at Sunbury, to evacuate their posts and retreat across the country and join the army at the Sister's ferry. Lieutenant Smith, whose command consisted of twenty men, succeeded, and joined a detachment of the rear guard at Ebenezer, after a march of thirty-six hours through a country of swamps, covered with water. Major Lane was ordered to retreat up the south side of Ogechee river, and to cross over opposite to, and join the army at Zubley's ferry he received his orders in time to have effected his retreat and save his command from falling into the hands of the enemy; but captain Dollar, who commanded a corps of artillery, and many others of the principal inhabitants, whose pecuniary ruin, as well as the fate of their families, was at stake, urged Lane to the imprudence of disobeying his orders, and defending the post. Lane was afterward tried by a court-martial, and dismissed from the service, for disobedience of orders.

On the first notice of the arrival of the transports off the coast of Georgia, general Provost marched, and embarked in boats, two thousand men, consisting of artillery, infantry, loyalists, and Indians. On the 6th of January, that part of his army, which moved by water was landed on Colonel's island, seven miles south of Sunbury, about ten o'clock in the morning; and Provost with the light infantry, marched and took possession of the town early on the ensuing day. Two American gailies and an armed sloop, cannonaded the ene

my; but with little effect. The following day the main body of the enemy arrived. Every exertion was made to prevent the landing of the cannon and mortars near the town, by the fire from the gallies and the fort. On the night of the 8th, they took advantage of the low tide to pass behind a marsh island, opposite to the fort, with a few of their boats containing cannon, howitzers, and mortars, and landed them above the town, and placed them on batteries previously prepared. On the morning of the 9th, Provost summoned the fort to surrender unconditionally, accompanied by a statement of his force, and the weight of his metal. Major Lane replied that his duty, inclination, and means pointed to the propriety of defending the post against any force, however superior it might be. The British batteries of can-, non and mortars were opened on the fort, and replied to Lane soon discovered that his fortress would not be long tenable, and began to repent his disobedience of orders. He parlied, to obtain better terms than unconditional surrender, but no other would be allowed him, and the time being elapsed for his acceptance or refusal, hostilities re-commenced: he parlied again, and requested until eight o'clock the next morning to consider of the conditions offered to him, which being peremptorily refused, he agreed to them; and surrendered the fort containing twenty-four pieces of artillery, ammunition, and provisions, and the garrison, consisting of seventeen commis

sioned officers, and one hundred and ninety-five non-commissioned officers and privates, including continental troops and militia. The American loss was one captain and three privates killed, and seven wounded. The British loss was one private killed, and three wounded.

The Washington and Bulloch gallies were taken to Ossabaw island, stranded on the beach, and burned by their crews, who took passage on board of captain Salter's sloop, and sailed for Charleston, but were captured by a British tender, and taken to Savannah. Captain John Lawson of the sloop Rebecca, of sixteen guns, put to sea and got safe to Charleston.

After Sunbury fell into the possession of the British troops, the continental officers who were made prisoners at Savannah, were sent to that place on their parole, except the reverend Moses Allen who had accepted a commission as chaplain in the Georgia brigade. This gentleman was refused the privileges allowed to the other officers, and confined on board of a prison-ship. His animated exertions on the field of battle, and his patriotic exhortations from the pulpit, had exposed him to the particular resentment of the enemy. Wearied by long confinement in a loathsome prison-ship, and hopeless of speedy release, he determined to re-gain his liberty, or lose his life in the attempt. In pursuance of this hazardous resolution, he leaped overboard with the hope of being able to swim to one of the islands, assisted by the

flood tide, but was unfortunately drowned. The death of that gentleman was lamented by the friends of Independence, and particularly by his brethren in arms, who justly admired him for his bravery, exemplary life, and many virtues. The treatment which Mr. Allen received from the British, during his captivity, is not a solitary instance of refinement in cruelty practised by them on American prisoners; numerous beyond counting, were the victims of their inhuman conduct, during the revolution.

By the defeat of the American troops at Savannah, and the capture of the town by the enemy, the future services of a considerable portion of the militia of the eastern part of the state were lost to their country; the distress of their families, and the ruin of their fortunes, would be consequent on their further resistance: many of them bowed the neck and received the yoke of the British government.

General Howe was a man of moderate talents, easy manners, and much admired by his convivial friends; but his want of circumspection was apparent, and his military qualifications had become questionable among his officers, and the private soldiery had lost their confidence in him as a leader. These impressions had been frequently communicated to the members in congress, from the southern states, who applied to that honourable body for a successor to general Howe, in the command of the army in the southern department

of the United-States. If general Howe had acted on his own judgment, he would probably have retired from Savannah on his obtaining a knowledge of the great superiority of the enemy's force; but he placed himself in the council of his officers, who at any other place, and under any other circumstances, would have advised him correctly; but their private feelings and their pecuniary interests, were too deeply and immediately concerned to advise with a correct judgment. He had long been apprised of the contemplated invasion of Georgia, from New-York and Florida, and knowing that with his existing force, aided by the probable re-enforcements which he was to expect, the defence of Savannah and low country was problematical; he ought to have removed, at least a part of his magazines and stores, to a place of greater security, and to have apprised the inhabitants of the propriety of removing their families, and most valuable moveable property from the place where the storm might burst on them unprepared for it. But the general had not contemplated his enemy on all his bearings, nor did he avail himself of all the advantages presented to him by his position.

By a resolution of congress, dated the 26th day of September, 1778, major-general Benjamin Lincoln was appointed to take the command of the army in the southern department, and ordered forthwith to repair to South-Carolina for that purpose.