of 44 guns, which they captured at the entrance of the bay. Waihington, defirous of stopping the progrefs of the enemy in Virginia, proceeded to Newport, that he might difcourse with the French commanders on the measures proper to be pursued. He went firft on board d'Eftouches' fhip in the forenoon of March the 6th, where Rochambeau met him. It was agreed that d'Eftouches fhould fail immediately; and that Rochambeau fhould fend on board the men of war, a detachment of the army under the baron de Viomeuil. After fpending an hour or two on board, Washington and Rochambeau landed at Newport about one o'clock. The neceffary measures were taken to expedite the fleet: but instead of failing the next day when the wind was as favorable for the French, and as adverse to the British as it could blow, they were delayed 24 hours for want of fupplies. They failed on Thursday evening the 8th of March. They were followed on the Saturday by the British from Gardener's bay under adm. Arbuthnot, who made fuch expedition as to intercept them off Cape Henry on the 16th. The two fleets were well poifed in point of strength, the fuperiority of a few guns on the fide of the British, being counterbalanced by the greater number Mar. 8. 16. 1781. the capitulation; and received for anfwer," that if he and his troops did not lay down their arms within twenty minutes, and furrender themselves prifoners of war, at the expiration of that time, they might be certain of an attack." Pierson was punctual to his word; and made an affault on the town in all acceffible parts with fuch impetuofity, that the enemy were driven rapidly upon the centre of their force in the market place, where the action was foon decided; for Rullecourt being mortally wounded, the next in command feeing the hopelessness of their fituation, requefted the lieut. governor to refume his authority, and to accept of their furrender aş prifoners of war. The fatisfaction arifing from fo fudden a deliverance, and so brave an exertion, was damped by the fall of major Pierfon, who was fhot through the heart in the inftant of victory. The extraordinary military abilities displayed by fo young an officer (for he was only five and twenty) rendered his death an object of general regret. During the engagement the redoubt was retaken with fixed bayonets, and without firing a fhot, by the grenadiers of the 83d regiment. Thus the whole French party, amounting to near 800, were either killed or taken. Feb. 5. On the 24th of January, lord George Gordon was privately taken from the Tower to Westminster-hall, arraigned, and ordered to prepare for trial on Monday the 5th of February. When he came to be tried, though the crowd was very large, order was observed, and there was no mischief or violence. About five the next morning he was acquitted. On the news of his acquittal, there were rejoicings and illuminations at Glafgow, Paifley, Dunbar, Montrofe, Brechin, and a 3 great great number of other towns and villages in Scotland. The proteftant affociation at Glasgow made a fubfcription of several hundred pounds, toward defraying his lordfhip's expences. It has been fuggested, that government did not wish to convict his lordship for fear of offending too many of the Scots. The garrifon and inhabitants of Gibraltar, having received no fupplies of provifion from Great Britain fince the beginning of the preceding year, nor from the Barbary fhores, nor the moft diftant coafts of Africa, were reduced to extreme diftrefs. The governor, ever fince October, made a reduction of a quarter of a pound from each man's daily allowance of bread. Their meat was reduced to a pound and a half in the week, and at length was scarcely eatable, The inhabitants had to pay for bad fhip biscuit, full of worms, a fhilling a pound; the fame for flour in no better condition; eighteen pence for falt, the fweepings of fhips bottoms and storehouses; half a crown for old Irish falt butter; and the fame for the worst brown fugar, When the arrival of the veffels from the Mediterranean opened a market for fresh provisions, turkies fold for 31, 12s. a piece; fucking pigs at two guineas; ducks at half a guinea; and small hens at nine fhillings. A guinea was refused for a calf's pluck; and one pound feven fhillings for an oxhead. The intereft and honor of Great Britain were deeply engaged in the timely relief of that fortrefs. It was accordingly one of the first objects of government in the commencement of the year; and the grand fleet under the conduct of adms. Darby, Digby, and Sir J. Lockhart Ross, was fitted out early for this fervice: but only 28 fail of the line could be fpared, The French had, F 4 1781. 1781. had, at the fame time, a fleet little inferior either in 13. 12. number or force, nearly ready for fea at Brest. Mar. The British fleet failed with the great Eaft and Weft India convoys: but met with a delay on the coast of Ireland, in waiting for the victuallers from Corke, which were to proceed with them to Gibraltar. The East and West India convoys having proceeded on their respective voyages, the British fleet with 97 tranfports, ftorefhips and victuallers, arrived off Cadiz before the middle of April April. April. Don Cordova with the Spanish fleet, had put into the harbour; and adm. Darby having explored the fame, forwarded the convoy to Gibraltar, with some men of war and frigates to cover them, while he cruised with the main body of the fleet off the Streights mouth to watch the enemy. The Spaniards had been for fome time employed in constructing a number of gun and bomb boats. The gun boats carried each a long 26 pounder, which threw fhot further than any fhip's guns could reach. This force was rendered ftill more dangerous by the addition of the bomb boats upon a fimilar conftruction. With these they cannonaded and bombarded the British fhips every morning, till the wind, at its ftated hour, began to spring up, when they fled and were pursued in vain. But they failed in their grand object, and no material damage was done to any part of the shipping. Nothing could be more grievous to Spain than this relief. She feems to have fet her heart fo entirely on the recovery of Gibraltar, as not to have had another object in the war. The whole naval and military force of the kingdom, and its resources of every fort, appear to have been directed mainly to that fingle point. These various |