tish officer, surprised and made a furious attack upon Wayne's infantry at half an hour after one in the morning. For a few minutes they possessed themselves of his two field-pieces, which were soon recovered. The Indians knew not how to make a right improvement of the advantages they had obtained by the surprise. Meanwhile the cavalry arrived and pressed hard upon them; while Wayne exposed himself, beyond what was prudent for the chief commander, that he might reinstate matters. A smart action ensued, in which both sides fought in close quarters with swords and bayonets. The Indians displayed uncommon bravery, but having to contend with both horse and foot were completely routed. Fourteen of their number were killed, one of whom was a famous chief. The Americans had five slain and eight wounded.

The British administration having resolved upon abandoning. all offensive operations in America, the scheme of evacuating the weaker posts in the United States was adopted; and that at Savanna was to be the first. When the measure was determined upon, the merchants and others, inhabitants of the place, ob tained permission to apply to Wayne for the security and preser vation of their persons and property. He replied to their depu ties" that should the British garrison eventually effect an evacuation, the persons and properties of such inhabitants or others, who choose to remain in Savannah, will be protected by the military, and resigned inviolate into the hands of the civil authority, which must ultimately decide." The merchants and inhabitants of Savannah,, having sent out a second flag, Wayne at the desire of the civil authority of the state sent them for an swer" that the merchants, not owing allegiance to the United States, will be permitted to remain a reasonable time to dispose of their goods and settle their affairs." Major Habersham, who was charged with this message, pledged himself that they might gely, with the utmost confidence,. on the terms proposed to them. The congress on the 30th of December, ratified Wayne's agreement. On the 11th of July Savannah was evacuated, and the Americans immediately took possession of it. The works and towns were left perfect; for which the inhabitants are indebted to that worthy and humane officer brigadier general Clarke.

Gen. Leslie, under the sanction of the resolution taken by the British administration, proposed to gen. Greene a cessation of hostilities, which was declined by the latter for want of instructions from congress on the subject. However nothing of consequence was attempted on either side. When the evacuation of CharlesJon was proposed, the merchants who came with the British,

were

were in a most disagreeable predicament. They had entered in to extensive commercial engagements. Those of their debtors, who were without the lines, were not subject to their jurisdiction those who were within were unable to pay. Environed with difficulties, and threatened with bankruptcy should they leave the state along with the garrison, they applied to gen. Leslie for leave to negociate for themselves. A deputation of the body waited on gov. Matthews, and obtained from him permission to reside in South-Carolina for eighteen months after the evacua tion, with the full liberty of disposing of their stock of goods on hand, and of collecting the debts already due to them. After general orders had announced the design of evacuating Charles ton, Leslie wrote to Greene [Aug. 13.] offering full payment for rice and other provision to be sent into the town; at the same time he threatened, that if it was not granted for money, it should be taken by force without compensation. But as it was apprehended the British meant to procure large supplies for the transferring of the war to the French West-India islands, the Americans could not upon any consideration assent to the advan tageous offers of Leslie. Every effort was made by Greene and Matthews to restrain the intercourse between town and country on private account, though the wants of the American army made a small deviation necessary. Les.ie, finding it impossible to purchase, sent out parties to seize provisions near the differ ent landings, and to bring them by water to Charleston. This was effected in some instances before the Americans could be collected in sufficient force for the defence of their property; though a colonel (an American) in the British army had been for some months past employed, in sending the earliest intelligence, from time to time, of all the military operations, which the British concerted to the prejudice of the United States, or any part thereof. He is to continue with the British army until the close of the war. On his faithfully performing this secret service, and as a reward for his treacherous duplicity, gen. Greene is to use all his influence with the state of South Carolina, to restore him to his fortunes, and the rights and privileges of a citizen. Should the state refuse to restore him, the general is to recommend his case to congress for such compensation as they may think his services claim.

One of the largest parties ordered out was sent to Combahce ferry, where they arrived on the 25th of August, Brigadier Gist, with about 300 cavalry, and infantry, of the continental army, was detached to oppose them. He succeeded so far as to capture one of their schooners, and in a degree to frustrate their designs.

designs. Lieut. col. Laurens, though he had been confined for several days immediately preceding, on hearing of the expedition, rose and followed Gist. When the British and American detachments approached within a few miles of each other, Laurens be ing in advance with a small party of regulars and militia, engaged with a much superior force, in expectation of support from the main body in his rear. In the midst of his brave exertions, he received a mortal wound. *This young gentleman was sent over to England for his education, where he endeared himself to all who knew him, by his abilities and affectionate temper. In the beginning of 1777, he joined the American army, and froni that time was foremost in every danger. He was present and distinguished himself in every action of the army under gen. Washington, and was among the foremost that entered the Briish lines at York-Town. Those who were intimately acquaint ed with him, will rank his martial qualities, by which he was chiefly known, as lowest in the catalogue of his virtues. They will lament the untimely loss of a clear discerning mind, that united the solid powers of the understanding with inflexible integrity. In him the country has lost one of its noblest and most useful citizens; his father the kindest and most affectionate friend and all the wretched, a generous and disinterested patron."+

When the long expected evacuation of Charleston drew nigh, the inhabitants of the state apprended that the British army, on its departure, would carry off with them some thousands of ne groes who were within their lines. To prevent it governor Matthews wrote to general Leslie, August the 17th, and informed him, "that if the property of the citizens of South-Carolina was carried off by the British army, he should seize on the debts due to the British merchants, and to the confiscated estates, and the claims on those estates by marriage settlements, which three articles were not included in the confiscation act." General Leslie proposed a negociation for securing the property of both parties. Commissioners were appointed on behalf both of the state and the royalists; who on the 10th of October ratified a compact on the subject, of which the following was a principal

This character is taken from an American publication. The American commander in chief being asked whether it was juft, anfwered- Such parts of the drawing as have fallen under my own observations, are literally fo; and it is my firm belief his merits and worth richly entitle him to the whole picture. No man poffeffed more of the "Amor Patriæ." In a word, he had not a fault that I could difcover, unless intrepidity bordering on rathnefs, could come under that denomination. And this he was excited to by the purest motives.” article.

Rr

article. All the slaves of the citizens of South Carolina, now in the power of gen. Leslie, shall be restored to their former owners, as far as is practicable, except such slaves as may have rendered themselves particularly obnoxious on account of their attachment and services to the British troops, and such as had specific promises of freedom." A consideration for the advantages of this article, was made in others, for the benefit of the royalists. Great were the expectations of the inhabitants, as to their soon obtaining the re-possession of their property; but the compact was so far evaded as to be in a great measure ineffectual for the end proposed.

The evacuation, though officially announced by general Leslie on the 7th of August, as a measure soon to be adopted, did not take place till the 14th of December, when the British troops completed their embarkation. Gen. Wayne, with the legion and light-infantry, had been before their works for several days, by order of gen. Greene. It was hinted to him from gen. Leslie, through a certain medium, that if they were permitted to em bark without interruption, every care should be taken for the preservation of the town. Wayne was directed to accede to the proposal, the British also agreeing not to fire upon the town af ter getting on board. The conditions being fully understood by both parties, Charleston was evacuated and possessed without the least confusion; the American advance following close on the British rear. The governor was conducted into his capital the same day, the civil police established the day following, and on the third, the town was opened for business. On the 17th the British crossed the bar and went to sea.

Thus congress have recovered the complete possession of all the southern states. The struggle has been long and severe; but when it is considered that the British had upward of eighteen thousand regular troops, beside several thousand militia and negroes employed for their reduction, it must appear that the progress of the American southern army has been no less honora ble than important.

Several detached articles remain to be mentioned.

A gentleman of Philadelphia has favored me with the following. "At ten o'clock on Wednesday evening, October 2, major gen. Lee died, after being confined to his bed from the evening of the preceding Friday. His disorder was a defluxion on the lungs, of three months standing, which produced something like a spurious inflamation of the lungs, accompanied with an epidemic remitting fever. The character of this person is full of absurdities and qualities of a most extraordinary nature. His understanding was great, his memory capacious, and his fancy bril

diant. His mind was stored with a variety of knowledge, which be collected from books, conversation and travels. He had been in most European countries. He was a correct and elegant classi cal scholar; and both wrote and spoke his native language, with perspicuity, force and beauty. From these circumstances he was at times, a most agreeable and instructive companion. His temper was naturally sour and severe. He was seldom seen to laugh, and scarcely to smile. The history of his life is little else, than the history of disputes, quarrels and duels, in every part of the world. He was vindictive to his enemies. His avarice had no bounds. He never went into a public and seldom into a private house, where he did not discover some marks of ineffable and cotemptible meanness. He grudged the expence of a nurse in his last illness, and died in a small dirty room in the Philadelphia tavern called the Canastoga-waggon (designed chiefly for the entertainment and accommodation of common countrymen) attended by no one but a French servant, and Mr. Oswald the prin ter, who once served as an officer under him. He was both impi ous and profane. In his principles he was not only an infidel, but he was very hostile to every attribute of the Deity. His moals were exceedingly debauched. His manners were rude, part>ly from nature and partly from affectation. His appetite was so whimsical as to what he, eat and drank, that he was at all times,. and in all places, a most troublesome and disagreeable guest. He had been bred to arms from his youth and served as lieut. colonel among the British, as colonel among the Portuguese, and afterward as aid-de-camp to his Polish majesty, with the rank of major-general.. Upon the American continent's being forced intolarms for the preservation of her liberties, he was called forth. by the voice of the people, and elected to the rank of third in command of their forces. He had exhausted every valuable treatise, both ancient and modern, on the military art. His judg -ment in war was generally sound. He was extremely useful to the Americans in the beginning of the revolution, by inspiring them with military ideas, and a contempt for British discipline and valor. It is difficult to say, whether the active and useful -part he took in the contest, arose from personal resentment against the king of Great-Britain, or from a regard to the liberties of America. It is certain he reprobated the. French alliance and republican forms of government, after he retired from the American service. He was, in the field, brave in the highest degree; and with all his faults and oddities was beloved by his officers and soldiers. He was devoid of prudence, and used to call it a rascally virtue. His partiality to dogs was too remarkable not to be mentioned