impression; so that D'Estaing resolved to bor bard the town, and a battery of nine mortars was erected for that purpose.

The allied commanders, from motives of policy, refused general Prevost's request to permit the women and children to retire to a place of safety, and they resolved to make a general assault. This was attempted on the ninth of October; but the assailants were every where repulsed with great slaughter; one thousand two hundred were killed and wounded; among the first was Count Pulaski, one of the conspirators against the king of Poland, and among the latter was D'Estaing himself.

This defeat entirely overthrew the sanguine hopes of the French and Americans; after waiting eight' days longer, the allied forces retreated; the French to their shipping, and the Americans to Carolina. About this time Sir George Collier was sent with a fleet, having general Matthews and a body of land forces on board, to Virginia. Their first attempt was against the town of Portsmouth, where the British troops carried off twenty vessels with an immense quantity of provisions, designed for general Washington's army, together with a variety of naval and military stores: at the same time and place were burnt one hundred and twenty vessels, after which the British rewed to New York with little or no loss.

The successful issue of this expedition, encouraged them to undertake another. The Americans had erected two strong forts on the Hudson river, the one at Verplank's neck on the east, and the other at Stoney point on the west side; these were likely to be of the utmost service to the Americans, as they commanded the principal pass called King's ferry, between the northern and southern colonies. The force employed upon this occasion, was divided into two bodies, one of which was directed against Verplank's under the command of general Vaughen, the latter by general Patterson, while the shipping was under the direction of Sir George Collier. General Vaughan met with no resistance; the enemy abandoned their works at is approach, but at Stoney point, a vigorous defence was made. The garrison, notwithstanding was obliged to capitulate, but upon honourable conditions. General Clinton desirous to secure the possession of this last removed from

his former situation, and encamped in such a manner, that general Washington could not give any assistance.

The Americans, however, revenged themselves of the British by distr ssing the trade of New York, by their numerous privateers. These privateers were chiefly built and harboured in Connecticut; an expedition therefore, under the command of governor Tryon, and general Garth, an officer of known valour and experience, was undertaken under a convoy of a considerable number of armed vessels ; they landed at New Haven, where they destroyed the batteries that had been erected to oppose them, besides a number of shipping and naval stores; but as the inhabitants did not fire upon the troops from the houses, the buildings in town were spared.

From New Haven they proceeded to Fairfield, which they reduced to ashes. Norwalk was next attacked, and afterwards Greenfield, à small sea-port in the neighbourhood, both of which were burnt.

These successes were alarming, as well as detrimental to the Americans, so that general Washington was determined at all events, to drive the enemy from Stoney Point. For this purpose general Wayne was sent with a detachment of chosen men, with directions to take it by surprize. After the capture of it by the British, the fortifications had been compleated and made very strong; notwithstanding the Americans passed through a heavy fire of musquetry and grape shot, and in spite of all opposition obliged the surviving part of the garrison, consisting of five hundred men, to surrender themselves prisoners of war.

The Americans did not attempt to retain possession of Stoney Point, but their success in surprizing it, encouraged them to make a similar attack on Paulus Hook, a post strongly fortified on the Jersey side opposite to New York. After having completely surprized the posts, major Lee, the American commander, finding it impossible to retain them, made an orderly retreat with about one hundred and sixty-one prisoners, among whom were seven officers.

Another expedition, and of greater importance was now undertaken by the Americans. This was against a post on the river Penobscot, on the borders of Nova Scotia, of which the British had taken possession, and where they had begun to erect a fort which threatened to be very

inconvenient to the Americans. The armament destined against it was so expeditiously fitted out, that colonel Maclane, the commanding officer at Penobscot, was obliged to content himself with putting the works already constructed, in as good a posture of defence as possible. The Americans could not effect a landing, or bring the guns of the largest vessels to bear upon the shore, without much difficulty.

As soon as this was done, they erected several batteries, and kept up a brisk fire, for the space of a fortnight; after which they proposed to give a general assault; but before this could be effected Sir George Collier with a British fleet was seen sailing up the river to attack them. On this they instantly embarked their artillery and stores, sailing up the river as far as possible, to avoid being taken. But they were so closely pursued, that not a single vessel escaped; thus the American fleet consisting of nineteen armed vessels and twenty-four transports were destroyed. The soldiers and sailors were obliged to wander through immense desarts, where they suffered much for want of provisions; and to add to their calamities a quarrel between the seamen and soldiers broke out, concerning the cause of their misfortunes; a violent affray ensued, in which a great number were killed.

Thus the arms of France and America being every where unsuccessful, the independency of the latter seemed yet to be in danger, notwithstanding the assistance of so powerful an ally.

The hopes of the Americans were again revived by the accession of Spain to the confederacy against Great Britain. The eager desire of Spain to humble Great Britain appeared to have deprived her of that cautious reserve which seems interwoven with the constitution of the Spanish government. They certainly did not consider that by establishing an independent empire so near them, their rich possessions in South America would be in danger, and open to the incursions of a powerful and enterprizing people, whenever they chose to extend their territory.

The first act of hostility against Great Britain, by the Spaniards was an invasion of West Florida, in September, 1779. They easily made themselves masters of the whole, as there was little or no opposition; the country being in

no state of defence. They next proceeded to the bay of Honduras, where the British logwood cutters were settled. These, finding themselves too weak to resist, applied to the governor of Jamaica for assistance, who sent them a supply of men, ammunition, and military stores under captain Dalrymple.

Before the arrival of this detachment, the principal settlement called St. George's Key, had been taken by the Spaniards, and retaken by the British. Captain Dalrymple in his way, fell in with a squadron from admiral Parker's fleet, in search of some register-ships richly laden; but they retreated into the harbour of Omoa, under the protection of a fort that was too strong to be attacked on the water side with safety.

A project was then formed, in conjunction with the people of Honduras, to reduce this fort; but the artillery they had with them were too light to make any impres sion. It was then determined to try the success of an escalade; and this was executed with so much spirit, that the Spaniards were so astonished that they made no resistance.

The soldiers threw down their arms and surrendered. The spoil was very great, being valued at three millions of dollars. The Spaniards chiefly lamented the loss of two hundred and fifty quintals of quick-silver, a commodity indispensably necessary in the working of their gold and silver mines; so that they offered to ransom it at any price; but this was refused: as also the ransom of the fort, notwithstanding the governor offered three hundred thousand dollars for it. A small garrison was left in it by the British, but it was soon after attacked by a formidable force, and they were obliged to evacuate it. But before they retired, they destroyed every thing that could be of use to the enemy; the guns were spiked, and they even locked the gates, and carried off the keys, in sight of the besiegers; after which the garrison embarked without the loss of a man.

The war in America was now transferred to the southern colonies, where the operations became at last decisive. Towards the end of the year 1779, sir Henry Clinton sailed from New York, with a considerable body of troops, in tended for an attack on Charleston, in South Carolina, a fleet of ships of war and transports, under the command

in

of vice-admiral Arbuthnot. After a tedious voyage, in which they suffered some losses, they arrived at the Havanna, where they endeavoured to repair the damages they had sustained during the voyage. From thence they proceeded to North Edisto, on the tenth of February, 1780. The passage thither was speedy and prosperous. The transports all entered the harbour the next day; and the army took possession of St. Johns's island about thirty miles from Charleston, without any opposition.

Preparations were immediately made for passing the squadron over Charleston bar; but no opportunity offered of going into the harbour, until the twentieth of March; when it was effected without any accident, though the American gallies continually attempted to prevent the English boats from sounding the channel.

The British troops had previously removed from St. John's to St. Jame's island; and, on the twenty-ninth of the same month, they effected their landing on Charleston neck. They broke ground on the first of April, within eight hundred yards of the American works; and, by the eighth, the guns were mounted in battery.

Admiral Arbuthnot in passing Sullivan's island, sustained a severe fire from the American batteries erected there, and suffered some damage in his rigging, twenty-seven seamen were killed and wounded, the Acetus transport, having on board some naval stores, grounded within gunshot of the island, and was so much damaged, that she was abandoned and burnt. Sir Henry Clinton and the admiral on the 10th of April, summoned the town to surrender to his majesty's arms. But general Lincoln, who commanded in Charleston, answered with a declaration of his intertion to defend the place. The batteries were then opened against the town, and after a short time, the fire from the American advanced-works abated. The troops in the town, were not sufficient in point of numbers, for defending works of such extent as those of Charleston; many of them had not been much accustomed to military ser vice, and very badly provided with clothes, and other necessaries. Supplies and reinforcements which were anxiously expected by general Lincoln from Virginia, and other places, were intercepted by Earl Cornwallis, and lieutenant colonel Tarleton. They totally defeated a body of cavalry