three different and opposite directions. Ferguson, falling with great. boldness and impetuosity on the first assailants with fixed bayonets, compelled them to give way; but before one division could be dispersed, another came up, and poured in a heavy fire. Against the second body of assailants the bayonet was again used with success; but before any material advantage could be gained, a new energy presented himself in another quarter. Ferguson again successfully used the bayonet; but both the corps, which had been repulsed, now returning to the charge, a very galling fire was kept up against him on all sides. The action having been continued in this manner nearly an hour, Major Ferguson received a mortal wound, and instantly expired. The survivors ended the contest by submission. In this sharp action, one hundred and fifty of Ferguson's party were killed on the spot, and about the same number wounded; eight hundred and ten, of whom one hundred were British troops, were madeprisoners; and one thousand five hundred stand of excellent arms were taken.

General Sumpter, although his corps had been dispersed on the eighteenth of August by Colonel Tarleton, near the Catawba, soon after collected a band of volunteers; and kept the field in South Carolina three months, when there was no continental army in the state. Varying his position about Evoree, Broad, and Tyger rivers. he had frequent skirmishes with the enemy, whom he incessantly harassed. On the 12th of November he was attacked at Broad. River by Major Wemys, commanding a corps of infantry and dragoons; but the British were defeated, and their commanding officer taken prisoner. Eight days afterward he was attacked at Black Stocks, near Tyger River, by Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton, who began the attack with one hundred and seventy dragoons, and eighty men of the sixty-third regiment; but, finding himself unable to dislodge the Americans, he retreated with considerable loss, and left Sumpter in quiet possession of the field. The zeal and activity, the bravery and good conduct of this American officer, at that trying period, procured him the thanks of congress, and the applause of his country.

In the northern states, the military transactions of this year were unimportant. Lord Stirling, in January, made an ineffectual attempt to surprise a party of the enemy on Long Island.

In June, five thousand men, commanded by Lieutenant-General Knyphausen, made an incursion from New-York into New-Jersey. Landing at Elizabethtown, they proceeded to Connecticut Farms, where they burned about thirteen houses, and the presbyterian church, and then proceeded to Springfield. As they advanced, they were annoyed by Colonel Dayton, with a few militia; and, on their approach to the bridge, near the town, they were farther opposed by General Maxwell, who, with a few continental troops, was prepared to dispute the passage. They made a halt. therefore, and soon after returned to Elizabethtown. Before they had retreated, the

whole American army at Morristown marched to oppose them. In the mean time, Sir Henry Clinton, returning with his victorious troops from Charlestown, ordered a re-enforcement to Knyphausen, who, with the whole body, advanced a second time toward Springfield. The British were now opposed by General Greene, with a considerable body of continental troops. Colonel Angel, with his regiment and a piece of artillery, was posted to secure the bridge. A severe action was fought, which was kept up forty minutes; after which the Americans were forced, by superior numbers, to retire. General Greene took post with his troops on a range of hills, in the hope of being attacked; but the British, having burned the town, consisting of nearly fifty dwelling-houses, retreated to Elizabethtown, and the next day set out on their return to New-York. The loss of the Americans in the action was about eighty; and that of the British was supposed to be considerable more."*

The year 1780 was distinguished by the infamous treason of Arnold. We quote Dr. Thacher's account of this affair, as the best we have seen.

"From the commencement of the American war, General Arnold had been viewed in the light of a brave and heroic officer, having exhibited abundant proof of his military ardour, and invincible temper. He fought in various battles, with an intrepid gallantry which cannot be exceeded, and it was from his bravery in the field, more than any intrinsic merit, that his character and fame were established. His meritorious services were amply rewarded by his promotion to the rank of Major-General, but his name has been transmitted to posterity with marks of infamy, and the pages of our history are tarnished by the record of crimes of the most atrocious character, by a native of our land. After the evacuation of Philadelphia by the British, Arnold was appointed to the command in that city, and such was his conduct, as respects both his official station, and individual concerns, that his former standing and important services could no longer shield him from public odium, and the just censure of the government. Being afterward, by his own solicitation, entrusted with the command of the post at West Point, he engaged in a secret correspondence with Sir Henry Clinton, and actually agreed to put him in possession of this very important garrison. The British general, ever ready to avail himself of treachery, to accomplish an object which he could not achieve by the strength of his arms, selected Major John Andre, his adjutant-general and aid-de-camp, to have a personal interview with the traitor, to mature the plan, and make arrangements for the surrender of the post. A British sloop of war, called the Vulture, went up the North River, and anchored near King's Ferry, about twelve miles below West Point. On board of this vessel were a Colonel Robinson and Major Andre, under the assumed name of John Anderson. A communication was now

* Holmes American Annals, vol. ii. p. 424-37.

maintained between Arnold, and the persons on board the Vulture, without exciting the least suspicion of treasonable designs. But a personal interview was found necessary, and the place chosen for this purpose was the beach near the house of Joshua Smith, Esq. who had long been suspected of a predilection for the British interest. In the night of the 21st September, Smith, by the desire of Arnold, went with a boat, rowed by some men employed on his farm, and brought Major Andre, alias John Anderson, on shore, where he was received by Arnold, and conducted to the house of Smith, within our lines. Andre remained concealed at Smith's house till the following night, when he became extremely anxious to return on board the Vulture; but the boatmen, whom Arnold and Smith had seduced to bring him on shore the preceding night, could not be prevailed on to reconduct him on board, as the Vulture had been driven from her station by a cannon on shore. Finding it impossible to procure a boat and men for the purpose, it was resolved that Andre should return to New-York by land, to which he reluctantly submitted, as the only alternative, to escape the danger into which he had been betrayed. For this hazardous attempt Arnold and Smith furnished him with a horse, and with clothes, in exchange for his military uniform; and Arnold gave him a passport under the fictitious name of John Anderson, as being on public business. Thus prepared, and accompanied by Smith part of the way, he proceeded on his journey. The passport served his purpose till he got beyond all our out-posts and guards, without suspicion. They lodged together at Crompond, that night, and Smith having given him directions about the road, left him the next morning, within about thirty miles of New-York. Having arrived at Tarrytown, however, near the lines of the royal army, Andre was arrested by one of three men, who were patrolling between the out-posts of the two armies. He held his horse by the bridle, till his two companions came from their concealment, to his assistance. This was the moment which was to decide the fate of the adjutant-general of the royal army. Alarmed and disconcerted, instead of producing his passport, he asked where they belonged? they replied, "To below," alluding to New-York, "And so do I," said Andre, "I am a British officer, on urgent business, and must not be detained." He was soon, however, undeceived, and confounded, on being obliged to yield himself a prisoner, and finding his passport, though having the authority of Arnold's signature, availed him nothing. His captors, suspecting that they had taken a valuable prize, resolved to hold him in durance, and realize his worth. The unfortunate prisoner now produced his gold watch, and said, "this will convince you that I am a gentleman, and if you will suffer me to pass, I will send to New-York, and give you any amount you shall name, in cash,

*English goods were, at that time, more valuable than gold or silver. It has, in general, been understood, that Andre offered his captors his horse, his purse, and a valuable watch, but Dr. Eustis assures me that the above are the facts, as stated to him by Isaac Van Vert, who first stopped Andre.

or in dry goods ;" and, pointing to an adjacent wood," you may keep me in that wood till it shall be delivered to you." All his offers, however, were rejected with disdain, and they declared that ten thousand guineas, or any other sum, would be no temptation. It was to their virtue, no less glorious to America, than Arnold's apostacy was disgraceful, that his detestable crimes were discovered. Their names are John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Vert.* Taking their prisoner into the bushes, to undergo a search and examination, they found, concealed in his boots, the important papers, containing exact returns of the state of the forces, ordnance and defences at West Point, and its dependencies, with critical remarks on the works, with a return of the number of troops at West Point, and their distribution: copies of confidential letters from General Washington, &c. &c., all in the hand writing of General Arnold. Besides which, it was ascertained that the traitor carried with him to the interview, a general plan of West Point and its vicinity, and all the works, and also particular plans of each work on a large scale, elegantly drawn by the engineer at that post. But these were not given up to Major Andre; it was supposed they were to be delivered at a future time. The captors then very properly delivered their prisoner, with the papers found on him, into the hands of Lieutenant-Colonel Jameson, the commanding officer on our lines. Andre, with the view, no doubt, of giving Arnold an opportunity to escape, had the address to induce Colonel Jameson to inform the traitor, by letter, that John Anderson was taken on his way to NewYork. It is probable that Colonel Jameson had not examined the papers in his possession, or it may well be supposed, that having such ample evidence before him, he would have hesitated before complying with this request; but unsuspicious of treachery, and under the embarrassment of the moment, as though his mind was bewildered, or devoid of reason, he immediately despatched an express to Arnold, at Robinson's house, with the intelligence.

After sufficient time had elapsed for Arnold to receive the information, and make his escape, Major Andre declared himself, to Colonel Jameson, to be the Adjutant-General of the British army. Sensible of the finesse which had been practised on him, Colonel Jameson now despatched an express to meet General Washington, on his return from Hartford to Arnold's quarters, with an account of the capture of Major Andre, and the papers which were found on him, and this was accompanied by a letter from the prisoner, disclosing to his Excellency his real character and condition, and

*Congress resolved "That they have a high sense of the virtuous and patriotic conduct of John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Vert-In testimony whereof, ordered, that each of them receive annually, two hundred dollars in specie, or an equiv alent in the current money of these states, during life, and that the Board of War be directed to procure each of them a silver medal, on one side of which shall be a shield, with this inscription, Fidelity, and on the other, the following motto, Vincit amor Patria, and forward them to the commander in chief, who is requested to present the same, with a copy of this resolution, and the thanks of Congress for their fidelity, and the eminent service they have rendered their country.