Gen Prevost pushed his pursuit, and on the 11th crossed over the ferry, and appeared before Charleston. On the same day Count Pulaski arrived with his legionary corps, and entered with spirit into the defence of Charleston.

On the same day the Count made a sally upon the enemy, with a detachment of horse, and engaged the enemy's horse, with a view of drawing them into an ambuscade by falling back upon his infantry; but the zeal of his infantry defeated the movement, by sallying out of their lines, and engaging the enemy too soon. The movement was of service in giving spirit, and enterprise to the militia, and these movements, when often repeated, infused a soldier-like zeal into the garrison, as well as the citizens, and thus became instrumental in saving the town.

Gen. Prevost pushed his operations with such vigour, that he might carry the town before Gen. Lincoln could arrive for its defence, that the civil authority sent out to him the following proposition-" That South-Carolina would remain in a state of neutrality, till the close of the war, and then follow the fate of its neighbours, on condition the royal army would withdraw.". To which Gen. Prevost replied "The garrison are in arms, and they shall surrender prisoners of war."

The garrison expected an immediate assault, and prepared for a vigorous resistance; but the approach of Gen. Lincoln with his army in a few days, obliged Gen. Prevost to raise the siege, and file off to the coast for safety, among the islands. Gen. Lincoln concerted an attack upon a party of British, strongly posted at Stono-ferry; a sharp rencounter ensued, and the British were so severely handled, that Gen. Prevost moved off his army to Beaufort, and from thence back to Georgia again.

Gen. Prevost indulged his army in the most licentious and abandoned system of plunder, and devastation, which rendered the sufferings of South-Carolina, wherever his

army moved, as great as would have been the ravages of an Indian invasion. The inhabitants were indiscriminately robbed of money, plate, jewels, &c. accompanied with the most wanton devastations, by the soldiery; and to crown the whole, they carried off about 3000 slaves, which were generally sent to the West-India markets, and sold.

Sir Henry Clinton co-operated with Gen. Prevost, by sending a force of 2000 men from New-York, into Virginia at this time, under Sir George Collier, and Gen. Mathews, who took possession of Portsmouth, and the remains of Norfolk, about the 10th of May.

Gen. Mathews sent forward a detachment, the same day to Suffolk, where they destroyed a magazine of provisions, with such vessels and naval stores as were found there, and laid the town in ashes, together with all the gentlemen's seats on the plantations, wherever they went. The fleet committed the same ravages upon the coast, and within the space of one fortnight, about 130 vessels were captured or destroyed, together with 3000 hogsheads of tobacco; and the brave general embarked his troops, together with his booty, and returned safe to NewYork.

Gen. Mathews joined Sir Henry Clinton in an expedition against Stoney-Point and Verplank, which proved successful; the former was carried by Sir Henry, and the latter by a detachment under Gen. Vaughan, whilst Sir Henry moved towards the Highlands.

Pending these operations, Lt. Gov. Hamilton, of Detroit, had concerted a plan for laying waste the back settlements of Virginia, by bringing into action the Cherokees, and Chickasaws, and other Indians, to act in concert with the Indians about Detroit, Michilimackinack, &c. The plan was deeply laid, and the whole interior of Tennessee, Kentucky, &c. doomed to destruction. To

expedite the plan, Gov. Hamilton took up his quarters at Vincennes, that he might act the more promptly and ef fectually, December 15th.

When the knowledge of the expedition reached Virginia, Col. Clark assembled 130 men, and took the desperate resolution of surprising Gov. Hamilton at Vincennes, and by one bold stroke, putting an end to the plan. Col. Clark, after enduring incredible hardships on his march of 16 days, through the wilderness, reached Vincennes on the 23d of February, carried the town by assault, and the next day Gov. Hamilton surrendered the fort, with a garrison of 79 men, with himself, prisoners of war. Col. Clark next detached 60 men to intercept a convoy of provisions from Detroit, to carry on the war, which was all taken, to the amount of 10,000l. in goods, provisions, &c. together with the guard of 40 men, and thus by this bold stroke, the expedition was defeated, and Hamilton, with his coadjutors, were safely conveyed into Virginia, and committed to close prison, and in irons, there to remain for further orders.

Pending these operations, Sir Henry Clinton concerted measures with the tories, and British under his command, to assume a general system of predatory war in America, and submitted his plans to the British ministry, who expressed their approbation. This plan soon reached the American commissioners at Paris, and was communicated to Governor Trumbull of Connecticut, on the 6th of April

1779.

Sir Henry Clinton detached General Tryon, (late governor of New-York,) with 2600 land forces, protected by the sqadron under Sir George Collier, and supported by General Garth, to begin their depredations upon Connecticut. On the 4th of July the armament moved up the Sound, and the commanders issued a proclamation to the citizens of Connecticut, offering pardon and protection

to all such as would return to their allegiance; but threatening ruin and destruction to all who should reject this overture. On the morning of the 5th, General Tryon landed his division at East-Haven, and General Garth landed at West-Haven, and proceeded directly into NewHaven, and gave up the town to promiscuous pillage. The militia collected so fast on the next day, that the enemy abandoned the town in haste, burnt some stores on Long-Wharf, and embarked their troops. General Tryon proceeded to plunder and lay waste the town of East-Haven, destroying the cattle, &c. then made a hasty flight on board his fleet, and sailed for Fairfield. General Tryon sent a flag to Colonel Whiting, and summoned the town to surrender within one hour; to which the colonel returned the following reply" The flames have now preceded our reply to your flag, and we shall oppose to the utmost, that power that is exerted against injured innocence." On the same night the town was given up to pillage, and conflagration, which extended to Green-Farms, and on the next day the enemy made a hasty retreat on board their fleet, and left the town of Fairfield smoking in ruins. This hero of pillage and conflagration next proceeded to Norfolk; laid that village in ashes, and returned to New-York, covered all over with disgrace and infamy.

General Washington at this time concerted a plan of oporations against Stoney-Point; and these movements, possibly, might have checked the further operations of Gen. Tryon, by occasioning his hearty recal to New-York.

General Washington, having matured his plans, detached General Wayne with a strong party to reduce StoneyPoint. The general commenced his movements on the 15th at noon, and after crossing the mountains through dangerous, and difficult defiles, he approached the fort, about eight of the same evening; having reconnoitered

the position of the enemy, General Wayne put himself at the head of his troops, precisely at 20 minutes after 12, on the night of the 16th, and entered the fort with screwed bayonets, amidst a most tremendous fire of musquetry and grape, and carried the fortress without firing a gun. Lt. Col. Fleury entered the fort with his division at the opposite side, at the same time, and both parties met in the centre; and both parties spared the garrison, who were made prisoners of war, to the number of 543. General Wayne was ordered to dismantle the fort, bring off the cannon and stores, and abandon it, which he promptly executed. Congress passed a vote of thanks to General Washington, General Wayne, and the officers and troops under his immediate command, for the masterly movement, in the capture of Stoney-Point.

I shall close this chapter with the following interesting raval combat. About the last of July the American Capt. John Paul Jones, sailed from Port Le Orient in France, on cruise, on board the French ship Bon Homme Richard of 40 guns, and 375 men, accompanied by the frigates Alliance of 36 guns, Pallas 32 guns, the Vengeance, an armed brig of 12 guns, and a cutter; Commodore Jones cruised off the coast of Scotland with his little squadron, until he fell in with the homeward bound Baltic fleet, under convoy of the Serapis Capt. Pearson, and the Countess of Scarborough, Capt. Piercy. When Capt. Pearson discovered Commodore Jones, he made sail to cover the convoy, and gave signal at the same time to the Countess of Scarborough to join him, which was done immediately, September 23d. Soon after this junction, Commodore Jones laid his ship along side of the Serapis, and commenced an action, which soon became desperate on both sides; but the Serapis appeared to reap advantage in the action, from her superior management. To obviate this, Commodore Jones laid his ship across the bows of the Serapis, and