defeat. But thus it is ever with the world, always ready to minister to the pride of success, and ever prone to shun or insult misfortune. The Legislature of Virginia, however, made an honourable exception to this remark. As soon as they heard of the Generals arrival, they appointed a committee of their body to wait on him with the assurance of their high regard and esteem; "that the remembrance of his former glorious services cannot be obliterated by any reverse of fortune, but that this house ever mindful of his great merit, will omit no opportunity of testifying to the world, the gratitude which as a member of the American Union, this country owes him in his military character." This kindness from so important a number of the union, made a deep impression on the mind of General Gates; and the subsequent respectful reception which he met with from the commander in chief, tended to soothe the feelings with which he now retired to his farm never more to mingle in the strife of his country.

General Gates had scarcely resigned the command of the army, when intelligence arrived of a skirmish between a part of Morgan's corps and a foraging party of the enemy. Morgan had attempted with his infantry to intercept one of those parties who had advanced into the country some distance from their main body, but they managed to elude his efforts. Washington, however, who with his cavalry had taken a more extensive circuit, advanced to Clermont, where a garrison of 100 men under Lieutenant Colonel Rudgely, were posted in a block house, or rather a log barn, impenetrable to small arms, and secured from the attack of cavalry by a surrounding abbatis. It had been Washington's intention to carry this place by surprise, but finding this impracticable, he resorted to a

ruse de guerre which procured the surrender of the garrison without a shot. By advancing his cavalry so as to show only their front, some of the rear were enabled to dismount unperceived; and having worked a pine log into the rough semblance of a piece of artillery, it was brought up with great parade and pointed against the house. This done, the commanding officer was summoned to surrender, and seeing no hope of being able to stand a siege, he obeyed the summons without hesitation; and having taken care of the prisoners, and demolished the barn and abbatis, Washington returned in triumph to his brigade.

Immediately after this event, General Greene moved with the main body of the army, and established himself on the eastern bank of the Pedee, nearly opposite Cheraw hill, a part of the country, which not only afforded abundant supplies for his troops, but offered a convenient rendezvous for the militia. General Morgan had received a reinforcement of 500 militia, under General Pickens, which gave him a respectable brigade, with which he took post near the confluence of the Pacolet and Broad rivers.

General Leslie arrived at Charleston with the succours to Cornwallis on the 13th of December; and leaving a part of his troops for the protection of that city, he marched immediately with the remainder, amounting to 1500 to Cambden, where Carnwallis had ordered him to join him. In this situation we must leave the two armies, to bring the minor incidents of the year to a close.

Congress among other resolutions relating to the army, in October, resolved that all officers who continued in service to the end of the war, should receive half pay for life. About the same time, Major Hen

ry Lee, being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, was ordered to join the southern army with his legionary corps; and the Baron Steuben was directed to proceed to Virginia, with a view to the proper organization of its means of defence. The departure of General Leslie from Portsmouth, about the time of the Baron's arrival at Richmond, prevented the necessity of those measures which had been planned for his expulsion, and Virginia continued to enjoy repose.

This year was remarkable for the enactment of four laws, by four separate and distinct powers, for the promotion of human happiness,and the diffusion of the blessings of peace and liberty, amidst the turmoils and distresses of war.-1. The general court of Massachusetts, in May, passed an act to incorporate and establish a society for the cultivation and promotion of the Arts and Sciences, by the name of The American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 2d. Pennsylvania passed a law for ever abolishing slavery in that state. 3d. The King of France, by solemn edict declared the trial by torture to be for ever at an end. He likewise, of his own will, made retrenchment of no less than four hundred of his household, thus lessening by the annual amount of so many salaries, the taxes of the French people. And 4th. The Duke of Modena, after the death of the grand Inquisitor, abolished the Inquisition throughout his dominions, and ordered its revenues to be applied to purposes of charity, and publick accommodation.

CHAPTER XVI.

Events of 1781.-Movements of the army in the South.-Lieutenant Colonel Lee joins the army with his legion-Lee and Marion surprise the British post of Georgetown-Cornwallis advances from Cambden.-Battle of the Cowpens, and defeat of Tarleton-Morgan retreats to the Catawba.-Is there joined by General Greene-Cornwallis is prevented from crossing by the sudden rise of the river.-General Davidson opposing his passage is killed.-Tarleton disperses the militia at Terrants.Greene retreats towards Guilford Court House, crosses the Fadkin, and is again saved by the swelling of the river.-Greene and Huger form a junction at Guilford Court House. They retreat to Virginia across the Dan.-Skirmish between Lee's and Tarleton's horse-Cornwallis moves to HillsboroughGreene recrosses the Dan and advances towards the British.— Lee disperses a large party of royalists under Colonel Pyle.— His attempts to bring Tarleton to action fail-The latter retreats to Hillsborough.—Cornwallis again moves in pursuit of Greene, forces Colonel Williams to retreat.-Manœuvres of Lee and his Legion.-General Greene retires across the Haw, and Cornwallis relinquishes the pursuit-Greene receives a reinforcement, Moves to Guilford Court House-Battle of Guilford-Defeat of General Greene-Cornwallis retires to Wilmington-Greene pursues him as far as Ramsay's Mill, where he encamps his army.

A few days after the last movement of General Greene which we have mentioned, Lieutenant Colonel Lee joined the army with his legion, amounting to about 100 horse, and 180 foot. This corps was immediately ordered to cross the Pedee and advance to the support of Brigadier General Marion. The movements of Marion, as we have before observed, were so rapid and various, and sometimes so secret that it was difficult even for his friends to find him; and it was

a

not until after considerable search, that Lee was enabled to learn his position and communicate his orders. He found him at length in the swamps between the Pedee and Santee rivers, engaged in his usual enterprises against the enemy's posts. Soon after the junction, a scheme was projected for surprising the British Colonel Campbell, who was stationed with a garrison of 200 men in Georgetown. The fort or inclosed work which constituted the principal defence, was situated a little out of the town, but being too small to afford quarters for the men, they were stationed for the most part in the town, where also the commanding officer had his quarters. The intention was to embark the infantry of the legion in two divisions, in boats, who were to drop down the Pedee and arrive at Georgetown in the night, while the cavalry under Marion and Lee were to gain the vicinity of the town by land and wait for the signal of cooperation. The boat party met with so little difficulty in decending the river, that they entered the town at the appointed time unperceived, and gained possession of the commandants quarters, so that when Marion and Lee rushed in upon hearing the first fire, the town was quiet and Colonel Campbell a prisoner. The troops of the enemy, however, instead of attempting as was conjectured would be the case, either to gain the fort, or rush to the quarters of the commandant, remained snug in their own quarters, and secured themselves by barricading the doors and windows. Thus only a part of the object was accomplished. Colonel Campbell and several other officers were parolled; and the American troops, having no means of battering the barricaded doors, or the fort, retired from the town on the approach of day-light. The infantry who de