CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE MR. AND MRS. WILLIA14 F. E. GURLEY BOOK FUND E 81.748*^""*" ""'"^^''y Library "'«l8nf,,of the Indian Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028670275 HISTORY OP THE INDIAl^ WARS WAR OF THE REVOLUTION OF THE UNITED STATES BY JOHN LEWIS THOMSON. amitf) atrtiitions antr CTorrection-s. ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS, FROM DESIGNS BY W. CROOME AND OTHER ARTISTS. PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 1887. jCi ..L?fet>f«irvls, i'"^' :^^ CONTENTS. CHAPTER L WABS BETWEEN THE EABLT BPAmSH ASTEBTUBEES ASD THE INDIAS8 ... 18 CHAPTEE n. WABS BETWEEN THE EABLT BETTLEBS OF TIBaiNIA AND THE INDIANS . . 22 CHAPTEB UL THE fi:qitod was ..82 CHAPTEB IV. EINO PHILIP'S WAB 87 CHAPTEK V. THE TUSOABOBA AND TSHASSEB WABS 48 (7) VIU CONTENTS. CHAPTER VL yi„ Ema 'WXLLIAU'S WAB ^^ CHAPTER VII. QTTEEH ANNE's WAB 7S CHAPTER VIIL LOVB-ffEIl's WAE 91 , CHAPTER IX. THB rSEKOH WAB 07 1745 10 174S ..«.••••. 102 CHAPTER X. THE SEVEN TEABs' WAB X06 CHAPTER XI. PONTIAO'S WAB 189 CHAPTER XII. SUHMOBe'S WAB 204 CHAPTER Xin. THE BEVOLUTIOM ... '... 216 CHAPTER XIV. UDIAN WAB3 OF THE WX8I . IM* ILLUSTEATIONS. PA91 TiaXETTE 18 POBTKAIT OF FONCE DE LEON 14 PONCE SE LKON MOBTALLY WOUNDED IN FLORIDA 15 NABTAEZ'S MABCH FBOH AFPALAOHEB 16 FOBTBAIT OF CHABLES V. 17 SOTO DISOOVEBINO THE MISSISSIPPI ......... 18 FOBTBAIT OF HERNANDO DE SOTO 19 TAILPIECE — SAVAOE . 21 HEADPIECE — CAPTAIN JOHN SUITB 22 ORNAMENTAL LETTER 22 POCAHONTAS SATINO THE LIFE OF 0APIAI17 SMITH 26 THE CHBISTIAN INDIAN DISCLOSINQ THE INTENDED MASSACBB .... 29 THE OBEAT MASSACBE 30 TAILPIECE 81 HEADPIECE — THE PIONEER 82 OBNAMENTAL LETTER 82 DESTRUCTION OF THE PEQUODS .35 (ix) X ILLUSTRATIONS. PA8I . 36 TAILPIEOE — INDIAN LYING IN WAIT \ 87 TKEATT WITH MASSASOIT . • • • . 37 OENAMENTAL LETTER ..••• 40 ATTACK ON DEEKFIELD ....•••••■•* . 46 DEATH OF KINO PHILIP ....••••••' 48 HEADPIECE — THE SCALPING KNIPB ORNAMENTAL LETTER • PORTRAIT or WILLIAM in. OENAMENTAL LETTER • THE CAPTIVE WOMAN ,...••••••• °^ TAILPIECE .......74 PORTRAIT OF CITEEN ANNE .....••••• "5 ORNAMENTAL LETTER «• "6 WRECK OP THE ENGLISH FLEET .•«••.... 89 TAILPIECE 90 HEADPIECE — ^INDIAN SCODT • 91 ORNAMENTAL LETTER ........<. ..91 TAILPIECE — THE INDIAN'S STRATAGEM . 101 HEADPIECE 102 ORNAMENTAL LETTER 102 SIEGE OF LOUISBOUEG CAPTURE OF SHIP CEP THE POET 104 ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE 106 ENGLISH TRADING WITH THE INDIANS 109 WASHINGTON CROSSING THE ALLEGHANY 112 PORTRAIT OF GENERAL RRADDOCE 119 FRENCH AND INDIANS AT THE DEFEAT OF BRADDOOE 121 DIE8KAU WOUNDED AND CAPTURED 128 PORTRAIT OF MONTCALM 131 MASSACRE OF THE PRISONERS AT FORT WILLIAM HENBT 135 PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM PITT — EARL OF CHATHAM 137 PORTRAIT OF GENERAL WOLFE 140 ABERCROMBIe's army CROSSING LAKE OEOEOB 142 euins of tioonderoqa 148 Wolfe's army ascending the heights of abrahau ..... 159 death of wolfe ......' 162 iailpieoe ....,,,. 188 portrait of colonel bouquet 189 ornamental letter ........... 189 portrait of pontiao ........... 199 tailpiece .............. 203 PORTRAIT OF LOGAfc •.••....... 204 ILLUSTEATIONS. XI FAOB ORNAMENTAL LETIEB 204 POBIRAIT Of SIMON OIBTT 211 rOBISAII 0^ C0BN8IO0S 213 TAILPIECE 216 IHB MINUTE MAD '. 216 OBNAMENTAL LETTER ............ 216 POBTBAIT Of COLONEL BABB> 219 POBTBAIT OV FATBIOK HENBT .......... 220 POBTBAIT OF JOHN HANCOCK .......... 225 SEBTBirCTION 0? THE TEA 227 POBTBAIT OV SAMUEL ADAMS .......... 229 BATTLE OF LEXINGTON ........... 233 BETBEAT FBOM CONOOBD ........... 284 BATTLE OF BBEED'S HILL .......... 239 PORTRAIT OF GENERAL WABBEN .......••. 241 SIEGE OF BOSTON ............ 242 POBTBAIT OF OENEBAL MONTGOMULT ......... 245 POBTBAIT OF LORD FEBCT ..........^ 247 POBTBAIT OF OENEBAL OHABLES LBB ......... 249 POBTBAIT OF SIB HENBT CLINTON 250 PORTRAIT OF GENERAL HOWE .....•«... 263 RETREAT FROM LONG ISLAND .......... 266 BETBEAT THROITGH NEW JERSEY .......... 269 BATTLE OF TRENTON ....... .... 261 PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON ..... ..... 265 PORTRAIT OF LORD CORNWALLIB .......... 266 BATTLE OF BED BANK .......•..> 268 PORTRAIT OF GENERAL SOHUYLBB .. . . . . . . . . 270 MUBDEB OF MISS m'cREA ........... 271 PORTRAIT OF GENERAL STABK • 272 BATTLE OF BENNINGTON ...«..••••• 278 PORTRAIT OF BENEDICT ARNOLD ......... 276 POBTBAIT OF GENERAL BVBGOTNX .....i.«. 277 POBTBAIT OF LOBD NOBTH .......... 278 AMEBIOANS AT VALLEY VOBOB 288 PORTRAIT OF OENEBAL GATES |. ......... 284 POBTBAIT OF OENEBAL MOBGAB ,......«•• 286 POBTBAIT OF d'eSTAINO .....•••••• 288 POBTBAIT OF OENEBAL SITLLIVAH ....••..•• 289 BinNS OF WYOMING ^"" specimen of continental billi 294 Putnam's escape *" xU ILJiUSTEATIONS. PASI OAQ OAPIDEE OF STONY POIHT ..•• ■"'"' PORIBAIT 07 OENEBAL LINCOIiN . . • • ""^ DEATH OF PULASKI °"" TAELETOn's (JUAETER9 ..•••• ""° BATTLE OF OAMDElf AND DEATH OF DB KALB .....•• 307 poetraii of colonel BUMPTEE 309 POETEAIT OF GENERAL MARION • • • .811 PORTRAIT OF QENEEAL GREENE ..«••••••• 812 BATTLE OF THE COWPENS ....••••••• 814 POETBAIT OF MAJOE HENRY LEB ....••••• 316 POETEAIT OF LOED EAWDON ...•••••••• 819 POETBAIT OF QENEEAL WAYNE . . . • 824 OAFTITBE OF ANDBE ....••. 829 POETEAIT OF MAJOE ANDBE • > . . 830 POETBAIT OF BOCHAMBEAIT • • a . . 832 BATTLE BETWEEN THE FEENCH AND ENGUBH ILnM • . • . . 835 POETBAIT OF COLONEL JOHN LAUBENS ......... 837 SCBEENDEE OF C0BNWALLI3 .....••... 888 POETEAIT OF CHARLES JAMES FOX 840 POETEAIT OF QENEEAL OASLETOH 841 lAILFIECE .............. 841 A WESTEEN HUNTEK .......r... 842 OBNAMENTAL LETTEB .. ......... 842 OAPTUEE OF BOONE 843 THE KENTVCEY PIONEERS 347 FOBTBAIT OF GEOBQE EOQEES OLAEEB 364 CANADIANS AND INDIANS ENCAMPED BEFOBI BOOIO'S STATION .... 856 HITBTINO SCOUTS, OB EANQEES 860 BATTLE OF THE BLUE LICKS , . , . 371 POETBAIT OF GENERAL ST. CLAIB 380 POETEAIT OF GOTEENOE SHELBY . ......... 884 WAYNE DEFEATING THE ISDIANf _ 400 WAES OF THE UNITED STATES. CHAPTER I. WARS BETWEEN THE EARLY SPANISH ADVENTURERS AND THE INDIANS. The Spanish adventurers, who, in the early part of the 16th century, attempted to explore and subdue the region now forming the southern portion of the United States — then known as Florida, met with a deter- mined resistance. The warlike tribes of that region, though at first over- awed by the splendour and power of the invaders, were soon convinced that their aims involved the subju- gation or destruction of the native population, and strove to check their further progress. The first of these adventurers was X^W.": •' (13) 14 WARS BETWEEN THE EAELT SPAKISH PONCE DE LEON, Juan Ponce de Leon, a famous warrior. This man had imbibed the belief that there existed, upon an island somewhere to the northward, a fountain, endowed with such miraculous virtue, that any person, however worn with age, who should have ever dipped himself in its waters, would rise restored to the full bloom and vigour of youth. While sailing about in the vain search for this wonderful fountain, he came unexpectedly, on the 27th of March, 1512, in sight of an extensive and beauti- ful country. Magnificent forests, intermingled with flowering shrubs, ex hibited so gay an aspect, that he named it Florida. He landed on the 8th of April, near the present site of St. Augustine ; and, notwithstanding the dangers of navigation amid the violent currents produced by the gulf-stream running among the islands, he spent a considerable time in tracing its outline, and finally rounded the southern point. Thus, though still supposing it to be an island, he ascertained that it must be both large and im- portant. This great discovery seems to have weaned the mind of the Spanish chief from his engrossing chimera. Hg repaired to Porto Eico, and thence to Spain, laid before the king the par- ticulars of the new country, and obtained permission to conquer ADVENTURERS AND THE INDIANS. 15 and rule it under the pompous title of adelantado. A consider- able time, however, was consumed in preparations ; and while thus busied, he was obHged to engage in suppressing an insurrec- tion among the Caribs. This contest was attended with reverses, by which he lost much of his reputation ; and nine years elapsed before he could conduct two ships to his promised dominion. While planniag a site for a colony, he was surprised by a large POKOE DE LEON MORTALLY WOUNDED IN FLORIDA. body of Indians ; his men were completely routed and himseli severely wounded by an arrow. As these people were never able afterwards to cope in the field with Spanish troops, this disaster may lead us to suspect that he really had lost his former miUtary talent. Having regained the ship, he sailed to Cuba, where he soon after died of his wound. The fate of Ponce de Leon discouraged all such adventurers for a considerable time. The next expedition of importance was undertaken for the cruel purpose of enslaving the Indians and taking them to the West India islands. It was commanded by Lucas and Vasquez de Ayllon, By treachery, a large num- ber of Indians were secured and carried away. To such infa- 16 "WARS BETWEEN THE EARLY SPANISH NARTAEZ' MARCH FROM APPALACHEE. mous acts as this we may trace the determined hostihty of some of the Florida tribes. Pamphilo de Narvaez, the unfortunate rival of Cortes, was the next adventurer. He met with a series of disasters in his march from Appalachee, and finally perished in a storm, with all but four of his men. The next expedition was the most memorable of all. Fer- nando de Soto, who had acquired fame and fortune by partici- pation in the conquest of Peru, now sought to win much greater glory by subduing Florida, for which he received full authority from Charles V., of Spain. On the 6th of April, 1538, Soto embarked his troops in ten vessels, and sailed for Cuba, which was even placed under his command, that he might draw from it every needful resource. There he spent a year in preparation, and Vasco Porcalho, a veterati, who, like himself, had gained by the sword an immense fortune, and was hving in splendid retirement, was so delighted with the noble appointment and bold spirit of the expedition, that he joined it with a train of followers and large supplies. He was created heutenant-general. On the 18th of May, 1539, the adelantado sailed with nine vessels from the Havana ; on the 25th, he saw the coast of Florida ; and, on the 30th, landed in the bay of Spiritu Santo, which appears to be not very far from the point chose'n by Narvaez. ADVENTURERS AND THE INDIANS. 17 CHABLES T. Had Florida, like Mexico, been under one great government, Soto, with his brave band, would have beaten the army, entered the capital, and been master of the coimtry. But he struggled helplessly against a multitude of fierce petty tribes. They offered no point at which a blow could be struck, and never left him master of more than the spot on which his army stood. He continued, however, to advance, and after many battles with the natives, and a tedious march through what are now the states of Alabama and Mississippi, he discovered the Mis- sissippi river, and having constructed barges, crossed it, and marched with his army to the north-west till he entered Mis- souri, always hoping to find gold. Learning that there lay a mountainous region to the north- west, which seems to be that at the head of the White River, he proceeded thither, in the vain hope that the rocks might contain gold. Disappointed once more, he bent his course southwards in search of a productive soU, which he found at Cayas, amid the hot and saline springs on the Upper Washita. Descending that river, he arrived at Autiamque (Utianangue), tvhere he resolved to pass his fourth dreary winter. After this long and unfortunate march, and with his troops so miserably deduced, he determined at last upon the measure, from which his mind had so strongly revolted, of returning to the coast, B 18 "WARS BETWEEN THE EARLY SPANISH SOTO DISCOVERING THE MISSISSIPPI. and seeking reinforcements from Cuba or Mexico. He there- fore hastily descended the Washita to its junction with the Red River, and the latter stream to its confluence with the Missis- sippi, where he found himself in the territory of Guachoya, filled with a brave and numerous population. His men being now reduced to fewer than five hundred, and his horses, which had formed his chief strength, to forty, he could no longer hope to vanquish in the field, a brave though barbarous foe. He was obliged to employ art, and act on their superstitious impres- sions by stating that he was the child of the sun ; and availing himself of their astonishment at seeing themselves in a mirror pretended that in that glass he could see whatever they did at any distance, and thus detect any plot which might be formed agamst him. He was much concerned to learn that the sea ADVENTURERS AND THE INDIANS. 19 was yet far off, and the road thither greatly obstructed by streams and entangled woods. Amid these anxieties and dis- tresses, he was seized with fever, which, not being treated with due attention, closed in a few days his earthly career. Soto did not merit quite so hard a destiny, though he was one of that bold bad race who, inflamed by the lust of gold, trampled on prostrate America. The unjust and tyrannical principles sanctioned by false views of loyalty and religion, which impelled to these enormities, were in him tempered at once by much prudence and discretion, and also by more than the usual degree of humanity. Had not his aims been frus- trated by the nature of the country and the fierce valour of the people, he might have founded a dominion on a better basis than any of the other Spanish con4uerors. The troops, on the death of their commander, were struck with deep alarm. Moscoso, his successor, endeavoured to con- ceal the event from the Indians, pretending that the general had merely gone up on a visit to heaven, whence he would quickly return. Lest his grave should lead to other conclusions, the body was carried out at midnight into the centre of the great river, and, with a weight attached, sunk to the bottom. 20 VAES BETWEEN THE EARLY SPANISH The cacique, however, politely intimated his consciousness of the true state of the case by presenting two handsome youths, in order that, theii' heads being cut off, they might serve the chief hx the land of souls. Moscoso, declining this gift, endear voured still to gain belief for his first statement, though proba- bly with Httle success. The party, meanwhile, felt themselves seriously called upon to consider their future plans. To reach a Spanish settlement by water, without vessels, pilots, or charts, appearing quite desperate, they determined rather to attempt a march to Mexico, not without a faint hope of discovering some golden region which might compensate all their toils. They pushed, accordingly, about three hundred miles westward, when, after passing a great river, the Colorado de Texas, or the Eio del Norte, the country became almost a desert, and they could not make themselves understood by the inhabitants. They gave up all hope, and determined, at whatever cost, to return and descend the Mississippi. On regaining its banks, they had, like Narvaez's party, to perform the tedious task of construct-; ing seven brigantines. But they fortunately had among theii number a sawyer, four or five carpeiiters, a caulker, and a cooper, and these instructed the rest. The jealousy of the Indians, however, led to a confederacy which might have been fatal, had it not been disclosed by the female captives. The risiag of the river enabled them to avoid the danger by immediately setting; sail ; though a numerous fleet of canoes pursued, cut ofi" a de- tachment, and harassed them during a great part of the voyage| In fifty-two days they arrived, reduced to the number of three hundred and eleven, at the port of Panucb in Mexico, where they were kindly received both by the governor and people. They had marched in four years upwards of five thousand miles, through a savage and hostile region. They had achieved , no- thing ; not having left even a vestige of their route, except the track of blood by which it had been too often stained. These dreadful reverses damped the zeal of Spain to conquer or colonize Florida; but Cancello, a Dominican missionary, who undertook to visit the country with a view to conversion, received ample encouragement from the government. The sinister impression, however, attached to his nation, being ex ADVENTURERS AND THE INDIANS. 21 tetded to every individual of it, lie and his companions weie put to death.. The Spaniards, notwithstanding, continued to claim Florida, and even the whole extent of North America ; yet there was not a spot in that vast territory on which one of them dared to set his foot. s2 CAPT. JOHN SMITH. GHAPTEE II. WARS BETWEEN THE EARLY SETTLERS OF VIRGINIA AND THE INDIANS. HOSE who attempted to colonize Vir- ginia, under the auspices of Sir Walter Raleigh, were baffled by the weakness and ineffi- ciency of their leaders, and the hostility of the Indians. In spite of several treaties, the red men displayed a determi- nation to prevent the whites from settling in the country. The efforts of the London Cr the loss of their relations. The emissaries of France among them instigated them to bloodshed, and for that purpose furnished them with arms and ammunition ; and the scattered families on the frontiers of Carolina lay much exposed to scalping parties of these savages. The garrison of Fort Loudon, consisting of about two hundred men, under the command of Captains Demere and Stuart, first discovered the ill-humour in which the Cherokee warriors re- turned from the northern expedition. The soldiers, as usual, making excursions into the woods to hunt for fresh provisions, were attacked by them, and some of them were killed. From this time such dangers threatened the garrison, that every one was confined within the small boundaries of the fort ; and all communication with the distant settlement from which they received supplies being cut off, and the soldiers being but poorly provided, had no other prospects left but those of famine or death. Parties of young Indians took the field, and rushing down among the settlements, murdered and scalped a number of people on the frontiers. The commanding ofiicer at Fort Prince George having re- ceived intelligence of these acts of hostility, despatched a mes- senger to Charleston to inform Governor Lyttleton that the Cherokees had commenced hostilities. In consequence of which, parties of the independent companies were brought to Charles- ton ; and the militia of the country had orders to rendezvous at Congarees, where the governor, with such a force as he could procure from the lower parts, resolved to join them, and march to the reUef of the frontier settlements. No sooner had the Cherokees heard of these warlike prepa- rations at Charleston, than 32 of their chiefs set out for that place, in order to settle all differences, and prevent, if possible, a war J but the governor, notwithstanding, determined that nothing should prevent his military expedition, although Lieu- tenant-Governor Bull urged the danger of a war at that time. A few days after holding this conference with the chieftains, the governor set out for Congarees, the place of general rendez- vous for the militia, and about 140 miles distant from Charles- ton, where he mustered in all about 1400 men. To this THE SETEN TEARS' 'WAE. 171 place the Cherokees marched along with the army, and were to all appearance contented, but in reality burning with resent- ment. When the artny moved from the Congarees, the chief- tains, very unexpectedly, were all made prisoners; and to prevent their escape to the nation, a captain's guard was mounted over them, and in this manner they were obliged to march to Fort Prince George. And these thirty-two Indians, upon the arrival of the army at Fort Prince George, were all shut up in a hut, scarcely sufficient for the accommodation of six soldiers, where they very naturally concerted plots for obtaining their liberty. Governor Lyttleton's little army being not only ill armed and discipUned, but also discontented and mutinous, he judged it dangerous to proceed further into the enemy's country. Having beforehand sent for AttakuUakuUa, who was esteemed both the wisest man of the Creek nation and the most steady friend of the Enghsh, to meet him at Fort Prince George, this warrior hastened to his camp from an excursion against the French, in which he had taken some prisoners, one of whom he presented to the governor. Mr. Lyttleton knew that for obtaining a re- establishment of peace there was not a man in the whole nation better disposed to assist him than this old warrior, though it was observed that he cautiously avoided making any offer of satisfaction. But so small was his influence among the Cherokees at this time, that they considered him as no better than an old woman, on account of his attachment to their Eng- hsh enemies, and his aversion from going to war against them. About the 18th of December, 1759, the governor held a congress with this warrior, and ultimately agreed to a treaty of peace, drawn up and signed by the governor and six of the head men ; in which it was agreed, that the 32 chieftains of the Cherokees (who had been taken prisoners) should be kept as hostages confined in the fort, until the same number of Indians, guilty of murder, should be delivered up to the commander-m-chief of the province; that trade should be opened and earned on as usual • that the Cherokees should kill, or take every French- man prisoner, who should presume to come into tteir nation during the continuance of the war ; aoid that they should hold ao intercourse with the enemies of Great Britain, but should 172 THE SEVEN years' WAK. apprehend every person, white or red, found among them, that might be endeavouring to set the English and Cherokees at variance, and interrupt the friendship and peace estabhshed between them. Scarcely had Governor Lyttleton concluded the treaty of Fort Prince George, when the small-pox, which was raging in an adjacent Indian town, broke out in his camp ; and as few of his little army had, ever gone through that distemper, and as the surgeons were totally unprovided for such an accident, his men were struck with terror, and in great haste returned to the settlements, cautiously avoiding all intercourse one with another, and suifering much from hunger and fatigue by the way. The governor followed them, and arrived in Charleston about the beginning of the year 1760. Though not a drop of blood had been spilt during the expedition, he was received like a con- queror, with the greatest demonstrations of joy ; and the most flattering addresses were presented to him by the different so- cieties and professions, and bonfires and illuminations testified the high sense the inhabitants entertained of his merit and services, and the happy consequences which they believed would result from his expedition. However, those rejoicings on account of the peace were scarcely over, when the news arrived that fresh hostilities had been committed, and the governor was informed that the Cherokees had killed fourteen men within a mile of Fort Prince George. The Indians had contracted an invincible antipathy to Captain Coytmore, the officer whom Mr. Lyttleton had left commander of that fort ; and the treatment they had received at Charleston, but especially the imprisonment of their chiefs, had now converted their former desire of peace into the bitterest rage for war. Occonostota, a chieftain of great influence, had become a most implacable and vindictive enemy to Carolina, and determined to repay treachery with treachery. Having gathered a strong party of Cherokees, he surrounded Fort Prince George, and compelled the garrison to keep within their works ; but finding that he could make no impression on the fort, nor oblige the commander to surrender, he contrived the folio v/ing stratagem for the relief of his countrymen confined in it. THE SEVEN TEARS' WAR. 173 As that country was everywhere covered with woods, he placed a party of savages in a dark thicket by the river side, and then sent an Indian woman, whom he knew to be always welcome at the fort, to inform the commander that he had something of consequence to communicate to him, and would be glad to speak with him at the river side. Captain Coytmore imprudently consented, and without any suspicion of danger walked down towards the river, accompanied by Lieutenants Bell and Foster ; when Occonostota, appearing on the opposite side, told him he was going to Charleston to procure a release of the prisoners, and would be glad of a white man to accompany him as a safeguard ; and the better to cover his dark design, had a bridle in his hand, and added, he would go and hunt for a horse for him. The Captain replied, that he should have a guard, and wished he might find a horse, as the journey was very long. Upon which the Indian, turning quickly about, swung the bridle thrice round his head, as a signal to the savages placed in ambush, who instantly fired on the ofl&cers, shot the captain dead on the spot, and wounded the other two. In consequence of which, orders were given to put the hostages in irons, to prevent any further danger from them ; but while the soldiers were attempting to execute their orders, the In- dians stabbed the first man who laid hold of them with a knife, and wounded two more ; upon which the garrison, exasperated to the highest degree, fell on the unfortunate hostages and butchered them in a manner too shocking to relate. There were few men in the Cherokee nation that did not lose a friend or a relation by this massacre, and therefore with one voice all immediately declared for war. The leaders in every town seized the hatchet, telling their followers that the spirits of their murdered brothers were flying around them, and calhng for vengeance. From the different towns large parties of warriors took the field, painted in the most formidable manner, and singing the war song, rushed down among the defenceless families on the frontiers of Carolina, where men, women, and children, without distinction, fell a sacrifice to their merciless fury. Such as fled to the woods, and escaped the scalping- knife, perished with hunger; and those whom they made prisoners were carried into the wilderness, where they suffered 22 P 174 THE SEVEN TEARS' WAE. inexpressible hardships ; and every day brought fresh accounts to the capital of their ravages, murders, and- desolations. But while the back settlers impatiently looked to their governor for relief, the small-pox raged to such a degree, in town, that few of the militia could be prevailed on to leave their distressed famiUes to serve the public. In this extremity an express was sent to General Amherst, the commander-in-chief in America, acquainting him with the deplorable situation of the province, and imploring his assistance in the most pressing terms. Ac- cordingly a battalion of Highlanders, and four companies of the Royal Scots, under the command of Colonel Montgomery, after- wards Earl of Eglinton, were ordered immediately to embark, and sail for the relief of Carohna. In the mean time William Lyttleton being transferred to the government of Jamaica, the charge of the province devolved on William Bull, a man of great integrity and erudition. Appli- cation was made to the inhabitants of North Carolina and Vir- ginia for reUef, and seven troops of rangers were raised to patrol the frontiers, and prevent the savages from penetrating further down among the settlements. A considerable sum was voted for presents to such of the Creeks, Chickesaws, and Catawbas as should join the province, and go to war against the Chero- kees ; and provisions were sent to the families that had escaped to Augusta and Port Moore, and the best preparations possible made for chastising their enemy, so soon as the regulars coming from New York should arrive in the province. Before the end of April, 1760, Colonel Montgomery landed in Carolina, and encamped at Monk's Corner ; but as the con- quest of Canada was the grand object of this year's campaign in America, he had orders to strike a sudden blow for the relief of Carolina, and return to head-quarters at Albany without loss of time. Nothing was therefore omitted that was judged neces- sary to forward the expedition. Several gentlemen of fortune, excited by a laudable zeal, formed themselves into a company of volunteers, and joined the army. The whole force of the province was collected, and ordered to rendezvous at Congaree ; and wagons, carts, and horses were impressed. A few weeks after his arrival, Colonel Montgomery marched to the Congaree, where he was joined by the internal strength THE SEVEN TEARS' WAR, 175 of the province, and immediately set out for the Cherokee country. He was provided with a half-blooded Indian, for a guide, who was well acquainted with the roads through the woods, and the passages through the rivers. Having httle time allowed him, his march was spirited and expeditious. After reaching a place called Twelvemile Kiver, he encamped on an advantageous ground, and marched with a party of his men in the night to surprise Estatoe, an Indian town about 20 miles from his camp. The first noise he heard by the way was the barking of a dog before his men, where he was informed there was an Indian town called Little Keowee, which he ordered the light infantry to surround, and, except women and children, to put every Indian iu it to the sword. He next proceeded to Estatoe, which he found abandoned by all the savages, excepting a few who had not had time to make their escape ; and this town, which consisted of at least 200 houses, and was well provided with corn, hogs, poultry, and ammunition, he reduced to ashes ; and Sugar Town, and every other settlement in the lower nation, afterwards shared the same fate. In these lower towns about 60 Indians were killed and 40 made pri- soners, and the rest were driven to seek for shelter among the mountains. He then marched to the relief of Fort Prince George, which had been for some time invested by savages, in- somuch that no soldier durst venture beyond the bounds of the fort, and where the garrison was in distress, not for the want of provisions, but of fuel to prepare them. While the army rested at Fort Prince George, Edmund At- kin, agent for Indian afiairs, despatched two Indian chiefs to the middle settlements, to inform the Cherokees that by suing, for peace they might obtain it, as the former friends and allies of Britain ; and at the same time he sent a messenger to Fort Loudon, requesting Captains Demere and Stuart, the command- ing officers at that place, to use their best endeavours for ob- taining peace with the Cherokees in the upper towns. Colonel Montgomery finding that the savages were as yet disposed to listen to no terms of accommodation, determined to carry the chastisement a little further. While he was piercing through ihe thick forest he had numberless difficulties to surmount, particularly from rivers fordable only at one place, and over- 176 THE SEVEN TEARS' 'WAE. looked by high banks on each side, where an enemy might attack him with advantage, and retreat with safety. When he had advanced within five miles of Etchoe, the nearest town in the middle settlements, he found there a low valley, covered so thickly with bushes that the soldiers could scarcely see three 3-ards before them, and in the middle of which there was a muddy river, with steep clay banks. Through this dark place, where it was impossible for any number of men to act together, the army must necessarily march ; and therefore Captain Mori- son, who commanded a company of rangers well acquainted with the woods, had orders to advance and scour the thicket. He had scarcely entered it, when a number of savages sprung from their lurking den, and firing on them, killed the captain and wounded several of his party. Upon which the ligh1> infantry and grenadiers were ordered to advance and charge the enemy, which they did with great courage and alacrity. A heavy fire then began on both sides, and during some time the soldiers could only discover the places where the savages were hid by the report of their guns. Colonel Montgomery finding that the number of Indians that guarded this place was great, and that they were determined obstinately to dispute it, ordered the Eoyal Scots, who were in the rear, to advance between the savages and a rising ground on the right, while the Highlanders marched towards the left to sustain the light-infantry and grenadiers. The woods now resounded with the horrible shouts and yells of the savages, but these, instead of intimidating the troops, seemed rather to inspire them with double firmness and resolution. At length the savages gave way, and in their retreat falling in with the Royal Scots, sufiered considerably before they got out of their reach. By this time the Royals being in the front and the Highlanders in the rear, the enemy stretched away and took possession of a hill, seemingly disposed to keep at a distance, and always retreating as the army advanced; and Colonel Montgomery perceiving that they kept aloof, gave orders to the line to face about, and march directly for the town of Etchoe ; but the enemy no sooner observed this movement, than they got behind the hill, and ran to alarm their wives and children. During the action, which lasted above an hour, Colonel Mojit- THE SEVEN TEARS* WAR. 177 gomery, who made several narrow escapes, had 20 men killed, and 76 wounded. What number the enemy lost is uncertain, but some places were discovered into which they had thrown several of their slain, from which it was conjectured that they must have lost a great number, as it is a custom among them to carry their dead off the field. Upon viewing the ground, all were astonished to see with what judgment and skill they had chosen it ; for the most experienced European officer could not have fixed upon a spot more advantageous for waylaying and attacking an enemy, according to the method of fighting practised among the Indian nations. This action, though it terminated much in favour of the British troops, had nevertheless reduced them to such a situa- tion as made it very imprudent, if not altogether impracticable, to penetrate further into those woods. The repulse was far from being decisive, for the enemy had only retired from one to another advantageous situation in order to renew their attack when the army should again advance. Humanity would not suffer the commander to leave so many wounded men exposed to the vengeance of savages, without any stronghold in which he might lodge them, or some detachment, which he could not spare, to protect them ; and should he proceed further, he saw plainly that he must expect frequent skirmishes, which would increase the number, and the burning of so many Indian towns would be a poor compensation for the great risk, and perhaps wanton sacrifice of so many valuable lives. To furnish horses for the men already wounded obliged him to throw many bags of flour into the river, and what remained was no more than sufficient for his army during their return to Fort Prince George. Orders were therefore given for a retreat, which was made with great regularity, although the enemy continued hovering around them, and annoying them to the utmost of their power. A large train of wounded men was brought above 60 miles through a hazardous country in safety, for which no small share of honour and praise was due to the officer that con- ducted the retreat. After Colonel Montgomery had returned to the settlements, and was preparing to embark for New York, agreeable to his orders from General Amherst, the Carolinians were again thrown p2 178 THE SEYEN TEARS' TTAE. under the most dreadful apprehensions from the dangers which still hung over the province ; and prevailed on the colonel to leave four companies of the royal regiment, under the command of Major Frederick Hamilton, for covering the frontiers, -while he embarked with the battalion of Highlanders, and sailed for New York. In the mean time the distant garrison of Fort Loudon, con- sisting of 200 men, was reduced to the dreadful alternative of perishing by hunger or submitting to the mercy of the enraged Cherokees. The governor having information that the Vir- ginians had undertaken to relieve it, for a while seemed satis- fied, and anxiously waited to hear the news of that happy event, but the Virginians were equally ill qualified with their neighbours of Carolina to send them any assistance. So remote was the fort from every settlement, and so difficult was it to march an army through the barren wilderness, where the various thickets were lined with enemies, and to carry at the same time sufficient supplies along with them, that the Vir- ginians had dropped all thoughts of the attempt. Provisions being entirely exhausted at Fort Loudon, the garrison was re- duced to the most deplorable situation ; and for a whole month they had no other subsistence but the flesh of lean horses and dogs, and a small supply of Indian beans, which some friendly Cherokee women procured for them by stealth. Long had the officers endeavoured to animate and encourage the men with the hopes of relief; but now being blockaded night and day by the enemy, and having no resource left, they threatened to leave the fort, and die at once by the hands of savages, rather than perish slowly by famine. In this extremity the commander was obliged to call a council of war, to consider what was proper to be done ; when the officers were all of opinion, that it was impossible to hold out any longer, and therefore agreed to sur- render the fort to the Cherokees on the best terms that could be obtained from them. For this purpose. Captain Stuart, an officer of great sagacity and address, and much beloved by aU the Indians that remained in the British interest, procured leave to go to Chot^, one of the principal towns in the neigh- bourhood, where he obtained the following terms of capitulation, which were signed by the commanding officer, and two of the THE SEVEN TEARS' "WAR. 179 Cherokee chiefs. " That the garrison of Fort Loudon march out with their arms and drums, each soldier having as much powder and ball as their officer shall think necessary for their march, and all the baggage they may choose to carry : that the garrison be permitted to march to Virginia, or Fort Prince George, as the commanding officer shall think proper, un- molested ; and that a number of Indians be appointed to escort them, and hunt for provisions during their march ; that such soldiers as are lame, or by sickness disabled from marching, be received into the Indian towns, and kindly used until they recover, and then allowed to return to Fort Prince George ; that the Indians do provide for the garrison as many horses as they conveniently can for their march, agreeing with the officers and soldiers for payment ; that the fort, great guns, powder, ball, and spare arms, be delivered to the Indians without fraud or further delay, on the day appointed for the march of the troops." On these terms the garrison delivered up the fort, and marched out with their arms, accompanied by Occonostota, Judd's friend, the Chief of Chote, and several other Indians, and that day went fifteen miles on their way to Fort Prince George. At night they encamped on a plain about two miles from Taliquo, an Indian town, when all their attendants, upon one pretence or another, left them ; which the officers considered as no good sign, and therefore placed a strict guard round their camp. During the night they remained unmolested, but next morning, about break of day, a soldier from an out-post came running in, and informed them that he saw a vast number of Indians, armed, and painted in the most dreadful manner, creeping among the bushes, and advancing in order to surround them. Scarcely had the officer time to order his men to stand to their arms, when the savages poured in upon them a heavy fire from different -quarters, accompanied with the most hideous yells, which struck a panic into the soldiers, who were so much enfeebled and dispirited that they were incapable of making any effectual resistance. Captain Demere, with three other officers, and about twenty-six private men, fell at the first onset. Some fled into the woods, and were afterwards taken prisoners and confined among the towns in the valley. Captain 180 THE SEVEN TEAES' "WAR. Stuart, and those that rerfiained, were seked, pinioned, and brought back to Fort Loudon. No sooner had AttakullakuUa heard that his friend Mr. Stuart had escaped, than he hastened to the fort, and purchased him from the Indian that took him, giving him his rifle, clothes, and all he could command, by way of ransom. He then took possession of Captain Demere's house, where he kept his prisoner as one of his family, and freely shared with him the little provisions his table afforded, until a fair opportunity should offer for rescuing him from their hands ; but the poor soldiers were kept in a miserable state of captivity for some time, and then redeemed by the province at a great expense. During the time these prisoners were confined at Fort Lou- don, Occonostota formed a design of attacking Fort Prince George, and for this purpose despatched a messenger to the settlements in the valley, requesting all the warriors there to join him at Stickoey old town. By accident a discovery was made of ten bags of powder, and ball in proportion, which the officers had secretly buried in the fort, to prevent their falling into the enemy's hands. This discovery had nearly proved fatal to Captain Stuart, and would certainly have cost him his life, had not the interpreter had so much presence of mind as to assure the enemy that these warlike stores had been con- cealed without his knowledge or consent. The Indians having now abundance of ammunition for the siege, a council was called at Chot^, to which the captain was brought, and put in mind of the obligations he lay under to them for sparing his life ; and as they had resolved to carry six cannon and two cohorns with them against Fort Prince George, to be managed by men under his command, they told him he must go and write such letters to the commandant as they should dictate to him. They informed him at the same time, that if that officer should refuse to surrender, they were determined to bum the prisoners one after another before his face, and try if he could be so obstinate as to hold out while he saw his friends expiring in the flames. Captain Stuart was much alarmed at his situa- tion, and from that moment resolved to make his escape, or perish in the attempt. His design he privately communicated to AttakullakuUa, and told him how uneasy he was at the THE SEVEN YEARS* 'WAR. 381 thoughts of being compelled to bear arms against his country- men. He acknowledged that he had always been a brother, and hoped he would assist him to get out of his present perilous circumstances. The old warrior, taking him by the hand, told him he was his friend, he had already given one proof of his regard, and intended to give another so soon as his brother, should return and help him to concert the measure. He said he was well apprised of the ill designs of his countrymen, and should he go and persuade the garrison of Fort Prince George to do as he had done, what could he expect but that they should share the same dismal fate. Strong and uncultivated minds carry their friendship, as well as their enmity, to an astonishing pitch. Among savages family friendship is a national virtue, and civilized men may blush when they con- sider how much barbarians have often surpassed them in the practice of it. AttakuUakuUa claimed Captain Stuart as his prisoner, and had resolved to deliver him from danger, and for this purpose there was no time to be lost. Accordingly he gave out among his countrymen that he intended to hunt for a few days, and carry his prisoner along with him to eat venison, of which he declared he was exceedingly fond. At the same time the cap- tain went among his soldiers, telling them that they could never expect to be ransomed by the province, if they gave the smallest assistance to the Indians against Fort Prince George. Having settled all matters, they set out on their journey, accompanied by the warrior's wife, his brother, and two soldiers, who were the only persons in the garrison that knew how to convey great guns through the woods. For provisions they depended on what they might kill by the way; but the distance to the frontier settlements was great, and the utmost expedition was necessary to prevent any surprise from Indians pursuing them. Nine days and nights did they travel through a dreary wilder- ness, shaping their course by the sun and moon towards Vir- ginia, and traversing many hills, valleys, and paths, that had never been crossed before but by savages and wild beasts. On the tenth they arrived at the banks of Holston's river, where they fortunately fell in with a party of- 300 men, sent out by Colonel Bird for the relief of such soldiers as might make their 23 182 THE SEVEN TEAES' WAR. escape that way from Fort Loudon. On the fourteenth day the Captain reached Colonel Bird's camp on the frontiers of Virginia, where having loaded his faithful friend with presents and provisions, he sent him back to protect the unhappy pri- soners till they should be ransomed, and to exert his influenco among the Cherokees for the restoration of peace. No sooner had Captain Stuart made his escape from the hands of the savages, than he immediately began to concert ways and means for the relief'of his garrison. An express was despatched to Lieutenant>governor Bull, informing him of the disaster that had happened to the garrison of Fort Loudon, and of the designs of the enemy against Fort Prince George. In consequence of which orders were given to Major TJiomson, who commanded the militia on the frontiers, to throw in pro- visions for ten weeks into that fort, and warn the commanding officer of his danger. At the same time a messenger was sent to AttakullakuUa, desiring him to inform the Cherokees that Fort George was impregnable, having vast quantities of powder buried under ground everywhere around it, to blow up all enemies that should attempt to come near it. Presents of con- siderable value were sent to redeem the prisoners at Fort Lou- don, a few of whom had by this time made their escape ; and afterwards not only those that were confined among the towns in the valley, but also all that had survived the hardships of hunger, disease, and captivity in the upper towns were re- leased, and delivered up to the commanding officer at Fort Prince George. It might now have been expected that the vindictive spirit of the savages would be satisfied, and that they would be' dis- posed to listen to some terms of accommodation. This treach- erous conduct to the soldiers at Fort Loudon, they intended as a satisfaction for the harsh treatment their relations had meit with at Fort Prince George ; and dearly had the province paid for the base imprisonment and massacre of the chiefs at that place. Still, however, a great majority of the nation spumed at every offer of peace. The lower towns had all been destroyed by Colonel Montgomery; the warriors in the middle settle- ments had lost many friends and relations ; and several French- men had crept in among the upper towns, and helped to foment THE SEVEN TEAKS' WAR. 18c their ill humour against Carolina. Lewis Latinac, a French officer, was among them, and proved an indefatigable instigator to mischief. He persuaded the Indians that the English had no- thing less in view than to exterminate them from the face of the earth ; and, furnishing them with arms and ammunition, urged them on to war. At a great meeting of the nation he pulled out his hatchet, and striking it into a log of wood, called out, Who is the man that will take this up for the king of France ? Saloue, the young warrior of Estatoe, instantly laid hold of it, and cried out, "I am for war. The spirits of our brothers who have been slain still call upon us to avenge their death. He is no better than a woman that refuses to follow me." Many others seized the tomahawk, yet dyed in British blood, and burned with impatience for the field. Under the flattering appearance of a calm were these clouds again gathering ; however. Lieutenant-governor Bull, who well knew how little Indians were to be trusted on any occasion, kept the Royal Scots and miUtia on the frontiers in a posture of defence. But finding the province stiU under the most dreadful apprehensions from their savage neighbours, who con- tinued insolent and vindictive, and ready to renew their ravages and murders, he made application a second time to General Amherst for assistance. Canada being now reduced, the com- mander-in-chief could the more easily spare a force adequate to the purpose intended ; and Colonel Montgomery, who conducted the former expedition, having by this time embarked for Eng- land, the command of the Highlanders devolved on Lieutenant- Colonel James Grant, who received orders to return to the rehef of Carolina. Early in the year 1761 he landed at Charles- ton, where he took up his winter quarters, until the proper season should approach for taking the field ; but, unfortunately, during this time many of the soldiers, by drinking brackish water, were taken sick, which afforded the inhabitants an op- portunity of showing their kindness and humanity. They con- sidered themselves under the strongest obligations to treat men with tenderness, who came to protect them against their ene- mies, and therefore they brought the sick soldiers into their houses, and nursed them with the greatest care and attention. In this campaign the province determined to exert itself to 184 THE SEVEN TEARS' WAR. the utmost, that, in conjunction with the regular forces, a severe correction might be given to those troublesome savages. For this purpose a provincial regiment was raised, and the command of it given to Colonel Middleton. Presents were pro- vided for the Indian allies, and several of the Chickesaws and Catawbas engaged to assist them against the Cherokees. But the Creeks, whose help was also strongly solicited, played an artful game between the Enghsh and the French, and gave the one or the other encouragement, according to the advantages they reaped from them. All possible preparations were made for supplying the army with provisions at different stages, and with such carts and horses as were thought necessary to the expedition. As all white men in the province, of the military- age, were soldiers as well as citizens, and trained in some measure to the use of arms, it was no difficult matter to complete the provincial regiment. Their names being registered in the list of militia, on every emergency they were obliged to be ready for defence, not only against the incursions of Indians, but also against the insurrection of negroes ; and although the same prompt obe- dience to orders could not be expected from them that is necessary in a regular army, yet the provincials had other advantages which compensated for that defect. They were better acquainted than strangers with the woods, and the nature of that country in which their military service was re- quired. They were seasoned to the climate, and had learned from experience' what clothes, meat, and drink were most proper to enable them to do their duty. In common occasions, when the militia was called out, the men received no pay, but when employed, as in this Cherokee war, for the public defence, they were allowed the same pay with the king's forces. As soon as the Highlanders had recovered from their sick- ness, and were in a condition to take the field, Colonel Grant began his march for the Cherokee territories ; and after beirg joined by the provincial regiment and Indian allies, he mustered in all about 2600 men. Having served some years in America, and been in several engagements with the Indians, he was noiv no stranger to their methods of making war. On the 27th of May, 1761, Colonel Grant arrived at Fort THE SEVEN TEARS' WAR. 185 Prince George, and AttakullakuUa having got information that he was advancing against his nation with a formidable army, hastened to his camp to signify his earnest desire of peace. H.> told the colonel that he always had been, and ever would con- tinue to be, a firm friend to the English ; that the outrages of his countrymen covered him with shame, and filled his heart with grief; yet nevertheless he would gladly interpose in their behalf, in order to bring about an accommodation. Often, he said, had he been called an old woman by the mad young men of his nation, who delighted in war, and despised his counsels. Often had he endeavoured to get the hatchet buried, and the former good correspondence with the Carolinians established ; but now he was determined to set out for the Cherokee towns, to persuade them to consult their safety, and speedily agree to terms of peace, and again and again begged the colonel to proceed no further until he returned. Colonel Grant, however, gave him no encouragement to expect that his request could be granted ; but, on the 7th of June, began his march from Fort Prince George, carrying with him provisions for the army for 30 days. A party of 90 Indians, and 30 woodmen, painted like Indians, under the command of Captain Quintine Kennedy, had orders to march in front and scour the woods. After them the light infantry, and about 50 rangers, consisting in all of about 200 men, followed, by whose vigilance and activity the commander imagined that the main body of the army might be kept tolerably quiet and secure. For three days he made forced marches, in order to get over two narrow and dangerous defiles, which he accom- plished without a shot from the enemy, but which might have cost him dear, had they been properly guarded and warmly disputed. On the day following he found suspicious ground on all hands, and therefore orders were given for the first time to load and prepare for action, and the guards to march slowly forward, doubling their vigilance and circumspection. As they frequently spied Indians around them, all were convinced that they should that day have an engagement. At length, having advanced near to the place where Colonel Montgomery was at- tacked the year before, the Indian allies in the van-guard, about eight in the morning, observed a large body of Cherokees Q 186 THE SEVEN TEAES' 'WAE. posted upoH a hill on the right flank of the army, and gave the alarm. Immediately the savages^ rushing down, began to fire on the advanced guard, which being supported, the enemy were repulsed^ and recovered their heights. Under this hill the line was obliged to march a considerable way. On the left there was a river, from the opposite bank of which a large party of Indians fired briskly on the troops as they advanced. Colonel Grant ordered a party to march up the hill, and drive the enemy from the heights, while the line faced about, and gave their whole charge to the Indians who annoyed them from the side of the river. The engage- ment became general, and the savages seemed determined obstinately to dispute the lower grounds, while those on the hill were dislodged only to return with redoubled ardour to the charge. The situation of the troops was in several respects deplorable ; fatigued by a tedious march, in rainy weather, sur^ rounded with woods, so that they could not discern the enemy, galled by the scattered fire of savages, who when pressed always kept aloof, but rallied again and again, and returned to the ground. No sooner did the army gain an advantage over them in one quarter, than they appeared in another. While the at- tention of the commander was occupied in driving the enemy from their lurking-place on the river's side, the rear was attacked, and so vigorous an effort made for the flour and cattle, that he was obliged to order a party back for the relief of the rear-guard. From eight o'clock in the morning until eleven the savages continued to keep up an irregular and incessant fire, sometimes from one place, and sometimes from another, while the woods resounded with hideous shouts and yells, to intimidate the troops. At length the Cherokees gave way, and being pursued for some time, random shots continued till two • o'clock, when they disappeared. What loss the enemy sustained in this action we have not yet been able to learn, but of Colonel Grant's army there were between 50 and 60 men killed and wounded ; and it is probables the loss of the savages could not be much greater, and perhaps not so great, owing to their manner of fighting. Orders were given not to bury the slain, but to sink them in the river, to prevent their being dug up from their graves and scalped. To provide horses for thosfl THE SEVEN TEARS* "WAR. 187 that were wounded, several bags of flour were thrown into the river. After which they proceeded to Etchoe, a pretty large Indian town, which they reached about midnight, and next day reduced to ashes. Every other town in the middle settle- ments, fourteen in number, shared the same fate; and their magazines and corn fields were lik;ewise destroyed, and those miserable savages, with their families, were driven to seek for shelter and provisions among the lower mountains. Colonel Grant continued 30 days in the heart of the Chero- kee territories, and, upon his return to Fort Prince George, the feet and legs of many of his army were so torn and bruised, and their strength and spirits so much exhausted, that they were utterly unable to march further. He resolved therefore to en- camp at that place, both to refresh his men, and wait the reso- lutions of the Cherokees, in consequence of the heavy chas- tisement which they had received. Besides the numberless advantages their country afforded for defence, it was supposed that some French ofl&cers had been among them, and given them all the assistance in their power. It is true the savages supported their attack for some hours with considerable spirit ; but being driven from their advantageous posts and thickets, they were wholly disconcerted, and though the repulse was far from being decisive, yet after this engagement they returned no more to the attack. Such engagements in Europe would be considered as trifling skirmishes, scarcely worthy of relation, but in America a great deal is often determined by them. It is no easy matter to describe the distress to which the savages were reduced by this severe correction ; even in time of peace they are in a great measure destitute of that foresight which provides for future events ; but in time of war, when their villages are destroyed, and their fields laid desolate, they are reduced to extreme want. Being driven to the barren mountains, the hunters furnished with ammunition might indeed make some small pro- vision for themselves ; but women, children, and old men must perish, being deprived of the means of subsistence. A few days after Colonel Grant's arrival at Fort Prince George, AttakuUakuUa, attended by several chieftains, came to his camp, and expressed a desire of peace. Severely had 188 THE SEVEN TEARS' WAR. they suffered for breaking their alliance with Britain ; and con- vinced at last of the weakness and perfidy of the French, who were neither able to assist them in time of war, nor supply their wants in time of peace, they resolved to renounce all con- nexion with them for ever. Accordingly terms of peace were drawn up and proposed, which were no less honourable to Colonel Grant than advantageous to the province. The dif- ferent articles being read and interpreted, AttakuUakuUa agreed to them all excepting one, by which it was demanded, " That four Cherokee Indians be delivered up to Colonel Grant at Fort Prince George, to be put to death in the front of his camp ; or four green scalps be brought to him in the space of twelve nights." The warrior having no authority from his nation, declared he could not agree to this article, and therefore the Colonel sent him to Charleston, to see whether the lieutenant- governor would consent to mitigate the rigour of it. Accordingly AttakuUakuUa, and the other chieftains, being furnished with a safeguard, set out for Charleston, to hold a conference with Mr. Bull, and a peace was formally ratified and confirmed by both parties. Thus ended the Cherokee war, which was among the last humbling strokes given to the expiring power of France in North America, and Colonel Grant returned to Charleston. A treaty of peace was concluded at Paris on the 10th of February, 1763. By this treaty, the French monarch renounced ill claim to Nova Scotia, and ceded Canada and its dependen- cies, together with Cape Breton and all the islands and coasts adjoining the river St. Lawrence, to the British crown. COLONBL BOUQUET. CHAPTER XI. PONTIAC'S WAR. EACE was scarcely concluded be- tween France and England, when the north-western frontier of the colonies was visited with the horrors of Indian warfare. (1763.) When the English had taken possession of the French posts in Canada, Detroit also fell into their hands. The tribes in the vici- nity of this post were under the government of Pontiac, an Ottawa chief, of great sagacity, bravery, and determination. Though he affected to be the friend of the English, he preferred the French, and quietly, but effectually entered into measures, the obiect of which was to drive the former from his country. 24 Q2 (189) 190 PONTIAC'S "WAR. Pontiac now proceeded in his great work of forming the north-western tribes into a vast confederacy, and proved him- self an able diplomatist. His eloquence and representations prevailed, and he found himself at the head of a mighty body of warriors.. The plan of attack was next concerted. All the posts held by the English from Fort Pitt to Michilimackinac were to be attacked simultaneously upon a certain day. Until that day arrived, every precaution was taken to lull the EngUsh into a feeling of security, yet bands of the various tribes united in the confederacy gathered about Michilimackinac, Detroit, the Mouree post, Presque Isle, Niagara, Pitt, Ligonier, and other stations. At length, the appointed day anived. The traders everywhere were seized, their goods taken from them, and more than one hundred of them put to death. Nine British forts yielded instantly, and over the whole north-western frontier, the work of horror and desolation was actively pur- sued. In Western Virginia, more than 20,000 people were driven from their homes. The burning of houses, the wasting of fields, and the capturing and butchering of settlers and traders, occupied every hour. Fort Michilimackinac was taken by a stratagem, which is thus narrated by Henry, a contempo- rary : " The next day, being the fourth of June, was the king's birth-day. The morning was sultry. A Chippeway came to tell me that his nation was going to play at baggatiway, with the Sacs or Saakies, another Indian nation, for a high wager. He invited me to witness the sport, adding that the command- ant was to be there, and would bet on the side of the Chippe- ways. In consequence of this information, I went to the com- mandant, and expostulated with him a little, representing that the Indians might possibly have some sinister end in view; but the commandant only smiled at my suspicions. '•'■Baggatiway, called by the Canadians le Jeu de la crosse, is played with a bat and ball. The bat is about four feet in length, curved, and terminating in a sort of racket. Two posts are planted in the ground, at a considerable distance from each other, as a mile or more. Each party has its post, and the game consists in throwing the ball up to the post of the adversary. The ball at the beginning is placed in the middle PONTIAC'S WAR. 191 of the course, and each party endeavours as well to throw the ball out of the direction of its own post, as into that of the adversary's. "I did not go myself to see the match which was now to be played without the fort, because, there being a canoe prepared to depart, on the following day, for Montreal, I employed my- self in writing letters to my friends ; and even when a fellow- trader, Mr. Tracy, happened to call upon me, saying that another canoe had just arrived from Detroit, and proposing that I should go with him to the beach, to inquire the news, it so happened that I still remained, to finish my letters ; pro- mising to follow Mr. Tracy in the course of a few minutes. Mr. Tracy had not gone more than twenty paces from the door, when I heard an Indian war-cry, and a noise of general con- fusion. Going instantly to my window, I saw a crowd of In- dians, within the fort, furiously cutting down and scalping every Englishman they found. In particular, I witnessed the fate of Lieutenant Jemette. " The game of baggatiway, as from the description above will have been perceived, is necessarily attended with much violence and noise. In the ardour of contest, the ball, as has been sug- gested, if it cannot be thrown to the goal desired, is struck in any direction by which it can be diverted from that designed by the adversary. At such a moment, therefore, nothing could be less liable to excite premature alarm, than that the ball should be tossed over the pickets of the fort, nor that, having fallen there, it should be followed on the instant by all engaged in the game, as well the one party as the other, all eager, all struggling, all shouting, all in the unrestrained pursuit of a rude athletic exercise. Nothing could be less fitted to excite premature alarm; nothing, therefore, could be more happily devised, under the circumstances, than a stratagem like this ; and this was, in fact, the stratagem which the Indians had em- ployed, by which they had obtained possession of the fort, and by which they had been enabled to slaughter and subdue its garrison, and such of its other inhabitants as they pleased. To be still more certain of success, they had prevailed upon as many as they could, by a pretext the least liable to suspidon, 192 PONTIAC'S WAE. to come voluntarily without the pickets ; and particularly the commandant and garrison themselves." At Detroit, where Pontiac commanded, treachery prevented success ; of this we give the account by Captain Carver : — " As every appearance of war was at an end, and the Indians seemed to be on a friendly footing, Pontiac approached Detroit without exciting any suspicions in the breast of the governor, or the inhabitants. He encamped at a httle distance from it, and let the commandant know that he was come to trade ; and being desirous of brightening the chain of peace between the English and his nation, desired that he and his chiefs might be admitted to hold a council with him. The governor, still unsuspicious, and not in the least doubting the sincerity of the Indians, granted their general's request, and fixed on the next morning for their reception. " On the evening of that day, an Indian woman who had been appointed by Major Gladwin to make a pair of Indian shoes, out of a curious elkskin, brought them home. The major was so pleased with them, that, intending these as a pre- sent for a friend, he ordered her to take the remainder back, and make it into others for himself He then directed his servant to pay her for those she had done, and dismissed her. The woman went to the door that led to the street, but no fur- ther ; she there loitered about as if she had not finished the business on which she came. A servant at length observed her, and asked her why she stayed there ? She, gave him, however, no answer. " Some short time after, the governor himself saw her, and inquired of his servant what occasioned her stay. Not being able to get a satisfactory answer, he ordered the woman to be called in. When she came into his presence, he desired to know what was the reason of her loitering about, and not hast- ening home before the gates were shut, that she might complete in due time the work he had given her to do. She told him, after much hesitation, that as he had always behaved with great goodness towards her, she was unwilling to take away the remainder of the skin, because he put so great a value upon it; and yet had not been able to prevail upon herself to tell him 60. He then asked her why she was more reluctant to do so PONTIAC'S -WAR. 193 now than she had been when she made the former pair. With increased reluctance she answered, that she should never be able to bring them back. " His curiosity was now excited, he insisted on her disclosing the secret that seemed to be struggling in her bosom for utter- ance. At last, on receiving a promise that the intelligence she was about to give him should not turn to her prejudice ; and that if it appeared to be beneficial, she should be rewarded for it, she informed him, that at the council to be held with the Indians the following day, Pontiac and his chiefs intended to murder him ; and, after having massacred the garrison and in- habitants, to plunder the town. That for this purpose, all the chiefs who were to be admitted into the council room had cut their guns short, so that they could conceal them under their blankets ; with which on a signal given by their general, on delivering the belt, they were all to rise up and instantly to fire on him and his attendants. Having effected this, they were immediately to rush into the town, where they would find themselves supported by a great number of their warriors, that were to come into it during the sitting of the council under the pretence of trading, but privately armed in the same man- ner. Having gained from the woman every necessary particu- lar relative to the plot, and also the means by which she acquired a knowledge of them, he dismissed her with injunc- tions of secrecy, and a promise of fulfilling on his part with punctuality the engagements he had entered into. " The intelligence the governor had just received gave him great uneasiness ; and he immediately consulted the officer who was next him in command on the subject. But this gentle- men, considering the information as a story invented for some artful purpose, advised him to pay no attention to it. This conclusion, however, had happily, no weight with him. He thought it prudent to conclude it to be *true, till he was con- vinced that it was not so ; and therefore, without revealing his suspicions to any other person, he took every needful precau- tion that the time would admit of. He walked around the fort frx the whole night, and saw himself, that every sentinel was upon duty, and every weapon of defence in proper order. " As he traversed the ramparts that lay nearest to the Indian 194 PONTIAC'S WAR. camp, lie heard them in high festivity, and little imagining that their plot was discovered, probably pleasing themselves with the anticipation of their success. As soon as the momi^g dawned, he ordered all the garrison under arms, and then im- parting his apprehensions to a few of the principal ofl&cers, gave them such directions as he thought necessary. At the same time he sent round to all the traders, to inform them, that as it was expected a great number of Indians would enter the town that day, who might be inclined to plunder, he desired they would have their arms ready, and repel any attempt of that kind. " About ten o'clock, Pontiac and his chiefs arrived, and were conducted to the council chamber, where the governor and his principal officers, each with pistols in his belt, awaited his arrival. As the Indians passed on, they could not help observ- ing that a greater number of troops than usual were drawn up on the parade, or marching about. No sooner were they entered and seated on the skins prepared for them, than Pontiac asked the governor, on what occasion his young men, meaning the soldiers, were thus drawn up and parading the streets? He received for answer that it was only intended to keep them perfect in their exercise. " The Indian chief warrior now began his speech, which con- tained the strongest professions of friendship and good will towards the English : and when he came to the deUvery of the belt of wampum, the particular mode of which, according to the woman's information, was to be the signal for the chiefs to fire, the governor and all his attendants drew their swords half way out of their scabbards ; and the soldiers at the same time made a clattering with their arms before the door, which had been purposely left open. Pontiac, though one of the bravest men, immediately turned pale and trembled ; and instead of giving the belt in the manner proposed, delivered it according to the usual way. His chiefs, who had impatiently expected the signal, looked at each other with astonishment, but con- tinued quiet, waiting the result. " The governor, in his turn, made a speech, but instead of thanking the great warrior for the professions of friendship he had just uttered, he accused him of being a traitor. He told PONTIAC'S WAR. 195 him that the English, who knew everything, were convinced of his treachery and villanous designs ; and as a proof that they were acquainted with his most secret thoughts and inten- tions, he stepped towards an Indian chief that sat nearest to him, and drawing aside the blanket, discovered the shortened firelock. This entirely disconcerted the Indians, and frustrated their design. " He then continued to tell them, that as he had given his word at the time they had desired an audience, that their per- sons should be safe, he would hold his promise inviolable, though they so little deserved it. However, he desired them to make the best of their way out of the fort, lest his young men, on being acquainted with their treacherous purposes, should cut every one of them to pieces. "Pontiac endeavoured to contradict the accusation, and to make excuses for his suspicious conduct; but the governor, satisfied of the falsity of his protestations, would not listen to him. The Indians immediately left the fort; but instead of being sensible of the governor's generous behaviour, they threw off the mask, and the next day made a regular attack upon it." Thus foiled, Pontiac laid formal siege to the fortress, and for many months that siege was continued in a manner, and with a perseverance, unexampled by the Indians. Even a regular commissariat department was organized, and bills of credit drawn out upon bark, were issued, and what is rarer, punctually paid. Fort Pitt was besieged and reduced to great straits. Niagara remained in the possession of the British. Sir Jefiry Amherst, who now commanded in America, determined to make an efibrt to relieve and strengthen Pitt, Detroit, and Niagara The troops, destined to relieve Detroit, were commanded by Captain Dalyell. He arrived at that post on the 30th of July Before his arrival, Pontiac had summoned Major Gladwin t(» surrender the fort to the French king. To force the Indians to abandon their present design. Captain Dalyell sallied out early on the morning of the 31st, with 250 men. At Bloody Bridge, he was attacked by the Indians. Learning their im- mense superiority, he was about to retreat, when he was killed. 196 PONTIACS WAR. Captain Grant now assumed the command, brought his men to the fort in good order, and acquired great honour by the able manner in which he conducted the retreat. Besides Captain Dalyell, the English lost one sergeant and eighteen rank and file killed; and Captain Grey, Lieutenants Duke and Brown, one drummer, and thirty-eight rank and file wounded. Colonel Bouquet, with two regiments of regulars, in a shattered condition, was ordered to march to the relief of Fort Pitt, with a quantity of military stores. Early orders had been given to prepare a convoy of provisions on the frontiers of Pennsylvania, but such was the universal terror and consternation of the inhabitants, that when Colonel Bouquet arrived at Carlisle, nothing had yet been done. A great PONTIAO'S WAR. lU number of the plantations had been plundered and burnt by the savages ; many of the mills were destroyed, and the full ripe crops stood waving in the field, ready for the sickle, but the reapers were not to be found. The greatest part of the county of Cumberland, through which the army had to pass, was deserted, and the roads were covered with distressed families, flying from their settlements, and destitute of all the necessaries of life. In the midst of that general confusion, the supplies necessary for the expedition became very precarious, nor was it less difficult to procure horses and carriages, for the use of the troops. The commander found that, instead of expectiiig such sup- plies from a miserable people, he himself was called, by the voice of humanity, to bestow on them some share of his own provisions, to relieve their present exigency. However, in eighteen days after his arrival at CarHsle, by the prudent measures which he pursued, joined to his knowledge of the country, and the diligence of the persons he employed, the convoy and carriages were procured with the assistance of the interior parts of the country, and the army proceeded. Their march did not abate the fears of the dejected inha- bitants. They knew the strength and ferocity of the enemy. They remembered the former defeats even of our best troops, and were full of diffidence and apprehensions on beholding the small number and sickly state of the regulars employed in this expedition. Without the least hopes, therefore, of success, they seemed only to wait for the fatal event, which they dreaded, to abandon all the country beyond the Susquehanna. Meanwhile, Fort Ligonier, situated beyond the Allegheny mountains, was in the greatest danger of falling into the hands of the enemy, before the army could reach it. The stockade being very bad, and the garrison extremely weak, they had attacked it vigorously, but had been repulsed by the bravery and good conduct of Lieutenant Blane, who commanded there. The preservation of that post was of the utmost consequence, on account of its situation and the quantity of military stores it contained, which, if the enemy could have got possession of, would have enabled them to continue their attack upon Fort 25 K 198 PONTIAC'S WAK. Pitt, and reduced the army to the greatest straits. For an object of that importance, every risk was to be run ; and the Colonel determined to send through the woods, with proper guides, a party of thirty men to join that garrison. They suc- ceeded by forced marches in that hazardous attempt, not having been discovered by the enemy till they came within sight of the fort, into which they threw themselves, after receiving some running shot. ' Previous to that reinforcement of regulars, twenty volunteers, all good woodsmen, had been sent to Fort Ligonier by Captaiffl Ourry, who commanded at Fort Bedford, another very consider- able magazine of provisions and military stores, the principal and central post between Carlisle and Fort Pitt, being about one hundred miles distant from each. This fort was also in a ruinous condition, and very weakly garrisoned, although the two small intermediate posts, at the crossing of the Juniata and Stony creek, had been abandoned to strengthen it. Here the distressed families, scattered for twelve or fifteen miles around, fled for protection, leaving most of their effects a prey to the savages. All the necessary precautions were taken by the commanding officer to prevent surprise, and repel open force, as also to render ineffectual the enemy's fire arrows. He armed all the fighting men, who formed two companies of volunteers, and did duty with the garrison till the arrival of two companies of light infantry, detached as soon as possible from Colonel Bouquet's little army. These two magazines being secured, the Colonel advanced to the remotest verge of our settlements, where he could receive no sort of intelligence of number, positions, or motions of the enemy. Not even at Fort Bedford, where he arrived with his whole convoy on the 25th of July, for though the Indians did not attempt to attack the fort, they had by this time killed, scalped, and taken eighteen prisoners in that neighbourhood, and their skulking parties were so spread, that at last no express could escape them. This want of intelligence, was a very em- barrassing circumstance in the conduct of a campaign in America. The Indians had better intelligence, and no sooner were they informed of the march of the army, than they broke up the siege of Fort Pitt, and took a route by which they knew PONTIAC'S WAR. 199 the enemy was to proceed, resolved to take advantageous oppor- tunity of an attack on the march. In this uncertainty of intelligence under which the Colonel laboured, he marched from Fort Bedford, the 28th of July, and as soon as he reached Fort Ligonier, he determined, prudently, to leave his wagons at that post, and to proceed only with pack- horses. Thus disburdened, the army continued their route. Before them lay a dangerous defile at Turtle creek, several miles in length, bounded the whole way by high craggy hills. This defile he intended to have passed the ensuing night, by a double or forced march ; thereby, if possible, to elude the vigilance of so alert an enemy, proposing only to make a short halt in his way, to refresh the troops at Bushy Rtm. When they came within half a mile of that place, about one in the afternoon, August 5th, 1763, after a harassing march of seventeen miles, and just as they were expecting to relax from their fatigue, they were suddenly attacked by the Indians, on their advanced guard ; which being speedily and firmly sup- ported, the enemy was beaten off, and even pursued to a con- siderable distance. But the flight of these barbarians must often be considered as a part of the engagement, rather than an abandonment of the field. The moment the pursuit ended, they returned with renewed vigour to the attack. Several other parties, who had been in ambush in some high grounds which lay along the flanks of the army, now started up at once, and falling upon the troops with a resolution equal to that of their companions, galled them with a most obstinate fire. It was necessary to make a general charge with the whok line, to dislodge them from the heights. This charge succeeded; but still the success produced no decisive advantage ; for as soon as the savages were driven from one post, they still appeared on another, till by constant reinforcements they were at length able to surround the whole detachment, and attack the convoy which had been left in the rear. This manoeuvre enabled the main body to fall back in ordei to protect it. The action, which grew every moment hotter, now became general. Our troops were attacked on every side ; the savages supported their spirit throughout; but the steady 200 PONTIAC'S "WAE. behaviour of the English troops, who were not thrown into the least confusion by the very discouraging nature of this service, in the end prevailed ; they repulsed the enemy, and drove them from aU the posts with fixed bayonets. The engagement ended only with the day, having continued from one o'clock without intermission. The ground on which the action ended, was not altogether inconvenient for an encampment. The convoy and the wounded were in the middle, and the troops, disposed in a circle, encom- passed the whole. In this manner, and with little repose, they passed an anxious night, obliged to observe the strictest vigi- lance by an enterprising enemy, who had surrounded them. At the first dawn of light the savages began to show them- selves all about the camp, at the distance of about five hundred yards ; and by shouting and yelling in the most horrid manner, quite around the extensive circumference, endeavoured to strike terror by an ostentation of their numbers and their ferocity. After this alarming preparation, they attacked the forces, and under the favour of an incessant fire, made several bold efforts to penetrate into the camp. They were repulsed in every attempt, but by no means discouraged from new ones. The troops, continually victorious, were constantly in danger. They were besides extremely fatigued with a long march, and with the equally long action of the preceding day ; and they were distressed to the last degree by a total want of water, much more intolerable than the evening's fire. Tied to their convoy, they could not lose sight of it for a moment, without exposing, not only that interesting object, but their wounded men, to fall a prey to the savages, who pressed them on every side. To move was impracticable. Many of the horses were lost, and many of the drivers, stupified by their fears, hid themselves in bushes, and were incapable of hearing or obeying orders. Their situation became extremely critical and perplexing, having experienced that the most lively efforts made no impres- sions upon an enemy who always gave way when pressed ; but who, the moment the pursuit was over, returned with as much alacrity as ever to the attack. Besieged rather than engaged ; attacked without interruption, and without decision; able PONTIAC'S WAR. 201 neither to advance nor retreat, they saw before them the most melancholy prospect of crumbling away by degrees, and entirely perishing without revenge or honour, in the midst of those dreadful deserts. The fate of Braddock was every moment before their eyes ; but they were more ably conducted. The commander was sensible that everything depended upon bring- ing the savages to a close engagement, and to stand their ground when attacked. Their audaciousness, which was in- creased with their success, seemed favourable to this design. He endeavoured, therefore, to increase their confidence as much as possible. For that purpose he contrived the following stratagem. Our iroops were posted on an eminence, and formed a circle round their convoy from the preceding night, which order they still retained. Colonel Bouquet gave directions that two companies of troops, who had been posted in the most advanced situations, should fall within the circle ; the troops on the right and left immediately opened their files, and filled up the vacant space, that they might seem to cover their retreat. Another company of light infantry, with one of grenadiers, were ordered to lie in an ambuscade, to support the two first companies of grenadiers, who moved on the feigned retreat, and were intended to begin the real attack. The dispositions were well made, and the plan executed without the least confusion. The savages were led completely into the snare. The thin line of troops which took possession of the ground which the two companies of light troops had left, being brought nearer to the centre of the circle, the barbarians mistook those motions for a retreat, abandoned the wood which covered them, hurried headlong on, — advancing with the most daring intrepidity, and galled the English troops with their heavy fire. But at the moment when, certain of success, they thought themselves masters of the camp, the two first companies made a sudden turn, and sallying out from a part of the hill which could not be observed, fell furiously upon their right flank. The savages, though they found themselves disappointed and exposed, preserved their recollection, and resolutely re- turned the fire which they had received. Then it was the superiority of combined strength and discipline appeared. On e2 202 PONTIAC'S WAR the second charge they could no longer sustain the irresistible shock of regular troops, who rushing upon them, killed many, and put the rest to flight. At the instant when the savages betook themselves to flight, the other two companies, which had been ordered to support the first, rose from the ambuscade, marched to the enemy, and gave them their full fire. This accomplished their defeat. The four companies now united, did not give the enemy time to look behind them, but pursued them till they were totally dispersed. The other bodies of the savages attempted nothing. They were kept in awe during the engagement by the rest of the British troops, who were so posted, as to be ready to fall on them upon the least motion. Having been witness to the defeat of their companions, without any effort to support or assist them, they at length followed their example, and fled. This judicious and successful manoeuvre, rescued the party from the most immediate danger. The victory secured the field, and cleared all the adjacent woods. But still the march was so difficult, and the army had suffered so much, and so many horses were lost, that before they were able to proceed, they were reluctantly obliged to destroy such part of their con- voy of provisions as they could not carry with them, for want of horses. Being lightened by this sacrifice, they proceeded to Bushy Eun, where finding water, they encamped. The enemy lost about sixty men on this occasion, some of them their chief warriors ; which they reputed a very severe stroke. They likewise had many wounded in the pursuit. The English lost about fifty men, and had about sixty wounded. The savages thus signally defeated in all their attempts to cut off this reinforcement upon its march, began to retreat with the utmost precipitation to their remote settlements, wholly giving up their designs against Fort Pitt, at which place Col. Bouquet arrived safe with his convoy, four days after the action ; receiv- ing no further molestation on the road, except a few scattered shot from a disheartened and flying enemy.* During this time, Detroit continued to be blockaded, and the garrison suffered extremely from fatigue and want of provisions ; but a schooner detached from Niagara, with twelve whites and * History of Western Pennsylvania. PONTIAC'S WAR. 203 six Mohawks, with supplies, arrived, on the 3d of September, at the river Detroit. While at anchor, the vessel was attacked by about 350 Indians in boats ; but by the skill and bravery of the crew, they were dispersed. Two of the crew were killed and four wounded. The others carried the vessel to Detroit, and thus saved the garrison. The officers of the fort presented each of them with a silver medal, descriptive of the action. The Indians were now satisfied with the triumphs they had obtained, and Pontiac could not keep them in the field. The chief had displayed great abihty in conducting the war; but his people were not disposed to sustain him any further, and he saw them leave him to treat for peace. In June, 1764, a treaty was concluded at Niagara, as a preliminary to definitive nego- tiations at Detroit on the 21st of August. Bouquet led a strong force to the Upper Muskingum, concluded a treaty with the Delawares and Shawanese, received 206 whites, who had been in captivity, and took hostages for the dehverance of others. (November, 1764.) By May, 1765, peace was com- pletely restored. Pontiac, the master spirit of the Indians, despairing of saving his country and race from the encroachments of the English, left his tribe and went into the West, where he endeavoured to unite other tribes, but failed. He was assassinated by a Kaskaskia Indian. In nobility of spirit, and force of genius, he was much superior to any Indian chief of whom we have any account, except, perhaps, Tecumseh. His plan of extermination was masterly, and treachery alone prevented it from being com- pletely successful. CHAPTER XII. DUNMOKE'S WAR. HE settlements of Virginia spread westward very rapidly in spite of the hostility of the Indians. The calamities of savage warfare might have been warded off, if the pioneers had possessed a certain degree of • prudence and discretion ; but on several occasions, it was demon- strated that the whites regarded the Indians as inferiors, and did not consider them entitled to be treated as ciAdlized men. The red men then determined that if they could not be received as friends and equals, they should be felt as foes. The murder (204) dunmore's war. 205 of the old chief, Bald Eagle, and other Indians, exasperated the north-western tribes, till they thought they would be women to remain quiet any longer. In 1772, there was an Indian town on the httle Kenhawa, called BuUtown, inhabited by families, who were in habits of social and friendly intercourse with the whites on Buchanan and Hacker's creeks. There was likewise residing on Gauley river, the family of a German by the name of Strond. In the summer of that year, Mr. Strond being from home, his family were all murdered, his house plundered, and his cattle driven off. The trail made hy these, leading in the direction of Bull- town, induced the supposition that the Indians of that village had been the authors of the outrage, and caused several to resolve on avenging it upon them. A party of five men (two of whom were William White and William Hacker, who had been concerned in previous murders) expressed a determination to proceed immediately to Bulltown. The remonstrance of the settlement generally, could not operate to effect a change in that determination. They went ; and on their return, circumstances justified the belief that the pre- apprehension of those who knew the temper and feelings of White and Hacker, had been well founded ; and that there had been some fighting between them and the Indians. And not- withstanding that they denied ever having seen an Indian in their absence, yet it was the prevailing opinion, that they had destroyed all the men, women, and children at Bulltown, and threw their bodies into the river. Indeed, one of the party is said to have, inadvertently, used expressions confirmatory of this opinion; and to have then justified the deed, by saying that the clothes and other things known to have belonged to Strond's family, were found in the possession of the Indians. The village was soon after visited, and found to be entirely desolated, and nothing being ever after heard of its former in- habitants, there can remain no doubt but that the murder of Strond's family was requited on them. The commission of these outrages in the time of professed peace, was of itself sufficient to cause a revival of hostiUties ; yet not until crimes still of a deeper dye were perpetrated, was there any attempt at retaliation. 26 ^ 206 dunmobe's war. In the spring of 1774, it appears there were some horse? stolen by the Indians from a party of land-jobbers on the Ohio, below Wheeling, which was looked upon as a signal for the commencement of a war against the frontiers. And consequently those that deUghted in a renewal of open hostilities, were ready to be avenged of the depredators, however small the offence. The land-jobbers shortly afterwards being collected at Wheels ing, heard of a couple of Indians and some traders coming down the river, then but a short distance above. It was immediately proposed by Captain Cresap, the commandant of the station, that he would go up with a small party and kill the Indians. The project was opposed by Colonel Zane, but the party left, and on their return being asked respecting the Indians, they evasively answered that they had fallen overboard into the river ; however, allowing it to be understood that they had been killed by them and thrown into the river. On the evening of the same day, news reached them that a party of Indians were encamped at the mouth of Grave creek, a few miles below ; when they forthwith proceeded down the river, and falling upon them, killed several and put the rest to flight. In the skirmish one of Cresap's men was severely wounded, which was the only injury received. The Indians thus appearing in the neighbourhood in parties^ was looked upon as undeniable evidence of their intention to fall upon the whites ; and attacks were hourly expected. A short time after the skirmish at Grave creek, it was known that a number of Indians were encamped at the mouth of Yellow creek, some distance above Wheeling. And on account of some settlers living in that neighbourhood, fears were ex- pressed for their safety, and it was proposed that a party should be sent from Wheeling for the purpose of routing the Indians. Thirty-two men were accordingly raised, and immediately marched under the command of Daniel Greathouse, who had been a terrible enemy to the savages, in time of war or peace. Secretly reaching the vicinity of a cabin of a settler on the opposite side of the river from the Indians, the party concealed themselves, while Greathouse, with a show of friendship, went over to the Indian encampment to ascertain their strength. dttnmore's war. 207 While there he was privately admonished by an Indian woman to leave, for the warriors, she said, were on a frolic, and being displeased on account of the murder of their people at Grave creek, might do him harm. On the return of Greathouse to the party, he reported that the enemy was too strong for, an open attack, and that some stratagem must be resorted to. The liquor they were using they had obtained from the settlers, and were frequently crossing back and forwards for it. Greathouse went to the cabin and advised that they should be given freely, as much as they wanted; and an endeavour made, not only to detain such as came over, but invitations be sent for others to come, that they might be separated con- siderably, when an attack should be suddenly commenced upon them. The plan succeeded well. Several, after a time, were gathei'ed into the cabin, and soon became quite intoxicated ; when they were fallen upon by the party rushing in, and all killed but a young Indian girl. Those across the river at the encampment hearing the firing, immediately sent some over in canoes to ascertain the cause, who were permitted to land, but no sooner on the shore than they were fallen upon and killed. The party not returning, another was detached from the encampment to their aid, for they began to correctly apprehend the whole disturbance. Before these had reached the shore, a fire was opened upon them, and the most of them killed, while the survivors retreated back to the other shore. An attack was now made by the Indians from the other side of the river, but without effect. The family of the celebrated Logan, the Mingo chief, and former friend of the white man, was principally murdered at this place and at Grave creek, which called forth a fearful revenge upon the frontiers. On the 12th of July, 1774, Logan, at the head of a small party of only eight warriors, struck a blow on some inhabitants upon the Muskingum, where no one expected it. He had left the settlements in the Ohio undisturbed, which every one sup- posed would be the first attacked, in case of war, and hence the reason of his great successes. His first attack was upon three 208 DFNMOEE's "WAR. men who were pulling flax in a field. One was shot down, and the two others taken. These were marched into the wil- derness, and, as they approached the Indian town, Logan gave the scalp halloo, and they were met by the inhabitants, who con- ducted them in. Kunning the gauntlet was next to be performed. Logan took no deUght in tortures, and he in the most friendly manner instructed one of the captives how to proceed to escape the severities of the gauntlet. This same captive, whose name was Robinson, was afterwards sentenced to be burned ; but Logan, though not able to rescue him by his eloquence, with his own hand cut the cords that bound him to the stake, and caused him to be adopted into an Lidian family. He became afterwards Logan's scribe. The Virginia Legislature was in session, when the Indians began their depredations. That body immediately resolved to raise an army of about three thousand men, and march into the heart of the Indian country. One-half of the required number of men were to be drawn from Virginia, and the com- mand was given to General Andrew Lewis, a man of cool, determined temper, and possessed of considerable military skill. The remainder of the troops were to be raised in Pennsylvania, and were to be under Governor Dunmore's immediate orders. Dunmore directed General Lewis to proceed to the mouth of the Kenhawa, where the two divisions would unite. By the 11th of September, Le.wis's division was ready to march. A competent guide was secured, and in nineteen days, the troops arrived at the appointed rendezvous. On the next morning, the 1st of October, two men were out some distance from the camp, in pursuit of deer, and were fired upon by a large body of Indians ; one was killed, and the other, with difficulty, retreated to the camp, to which he immediately com- municated the alarm. General Lewis was a remarkably cool and considerate man ; and upon being informed of this, " after deliberately lighting his pipe," gave orders that the regiment under his brother Colonel Charles Lewis, and another under Colonel Fleming, should march and reconnoitre the enemy, while he would place the remainder of the troops in erder for battle. The two re- giments marched without delay, and had not proceeded more dunmoee's -wak. 209 than four hundred yards when they were met by the Indians, approaching for the same purpose. A skirmish immediately ensued, and before the contest had continued long, the colonels of the two regiments fell mortally wounded, when a disorder in the ranks followed, and the troops began a precipitate retreat ; but almost at this moment another regiment under Colonel Field arriving to their aid, and coming up with great firmness to the attack, effectually checked the savages in the pursuit, and obhged them in turn to give way till they had retired behind a breastwork of logs and brush which they had partially con- structed. Lewis, on his arrival at the place, had encamped quite on the point of land between the Ohio and Kenhawa, and having moved but a short distance out to the attack, the distance across from river to river was still but short. The Indians soon extending their ranks entirely across, had the Virginians completely hemmed in, and in the event of getting the better of them, had them at their disposal, as there could have been no chance for escape. Never was ground maintained with more obstinacy ; for it was slowly, and with no precipitancy, that the Indians retired to their breastwork. The division under Lewis was first brokeu, although that under Fleming was nearly at the same moment attacked. This heroic officer first received two balls through his left wrist, but continued to exercise his command with the greatest coolness and presence of mind. His voice was con- tinually heard, "Don't lose an inch of ground. Advance, outflank the enemy, and get between them and the river." But his men were about to be outflanked by the body that had just defeated Lewis ; meanwhile the arrival of Colonel Field turned the fortune of the day, but not without a severe loss ; Colonel Fleming was again wounded, by a shot through the lungs ; yet he would not retire, and Colonel Field was killed as he was leading on his men. The whole line of the breastwork now became as a blaze of fire, which lasted nearly till the close of the day. Here the Indians under Logan, Cornstock, Elenipsico, Ked-Eagle, and other mighty chiefs of the tribes of the Shaw- nees, Delawares, Mingos, Wyandots, and Cayugas, amounting, as was supposed, to fifteen hundred warriors, fought, as men s2 210 dtjnmore's war. will ever do for their country's wrongs, with a bravery which could only be equalled. The voice of the great Corn stock was often heard during the day, above the din of strife, shouting: " Be strong ! Be strong !" And when by the repeated charges of the whites, some of his warriors began to waver, he is said to have sunk his tomakawk into the head of one, who was cowardly endeavouring to desert. General Lewis, finding at length that every charge upon the lines of the Indians lessened the number of his forces to an alarming degree, and rightly judging that if the Indians were not routed before it was dark, a day of more doubt might follow, he resolved to throw a body, if possible, into their rear. As the good fortune of the Vir- ginians turned, the bank of the river favoured this project, and forthwith three companies were detached upon the enterprise, under the three captains, Isaac Shelby, (after renowed in the revolution, and since in the war with Canada), George Matthews, and John Stewart. These companies got unobserved to their place of destination upon Crooked Creek, which runs into the Kenhawa. From the high weeds upon the banks of this little stream, they rushed upon the backs of the Indians with such fury, as to drive them from their works with precipitation. The day was now decided. The Indians, thus beset from a quarter they did not expect, were ready to conclude that a re- inforcement had arrived. It was about sunset when they fled across the Ohio, and immediately took up their march for their towns on the Sciota. Of the losp of both Indians and whites in this engagement, various statements have been given. A number amounting to seventy-five killed, and one hundred and forty wounded of the whites, has been rendered ; with a loss on the part of the In- dians not so great, but not correctly known.* Governor Dunmore, having collected his troops at Fort Pitt, descended the Ohio to Wheeling, and thence to the mouth of the Hockhocking. On axriving at that point, he sent two ,3couts, one of whom was the famous Simon Girty, to General Lewis, to march to the Shawnee towns, where a junction should take place. The Governor then proceeded towards the Piqua plains. Before he had reached that place, the Indians * History of the Backwoods. dunmoee's war. 211 SIMOK GIKTT. sent messengers to meet him, suing for peace. After some de- liberation, Dunmore determined to comply, and sent an express to General Lewis, ordering him to retreat. Lewis supposed the Governor was ignorant of the victory at Point Pleasant, and continued his march until he was met by Dunmore in person, when a retreat, in compliance with his orders, was commenced with great reluctance. An encampment being made by the governor, a council was opened on the ensuing day. Comstock, the Shawnee chief, opened the meeting with a warm and animated speech, in which he boldly attributed the occasion of the war to the murder of their people above and below Wheeling. He displayed the skill of a statesman, joined to powers of oratory, rarely, if ever surpassed. With the most patriotic de- votion to his country, and in a strain of most commanding 212 dunmoke's war. eloquence, he recapitulated the accumulated wrongs which had oppressed their fathers, and which were oppressing them Sketching in lively colours the once happy and powerful con- dition of the Indians, he placed in striking contrast their pre- sent fallen fortunes and unhappy destiny. He is said to have been opposed to the war from its commencement ; and to have proposed on the eve of the battle at Point Pleasant, to send in a flag, and make overtures for peace ; but this proposal waa overruled by the general voice of the chiefs. When a council was first held after the defeat of the Indians, Cornstock remind- ing them of their late ill-success, and that the Long Knives were still pressing on them, asked what should be then done. But no one answered. Rising again, he proposed that the women and children should all be killed ; and that the warriors should go out and fight uiitil they too were slain. Still no one answered. Then, said he, striking his tomahawk into the council-post, " I will go and make peace." Peace was accord- ingly sued for, and the treaty held. Logan would not meet the whites in council, but remained in his cabin in sullen silence, until a messenger was sent to him to know whether he would accede to the proposals it contained. What the distance was from the treaty-ground to Logan's cabin we are not told; but of such importance was his name con- sidered, that he was waited on by a messenger from Lord Dunmore, who requested his assent to the articles of the treaty. Logan had too much at heart the wrongs lately done him to accede without giving the messenger to understand fully the grounds upon which he acceded ; he therefore invited him into an adjacent wood, where they sat down together. Here he related the events of butchery which had deprived him of all his connexions; and here he pronounced his memorable speech : " I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him no meat ; if ever he came cold and naked, and he clothed him not. " During the course of the last long bloody war, Logan re- mained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed, and said, 'Logan is the friend of the white man," OOBNSTALE. 27 DUNMORE's "WAR. 215 " I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan ; not even sparing my women and children. " There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. I have kiUed many. I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not harbour a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan ? — Not one !" The treaty of peace was not satisfactory to the people of Vir- ginia, and they boldly asserted that Governor Dunmore had made the war. for the purpose of breaking the proud spirit of the provincials. But the Governor could not have obtained terms more advantageous to the whites without wronging the Indians. The noble chiefs, Logan and Cornstock, were both murdered. They were the friends of the whites up to the time of their death. The murder of Cornstock was an act of the most detest- able barbarity. In the spring of 1777, he went with his son, Ellinipsico, to the Fort at Point Pleasant, and was on intimate terms with the officers of the garrison. While the chiefs were in the fort, one of the rangers, named Gilmore, was killed by Indians of a hostile tribe. His friends immediately came to the fort, and, in revenge, shot Cornstock and his son dead upon the spot. The officers dared not attempt to prevent the murder or punish the murderers. Cornstock met his fate with heroic resignation. The Shawnees immediately took up arms for the British cause, and took a dreadful vengeance for the slaughter of tb'^ir mighty chief. THE MIHUTB MAlf. CHAPTER XIII. THE REVOLUTION. ROM the time of the first settlement of Virginia and Massachusetts, the colo- nists had displayed an unquenchable love of free institutions. In general, they had their representative assemblies, and the assent of those bodies was necessary to the effective operations of the government. All assertions of an extensive royal pre- rogative met vrith a determined resistance. Quarrels between the governors, appointed by the sovereigns of Great Britain, and the colonists, were frequent, and it is to be observed, that the people generally came out of those contests triumphant. During the wars with the Indians and French, the provinces did not receive that amount of assistance to which they thought them- selves entitled, and were forced to depend upon their own exer- tions and resources. This necessity developed their strength and gave them confidence ; so that after the destruction of the French , (216) THE REVOLUTIOK. 217 power in America, we find them making bolder assertions of their rights. Unfortunately for the British government, its ministers, instead of yielding something to this rising spirit, sought to heap additional burdens upon the colonists, and that, too, without allowing them, what all British subjects had a constitutional right to demand, a representation in parliament. This course provoked resistance ; and bold, determined, and eloquent men were found to lead the friends of civil liberty. In Massachusetts, James Otis, Joseph Warren, Samuel Adams, and John Adains were prominent upon the patriotic side. In Virginia, the thunders of Patrick Henry sounded the alarm. In 1764, Mr. Grenville, in the British parliament, proposed a measure, the avowed object of which was to raise a revenue in America, the entire produce of which' was to go into the ex- chequer of Great Britain. Early in this year, the minister proposed several resolutions, as a sort of prelude to this grand scheme ; la3dng additional duties upon imports into the colonies from foreign countries; on clayed sugar, indigo, coffee, &c. These resolutions were passed by parliament, without much debate or notice ; and though they awakened some fears among the reflecting politicians of America, they were quietly ac- quiesced in, as a commercial regulation of Great Britain. Among the resolutions reported by Mr. Grenville, was one imposing " certain stamp duties on the colonies;" but he de- clared to the house, his desire that it should not be acted upon until the next session of parliament. It was foreseen that the law would be disregarded, if extraordinary measures were not adopted to enforce it; and provision made that penalties for violating it, and all other revenue- laws, might be recovered in the admiralty courts. The judges of these courts were de- pendent solely on the king, and decided the causes brought before them without the intervention of a jury. The colonial agents in London sent copies of the resolutions to their respective colonies. As soon as the intelligence of these proceedings reached America, they were considered as the com- mencement of a system of oppression, which, if not vigorously resisted, would eventually deprive them of the hberty of British subjects. The General Court of Massachusetts, at their session in June, took this law into consideration. The house of Repre- 218 THE REVOLUTION". sentatives sent instructions to their agent in England, in which they denied the right of parliament to impose duties and taxes upon those who were not represented in the house of Commons ; and directed him to remonstrate against the duties imposed, and the stamp act in contemplation. They acquainted the other colonies with the instructions they had given to their agent, and desired their concurrence. When their communication was received in the house of Burgesses in Virginia, a committee was immediately appointed to prepare an address to the king and two houses of parliament, expressing their sense of the consequences of such a measure to the colonies. Every argument which ingenuity could furnish, or interest could enforce, was employed, in order to prevent the passage of the obnoxious statutes ; but all without effect. Associations were formed in all the provinces, in order to diminish the use of British ma- nufactures ; a step which, besides its immediate effects, rendered the merchants of England a party against the ministry, and increased the opposition with which those in power, were obliged to contend. In March 1765, Mr. Grenville, not deterred by an opposition which he had expected, brought into parliament a bill for im- posing duties in America. The friends of the administration employed much able reasoning in support of the bill. Among those who distinguished themselves by the ability and eloquence with which they advocated the cause of the colonies, was Colonel Barr6. He stated with a manly freedom, that the same spirit which had actuated the people at first, still continued with them. He insinuated, in a way that could not be mistaken, what would be the effect of the measure which England was about to adopt. He declared that he spoke from a particular acquaintance with the character of the Americans, and expressed his belief, that while they were jealous of their rights, they were loyal to their king ; and finally, he entreated the ministry to pause before they ordained that the privileges of Englishmen were to be iavaded or destroyed. Eloquence and argument, however, availed , nothing. The bill almost unanimously passed in parliament; and received the sanction of the crown. The night after its passage, Dr. Frank- lin, then in England as agent for Pennsylvania, wrote to Charles THE REVOLUTION. 219 COLOHEL BARBE. Thompson, his friend, in America — " The sun of liberty is set ; you must light up the candles of industry and economy." "Be assured," said Mr. Thompson in reply, "we shall light up torches of quite another sort ;" — thus predicting the commotions which followed. The act provided that all contracts and legal processes should be written on stamped paper, which was to be furnished by agents of the British government, at exorbitant prices. On the arrival of the news of the stamp act in America, a general indignation spread throughout the colonies ; and spirited resolutions were passed. In these resolutions Virginia led the way. On the meeting of the house of Burgesses, Patrick Henry proposed five resolutions ; the four first asserted the various rights and privileges claimed by the colonists ; and the fifth boldly and explicitly denied the right of parliament to tax America. These he defended by strong reasoning and irresistible eloquence, and they were adopted by a majority of one. The next day, in his absence, the fifth was rescinded ; but this with the rest had gone forth to the world. They formed the first public op- position to the stamp act, and to the schemes of taxing America by the British parliament. Nearly at the same time, and be- 220 THE REVOLUTION-. PATRICK HENRT. fore the proceedings of Virginia were known in Massachusetts, her General Court had also adopted measures to produce a com- bined opposition. Letters were addressed to the other Assem- blies, proposing a congress of deputies from each colony, to consult on the common interest. The knowledge of what had been done in Virginia aroused the most violent feelings. The resolutions, which at first were circulated cautiously, were at length openly published in newspapers ; and one general feeHng of indignation pervaded all classes of society. On the first Tuesday of October, 1765, the day appointed for the meeting of the proposed congress, the delegates assembled at New York, where were present members from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Dela- ware, Maryland, and South Carolina. A committee from six of the provinces drew up a declaration of their rights and grievances. They dedlared themselves entitled to all the rights and Uberties of natural born subjects of Great Britain : among the most essential of which, were the exclusive right to tax themselves, and the privilege of trial by jury. The first of these they regarded as infringed by the stamp act ; the last, by the extension of the jurisdiction of the courts of admiralty. THE REVOLUTION. 221 The congress also agreed upon a petition to the king, and a memorial to both houses of parUament. The colonies not represented, forwarded to England similar petitions. The 1st of November, the important day when the stamp act was to take effect, at length approached. Combinations were everywhere formed to prevent its execution. The violence of the populace could with diflSculty be restrained. In some places the day was ushered in with the tolling of bells, as for a funeral procession. The act which was the object of their aversion, was hawked in the streets 'with a death's head attached to it. It was styled the " Folly of England, and the ruin of America." The stamps were destroyed wherever they could be found by the enraged multitude ; who, with all the intemperance of popular agitation, burned and plundered the houses of such as supported the act. So general was the oppo- sition to the law, that the stamp oflBcers in all the colonies were obliged to resign. Opposition became general, systematic, and alarming. Confederacies were everywhere forming. It was universally agreed that no articles of British manufacture should be imported, and that those which were prepared in the colonies, though both dearer and of worse quality, should be employed in all the settlements. The women, animated with a similar spirit, cheerfully relinquished every species of ornament which was manufactured in England. The proceedings in the courts of justices were suspended, that no stamps might be used ; and the colonists were earnestly and frequently exhorted by those who took the lead on this occasion, to terminate their disputes by reference. In the mean time an entire change had taken place in the British cabinet : the Marquis of Kockingham became first lord of the treasury; and it was perceived that they must either repeal the obnoxious statutes, or oblige the Americans to submit to them by force of arms. Each of these measures had its advocates. Among the foremost to vindicate the colonies, in the house of Peers, was Lord Camden. " My position," said he, "is this; I repeat it, I will maintain it to my last hour — taxation and representation are inseparable. This position is founded on the laws of nature ; it is more — it is itself an eternal law of nature ; for whatever is a man's own is absolutely his 28 T 222 THE REVOLUTION. own; no man has a right to take it from him without his consent. Whoever attempts to do it, attempts an injury; whoever does it, commits a robbery." In the house of commons, Lord Chatham entered into the views of the colonists ; and maintained with all the eloquence for which he was conspicuous, that taxation is no part of the governing or legislative power, but that taxes are a voluntary gift and grant of the commons alone : and concluded his speech with a motion, "that the stamp act be repealed, absolutely, totally, and immediately." About this time (1766) Dr. Franklin was examined before the house of commons, and gave it as his opinion, that the tax was unprofitable and ruinous. He asserted that it had ahen- ated the affections of the colonists from the mother-country, and made them regard the people of England as conspiring against their liberties, and its parliament as desirous to oppress rather than to protect them. A petition was received from the Congress at New York ; and some change having taken place in the cabinet, the existing administration agreed with Lord Chatham, and the stamp act was repealed. But accompanying the repeal of the stamp act, was published another act, de- claring, "that parliament have, and of right ought to have, power to bind the colonies in all cases whatsoever." This asser- tion diminished the joy which the repeal of the stamp act would otherwise have occasioned. It was considered by the Americans as a foundation on which any future ministry might oppress them, under the sanction of parliamentary authority ; and it had no other effect than that of rendering them more suspicious of arbitrary designs, and more solicitous to mark with a jealous eye the first encroachments of power. An opportunity for the exercise of this spirit was not long wanting. Immediately after the ratification of the treaty of peace at Paris, the intention of the ministers to quarter troops in America, and oblige the colonies to support them, was an- nounced in the English papers. The maintaining of a standing army was connected with the system of taxation, but the ministry well knew it would be opposed, and they calculated that an army sent under pretence of protecting the colonies, afforded a plausible pretext for taxing them, while it would awe them THE REVOLUTION. 223 into submission to the mandates of the British government. An act had been passed by the Rockingham administration, for providing the soldiers, who had been quartered in the colonies, with the necessaries and accommodations which their circumstances might require, at the expense of the colony in which they were stationed. The Assembly of New York refused obedience to this law, considering it an indirect mode of taxing them without their consent. The Assembly at Boston not only followed the example of that of New York, but proceeded still further; and resolved, that the conduct of the governor, in issuing money from the treasury in order to furnish the artillery with provisions, was unconstitutional and unjust ; and that it disabled them from granting cheerfully to the king the aids which his service demanded. These resolutions were not ap- proved in England, even by many who had heretofore espoused the interests of the colonies. The consequence of this change of sentiment was perceptible by a change of measures in par- liament. A bill was introduced by Mr. Townsend, the chancel- lor of the exchequer, imposing a duty on all tea, glass, paper, and painters' colours. It passed both houses without much op- position, and was the next year sent to the colonies. (1767.) The act for imposing the new taxes was received with greater aversion than the stamp act itself Letters were sent from Massachusetts to all the other colonies, inveighing against the injustice and tyranny of the British legislature. Circulars were sent to most of the colonial assemblies, suggesting the expediency of acting in concert in all endeavours to obtain redress. These proceedings incensed and alarmed the ministry. They feared that a union of the colonies would give them strength and confidence ; and determined if possible to prevent it. They instructed Sir John Bernard, then governor of Mas- sachusetts, to require the General Court to rescind the vote directing the circular to be sent; and in case of refusal, to dissolve it. The governor communicated these instructions to the house of Representatives ; which, by a vote of ninety-two to seventeen, refused to rescind, and was accordingly dissolved. This measure, like all the others which the British govern- ment at this period pursued, with the intention of intimidating the colonies, did but exasperate and arouse them. Frequent 224 THE EEYOLUTION. meetings of tlie people were held at Boston, and the different provinces ; a petition was made to the governor, in which he was desired to remove the ships of war from tihe neighbourhood of the town ; a request with which he was neither able nor willing to comply. At the opening of the year 1768, everything appeared to indicate a rupture between the colonies and the parent state. The agent of the province was refused admission to the presence of the king. A report was circulated that the troops had been ordered to march into Boston, a dreadful alarm took place, and all ranks of men joined in beseeching the governor that a general assembly might be convoked. The answer of Governor Bernard was, that by his last instructions from England, he was prevented from complying with this wish of the people. On this refusal, the selectmen of Boston proposed to the several towns in the colony to hold a convention, which was accordingly holden in that town on the 2 2d of September. In this convention it was resolved that they would defend their violated rights at the peril of their lives and fortunes, and that the people who had no arms, should furnish themselves. At the same time, they thought it proper to assure the government of their pacific intentions, and requested again that an assembly might be called ; but after transmitting to England an account of their proceedings, and the reasons which had induced them to assemble, they were again refused, and stigmatized with the appellation of rebels. The refractory spirit of the people of Boston had been so often displayed, that General Gage, who was commander-in- chief of the troops in the colonies, was ordered to station a regiment in that town, not only to overawe the citizens, but to protect the ofiicers of the revenue in the discharge of their duty. Before the order was executed, the seizure of a sloop belonging to Mr. Hancock, an eminent merchant, and a popular leader, occasioned a riot, in which those officers were insulted and beaten. On the 28th of September, two regiments, escorted by seven armed vessels, arrived at Boston from Halifax. The landing of the troops was protected by the fleet, which was drawn up with the broadsides of the vessels opposite the town. In con- THE EEVOLUTION. 225 JOHN HANCOCK. sequence of their formidable appearance, they marched into Boston without any resistance on the part of the inhabitants. The selectmen of the town having refused to provide them with quarters, the governor commanded the state house to be opened for their reception. The presence of the soldiers had great influence in restraining the excesses of the population; but the hatred of the colonies towards England was much in- creased by this highly offensive measure. Early in 1769, news reached the colonies that both houses of parliament, in a joint address to his majesty, had recom- mended vigorous measures in order to enforce their obedience ; and had even gone so far as to beseech the king to direct the governor of Massachusetts Bay to make strict inquiries as to all treasons committed in that province since the year 1767, in order that the persons most active in committing them might be sent to England for trial. This proposal gave great offence to the colonists. The Legislature of Massachusetts was not in session when the news of this address reached America ; but the house of Burgesses in Virginia, which met a few days afterwards, were not tardy in expressing their sense of it. They passed several t2 226 THE REVOLUTION. spirited resolutions, declaring their exclusive right to tax them- selves, and denying the right of his majesty to remove an offender out of the colony for trial. An address to his majesty was also agreed on, which stated, in a style of loyalty and real attachment to the crown, the deep conviction of the house of Burgesses of Virginia, that the complaints of the colonists were well founded. When the intelligence of these proceedings reached the governor, he suddenly dissolved the Assembly. But the current of opposition was too strong to be stayed. The members assembled at a private house, elected their speaker, Peyton Randolph, Esq., moderator ; and proceeded to pass re- solutions against importing British goods. Their example was followed by other colonies; and non-importation agreements, which had before been entered into by Boston, Salem, the city of New York, and the colony of Connecticut, now became general. On the 5th of March, 1770, an affray took place at Boston between the military and some of the inhabitants, who insulted them while under arms, in which four persons were killed. The bells were instantly rung ; the people rushed from the country to the aid of the citizens ; and the soldiers were obliged to retire to Castle William, in order to avoid the fury of the enraged multitude. A trial was instituted : the soldiers engaged in the affray were all acquitted, except two, who were found guilty of manslaughter. The moderation of the jury, and the ability with which "the soldiers were defended by two of the leading opposers of British aggression, John Adams and Josiah Quincy, were honourable to the individuals and to their country. This event, however, increased the detestation in which the soldiers stationed among the people were held. In the mean time the parliament Of Great Britain showed, that it had neither sufficient vigour to compel the Americans to submit, nor sufficient liberality to yield to their remon- strances. The ministry agreed to take off all the duties which had lately been imposed, except that on tea ; but it was pre- dicted by the opposition that their indulgence would have no good effect, while any duty remained which was imposed upon the Americans without their consent. What was predicted by the opposition, was in the end found to be true. It was resolved THE REVOLUTION. 227 DESTRUCTION OF THK TKA. that the tea should not be landed, but sent back to Europe in the same vessels that had brought it ; for it was obvious to all, that it would be extremely difficult to hinder the sale, if the com- modity should once be received on shore. The people assembled in great numbers at Boston, and forced those to whom it had been consigned to give up their appointments, and to swear that they would abandon them for ever. Such as refused to engage in this opposition were denounced as the enemies of their country. This disposition was not confined to Massa- chusetts alone ; but the same spirit appeared in all the colonies. Such was the situation of afiairs, when three ships laden with tea arrived at the port of Boston. The captains of these vessels, alarmed at the menaces of the people, offered to return with their cargoes to England, provided they could obtain the necessary discharges from the merchants, to whom the teas had been consigned ; and likewise from the governor, and the officers of the custom-house. But though afraid to issue orders for landing the tea, the merchants and officers, in conjunction with the governor, refused to grant the discharges, and the ships were obliged to remain in the harbour. The people, 228 THE EEVOLUTION. however, apprehensive that the obnoxious commodity would be landed in small quantities, if the vessels should continue in the neighbourhood of the town, resolved to destroy it at once. For this purpose, several persons disguised themselves as In- dians, boarded the ships during the night, and threw their cargoes into the water, without making any further disturbance. No fewer than 142 chests were thus broken open, and their contents emptied into the sea. At Philadelphia, the pilots were enjoined not to conduct the ships into the river : and at New York, though the governor ordered some of the tea to be landed under the protection of a man-of-war, he was obliged to deliver it into the custody of the people, who took care that none of it should be stM. The parliament of England resolved not to change their measures, but to punish the inhabitants of Boston in a exem- plary manner, by imposing a fine upon them, equal to the value of the tea which had been destroyed. The port of Boston was shut by an armed force until this should be accomphshed, and their refractory spirit subdued. An act was also passed, giving to the crown the appointment of counsellors ; whereas, it had resided with the court. The custom-house was to be removed to Salem ; and General Gage was made governor in the place of Hutchinson. Gage removed the Assembly from Boston, in Massachusetts, to Salem. Having met at that place, they declared it necessary that a congress of delegates from all the provinces should as- semble, to take the affairs of the colonies into their most serious consideration. And they nominated James Bowdoin, Thomas Gushing, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, men celebrated for their talents and opposition to England, as the representives to such a congress, from Massachusetts. They recommended to the whole province to abandon the use of tea; and urged the necessity of giving all the encouragement in their power to the manufactures of America. In the mean time, the governor having learned their pro- ceedings, sent an officer to dissolve the assembly in the king's name ; but he finding the door shut and entrance denied him, was compelled to read the order of dissolution aloud on the staircase. THE REVOLUTION. 229 SAMUEL ADASrS. The inhabitants of Salem, which had now become the metro- polis of the country, appear to have adopted the same spirit with those of Boston. They published a declaration in favour of the latter ; in which they asserted, that nature, in forming their harbour, had prevented their becoming rivals in trade ; and that even if that were otherwise, they would regard them- selves lost to every idea of justice and all feelings of humanity, could they indulge one thought of seizing upon the wealth of their neighbours, or raising their fortunes upon the ruins of their countrymen. The cause of Boston was espoused by the rest of the colonies. The 1st of June, the day on which the city was to be blockaded by the king's ships, was observed in Virginia as a day of fasting and humiliation; and a public intercession in behalf of the American people, was enjoined throughout the province. The style of prayer was, "That God would give them one heart and mind, firmly to oppose every invasion of American rights." Virginia united with Massachusetts in recommending a General Congress. They declared if any one of the colonies was taxed without its consent, the rights of the whole were violated; and that in the present case, they regarded the injury done to the inhabitants of Boston as done to themselves. 29 2;}0 THE EEVOLUTION. The proposal for a General Congress had now been discussed, and was approved, and eleven of the colonies had elected their delegates. Georgia had not determined to unite her fate with that of New England ; and North Carolina was later than the others in acceding to the measure. At length, on the 4th of September, 1774, the first Congress of the American States assembled at Philadelphia. This was the most important deliberative body which had ever met in America. Peyton Randolph, Esq., of Virginia, was chosen pre- sident by the unanimous suffrage of the delegates. To this august body of citizens, who were met for the highest purposes which can affect the temporal interests of men, the eyes of the people of America were turned with anxious concern. The officers and dependants of the crown looked also to their measures with the deepest interest, and, alarmed at the calm determined spirit which they manifested, dreaded the conse- quences of their deliberations. These delegates, having resolved that each colony should have only one vote, and that their deliberations should take place without the admission of strangers, proceeded to the high duty which their countrymen had imposed on them. They first expressed their approbation of what had been done by the inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay; warmly ex- horted them to perseverance in the cause of freedom; and voted that contributions should be maHe for them in all the provinces, and continued so long, and in such a manner, as their circumstances might require. They next addressed a letter to General Gage, in which they informed him of their unalterable resolution to oppose every attempt to carry the British acts of parliament into effect ; and entreated him to desist from military operations, lest a dif- ference, altogether irreconcileable, should take place between the colonies and parent state. The next step was a declara- tion of their rights, addressed to the people in the shape of resolutions. This instrument is commonly quoted by the title of the bill of rights. A committee was next appointed, who drew a petition to the king, stating the grievances under which they had laboured ; — grievances, which they said were the more intolerable, as the THE REVOLUTION. 231 colonies were born the heirs of freedom, and had long enjoyed it under the auspi-ces of former sovereigns ; and stating also, that they had wished for no diminution of the prerogative, and no privileges or immunities, except those which were their rightful inheritance as the subjects of Great Britain; — con- cluding the whole with an earnest prayer, that his majesty, as the father of his people, would not permit the ties of blood, of law, and of loyalty to be broken, in expectation of consequences, which, if they ever took place, would never compensate for the suffering to which they must give rise. The committee who brought in this address, were Mr. Lee, Mr. John Adams, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Henry, and Mr. Rutledge. The original composition has been generally artributed to Mr. Lee. The petition to the king was followed by an address to the people of England, conceived with great vigour, and expressed in the most energic language. This address was followed by a memorial to their consti- tuents. They applauded them for the spirit which they had shown in defence of their rights ; enjoined them to persevere in abstaining from the use of everything manufactured or prepared in England ; and hinted at the necessity of looking forward to melancholy events, and being ready for any contingency that might take place. The inclinations of the people were in exact accordance with the decision of the Congress. The inhabitants of Boston were supplied by contributions from all quarters. Even those, who by their station seemed hkely to derive advantage from the ces- sation of their trade, were most forward to relieve them in their distress. The people of Marblehead, a town at no great distance, generously offered them the use of their harbour, their wharfs, and warehouses, free of all expense. Every one who could procure arms was diligent in learning their use. Complete unanimity, however, did not exist. Some of the late emigrants, on whom England had bestowed offices, and many who feared her power, clung to her authority, and de- clared themselves her adherents. Whigs and Tories were the distinguishing names of the parties. The former favoured the cause of the colonists; the latter that of Great Britain. 232 THE EEVOLXJTIOK. In the mean time, many British ti;oops having assembled at Boston, General Gage thought it prudent to fortify the neck of land that joins that city to the continent. He also seized the magazines of gunpowder, ammunition, and military stores at Cambridge and Charlestown. An Assembly was called, and its sitting immediately coun- termanded; but the representatives met at Salem, notwith- standing the proclamation of the governor; and after waiting a day for his arrival, they voted themselves "a Provincial Congress," and adjourned to Concord. Mr. Hancock was chosen president ; and the delegates resolved, that for the defence of the province, a military force, to consist of one-fourth of the militia, should be organized, and stand ready to march at a minute's warning ; and that money should be raised to purchase military stores. They appointed a committee of safety to sit during the recess. The more southern provinces, particularly Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland, displayed the same determination to resist, and passed resolutions designed to animate those who, in Massachusetts, stood in the post of danger. General Gage had hitherto, probably under instructions from home, avoided every movement which could bring on a collision, and lead to a commencement of actual war. Yet, remaining almost besieged at Boston, he began to experience scarcity of provisions ; and an impression was felt, that something must be done to check these extensive preparations, and seize the military stores now collected all over the country. He formed the injudicious plan of sending out secretly small detachments to capture them by surprise. Even if successful, which was not very probable, the adoption of such a scheme must have lowered the impression of British power. If the troops were to march into the country, it should have been in such large bodies as would overpower, and even deter resistance. A small party sent towards Salem were induced to return, owing to the mere obstacles raised by the country people against their march. The governor, having learned that a considerable magazine of stores had been formed at Concord, determined on an attempt to seize them. He employed a larger force, but trusted still to THE REVOLUTION. 233 BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. secrecy and surprise. On the night of the 19th of April, 1775, Colonel Smith began his march, seeking to conceal it by sendmg forward some horsemen to arrest all travellers on the road. Dr. Warren, from Boston, however, having contrived to trans- mit previous notice, they had not advanced far when the firing of guns and the ringing of bells were heard, summoning the people to arms. They pushed forward nearly fifteen miles, and at five in the morning reached Lexington, where about a hun- dred militia were exercising on a green. The events which followed, and form the fatal crisis of this great contest, are in- volved in a cloud of controversy which will never perhaps be fully cleared away. According to the statement of the Americans, supported even by affidavits. Major Pitcairn, who led the van, galloped up, calling, " Disperse, rebels ! throw down your arms and disperse." The soldiers than ran up, huzzaing; some muskets were fired, followed by a general discharge. The Eng- lish asserted that the summons to disperse was slowly and reluctantly obeyed, and that, mean time, some shots were fired from behind wallSj vrhich being returned, the contest soon became general. U 234 THE KEVOLUTION. EETKEAT FBOH COHOOBD. The troops, who drove the militia before them, proceeding about four miles farther, arrived at Concord ; and while the main body were destroying the stores, a detachment was sent forward to occupy two bridges beyond. It was surrounded by the colonists in great numbers, and in a threatening attitude ; a firing was commenced, but returned with such vigour, that the party were obliged to fall back upon the main body. The whole then began a retrograde movement to Boston ; but the Americans, in increasing numbers, attacked them incessantly on their rear and flanks, firing from houses, trees, and behind walls. The British, accordingly, when they arrived at Lexing- ton, found themselves in a most exhausted state; and it is alleged, that they would have been totally destroyed, but for a timely succour. General Gage had sent forward Lord Percy with sixteen companies and two pieces of cannon, who drove back the provincials, and forming a square, protected their countrymen while they lay down to recruit their strength. All together then proceeded to Boston ; while the assailants, with- out attempting to obstruct their march, kept up an incessant fire, both in front and rear, from behind stone fences, which are there very numerous. On their arrival, they found that they had lost sixty-five killed, one hundred and eighty wounded, and twenty-seven missing ; while the Americans, who fought THE REVOLUTION 235 mostly from under cover, acknowledged only fifty killed and thirty-eight wounded. The intelligence of this event excited the utmost enthusiasm throughout Massachusetts, and the whole country was soon arrayed in a warlike form. The people were studiously assured that a wanton attack had been made ; while the degree of suc- cess gained by their undisciplined force against regular troops, inspired the most sanguine hopes and military ardour. The provincial Congress immediately passed a vote for raising thir- teen thousand six hundred men, and called upon the other New England colonies for their respective quotas, making in all thirty thousand. Measures were also taken to obtain a loan of £100,000. The provincials crowded to the standard iii numbers greater than could be maintained in the field ; and the levies were placed under the command of Ward and other oflBcers, who had acquired experience in the last war, and were now raised from the rank of colonel to that of general. The fortifications of Boston were considered sufficiently strong to preclude the hazard of any attack; but a line of thirty miles was formed around the peninsula, entirely cutting off its con- nexion with the surrounding country. Meantime, an adventurous scheme was formed by twc determined leaders, the colonels Arnold and Allen. Having collected a small body of troops in Connecticut, they proceeded against the strong fortresses of Crown Point and Ticonderoga, the keys of Canada. Traversing undiscovered the immense tracts, then almost desert, that lay to the north of New Eng- land, they completely surprised and captured, without resist- ance, both these important places, each containing a valuable supply of mihtary stores. Arnold was equally successful against a sloop of war lying at St. John's, and thus obtained the com- mand of Lake Champlain. Meantime. Congress, having met on the 10th of May, received a report of these transactions, which called for their most earnest consideration. Some it is said were unprepared for so serious a result; but the general resolution was to, follow it up, and place all the colonies in a posture of military defence. Still, before adopting any active measures, they determined, though with some dissentient voices, to make fresh appeals to the kmg 236 THE REVOLUTION. and people of Great Britain. To his majesty they professed as strongly as ever their devotion to his person, family, and government; their deep regret at any event which could weaken their connexion with his crown, and their ardent desire for the restoration of harmony. To the people they strenuously repelled the charge of aiming at independence, which none of their actions were said to justify. They had never made over- tures to any foreign power, nor availed themselves of the weak state of the cities, to become masters of them. The late hostili- ties had been merely the repulse of a wanton attack ; they had lamented the wounds they were obliged to give, and had not yet learned to rejoice at a victory over Englishmen. The armies were said to be raised with objects purely defensive, and the fortresses seized merely as a preventive against invasion from Canada. Complaining, however, that the clemency of their sovereign was diverted, that their petitions were treated with indignity, and that their prayers were answered by insults, they dreaded that the nation wanted either the will or the power to assist them. In that case, they expressed a firm determination that, "while we revere the memory of our gallant and virtuous ancestors, we never can surrender those glorious privileges, for which they fought, bled, and conquered ; — ^your fleets and armies can destroy our towns and ravage our coasts ; these are inconsiderable objects, — things of no moment^ to men whose bosoms glow with the ardour of liberty. We can retire beyond the reach of your navy, and, without any sensible diminution of the necessaries of life, enjoy a luxury, which from that period you will want, — ^the luxury of being free." Having emitted these declarations. Congress proceeded to make military arrangements which should comprehend the whole range of the colonies. All the troops within their limits were to be now called the Continental Army ; committees were appointed to devise ways and means for supporting and sup- plying it with arms and stores, and preparing regulations for its government. An issue of paper-money was voted to the amount of three millions of dollars. The first object was con- sidered to be the choice of a commander, and in this respect they were singularly fortunate. There had at this time sprung , up among them an uncommon number of men of distinguished THE REVOLUTION. 237 abilities ; but it was generally agreed that the fittest person was George Washington. Next day the choice was announced to him, when, in a plain, modest reply, he expressed his high sense of the honour, not concealing the pain which arose from a consciousness that his abilities and military experience might not be equal to so mighty a trust. Yet he assured them, he would enter on the momentous duty, and exert every power he possessed in so great a cause. Five hundred dollars monthly had been voted for his pay and expenses ; but being possessed of an ample fortune, he declined anything beyond the reim- bursement of his actual outlay. It was at this crisis — certainly not auspicious — that Lord North's conciliatory propositions arrived. The propositions, being communicated to Congress on the 30th of May, were ordered to lie on the table ; and notwithstanding the dissatis- faction excited, were afterwards referred to a committee, com- posed of Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, and Lee ; whose report, decidedly unfavourable, was adopted on the 31st of July. Before Washington had reached New England, the tragic character of the great drama had been more fully developed. On the 25th of May, large reinforcements arrived from Eng- land, commanded by Generals Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, officers of high reputation, and chosen seemingly without any favour or political bias. General Gage, before commencing active operations, issued a proclamation calling upon the people to lay down their arms, and offering a free pardon to all, ex- cepting Adams and Hancock. Far, however, from thinking to take advantage of this offer, they were busily planning the most active operations. A channel divides the peninsula of Boston from that of Charlestown, on which last rises Bunker's Hill, the fire from which in some degree commands the capital. On the evening of the 16th of June, General Prescot, with one thousand men, having crossed unperceived the isthmus or neck, took possession of that eminence ; and such activity did the Americans employ during the night in intrenching it, that by morning they had completed a redoubt and breastwork, flanked Dy a small river, and forming' a very strong position. At day- bteak they were discovered, and a cannonade immediately opened from the ships, but without producing much effect, or 30 u2 238 THE REVOLUTION. even interrupting the prosecution of the works. Gage, con- sidering it extremely inexpedient that they should be allowed to retain this position, immediately prepared a strong de- tachment to expel them. It was not ready till noon, when General Howe, being appointed to command, sailed across, but found the adverse party so strongly posted, that it appeared necessary to wait for a reinforcement ; the Americans at the same time receiving one under Dr. Warren. Either from accident, or to secure the English position, the village of Charlestown was burned. Howe at length began to ascend the hill, while, from the heights around Boston, numerous spectaf tors, agitated by intense and opposite emotions, witnessed the eventful scene. The provincials reserved their fire till the ad- vancing party was within sixty or seventy yards, when they commenced a sudden and general discharge of musketry and rifles, which they used with peculiar skill. So deadly was the eflfect, that the British troops fell back in confusion ; they were rallied, but a second time repulsed ; and General Howe is said to have been left at one time almost alone, having every officer around him either killed or wounded. To have suflered a final repulse, however, would have been most disastrous. Clinton, seeing the exigency, hastened across with a fresh detachment ; when the British, being led afresh to the charge, rushed upon the intrenchment, and carried it at the point of the bayonet, after a fierce struggle, the ammunition of the Americans being exhausted. The Americans slowly retreated, with little mo- lestation except from a straggling fire by the vessels. The loss on the part of the English was most severe, being stated oflScially at two hundred and twenty-six killed, and eight hun- dred and twenty-eight wounded. The other party reported only one hundred and forty-five slain, with three hundred and four wounded ; and though they had lost the field, almost all the glory and advantage was felt to be on their side. The vigorous stand made by their raw levies, and the severe loss inflicted on veteran troops, elevated their courage ; while it appalled not a little the power which had undertaken to bring them into subjection. The death of the gallant "Warren, who was killed while striving to cover the retreat of the provincials, was a sever*) (239) THE REVOLUTION. 24] GENERAL JOSEPH WAEEEN. loss to the patriots. His great zeal and splendid abilities had raised him very high in the general estimation. Though the centre of the movement was in New England, it extended to other colonies. In Virginia, Lord Dunmore, the royal governor, was compelled to retire from the colony. In North Carolina, Governor Martin was involved in similar controversies with the provincial convention, which also led to his retirement on board a ship of war. Lord William Campbell, governor of South Carolina, was equally obliged to seek security on ship-board, and joined Martin in the vicinity of Cape Fear. Governor Tryon, also, at New York, betook himself to a similar refuge, but still retained command of the harbour, and preserved an intercourse with the numerous loyalist? in that quarter. Governors Eden and Franklin, in Maryland and New Jersey, contrived to maintain their place, but not to exercise any juris- diction. The colonists had thus experienced an almost uninterrupted 242 THE REVOLUTION. SIEGE OF BOSTON. caieer of success, and, with the exception of Boston, England had not a spot left in the whole range of their territory. Yet reflecting men easily saw, that they had prevailed only against an advanced guard and scattered detachments, and that the struggle had not yet commenced with the main force of the British empire. Washington, meantime, on proceeding to the army, was received in the most cordial manner, and without the smallest symptom of jealousy; the provincial Congress sending a committee to meet him at Springfield on the frontier, and escort him to Boston. He there found fourteen thousand five hundred men, able-bodied, zealous in the cause, and jjersonally courageous, but destitute of almost every element of military organization. A great proportion wanted bayonets, and the alarming discovery was soon made, that they had not above nine rounds of gunpowder. There were no tents, and clothes extremely deficient ; there was neither commissary nor quartermaster-general. No combination existed between the troops drawn from different colonies ; and the oflficei's, mostly chosen by the men, could exercise scarcely any authority. These evils were the more difficult to remedy, as the army, en- THE REVOLTTTION. 243 listed only for a short period, would disband in a few months, and be replaced by one composed of raw recruits. In these circumstances, he anxiously desired to make an attack upon Boston, and dislodge the troops before the large expected rein- forcements should arrive, when the prospects could not but become gloomy. Yet a council of officers decided, seemingly on good grounds, that such an attempt could have no chance of success ; and he was obliged, very reluctantly, to await the turn which events might take. The intelligence of these proceedings excited in England that spirit which former examples might lead us to expect. The ministry determined upon the most vigorous measures to put down a movement which had now assumed the character of open insurrection. The nation poured in addresses, which appear to have expressed decided assurances of public support. Penn, the hereditary governor of Pennsylvania, came over with the address from Congress to the king, and endeavoured to second it, declaring his positive belief that the sentiments ex- pressed in it were sincere. It was rejected, however, as coming from an illegal body, and consisting only of a series of empty professions. The royal speech at the opening of parliament, on the 26th of October, 1775, lamented that a desperate faction, by gross misrepresentations, had inflamed the minds of the people, overawed the well-afFected, and, amid protestations of loyalty and attachment to the parent state, openly raised the standard of rebellion. It was added that these persons now obviously aimed at total independence, and hence clemency, as well as prudence, called for decisive exertions speedily to put down such disorders ; that those of the misled multitude, who should repent of their error, would experience the utmost lenity, and be received into favour, as if they had never revolted ; and that individuals on the spot would be invested with discre- tionary power to grant immediate pardon and indemnity to any province or colony which should return to its allegiance. Offers of aid had been received from several foreign powers ; and there was no reason to apprehend hosiihty or impediment in any quarter. The determination being formed to employ force, the requisite means were to be provided. In the estimates, the number of 244 THE EEVOLirTIO]Sr. Beamen was fixed at twenty-eight thousand, of land forces at fifty-five thousand ; but the difl&culty lay in making up this latter number. The troops at Boston, amounting to seven thousand four hundred, were manifestly inadequate ; while in Britain there was merely the small peace establishment con- Bidered necessary for the security of the country. The levying of a new army by voluntary enlistment was difficult and tedious; while an additional time would be required for its training. In this exigency, ministers saw no expedient except that of having recourse to several German princes, who, on former occasions, had been induced, partly by alliance, but more by pecuniary motives, to hire out their soldiers for tem- porary service. In the beginning, therefore, of 1776, treaties were concluded with the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel for twelve thousand one hundred and four men, the Duke of Brunswick for four thousand and eighty-four, the Prince of Hesse for six hundred and sixty-eight, and the Prince of Waldeck for six hundred and seventy ; in all, seventeen thousand five hundred and twenty-six. These rulers, keeping in view the extreme necessity of the British government, extorted very advantageous terms. The sum of £T. 4s. ^d., was to be paid for each man ; and besides being relieved from the whole burden of their main- tenance, they were to receive compensation for all extraordinary losses, in addition to certain stipends, amounting in all to about £135,000, not only during the whole period of their engagement, but considerably longer. Besides this heavy charge, the em- ployment of foreign mercenaries, subjects of despotic princes, aggravated much the odium of the undertaking. We must now return across the Atlantic, where the contest was actively carried on. In the autumn of 1775, the Americans formed a plan for invading Canada, knowing that country to be very slightly defended, and believing the inhabitants well affected to the popular cause. A force of about three thousand men, levied in Connecticut, was placed under the command, first of Schuyler, and then of Montgomery. The latter officer, proceeding along Lake Champlain, speedily reduced Fort Chambly, and after considerable difficulty, obliged that of St. John also to surrender. Colonel Ethan Allen had already attempted Montreal, but was defeated and taken prisoner. THE REVOLUTION. 245 GENERAL MONTGOMEBT. Montgomery, however, with his whole force, marched upon that city, and compelled Carleton to retreat precipitately upon Quebec. Meantime Arnold, a daring officer, had, at his own request, been despatched, with eleven hundred men, to penetrate to that capital by way of the Kennebec and the Chaudiere, hoping thus to take it by surprise. The route was then nearly desert, intersected by dense forests and swamps. The troops were compelled to endure the greatest hardships, and one por- tion of the army, under Colonel Enos, returned to Massachu- setts. Arnold pressed on, and when his men were on the point of starvation, reached Canada, to the utter astonishment of the people of that province. On the 9th of November, he arrived at Point Levi, opposite Quebec. But want of conveyance de- tained him there several days, during which the active exertions of Colonel McLean placed the town in such a state of defence, that the American chief was obliged to await the arrival of Montgomery. This officer, who took the command on the 1st 31 X 246 THE REVOLUTION. of December, soon saw that a regular liege, amid the rigours of a Canadian winter, would involve such sufierings and priva- tions as his raw levies could scarcely endure. He, therefore, determined on a night assault, which was made with the gi-eatest intrepidity, but completely baffled. His troops were repulsed at every point, and he himself fell, deeply and generally lamented. Arnold, wounded in trie assault, retreated up the river; and, though he stood his ground some time, was ultimately obliged to evacuate Canada. This first reverse sustained by the cause was severe, yet the signal displays of gallantry on the part of the provincial officers prevented its influence from being on the whole very depressing. Washington, meantime, laboured under accumulated difficul- ties in prosecuting the blockade of Boston. The scarcity of ammunition, notwithstanding every effort of Congress, con- tinued almost unabated ; while the want of money, as well as of necess&.ry equipments, was deeply felt on the advance of the rigorous season. Meantime, General Gage remained inactive at Boston; a course generally condemned by historians as at once unaccount- able and shameful. In the beginning of October he was recalled, without any expression of displeasure, yet probably under the impression of the disasters which the cause had sus- tained in his hands, and the hope that it might be more for- tunate in those of another. The command then devolved upon Howe, who concurred with his predecessor as to the inex- pediency of advancing into the interior of New England. He submitted to the cabinet another plan, by which Boston should be held only till the close of the winter, and the troops there, with all those expected from the mother-country, be then con- centrated at New York, and the main attack made from that quarter. The inhabitants were more friendly, and by striking at the heart of the Union, he would separate the northern and southern states, and then, according to circumstances, carry on operations against either. This plan was approved by Lord Dartmouth. Washington, meantime, was very slowly recruiting his army, which, at the beginning of February, did not reach quite nine thousand men. Being .at that period permitted to offer a THE EEVOLUTION. LOKD FXBCT. bounty, lie had in a month collected above fourteen thousand, reinforced by six thousand Massachusetts militia. He con- sidered this force suflBcient to attack the city ; but a council of officers decided, probably with reason, that such a]i attempt ofiered no chance of success. They proposed, rather, to seize and fortify the peninsular point, named Dorchester Neck, whence the harbour would be in a great degree commanded, and the place, it was hoped, rendered untenable. To this he consented, and the execution of the movement was intrusted to Ward. The British were amused two days by an incessant cannonade and bombardment ; till at nightfall of the 4th of March, General Thomas, with a working body of twelve hun- dred, a covering force of eight hundred, and three hundred carts of materials, marched undiscovered, and took possession of the most elevated part of the' heights. The Americans, being chiefly practical farmers, were extremely skilful in intrenching, and laboured with such diligence, that, in the morning, the English with astonishment beheld them in a strongly fortified position. The admiral then gave notice to Howe, that the harbour could not be deemed secure as long as this post wa? held by the Americans. Lord Percy, with three thousand men, was employed to dislodge them ; but a violent storm rendered the operation impossible, and before itMispersed, the works were 248 THE REVOLUTION. considered beyond the reach of assault. Washington had pre- pared a select corps to attack the town, while its main force should be directed against the heights ; but this project, never very feasible, was now of course given up. The British com- mander then prepared to evacuate the place, and indeed its maintenance was of little importance, since its early relinquish- ment formed part of the plan of the compaign ; yet the triumph thus afforded to the opposite party was a circumstance which should have been vigilantly guarded against. Besides, as no arrangements were yet made for landing at New York, it be- came necessary to proceed first to Halifax, involving a great loss of time. About a fortnight was employed in preparing for the embarkation, a hazardous movement in the face of a superior army; but though Washington watched the oppor- tunity of attacking, he found no means of attempting it with any advantage. On the 17th, the whole force was on board, and after remaining a few days in Nantasket roads, sailed towards Halifax. General Putnam immediately entered Boston, which was found strongly fortified, and quite uninjured. Wash- ington entertained great apprehension that the city would be destroyed. Some cannon and stores, which could not be carried away, became available to him. The American general had for some time suspected the intended direction of the invading force against New York. This was the more dreaded, as the feeling in favour of the royal cause was there very strong, especially in the city ; while Captain Parker still commanded the harbour, and Queen's County, in Long Island, had refused to send deputies to the provincial convention. The Congress had ordered a party of troops to enter that district, and seize the arms of all the royalists ; but this injunction was afterwards withdrawn, a step much disapproved by Washington. He thought proper to sanc- tion the proposal of General Charles Lee, one of the most distinguished of the provincial leaders, who hastily raised a body of troops in Connecticut, advanced by forced marches upon New York, where there were many disaffected in- habitants, occupied the city, and began to erect fortifications on its different sides. After the evacuation of Boston, the commander-in-chief left it defended by a comparatively small THE REVOLUTION. 249 CENERAL CHARLES LEE. force, under Ward, and proceeded with the main army to New York, where he arrived on the 13th of April. As some months would still elapse before the British could assemble their troops and open the general campaign, they determined to send an expedition immediately against the southern states, where the climate would oppose no obstacle, and a decisive blow might be struck with a smaller army. A chimerical hope was cherished, that Clinton, the commander, might pursue a victorious career northwards, till he should join Howe at New York ; at all events, he was instructed to be there before the opening of the campaign. After touching at New York, he joined Governor Martin, near Cape Fear; but the main force was to consist of seven regiments from England by Sir Peter Parker and Lord CornwalUs. Various contmgen- cies delayed its arrival till the beginning of May; and June came before the expedition reached Charleston, its destmation. [ts movements, and an intercepted letter, had, by that time, betrayed the design. The most active preparations were made, the principal inhabitants labouring in concert with the lower classes, aided by a numerous body of slaves. The defences were greatly strengthened, and a new fort, named in honour of Us commander, Moultrie, erected on SulUvan s Island, sepa- x2 250 THE REVOLUTION. SIR HENRY CLINTON. rated by a narrow creek from a larger one named Long Island, commanded the entrance. Between five and six thousand men were assembled, nearly half of them regulars, and the chief command was taken by General Lee. The expedition arrived on the 4th of June, and the troops were landed on Long Island ; yet from various obstacles, the attack was not made till the 28th. The fleet comprised two ships of fifty guns, and six bearing from twenty to thirty ; but three of the latter, through the unskilfulness of the pilot, were entangled in shoals, and could not be brought into action. The others, stationed before the fort, opened a tremendous fire, which was kept up with the greatest energy and spirit. The de- fenders maintained their post with equal firmness; and the walls, though low, were composed of a firm spongy palmetto wood, in which the balls sunk without shatterdog them. The garrison returned a cool, steady, and remarkably well-directed fire, which did terrible execution; the ships were rendered almost unmanageable, several of the chief officers fell, and the commodore was at one time left alone on his own deck. Clinton, from the land side, did not co-operate, having unexpectedly found the creek impassable. He offered, by conveying over THE RETOLUTION. 251 two battalions, to effect a diversion in favour of the naval com- mander ; but the latter, he complains, returned no answer, being too confident, and ambitious of doing the whole himself. The fleet finally moved off in a most shattered state, having lost about two hundred men, including Lord William Campbell and other ofiicers of rank; while the Americans had thirty-five killed and wounded. The whole affair was most fortunate, adding another to the series of successes gained by the new levies, and inspiring them with fresh courage. During the course of this winter, a momentous design was m active progress, which had a very important issue. Several leading men, particularly in New England, had, from the begin- ning, extended their views to the entire dissolution of their connexion with Britain. In spring, 1776, news was received that the petition of Con- gress had been rejected ; that they had been declared rebels ; that large armies werQ preparing to subdue them ; and that their whole commerce was utterly prohibited. Thenceforth a large majority of the leading men formed the determined pur- pose of asserting independence. The Union, it appeared to them, could never be then restored on any footing, but that of complete subjugation. A general desire, accordingly, was now felt to carry out this measure in a decided form, before the ex- pected military force, or the conciliatory commission, should arrive from Great Britain. The essay named Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, from its rough and homely shrewdness, was considered to have produced a very powerful effect on the multitude. As a preparative, Congress authorized the im- mediate suppression of royal jurisdiction in all the colonies, and the formation of governments emanating from the people; while they met the prohibition against their trade by throwing it open to the whole world except Britain. On the 22d of April, the convention of North Carolina em- powered their delegates to concur with the others in the establishment of independence. That of Virginia went farther, instructing theirs to propose it. Boston was now somewhat less forward, merely intimating, if Congress should think it necessary, their willing concurrence. Thus supported, Mr. Lee, a Virginia delegate, on the 7th of June, 1776, submitted a 252 THE EEYOLUTION, resolution for dissolving all connexion with Great Britain, and constituting the united colonies free and independent states. It was warmly debated from the 8th to the 10th, when it was carried by a majority of one. As this was not a footing on which so mighty a change could be placed, the final decision was postponed till the 1st of July. On the 4th of July, votes from all the colonies were procured in favour of the measure. The declaration of independence, which had been carefully prepared by Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin, was forthwith emitted. In this instrument Congress solemnly published and declared, that " these United Colonies are, and of right ought 10 be, FREE and independent states," and entitled, as such, to carry on war, make peace, form alliances, regulate commerce, and discharge all other sovereign functions. This momentous deed was signed on the 2d of August, 1776, by all the members then present. In the decisive posture which aflfairs had now assumed, Washington was actively endeavouring to organize the means of maintaining the hazardous contest upon which he had en- tered, as well as of resisting the attack that immediately im- pended. His most urgent representations to Congress upon the necessity of forming a permanent army had been disregarded ; and he found himself at the head of a motley group, in which •soldiers, enlisted only for a year half elapsed, were mixed with militia whose services were to be still more temporary. In these circumstances, the restraints of discipline extended little beyond the general orders. The different states, having hitherto been almost entirely separated, viewed each other with jealous and even hostile feelings, which were shared by their respective troops, who would, it is said, more cheerfully have fought with their neighbours than with the common enemy. Their leader was soon painfully convinced, that though bodies of people may be inspired with bursts of patriotism, self-interest soon becomes among them the ruling principle. Availing themselves of the possession of arms, they indulged in predatory practices of the most scandalous nature. The inferior officers were chosen by the men, who endeavoured in various ways to turn this privilege to account. A previous stipulation, it appears, was often made, that the surplus of the officers' pay above that of the privates THE REVOLUTION. 253 SEHBRAL BOWE. should be thrown into a common stock, and equally shared. In general, however, they were willing to fight, and had shown themselves capable both of forming and defending intrench- ments. Washington made it a rule never to spare the spade ; many were well skilled in the desultory use of the rifle, yet iU fitted for a field campaign with a large body of regular troops. Even of these ineffective soldiers there were, at the beginning of July, 1776, only seventeen thousand; and though they were raised in a few weeks to twenty-seven thousand, it was mostly by militia, numbers of whom were soon on the sick list. Meantime, General Howe was engaged in conveying his army to the scene of action. The abrupt departure from Boston had considerably deranged his plans, as all the supplies were directed toward that city, and some thus fell into the hands of the Americans. In June, however, the armament set sail ; and he himself landed at Sandy Hook, a long promontory forming the northern extremity of New Jersey. He preferred, however, to land the troops on Staten, an island, south of Long Island, much smaller, and separated by a narrow channel. On the 3d of July, he disembarked there without opposition, being greeted with assurances of welcome and support from the adjacent territories. On the 12th, he was joined by his brother, Lord Howe, who had been appointed commander of the fleet, and 32 254. THE REVOLUTION. also joint commissioner to treat of pacification ; while the ships, with the large reinforcements from Britain, began arriving in successive detachments. As operations were delayed till the whole were assembled, his lordship circulated a proclamation, offering full pardon to all who should return to their duty, and to any port or colony so acting, peace, protection, and free trade. No concession being mentioned as to the original grounds of dispute. Congress considered it so unsatisfactory that they circulated it among the people, to many of whom, however, it seems to have been more acceptable than they expected. Lord Howe then attempted to open communication with "Washing- ton. He addressed several letters to the American commander- in-chief, without acknowledging his official character. Washing- ton would not reply until properly addressed, and by this dignified course won much applause. Nothing of importance resulted from the communication between the two commanders. The British designs had been well concealed, and the American commander remained long in anxious doubt whether the inroad was not to be made on the side of Canada. Con- sidering New York, however, as the most probable and dan- gerous point, he had been diligently strengthening all its approaches. Having determined also to make a stand for the defence of Long Island, he formed strong lines at Brooklyn, nearly opposite to the city, stationing the flower of his troops along a range of strongly fortified heights in front of the British quarters on Staten Island. Howe, meantime, on pretty solid grounds, and with his characteristic caution, waited till his whole force was mustered, when he could follow up without interruption any success he might obtain. He complained particularly of a deficiency in camp equipage. About the middle of August, he had been joined by nearly all the rein- forcements from Britain, and also by those from the sguth under Clinton and Cornwallis, which augmented his force to about thirty thousand men. He still, however, waited a few days on account of the intense heat, which, he dreaded, would injure the health of the troops. At length, on the 22d of August, the British army crossed the channel, and, covered by the guns of the fleet, landed on Long Island, taking post opposite to the range of heights THE EEVOLUTION. 255 occupied by the Americans. Washington, in the immediate view of this grand contest, issued repeated addresses, strenuously encouraging his men, and seeking to inspire confidence. Howe, on viewing the American's position, considered it too strong to be carried in front, but formed a plan for turning it. Before day on the 27th, General Grant, with the Hessian troops under De Heister, attacked the American right wing, which, being connected with Brooklyn, was considered the most important, and which the Americans directed all their efforts to reinforce. These officers, in conjunction with the fleet, kej^t up a brisk and continued fire, tending to confirm this impression, yet avoiding to make any material advance. Meantime, during the night, a strong detachment of the English army, under Clinton and Cornwallis, made a wide circuit through a pass in the hills round the extreme American left. This had been insufficiently guarded by a mere party of observation, which was surprised and captured ; so that Chntoii reached almost unresisted the level plain behind the American's position. About half-past eight, he appeared in their rear, while Grant and De Heister began pushing forward with their utmost vigour. No choice was then left but for the whole army to regain the intrenched camp at Brooklyn, in reaching which they fell into the utmost confusion, and were pursued on both flanks with dreadful slaughter. Lord Stirhng attempted to cover the retreat by an attack with a chosen corps upon Lord CornwalUs, but was sur- rounded and taken prisoner with all his detachment. The entire loss is stated at upwards of three thousand, including eleven hundred prisoners, among whom was General Sullivan. That of the British was only three hundred and sixty-seven killed, wounded, and taken. WasHngton, from Brooklyn, wit- nessed with deep anguish the overthrow of his army, while Howe, from the other side, saw that his forces had gained a decided advantage over the patriots. The British commander had the fault of being over cautious. Instead of foUowmg up his advantage, and endeavouring to strike a fatal blow, for which he certainly possessed the means, he remamed quiet. On the 29th, Washington, with a degree of miUtary skill, which alone would estabhsh his claim to be considered a great general, succeeded in conducting the retreat of his whole army, 256 THE REVOLUTION RETREAT FROU LONG ISLAND. with its artillery, to New York. This was achieved in the face of a greatly superior force. The commissioners, who certainly showed an anxious desire for pacification, chose this occasion to send Sullivan, the cap- tured general, to Congress, stating that they could not indeed as yet acknowledge its political character, but inviting some of its members to a conference. A deputation was sent, consisting of Adams, Franklin, and Rutledge, — strenuous votaries of in- dependence. Lord Howe received them with great politeness; but his offers included merely, as usual, a general amnesty, and a promise to reconsider the obnoxious acts ; while they declared a, treaty inadmissible on any basis, except that of the states being acknowledged independent. On these terms there could not be the least approximation between the two parties. General Howe now proceeded with measures for driving the patriots out of New York, which, as usual, he sought to effect rather by circuitous manoeuvre than by direct assault. He piepared expeditions to ascend the opposite branches of the Hudson, which enclose New York Island, and by landing above THE EEYOLUTION. 257 the city, oblige the Americans either to evacuate or be com- pletely shut up within it. Washington, viewing with alarm these movements, called a council of officers, and recommended the immediate withdrawal of the troops ; but strong objections being expressed, it was determined rather to leave there five thousand men, while the main body occupied a strong post at Kingsbridge, connecting the northern point of the island with the continent. As the British operations advanced, the perils attending this detached position became evident, so that by general consent, the evacuation was determined upon, and the utmost activity employed in removing the artillery and stores. On the 15th of September, Clinton landed at Kipp's Bay, a position strongly fortified, and defended by eight regiments ; but, dispirited by late disasters, they fled without attempting resistance, and Washington in vain strove to rally them. It was then necessary with the utmost haste to withdraw the troops, which was effected with the loss of only about three hundred prisoners ; but they left behind them a large quantity of artillery, stores, and camp equipage, the want of which was most sensibly felt. The British army now entered on the peaceable occupation of New York ; yet it was disturbed by a distressing occurrence. On the night of the 20th or morning of the 21st of September, a fire broke out which continued to rage till a third of the city was consumed. Gordon says that, amid the rejoicings and revelry of the troops on their entry, the flames broke out in an obscure tavern, in the most crowded quarter ; while from the same circumstances they for some time spread undiscovered, and were with the utmost difficulty extinguished. Washington now took post on Harlem Heights, a range which crossed the island, and had been so carefully fortified, that Howe, with his wonted caution, did not venture an attack. His plan was to oblige the Americans to relinquish the post by landing on the eastern shore, thus threatening their rear and communication with New England. As a preliminary, three frigates were sent up the main stream of the Hudson; and, notwithstanding the resistance made by Forts Washington and Lee, and by chevaux-de-frize sunk in the channel, they passed without injury. Before pushing into the interior, the British Y 2'6S THE REVOLUTION. commander spent about three weeks, seemingly a needless waste of time, in fortifying New York. On the 12th of October, having placed the flower of his army in flat-bottomed boats, he proceeded up the eastern channel, and through the pass of Hellgate, to the point called Frog's Neck. Finding his advance here much obstructed, he re-embarked and landed higher up at Pell's Point, whence he advanced upon New Kochelle. The American commander, meantime, had called a council of war, which decided that the position on New York Island was no longer secure; and the troops accordingly crossed at Kings- bridge, taking up a position extending thence eastward towards White Plains, which was fortified as well as time would admit. Howe, on coming up and reconnoitring, determined to attack first a detached corps of sixteen hundred men under General M'Dougall, who, after a sharp, but short conflict, were dis- lodged; but the general position was judged so strong as to make it advisable to wait for some reinforcements. These arrived, and the attack was preparing ; when, during the night of the 31st, Washington retired to a range of heights five miles in his rear, which he had been employed in strengthening. To the cautious view of the British commander, this post appeared so formidable, that he determined to change the seat of war to New Jersey, a less defensible territory, whither his antagonist would be obliged to follow him. As a preliminary, he resolved to attack Fort Washington, a strong post still held by the Americans on New York Island. Howe, with an unusual boldness, determined to attempt the place by storm ; and, on the 16th of November, the army, in four divisions, advanced to the assault. In a few hours they had carried all the outworks, in which the chief strength con- sisted ; and Magaw, the governor, felt himself obliged to capitu late, though Washington sent word, that if he could hold out till evening, an attempt would be made to rescue him.- The prisoners amounted to two thousand eight hundred and eighteen, rendering the loss nearly as heavy as at the battle on Long Island ; while the royal army had eight hundred killed and wounded. Comwallis immediately landed with a strong force on the Jersey shore, when the Americans found it necessary to evacuate Fort Lee, opposite to Fort Washington. The THE REVOLUTION. 259 RETREAT THBOHGH NEW JERSEY. garrison was saved, but the cannon, tents, and stores were left behind. ' The American army was now pursued through New Jersey, a level country, which aflforded no defensible position, and time was not allowed to fortify any. After a retreat of three weeks with the ghost of an army, Washington only secured himself by crossing to the opposite side of the Delaware. The critical period was again approaching, when the terms for which the troops had been enlisted would expire. Exhausted and dis- pirited, they eagerly availed themselves of the liberty thus afforded, and even anticijpated it without any regard to the e;xigencies of the service. He had been urging in the strongest terms upon Congress the ruinous nature of the temporary system hitherto pursued, warning them that, without a perma- nent and well organized army, the cause was lost. Seconded by the disastrous state of affairs, he had been empowered to raise, first eighty-eight, and then sixteen more regular battalions ; to give higher bounties and pay ; and to act in other respects for six months as a military dictator. The men, however, were not yet raised, and present circumstances were little calculated to invite them into the service. In crossing the Delaware, he had with him only three thousand, independent of a detach- ment left at White Plains, under General Lee. That officer, while reluctantly obeying the order to join the main force, and suspected to be meditating some schemes of his own, was sur- 260 THE REyOLUTION. prised and made prisoner, — an event which threw additional gloom over the American prospects. The course seemed now open before Howe to cross the Dela- ware with the utmost possible expedition, and advance on Philadelphia. Though probably not aware of the extreme weakness of his antagonist, he could not suppose him to have any force capable of arresting such a movement. The river was unfordable ; but vigorous exertion could surely have pro- vided the means of passing, which the ice at all events would soon have rendered easy. Washington entertained no doubt of this being his opponent's intention; and, though its ac- complishment "would wound the heart of every virtuous Ame- rican," declares himself wholly without the means of preventing it. Congress, in consequence, removed their sittings to Balti- more. Still, though the American cause seemed reduced to the lowest ebb. Congress remained firm, announcing to their coun- trymen and to the powers of Europe, a determination to adhere immutably to the declaration of independence. Washington felt, with almost exaggerated force, the weight of the evils that pressed upon the cause; yet, with a firm and bold spirit, he watched every opportunity of retrieving it. He had collected about five or six thousand men, and prevailed upon some, whose service had expired, to remain for other six weeks. The English army, covering the Jerseys, was ranged along the De- laware, from Trenton to Burlington, on which line there was reason to believe that no very strict watch would be kept. The bold genius of Washington conceived a plan, which was eagerly adopted. The troops being formed into three detachments, he, with the strongest, amounting to two thousand four hundred, crossed the river on the night of the 25th of December, and from two opposite points attacked Trenton, then occupied by Colonel Rhalle with a strong body of Hessians. That officer, while hastily mustering his men, received a mortal wound ; and the whole corps, surprised and surrounded, speedily surrendered. The two other detachments were arrested by severe cold and tempest, otherwise they might, it was hoped, have been equally successful, and a sweep made of the whole range of positions Washington, however, had good reason to congratulate himseli THE REVOLUTION, 261 BATTLE OF TRENTON. on carryirfg oflf nearly one thousand prisoners, with only ten ol' his own men killed and wounded, — a most unexpected event, which wonderfully revived the sinking spirits of his country- men. "Washington now crossed the Delaware, and, with five thou- sand men, took post at Trenton ; -but Cornwalhs, mustering all his force, advanced upon him; and, or the 2d of January, 1777, the two armies were separated only by a creek. The American general easily saw that, by engaging here a superior army, he ran imminent hazard of being defeated, and driven over the Delaware with great disadvantage and loss. He formed a bold design ; breaking up silently in the night, he moved round the British right, and advanced rapidly upon Brunswick, where their chief magazines were lodged. He might, seemingly, have succeeded, had he not encountered at Princeton three regiments coming up to join the main army. The Americans were at first repulsed, and General Mercer killed ; but "Wash- ington, by extraordinary exertions, restored the action, separated his opponents, and obliged them to retreat in different direc- tions. He then, however, saw advancing against him the van of Cornwallis, who, having received the alann, hastened to frustrate his scheme ; and as he could not hazard a battle with- out the certainty of defeat, with the risk of having his retreat cut off, he prudently fell back. In this skirmish, the loss on 262 THE REVOLTTTION'. both sides was nearly equal ; but the having made another bold offensive movement without disadvantage, heightened greatly the favourable impression produced by his former enterprise. The English general then repaired to Brunswick, and limited himself to a defensive line thence to Amboy, merely covering New York. This, in a military sense, was perhaps most eligible j but with a view to moral effect, it would have been better to have resumed, almost at any cost, his former positions, and not allowed his weak and beaten enemy to re-occupy nearly the whole of the Jerseys. It now behoved the British commander-in-chief to form plans for the approaching compaign ; and the first which he com- municated was in accordance with the general views we have observed him to entertain. A detachment being left to cover New Jersey, one expedition was to ascend the Hudson, another to land at Rhode Island, and endeavour thence to push on to Boston. This course seems liable to all ihe objections already stated, with the additional one of its dividing the active force into two entirely detached portions. Il'i^ould also have required a reinforcement of fifteen thousand men, which, it appears, was not likely to be forthcomijig. On further consideration, he decided in favour of aj|i ejqpedition against Philadelphia, which could be accomplished with a smaller force, and was favoured by the reported, disposition of the inhabitants. This was ap- proved by the rninistry, and, for reasons above stated, seems the wisest course, though too tardily adopted. A detachment had already been sent, under Clinton, to occupy Ehode Island, — a measure justly censured by Botta, as weakening, for this very subordinate object, the main body, still scarcely adequate to its destination. Lord Howe considered it very important as a naval station ; but he should have considered that it was by land operations only that the campaign was to be decided. The remainder of the winter was employed by the British in making two expeditions for the destruction of stores collected by the Americans, at Peekskill and Danbury. The first was conducted by Colonel Bird, who landed with about 500 men at Peekskill, on the east side of Hudson river, nearly 50 miles from New York ; but on his approach. General M'Dougal, with the few Americans stationed there as a guard, fired the principal THE REVOLUTION. 263 store-houses, and retired. The loss of provisions, forage, and other valuable articles, was considerable. The second enterprise was conducted by Major General Tryon, who with a detachment of 2000 men embarked at New York, and passing through Long Island Sound, landed at Campo, between Fairfield and Norwalk ; whence he advanced through the country, almost undisturbed, to Danbury. On his approach, Colonel Huntington, who had occupied the town with 100 militia and continental troops, retired to a neighbouring height, where he waited for reinforcements. The British destroyed 18 houses, 800 barrels of pork and beef, 800 barrels of flour, 2000 bushels of grain, and 1700 tents. Generals "Wooster, Arnold, and Silliman, hastily collecting several hundred of the inhabi- tants, proceeded that night through a heavy rain to Bethel, about eight miles from Danbury. The next morning they divided their troops ; and General Wooster with about 300 men fell on their rear, while Arnold with about 500, by a ^apid movement, took post in their front at Ridgefield. Wooster, coming up with them about eleven in the morning, attacked them with great gallantry. A sharp skirmish ensued, in which he was mortally wounded, and his troops were com- pelled to give way. The enemy proceeded to Ridgefield, where Arnold, who had barricaded the road, warmly disputed the passage ; but, after a skirmish of nearly an hour, being com- pelled to give way, he retreated to Saugatuck, about three miles east of Norwalk. The British, having remained that night at Ridgefield, set fire to the place, and early next morning resumed their march. Arnold met them again about eleven, and a con- tinued skirmishing was kept up until five in the afternoon, when, on their making a stand at a hill near their ships, the Americans charged them with intrepidity, but were repulsed and broken. The enemy immediately re-embarked for New York. Their killed, wounded, and missing, amounted to about 170 ; the loss of the Americans was not admitted to exceed 100. This predatory excursion was not long after retaliated. A quantity of provisions had been deposited at Sagg Harbour, on the eastern end of Long Island, and confided to a schooner with 12 guns and a company of infantry. General Parsons, who commanded a few of the Connecticut recruits at New Haven, 264 THE REVOLUTION. conceis^ing it practicable to surprise this small post and some others not very distant from it, intrusted the execution of his plan to Lieutenant Colonel Meigs, a very enterprising and gallant officer, who had distinguished himself in the attempt on Quebec. On the 23d of May, he embarked at Guilford with about 170 men, on board 13 whale boats, and proceeded, under convoy of two armed sloops, across the i Sound to the north division of the island near Southhold. A small foraging party, against which the expedition was in part directed, having left this place for New York, the boats were immediately conveyed across the land, about 15 miles, into~^a bay, by which the east end of Long Island is deeply intersected, where the troops re- embarked, and, crossing the bay, landed at two in the morning about four miles from Sagg Harbour. This place they com- pletely surprised, and carried with charged bayonets. A division of the detachment at the same time burned 12 vessels, with the forage which had been collected for the supply of the British army. Six of the enemy were killed, and 90 captured. Colonel Meigs returned to Guilford with his prisoners, without the loss of a single man. Washington, meantime, was actively employing those dic- tatorial powers for raising and organizing troops which the exi- gency of affairs had at length extorted from Congress. Levies, however, went on very slowly, through the discouraging state of the cause and the rigour of the season ; so that, at the open- ing of the compaign, he had not mustered quite eight thousand men. These, however, were in an improved state of discipline, bearing somewhat the aspect and character of a regular army ; and during the winter months, he had strongly intrenched thein in a position covering the route to Philadelphia. Howe considered it inexpedient to open the campaign till the middle of June, when the forage was green on the ground, — a delay, the necessity of which has been doubted. He then assumed a position in front of the Americans, which he maintained six days ; but, after having carefully reconnoitred their camp, con- sidered it too strong for attack, and fell back to his original station. His next manoeuvre was to commence an apparently precipitate retreat ; by which "Washington was so far deceived, that he engaged in a hasty pursuit, when the royal troops, as THE REVOLUTION. 265 WASHINGTON. soon as the Americans were close upon them, wheeled round and made a brisk attack. Lord Cornwallis pursued a detach- ment under Lord Stirling to a considerable distance; but the American general, on seeing his error, exerted such activity _m withdrawing his detachments, that they regained their m- trenched position without very serious loss. . , . ^^ The British commander, having thus failed m his attempts to bring the Americans to action, conceived it impossible m their face, to attempt the passage of so broad a nver as the Delaware. There appeared no alternative but to embark his army, and, by a great circuit, land them at the head of the Chesapeake. In fact, the British force was not on board M the 5th of July, and did not reach its destination tiU the 24th of August, when it was landed without opposition. Washington had been carefully watching its movements, and recruiting his own force, which he had raised to fourteen thousand! not the most numerous, but the most efficient of any 266 THE REVOLUTION. LORD CORNWALLIS, he had hitherto commanded. He determined, therefore, to risk a battle in defence of Philadelphia, though conscious that its issue must be very doubtful; but otherwise the expectations of the country would be disappointed, and a discouragement ensue worse than defeat. The only considerable stream on the route was the Brandywine, along whose high banks he drew up> his army, erecting batteries and intrenchments for the defence of the principal fords. Howe's advance to this point was ob- structed only by the skirmishes with his advanced guard ; yet proceeding with characteristic deliberation, he did not reach it till the 11th of September. Determining then upon an attack, he made his arrangements with skill and judgment. Knyp- hausen, with the Hessians, attacked the American front, driv- ing them across the river, with apparently vigorous attempts to follow, yet avoiding any actual advance. Meantime, a strong division under Comwallis, accompanied by Howe himself, made a circuit of seventeen miles to pass by the upper fords. Wash- ington had received some intimation of this movement, but, distracted by opposite reports, did not sufficiently provide against it. Comwallis reached the right of the American army before it had time to form, and, by a vigorous attack, he com- THE EEVOLITTION. 267 pletely broke and drove them before him. Knyphausen, aa soon as he heard this firing, pushed forward with his whole force, when the American centre, already alarmed by the dis- aster of its right, gave way at every point. After some vain attempts by Greene to cover the retreat, the whole army retreated, losing more than one thousand killed and wounded and prisoners. Howe has been severely blamed for not following up this as other victories ; while he and Cornwallis reply, that this was neither practicable nor safe in a country encumbered with immense woods, where the fugitive army easily found shelter, and could have harassed their pursuers with a de- sultory warfare. But this is not a sufficient justification. The American general soon re-assembled his defeated army, and, though slowly retreating, did not give up all hopes of saving Philadelphia. He was even about again to engage the enemy, when a violent storm, continued during a whole day and night, prevented the conflict and rendered his ammunition useless. Still it was only by skilful manoeuvres that hia opponent succeeded in entering the capital, and obliging him to retreat beyond it. Congress, who had returned thither, removed first to Lancaster and then- to Yorktown. Thus established in Philadelphia, Howe pushed forward the main body of his force to Germantown. A large part, however^ was employed in reducing a chain of forts and batteries, which the Americans had erected on the Lower Delaware, interrupting the direct communication with the sea, where Admiral Lord Howe, after landing the troops at the head of the Chesapeake, had brought round the fleet.- Washington, having received some reinforcements, determined to take advantage of this divided state of the army by a sudden attack on the portion stationed at Germantown. At seven o'clock in the evening of the 3d of October, his troops advanced in four divisions, and, having marched fourteen miles, at daybreak took the British completely by surprise. For some time he carried all before him; but he was arrested by a large stone building, obstinately defended by six companies, and his troops became confused in a heavy fog. On the opposing force being fully drawn forth, he was repulsed at every point, with the loss of upwards of a thousand in kiUed, wounded, and prisoners. Notwithstanding 268 THE REVOLUTION. BATTLE or BED BANE. tliis unfortunate issue, a favourable impression of his resources was conveyed by his resuming the offensive so soon after the defeat at Brandywine. The British troops were now employed in reducing the defences of the Delaware. In attacking the fort of Eed Bank, commanded by Colonel Christopher Greene, a detachment under Count Donop, a gallant German officer, was repulsed, with the loss of about four hundred men, and the commander mortally wounded. It was afterwards relinquished on the approach of a superior force ; but November had nearly closed before the passage for the fleet was completely cleared. Howe, then, on the 4th of December, marched out with the view of again bringing the American general to battle. The latter, ha\'ing received four thousand additional troops from the north, had taken up a position at Whitemarsh, about fourteen miles from Philadelphia, which he considered so strong, that his letters express a desire of being there attacked ; but the Eng- lish general, upon a careful survey, declined the engagement, and, after some days' skirmishing, fell back upon the capital. The attention of the American commander was then anxiously directed to the choice of winter-quarters. After much hesita- tion, he fixed upon Valley Forge, on the Schuylkill, a very wild and bare spot, but well fitted for straitening the EngUsh THE EEVOLTJTION. 269 position, and overawing the inhabitants, who were generally disaffected. The troops laboured under a scarcity of provisions, and still more of clothes and shoes ; so that their marches were marked by tracks of blood from their wounded feet. The country people were indisposed to supply goods, and set very little value on the paper certificates offered in return ; but Washington on one occasion only would agree to a compulsory requisition. The encampment consisted of rude log-huts, erected by the soldiers, in one of which twelve were lodged. Their sufferings during the winter were most intense, and their endurance is highly honourable to their own patriotism, and the persuasive influence of their distinguished commander. We have already noticed that the American expedition against Canada had been signally disastrous. After being severely repulsed at Quebec, they had, in the course of De- cember, 1776, been compelled entirely to evacuate the province. The plan was then formed to send from that country a strong British force, which, penetrating across the back settlements of New York, might form a junction with Howe, and second his operations. The command was bestowed on Burgoyne, an officer of merit ; but his superseding Carleton, who had highly distinguished himself in the defence of Canada, was by no means popular. About the middle of June, 1777, Burgoyne began his march, with six thousand seven hundred British and Germans, to which he could only add two hundred and fifty Canadians, and four hundred Indians. His first movement was against Crown Point and Ticonderoga, considered the barriers of the Union on that frontier. These forts, which the Americans so fortunately acquired at the beginning of the contest, had been enlarged and strengthened, and were now garrisoned by above three thousand men. When, however, on the 5th of July, the works were nearly invested. General St. Clair called a council of officers, who decided that the force, being mostly militia, was insufficient for their defence. A retreat was therefore effected during the night, the baggage and stores being embarked upon Lake George. As soon as morning betrayed this movement, a vigorous pursuit was commenced, several detachments were cut off. and the flotilla on the lake destroyed; while the American 34 Z 270 THE EEYOLUTION. GENERAL SCHUTLBB. forces, greatly reduced in numbers, retreated to Fort Edward, on the Hudson. This triumphant opening filled the British with exultation, while it created alarm among the patriots. The former, how- ever, soon encountered great and unforeseen obstacles. The country, wholly intersected with creeks and marshes, required a constant alternation of land and water conveyance, which the Americans, under General Schuyler, rendered more difficult by felling large trees and laying them across the paths. It was necessary to construct forty bridges, one of them two miles in extent, while the bateaux had to be dragged from creek to creek by ten or twelve oxen. The' interval between the 30th of July and 15th of August was thus spent in an advance of only eighteen miles. The inhabitants were animated with a strong spirit of independence, and eminently fitted for desultory war- fare. The " Green Mountain boys," who roamed and hunted over that lofty branch of the Alleghany, poured down in large bodies, and with rifles all but unerring, proved as formidable in this wild region as the best trained reg'alars. The Indians THE REVOLUTION. 271 UTIRDEB OT HISS U'CBEA. did not yield services equal to the odium whicli their employ- ment excited. A party of them attacked a house, and captured two women, one of them a Miss M'Crea. The prisoners were taken in different directions towards the British camp, to avoid the pursuit of the Americans at Fort Edward. According to the story of the two red men who had Miss M'Crea in charge, they were fired upon, and she was wounded; whereupon they killed and scalped her. The British general had offered a reward for scalps, but a greater one for prisoners : and as it was therefore to the interest of the Indians to take their captive alive to the British camp, their story of her death may be believed. A more romantic version of the affair was given at the time, and a feeling of mingled horror and indignation was universal. Burgoyne, being now hard pressed for provisions, and the means of transport, and learning that there was a large supply at Bennington, Vermont, despatched Colonel Baum, with 600 Germans and Indians, to seize them. The alarm was soon 272 THE REVOLUTION". GENEBAL STABS. sounded. The militia of Vermont and New Hampshire mustered strongly under General John Stark, an ofl&cer of ex- perience and determination. Arriving at Walloon Creek, Baum heard of the approach of the Americans, and there halted and intrenched his force. An express was sent to Burgoyne for a reinforcement. Stark, having 1600 men under his command, resolved to attack the enemy. The battle was fought upon the 16th of August, 1777. Having sent Colonel Nichols, with 250 men, to the rear of the enemy's left wing, and Colonel Hen- drick, with 300, to the rear of their right, and placed 300 to oppose their front and draw their attention, Stark sent Colonels Hubbard and Stickney with 200 to attack the right wing, and 100 more to reinforce Colonel Nichols. The attack began precisely at three o'clock in the afternoon. The several de- tachments seconded the onset, and General Stark advanced at the same time with the main body. The engagement lasted THE REVOLUTION. 273 two hours ; but the German troops wej"e at length obliged to abandon their breastworks, and retreat into the woods, leaving their commander mortally wounded on the field of battle. Lieutenant Colonel Breyman, whom Burgoyne had detached with 500 Germans to the assistance of Colonel Baum, coming up just in time to join the fugitives, was vigorously attacked by the Americans, and, after having made a very gallant re- sistance, and expended all his ammunition, was obliged to retreat. The loss of the British in these two engagements was about 600 men; 1000 stand of arms, and 900 swords, were taken by the Americans. Another portion of Burgoyne's army was equally unfoi, tunate. It consisted of one thousand five hundred regulars, Canadians, and Indians, under the command of Colonel St. Leger, and was destined to cross Lake Ontario, capture Fort Schuyler, and, ascending the Mohawk, reinforce the main body. z2 274 THE REVOLUTION. BENEDICT ARNOLD. But Colonel Gansevoort defended Fort Schuyler witli indomi- table resolution. On the first approach of the royal army, General Herkimer, who commanded the militia of Tryon county, assembled them in considerable force for the relief of the garrison. St. Leger, receiving information of his approach, sent out a strong detachment of regulars and Indians, who lay in ambuscade on the road, by which he was to march. Into this ambuscade Herkimer fell, and his party was defeated with great slaughter. The loss was estimated at about 400 men. (August 6.) General Arnold was now despatched with a brigade of troops to attack the besiegers ; but their force being greatly superior to his own, recourse was had to stratagem. A man who was the proprietor of a handsome estate in the vicinity, having been taken up as a spy, was employed as a deceptive messenger to spread an alarm, and induce the enemy to retreat; on con- dition, if he succeeded, that he should be liberated, and his estate secured to him. The stratagem was successful. The Indians instantly determined to quit the ground; and St. Leger, finding himself deserted by 700 or 800 of these important auxiliaries, decamped in, the greatest hurry and confusion, and returned to Montreal, leaving his tents, with most of his artillery and stores, in the field. Burgoyne now felt the difficulties of his situation daily THE REVOLUTION. 275 thickening around him. Gates, a distinguished leader, had been sent to take the command of the Americans, bringing a body of regulars, who, with the numerous volunteers and militia, now formed an army of thirteen thousand men, with habits eminently fitted for this desultory warfare. Considera- tions purely military would have dictated a return into Canada, while yet possible ; but the Enghsh general had to consider the dishonour of the British arms by a retreat before this un- disciplined foe ; the strict injunctions laid upon him to advance on Albany, where he was thought to expect that Howe would be waiting for his junction, while otherwise Gates might wheel round, and augment the force acting against that commander. He had therefore strong motives for bis determination to ad- vance at whatever cost. It was necessary, however, to give up his communication with Ticonderoga and the lakes, having no force adequate to maintain the necessary chain of posts. Re- solving to push forward and cut his way through the American troops to Albany, he led his army briskly, in several columns, along the roads leading thither, disposing them so as to cover his artillery and baggage. The Americans determined upon re- sisting this movement by a general attack. They commenced it at Stillwater, about noon of the 19 th of September, and maintained the contest very obstinately till dusk, when they retired within their lines. The energy, however, with which they had maintained their ground, and the loss of six hundred men sustained by the already reduced British force, gave it the character of a triumph ; while it heightened the gloom which surrounded Burgoyne, who now determined to pause, and fortify himself in his present position. On the 3d of October, fifteen hundred men, sent out to forage and reconnoitre, rashly advanced within half a mile of the American intrenchments, when the daring Arnold instantly sallied out, attacked and drove them back to their camp. The whole American army then followed and commenced a most furious assault on the hnes. From the British quarter they were repulsed ; but the German intrenchments were carried, two hundred prisoners taken, and Breyman with several leading officers killed or wounded. After this disaster it was judged necessary to fall back upon Saratoga 276 THE REVOLUTION. As already noticed, Burgoyne had been impelled forward by the belief that Howe with his whole army was waiting for him on the Hudson, and probably at Albany; and having been strangely kept ignorant of that commander's total change of destination, while his attempts at communication were inter- rupted, he remained still in the dark on this subject. A letter from him, however, reached New York, where Clinton had been left with a force barely sufficient to maintain that position, and without any instructions to co-operate with Burgoyne ; so that the intelligence from that gene'^al, though so fully to be expected, seems to have fallen upon nim like a thunderbolt. Being an energetic and active officer, he assembled three thousand men, and began a brisk movement up the Hudson. The forts of Clinton and Montgomery, which, on opposite banks, defended the navigation, were carried, sixty-seven cannon taken, two frigates, and two galleys burned. Tryon destroyed barracks fitted to accommodate fifteen hundred men ; and Vaughan in- curred reproach by reducing to ashes the town of Esopus, on the insufficient plea that the troops had been fired at from the houses, and that " it was a nursery for almost every villain (malcontent) in the country." Though Gates observed these movements, he wisely forbore to weaken his army by detach- ments against this corps, which failed in every attempt even to open a communication with the northern army. Burgoyne now felt that his affiiirs had reached a fatal crisis. The Americans held and strongly guarded all the posts in the rear, and had destroyed the flotilla on Lake George ; while in front they had an army double his own in number, and in such warfare not much less efficient. An attempted movement in either direction must therefore be followed by a series of in- cessant and harassing attacks, destroying his army in detail. A council of war was called, and the conclusion formed, that no option was left but the deeply afflicting one of opening a negotiation for surrender. Gates's first demand was, that the whole force should ground their arms and become prisoners of war; but the general, with all his officers, agreed in the deter- mination to brave every extremity rather than submit to such terms. Gates, a prudent man, feeling the importance of time, agreed, after some discussion, to grant the honours of war, and THE REVOLUTIOK. 27' GENKBAL BmaOYirE. a free passage to Britain, on condition of their not serving again in North America during the present contest. As Congress received no intimation that the British govern- ment sanctioned the proceedings of this convention, the cap- tured army was not allowed to leave the country. Burgoyne, when complaining of the treatment which his men experienced at Boston, used the rash expression, that he considered the convention as thereby violated ; whence it was inferred, that on returning home, he would represent his government as absolved from the engagement against their serving in America. The American authorities demanded lists of the men's names, which seems not very unreasonable, but was considered by Burgoyne as an impeachment on British honour. This intelligence arrived in England November, 1777, while parliament were sitting ; and the effect may be easily conceived. The opposition, justifying the conduct of the commanders, threw the whole blame upon ministers. Chatham declared the expedition a most wild, uncombined, mad project ; and Fox said that ten thousand men had been destroyed by the wilful Ignorance and incapacity of Lord Germaine. Ministers, on the other hand, contended that everything depending upon them had been done ; large armies had been sent, and most amply 3o 27^ THE EEVOLTJTION. LOBD NORTH. supplied ; and, before being condemned, they were entitled at least to a full inquiry. Lord North protested, as on former squadron under Sir George Collier, upon whom the command of the naval force had now devolved, and having on board eighteen hundred men commanded by General Matthews. The object was the naval yard at Gosport on the Chesapeake, with the military stores and shipping at Portsmouth and Norfolk, the two chief seats of commerce in Virginia. The only defence was a fort with one hundred and fifty men, on Elizabeth river near Ports-, mouth; and this garrison, considering themselves too weak to resist, fled into a morass called the Dismal Swamp. The British took up their head-quarters there ; and in the course of a few days made a complete sweep of everything that was to be found on this range of coast, destroying or taking one hun- dred and twenty-seven vessels, and other property valued at half a million sterling. Clinton, however, did not divide his army by any permanent establishment. Immediately on their return to New York, the fleet and army were employed in an expedition on the Hudson. King's Ferry, about sixty miles up, and near the entrance of the Highlands, formed the most convenient communication across the river for Washington's army, whose wings occupied both banks. It was defended by two opposite forts, Stony Point and Verplank's Point, which were both attacked. The first, being unfinished, was at once evacuated ; and the garrison of the other, after a vain attempt at resistance, was obliged to surrender. Clinton caused the two places to be put in a state of defence ; but operations were not pushed farther in this direction. THE REVOLUTION. 29^ PUTNAM S ESCAPE, The next enterprise was against the coast of Connecticut, which had been a very extensive and successful theatre of pri- vateering operations ; and on the 3d of July, two thousand six hundred men sailed under Sir George Collier and General Tryon, governor of New York. New Haven was soon captured, the militia making a vain attempt to resist. There is stated to have been an intention to burn the town, which was laud- ably changed into the mere seizure of the stores and vessels. At Fairfield and Norwalk, a greater resistance was encountered ; and both these places were nearly reduced to ashes. In apology it is said, that the people had fired from the windows, and that they placed an undue confidence in the safety of their property through British forbearance, which it was proper to dispel ; but these reasons are far from satisfactory. About this time, General Putnam, who had been stationed with a respectable command at Reading, in Connecticut, when on a visit to his outpost, at Horse-Neck, was attacked by Governor Tryon, with about 1500 men. General Putnam had only a picquet of 1500 men, and two iron field pieces, without horses or drag-ropes. He, however, planted his cannon on the high ground, near the meeting-house, and by several fires, retarded the advancing enemy, and continued to make oppo- sition, till he perceived the enemy's horse, supported by the infantry, were, about to charge. General Putnam, after ordering the picquet to provide for their safety, by retiring to a swamp inaccessible to horse, plunged down the precipice at the church. This is so steep as to have artificial stairs, composed of nearly one 2b2 298 THE REVOLITTION. CAPTURE OF STONY POINT. Imnared stone steps, for the accommodation of foot-passengerg, The dragoons stopped short, without venturing down the abrupt decUvity ; and before they got round the brow of the hill, Putnam was far enough beyond their reach. Of the many balls that were fired at him, all missed except one, which went through his hat. He proceeded to Stamford, and, having strengthened his picquet with some militia, faced about, and pursued Governor Tryon on his return. A proposed attack on New London was interrupted by a counter project of Washington, who was anxious to do some- thing to efface the impression of so many losses. It being ascertained that the newly captured forts on the Hudson were little apprehensive of an attack, Washington conceived the design of taking Stony Point. The enterprise was committed to the brave and vigilant General Anthony Wayne. After a rapid, but silent march, Wayne reach the rear of the British post,. undiscovered, about midnight, on the 15th of July, and after a short struggle with the surprised garrison, carried the works. The garrison, 543 in number, were made prisoners, and treated with a humanity but little expected, as, on several such occasions, the British had shown no mercy. The opposite THE REVOLUTION. 299 fort was also attempted, but without success. As Washington could not spare a number of men, sufficient to garrison Ston}- Point, the works were partially demolished and abandoned. Clinton, however, soon re-occupied and repaired the post. An expedition was also sent in June, from Boston, against a station on the river Penobscot, formed by a detachment under Colonel Maclean from Nova Scotia. Above three thousand militia, under General Lovell, effected a landing on the penin- sular point occupied by the English; but the works appeared to him too strong to be carried without the aid of regular troops, which were promised by General Gates. Before their arrival, however. Sir George Collier appeared in the ri-s-er with a squadron from New York, when Lovell re-embarked his troops. and formed with his ships a crescent across the river, making a show of resistance, uil, seeing his adversary bearing up with superior force, he took to flight, and having no retreat, his fleet of six frigates and nine smaller vessels was entirely destroyed. The men escaped on shore, but had to penetrate through a long extent of desert, in which many perished. This blow was slightly compensated by the surprise of Powles Hook, a fort immediately opposite to New York. Being far within the British Hnes, the commander yielded to a feeling of security ; from which, about three in the morning of the 18th of August, he was roused by Major Lee, who entered the place without resistance, and made one hundred and fifty-nine prisoners. Circumstances did not allow the captor to retain it, and he found some difficulty in retreating. More important military operations took place in the southern states, which had not hitherto become a theatre of war. Already, in the close of 1778, Clinton had despatched a force against Georgia, whose inhabitants were reported as favour- able to the mother-country. Colonel Campbell, the commander, arrived at Savannah, the capital, about the end of December, and summoned the place. The Americans were commanded by General Howe, whose force had been weakened by an un- successful expedition into Florida; nevertheless he drew it up in a strong position, covered by a swamp in front, and with the town in his rear. The British officer, however, received in- telligence of a private path unknown to the Americans, and 500 THE REVOLUTION. detached a column under Sir James Baird, which got unper- ceived into their rear. Being then attacked at once on all sides, they were completely routed, with the loss of their artillery, stores, and nearly five hundred prisoners. They pre- cipitately retreated into South Carolina, leaving all Lower Georgia m the hands of the invaders. The inhabitants were found extremely well disposed; and, being treated in a con- ciliatory manner, readily formed themselves into corps for the dpfence of the country. General Prevost then entered from Florida, and without difficulty reduced Sunbury, the only for- tress still held by the adverse party. Having assumed - the command of the forces from New York, he despatched Camp- bell to Augusta, capital of the upper territory, the reduction of which completed that of the state. Congress, meantime, even before this landing, had planned the reduction of East Florida, and hence had recalled Howe, supplying his place by Lincoln, an officer of much higher repu- tation, who had been second under Gates against Burgoyne. He found everything in the most unprepared state ; and before being able to put any force in motion, learned the total defeat of his predecessor, and the conquest of Georgia. He could then aim only at covering South Carolina ; and the river Savannah f^irmed so strong a barrier, that the British general did not attempt to cross. Meantime, about seven hundred royalist re- fugees, who had left their homes and taken shelter among the Indians, attempted to rejoin the king's forces. Being attacked, however, by Colonel Pickens with a body of militia. Colonel Boyd, their commander, was killed, and only three hundred reached their destination. Several of the prisoners were tried and put to death. Lincoln, encouraged by this success, and being daily rein- forced, caused General Ashe with fourteen hundred men to cross the Savannah, and take post at its junction with Brier Creek, a stream unfordable for some miles up, and appeariM^ completely to secure his front. It was thus hoped to exclude the English from Augusta and all the upper territories. Colonel Prevost, however, brother to the general, making a circuit of fifty miles, and crossing at fords fifteen miles above, came un espectedly on the rear of this body, and totally routed them, THE REVOLUTION. 301 GENERAL LINCOLN. the regular troops, after attempting resistance, being all eithe. killed or taken. Notwithstanding this disaster, Lincoln, again reinforced, determined to proceed with his main body against Augusta. Prevost, instead of a long and harassing march in that direction, sought to recall him by a movement against Charleston ; but intending only a feint, he proceeded with a leisure which he found reason to regret, as it appears had all practicable speed been employed, that capital would have fallen into his hands. The alarm, however, had been given, and such active preparations made, that he did not venture to attack, but distributed his troops in the neighbourmg island ot St. John. Lincoln, who had hastened down, made an attempt 38 302 THE REVOLtTTION. to beat up his quarters, without success ; and the midsummer heat causing a suspension of military operations, the British troops retired unmolested into Georgia. This state of affairs in the southern colonies called im- periously for the attention of Congress, and Washington found it necessary to detach thither some part even of his reduced army. He sqlicited more powerful aid from D'Estaing, who then commanded in the West Indies an army sufficiently power- ful to crush entirely the English in Georgia. The French admiral received this application just after having fought a hard battle against Commodore Byron without any decisive result, yet such as obliged the latter to go into port to refit. The former being thus for a time master of the sea, determined at once to comply with the request, took on board six thousand land-troops, and steered direct for Savannah, where, arriving quite unexpectedly, he captured by surprise a fifty-gun ship and three frigates. Prevost, too, was very unprepared, having his force broken up into detachments distributed along the; frontier; but these being instantly ordered in, obeyed, with «uch promptitude that before the French had landed and formed a junction with Lincoln, nearly all had arrived. On the 16th of September, D'Estaing appeared before the place and sum- moned it to surrender. Prevost, under pretext of negotiation, obtained a suspension for twenty-four hours, during which Colonel Mai tl and entered with the last and largest detachment, eluding the Americans by a route supposed impassable; and the full determination to resist was then announced. The allies, on reconnoitring the works, deemed it imprudent to attempt them by storm, and were obliged to wait a few days till the heavy ordnance and stores could be brought from the fleet. They broke ground on the 23d of September ; but the defence was conducted with great vigour and skill, under the direction of Major Moncrieff, a very able engineer; so that notwithstanding some progress made by the 1st of October, an interval miist still elapse before surrender could be expected. D'Estaing then refused to adventure his fleet longer on this insecure coast, in a tempestuous season, and while liable to attack from the British squadron refitted and reinforced ; yet before departing, he ofiered to concur in an attempt to carry THE REVOLUTION. 303 DEATH OF PULASKI. the jDlace by storm. This was agreed to ; and a hollow way being observed, by which troops could advance to within fifty yards of the wall, four thousand five hundred men, the flower of the combined army, undertook to penetrate it, Avhile the rest amused the garrison by feigned attacks. This party pushed on Avith great vigour ; they had even crossed the ditch, mounted the parapet, and planted their standards on the wall. Being here exposed, howevei', to a tremendous fire from the works well constructed and completely manned, they soon gave way; Count Pulaski was killed, and a brisk attack by Major Glaziers drove the whole back into the hollow. They then renounced the attack, having sustained the severe loss of seven hundred French and two hundred and thirty-four Americans killed and wounded ; while that of the besieged was only fifty five. The French admiral no longer paused in embarking his troops and sailing for the West Indies ; thus a second time dis- appointing sanguine expectations, and leaving the American cause in the same state as before. Chnton, on learning this success, determined finally to begin operations on a great scale in the southern states. Recent in- formation showed them to be more defenceless, and the in- habitants better inclined to the dominion of the parent state. 304 THE EEVOLUTIOlir. than those on the great northern theatre of war ; while their reduction might facilitate that of the others, or at all events preserve for Britain an important portion of her American ter- ritory. He had recently obtained a reinforcement from home, and had withdrawn the force hitherto stationed with little advantage upon Rhode Island. On the 26th of December, 1779, leaving Knyphausen with troops sufficient to defend New York against the ill-organized army of Washington, he sailed with five thousand men for Savannah. The voyage was most tem- pestuous, and prolonged till the end of January ; some of the vessels were wrecked, and nearly all the horses perished. He exerted himself actively to repair these losses; and by the middle of February had re^embarked and landed on St. John's Island near Charleston. Some time was spent in recruiting and reinforcing his troops and remounting his cavalry ; while Lincoln was actively strengthening the garrison, and restoring the works, which, since the memorable attack in May, had fallen into almost complete decay. He succeeded in assembling above two thousand regulars, one thousand militia, and a great body of armed citizens ; but the chief hope, which was soon proved to be fallacious, rested on preventing the British from crossing the bar, as the fleet, under a favourable wind and tide, passed with scarcely any opposition. Lincoln then seriously deliberated on evacuating the place and saving his army ; but he dreaded popular reproach, and was buoyed up with promises of rein- forcements that never arrived. On the 1st of April, Clinton crossed the Ashley, which, with Cooper River, encloses the peninsula of Charleston, and broke ground before the city. On the 9th, the first parallel was completed, and the maritime blockade rendered very close ; yet the garrison still communi- cated with the country by their cavalry at Monk's Corner, about thirty miles up Cooper River. Colonel Tarleton, by a circuitous route, came upon this body so unexpectedly, that though they held their horses bridled and saddled, they were attacked before they had time to mount, routed, and completely dispersed. The British soon after received a reinforcement of three thousand ; when Lincoln seriously proposed an attempt to extricate his army; but the principal inhabitants, enter- taining a dread of ill treatment from the captors, prevailed THE EETOLUTION. 305 upon him only to offer a capitulation on condition of the garri- son being still allowed to serve. This proposal was at once rejected ; the siege was steadily pushed ; all the outward posts successively fell ; two detachments of cavalry which had rallied were by the active movements of Tarleton again dissipated and nearly destroyed ; and the third parallel being completed, pre- parations were made for a general assault. Lincoln, then seeing his situation hopeless, submitted to the terms proffered by the victor, that all the military stores should be given up. the regular troops made prisoners of war, while the militia, on giving their parole, might return and remain unmolested at their homes. The prisoners taken were stated by Clinton at five thousand six hundred and eighteen, with one thousand seamen, and three hundred and eleven pieces of ordnance. -This was a very important triumph, and seemed to assure the reunion to Britain of at least a large portion of hei- revolted colonies. With very small exceptions, the whole of the military force stationed in the southern states, including all its means and implements of war, was at once captured. A number of the inhabitants now testified their satisfaction, and the rest were awed into silence. There was scarcely a soldier in Georgia and South Carolina who was not either a prisoner or in arms for Britain. North Carolina was well known as a decided seat of royalism, and Clinton had secret assurances, as soon as he should reach that province, of power- ful support. He now published a proclamation, promising to the people a renewal of all their former privileges, with the addition of not being taxed unless by their own consent. Soon after, he issued another, absolving the militia from their paroles, and calling upon them to join with other citizens in aiding the British cause. This step was much complained of, and with reason, as involving a breach of faith ; and the poHcy seems doubtful of not allowing the enemies of Britain to remain in a state of silent and passive submission. On the 5th of June, Clinton set sail for New York, leaving Lord Cornwallis with four thousand men to secure, and, if he could, extend his conquests. Detachments had already been sent up the principal rivers, Savannah, Saluda, and Santee. On the last only, a party of four hundred, under Colonel Buford, 20 306 THE REVOLUTION tableton's quaetbbs. was rapidly retreating. Though ten days in advance, they^ were overtaken by the rapid march of Tarleton, and at Wax- haw's completely routed and dispersed. Tarleton seldom gave quarter. The principal force was then advanced to Camden on the Wateree, near the frontier of North Carolina; but the intense heat, with the difficulty of provisioning the army till the corn was on the ground, rendered a delay necessary. The loyalists in that province were advised to remain quiet till a powerful, support could be brought forward ; but their ardent zeal could not be restrained, and broke out in several insurec- tions, which were suppressed and punished with a rigour tending to deter from similar attempts in future. Extreme alarm was felt by the American government on receiving intelligence of these events; and amid the greatest obstacles, it was necessary to make vigorous efforts to retrieve their affairs. Washington made arrangements tor the march of the troops in Maryland and Delaware, and for calling out the militia of Virginia and North Carolina. He placed them under the Baron de Kalb, a veteran German officer ; but Con- gress soon after conferred the chief command on Gates, hoping^' that the conqueror of Burgoyne might again turn the tide of fortune Notwithstanding the utmost despatch, the. want of THE EEVOLTJTIOIT. 307 BATTLE OV CAMDEN AND DEATH money, military stores, and provisions, detained him so long, that though the expedition set out in March, it was the be- ginning of August before he could approach Camden, with about four thousand men, mostly militia. He advanced in the determination to push vigorously offensive operations, hoping to induce Lord Eawdon to fall back upon Charleston. That officer, however, had given notice to Cornwallis, who hastened to the spot, and though the troops, from disease and othpr causes, had been reduced to little more than two thousand, he resolved without hesitation to attack. He had set out in the night of the 15th, with a view to surprise the Americans, when, by a singular concurrence, he met Gates in full march with the same design against the British. The advanced guard of the British was driven in, when both parties thought it advisable to postpone the general action till daylight. In the American Hne, De Kalb, with most of the regulars, commanded on the right, while the militia of Carolina formed the centre, and that of Virginia the left. The conflict began with the last, who were attacked by the British infantry, under Colonel Webster, with such impetuosity, that they threw down their arms and 308 THE RETOLTJTION. precipitately fled. The whole of the left and centre were very speedily off the field, few having fired a shot, and still fewer carrying away a musket. Gates was borne along by the torrent, and after vain attempts to rally his men, gave up all for lost, and never stopped till he reached Charlotte, eighty mile? iistant. Meantime, De Kalb, on the right, opposed to Lord Eawdon, long and firmly maintained his ground, gaining even some advantage ; and it was not till the victorious divisions had wheeled round against him, that his corps was broken and dispersed. He himself, covered with wounds, became a captive, and, notwithstanding every care, expired in a few hours. About one thousand prisoners were taken, and the whole army was scattered. Gates seems manifestly to have erred in fight- ing a pitched battle with an army consisting chiefly of roilitia. and Tarleton particularly censures him for having composed of them so great a part of his regular line, instead of merely em- ploying them to skirmish on his front and flanks ; but, in fact, his veteran force seems to have scarcely sufiiced for a duly extended order of battle. There was still some resistance to overcome. The patriots in South Carolina, recovering from their first panic, had begun to rise at different points. The militia, complaining that the terms granted had not been duly observed, disregarded their engagements to remain passive, and prepared to take the field. A number, after joining the royal banner, went over to the Americans; one Colonel Lisle carried with him a whole battalion. Thus were assembled, under Colonel Sumpter, an active partisan, upwards of six hundred, raised,- by a detachment from the main army, to about one thousand., He was repulsed in attacks upon the stations called Eocky Mount and Hanging Eock; hs,, on the evening before the battle of Camden, succeeded in carrying a strong redoubt on the Wateree, taking above one hundred prisoners. On learn- ing the fatal issue of that day, he instantly began his retreat,, and reached with such celerity the fords of the Catawba, that he considered himself safe, and allowed his men to repose during the heat of the day. But nothing could escape the in- defatigable ardour of Tarleton, who had been sent in pursuit. ffis rapidity was such, that the greater part of his corps could THE REVOLUTION'. 309 COLOHEL SUMPTEK. not follow him from fatigue ; but with one hundred and sixty only he came up, and found the Americans completely unpre- pared, their videttes asleep, and the men lying apart from their arms. Koused from slumber by the attack of this active ba,nd, they scarcely attempted resistance; and after a short struggle, about half were captured, the others dispersed. They lost one hundred and fifty killed and wounded, besides three hundred and ten prisoners ; all their stores were taken, and the British captives recovered. Cornwallis, having thus become master of a considerable number of prisoners, proceeded against them with vigour ; several, who had joined the British militia and then deserted from their ranks, were executed as traitors. The estates, too, of all those who joined the patriots were confiscated. This severity created enemies to Britain among those who before had been disposed to be loyal, and increased the ardour of the friends of freedom. After a few weeks' delay on account of the heat, the British general advanced to Charlotte Town, in North Carolina. Mean- time, a corps of about sixteen hundred loyal militia having been assembled, under Major Ferguson, an active partisan, he was directed to move westward, and clear the territory along the foot of the mountains. He was led farther in this direction by the movements of a hostile party which threatened Augusta. 39 2c2 rt 10 THE REVOLUTION. where he approached and roused into action a class marked as terrible foes to the British cause. The borderers, who roved along the sides of the Alleghany, were, if possible, ruder and bolder than the boys of the Green Mountain. They rode on light fleet horses, carrying only their rifle, a blanket, and knap- sack. Food was procured by the gun, or, on its occasional failure, from a small herd of cattle driven before them. At night, the earth was their bed, the sky their canopy. They thus moved with a swiftness which no ordinary troops could rival. Ferguson, having learned that about three thousand of these daring mountaineers had mustered against him, under the command of Colonels Campbell, Shelby, and Williams, began a rapid retreat upon the main body ; but being informed that one thousand of the fleetest and boldest had been formed into a select band in chase of him, and seeing the hopelessness of escaping their almost preternatural swiftness, he took post on King's Mountain, and awaited their attack. They came up on the 7th of October, and began to ascend the mountain in three divisions. Ferguson charged the first, and drove it back with the bayonet ; and wherever this weapon could be used, he was victorious ; but the assailants clustered round on every side, and from beneath the covert of trees and steeps discharged their rifles with almost unerring aim. The British soon began to fall in great numbers, and when their commander himself received a mortal wound, the whole party were routed, three hundred killed and wounded, the rest completely dispersed. In retaliation of Cornwallis's proceedings at Camden, ten of the principal captives were hanged on the spot. Cornwallis, meanwhile, had pushed on to Salisbury, approach- ing Virginia ; and in expectation of his reaching that state, a reinforcement destined for him, under General Leslie, was ordered to enter tho Chesapeake. Learning, however, this dreadful catastrophe, and fearing that so numerous a band might oveirun and spread insurrection in South Carolina, he judged it necessary to fall back upon that colony; and Leslie was instructed to join by the circuitous route of Charlestoa. The alarm leading to this^retrogrdde movement proved, in a great measure, unfounded. That tumultuary mass, roused by a local impulse, having accomplished their immediate olgect, THE REVOLUTION. 311 OEHERAL MARIOli. could not be prevented from dispersing, and the partisan war- fare was continued by only two small bodies. Marion, though holding together only from fifty to two hundred men, severely harassed the British, keeping himself so well covered by woods and marshes, that even Tarleton could not hunt him down. Sumpter, too, after being entirely routed by that ofiicer, had again assembled a considerable corps of mounted militia, and threatened some important posts. His former enemy not being at hand. Major Wemyss was employed, and soon came up with him ; but being early wounded, and his troops vigorously at- tacked by the patriots, he suffered a severe repulse. It was then necessary to have recourse to Tarleton, and give him a con- siderable force. Using his accustomed despatch, he had nearly got in the rear of his adversary, who, as soon as he learned to whom he was opposed, hurried by rapid marches to the Tyger, whose rapid stream once passed, would secure his retreat. Tarleton, seeing that with his whole force he could not be in time to prevent this movement, adopted his former plan of pushing forward with two hundred and fifty cavalry and mounted infantry. He found his opponent strongly posted on the bank of the river, and with his wonted promptitude rushed 312 THE EEVOLUTION. eEHEBAI. OBEEHE. forward to the attack. The conflict, however, was obstinate and bloody, and he was finally obliged, with considerable loss, to fall back on his infantry. Sumpter then crossed the river; but his men had been so severely handled, that they lost courage and dispersed; so that his opponent reaped all the fruits of victory. Gates, meantime, used diligent exertions to collect and re- organize the remains of his defeated army ; and Congress, amid every dijQficulty, forwarded to him reinforcements. He incurred, however, the reproach to which the unfortunate are usually exposed, Washington being called upon to institute an inquiry into his conduct, and to nominate another commander. Greene was named, with the assurance that a commander had been furnished, provided troops and means could be supplied. This announcement was amply fulfilled ; yet Gates was considered hardly treated, especially as his first intimation was the arrival of his successor to take the command, who bore testimony that, THE REVOLUTION. 313 on this tidying occasion, he behaved in a handsome and honour- able manner. When Greene arrived, on the 2d of December, the army had been raised to nearly two thousand men, of whom the larger number were regulars. Determining by some movements to support the cause in South Carolina, he detached Morgan, a very able partisan, to take post on the Broad River, and en- deavour to cut off Cornwallis, then at Winnsborough, from the upper country. He had about six hundred men, with the ex- pectation of assembling more in the district. On learning this movement, Tarleton was immediately despatched with one thousand men to resist the inroad. The American at first abandoned his camp, and began a rapid retreat; but finding this difficult, and his forces being nearly equal, he resolved to await the attack at Cowpens, a spot three miles from the boun- dary of the Carolinas. Avoiding the fault of Gates, he disposed his militia in front, keeping in reserve a chosen body, on whom he could fully depend. On the 17th of January, 1780, Tarleton came up, and immediately rushed to the charge. The first American line was soon broken, and hastily retreated into the rear of the second, which was then attacked, and thrown into some confusion, when Morgan ordered the men to fall back and unite with the reserve. This movement was mistaken for a flight by the assailants, who pushed on exultingly, in somewhat irregular order. Suddenly the Americans, having fully adjusted their line, halted, wheeled round, and commenced a destructive fire on their pursuers, who being seen to falter, a charge was made with the bayonet, and by the cavalry with their drawn swords. After a short contest, the lately victorious British were completely routed, and nearly the whole infantry surrounded and obliged to surrender. The cavalry escaped by flight; but upwards of one hundred were killed, and five hundred made prisoners. Tarleton declares himself quite unable to account for so total a rout. He appears in fact to have attacked in his usual impetuous manner, on the calculation of encountering mostly loose militia levies, whereas a part of the opposing force was veteran ; two of the miUtia companies consisted of regulars recently discharged. The British army suffered thus most severely, having lost all its light infantry, a corps parti- 314 THE EEYOLtTTION. BATTLE OIP THE OOTTPENS. eularly useful in such warfare ; nor was it a small injury that the fame of the commander as an almost invincible partisan officer was deeply tarnished. Comwallis, however, having just received the reinforcement of two thousand six hundred men under Leslie, determined to efface the impression of this disaster by a series of the most active offensive operations. Destroying all his superfluous baggage, he supplied the loss of his light infantry by converting the whole army nearly into a corps of that description. His first hope was to overtake Morgan, and recover all that was lost, which he had so nearly effected that his van reached the Catawba on the 29th of January, only two hours after the patriots had passed ; when a torrent of rain swelled the waters and rendered it impossible for him to follow. Greene, who had hastened to take the command, hoped to defend the passage of this river, but it was forced on the 1st of February at a private ford defended by Colonel Davidson, who was defeated and killed. Tarleton then surprised and dispersed a body of mihtia assembled at a neighbouring inn. The American general, con- sidering himself wholly unable to hazard a battle, retreated before his adversary, who presently began a chase, which was continued incessantly and rapidly across the whole of North V, THE REVOLUTION. 315 Carolina. On the night of the 2d of February, the two divi- sions of the American army having effected a junction, crossed the Yadkin, but so, closely followed, that their rear skirmished with the van of the enemy, and part of their baggage was taken. By another favourable chance, heavy rain fell during the night, and in the morning rendered the river impassable ; so that Cornwallis was obliged to make a circuit to its upper fords, while his opponent continued his retreat. He marched towards the Dan, the chief branch of the Roanoke, which flows nearly along the boundary of Carolina and Virginia. It was a broad unfordable stream, and Greene, if he reached the other side, would be in safety ; but the pursuit was continued in the confident hope of his being unable to find vessels sufiicient to transport over his troops. This was indeed the case at the ferry immediately before him ; but by an able movement he led his army twenty miles downward to two others, sending a detachment to bring the boats from the upper one. He thus collected a sufiicient number, and by extraordinary exertions had his army ferried over, his rear reaching the northern bank just as the English van appeared on the southern. This march, or rather hunt, was considered highly creditable to both parties. Greene gained great applause on account of his dis- advantageous situation, fleeing before a superior enemy who pursued with such rapidity, yet placing in safety not only his army, but the greater part of his heavy baggage ; still it must be owned that he was in several instances singularly favoured by fortune. Cornwallis now gave up the pursuit, and repaired to Hills- borough, with the view of calling out and organizing the royalist force. His adherenis, though here pecuharly strong, did not come forward to the extent expected. The larger por- tion, as elsewhere, regarded the cause with that passive and inert attachment which we have remarked to be generally prevalent ; and even the more zealous, having suffered severely by former premature displays, dreaded lest the republican cause should regain the ascendancy. The view also of the distress and exhaustion of the British troops, after so long a march, was by no means alluring. Yet seven companies were fprmed, and detachments began to come in from different 316 THE EEVOLUTION. UAJOB HENRT LXE. quarters. On the other hand, Greene, having obtained a rein- forcement of Virginia militia, repassed the Dan, and with hia light troops endeavoured to annoy the British army and pre- vent recruiting. Major Lee surprised a detachment of royalists, who mistook him for Tarleton, and cut them nearly to pieces. On account of the exhausted state of the country at Hills- borough, Cornwallis withdrew to a position on the Alhmance Creek, between Haw and Deep Rivers, where he could be better supplied, and support his friends, who were there numerous. Greene, however, by an active use of his cavalry and light troops, severely harassed his opponent ; and by changing his own position every night, eluded the attempt to bring him to an engagement. At length, the American general, having received reinforce- ments, which raised his army to above four thousand two hundred men, of whom about a third were regulars, determined to offer battle. This was what the other had eagerly sought; yet his own effective force being reduced to somewhat under two thousand, he felt now some hesitation, and probably would have acted more wisely in maintaining the defensive. Even the enterprising Tarleton observes, that in his circumstances defeat would have been total ruin, while any victory he might THE REVOLUTION. 317 expect to gain could yield little fruit. All the habits and views of Cornwallis, however, being directed to an active cam paign, he formed his resolution, and on the 15th of March proceeded to the attack. Greene had drawn up his army very judiciously, near Guildford Court-house, mostly on a range of hills covered with trees and brushwood. Adopting still the system of making the militia bear the first brunt, he placed that of Carolina in the front, while the Virginia, considered somewhat better, formed the second line, and he remained in the third with the continental troops, in whom alone he placed full confidence. The British, proceeding with impetuosity, and having driven in the advanced guard of cavalry, attacked the Carolina line, who, scarcely discharging their muskets, fled pre- cipitately after the first hostile fire, and many even before. This front having gone for nothing, the next movement was against the Virginians, who stood their ground with some firm- ness ; but being unable to resist the bayonet, which was soon brought against them, they, too, were put to flight. The assailants then advanced against the third line; but the re- giments, having experienced different degrees of resistance, came on impetuously, in an uneven line and some disorder. Greene then felt sanguine hopes that a steady charge from his chosen troops would turn the fortune of the day. He was dis- mayed to see the second Maryland regiment give way at once, after which he thought only of retiring ; but Colonel Gunby, at the head of the first, gained a decided advantage over the corps under Colonel Stewart, and there followed an obstinate and somewhat desultory contest between the different corps, after which the Americans were compelled to a general retreat. Yet a strong body of riflemen, on the left flank, kept up a galling fire, till Tarleton, with the cavalry, drove them off the field. In this hard-fought battle, the Americans had three hun- dred and twenty-six killed and wounded. The mihtia dispersed, after having one hundred killed and wounded. The English victory was dearly earned, the killed and wounded amounting to five hundred and thirty-two, including Colonels Stewart and Webster, two of their best officers, and reducing the effective force below fifteen hundred. This small corps, too, was in a very reduced and exhausted state. In short, 40 2D 318 THE REVOLUTION. the English general formed the resolution to fall back upon Wil- mington, near the mouth of Cape Fear River, which had been occupied by Major Craig, where he could recruit his troops and obtain supplies and reinforcements by sea. Greene retreated about fifteen miles ; taking post behind a small stream named Troublesome Creek, where he expected and determined to await an attack; but was soon agreeably surprised by learning that his antagonist was in full retreat, and had even left eighty wounded recommended to his care. He immediately set out in pursuit, and after overcoming various obstacles, arrived on the 28th of March at Ramsay's Mills, on Deep River, where, having learned the direction which the British were taking, he paused for a few days to recruit, and deliberate on his future plans. At Wilmington, the hostile army would be in communication with the sea, of which they were then masters ; so that there no serious impression could be made upon them; and if they received reinforcements, serious danger might be incurred. He formed, therefore, the bold but able resolution of carrying the war into South Carolina, to which he was now nearer than his adversary, and where Lord Rawdon (afterwards Marquis of Hastings) had been left with only the force that appeared necessary to keep down in- surrection. Directing his march immediately to this quarter, he had made some progress before the tidings reached Lord Cornwallis, by whom this movement appears to have been quite unexpected. He now, however, considered that it was impossible to reach the American army till the collision had taken place between it and Lord Rawdon ; and if the latter sho-uld retreat upon Charleston, he himself could reach the scene of action only by a long and difficult march, crossing several broad rivers, and exposed to attack in disadvantageous positions. He resolved, in preference, to advance in the oppo- site direction upon Virginia, where, uniting himself to consider- able forces already assembled, he might make the cause de- cidedly preponderant. He hoped thus to recall Greene ; or, at all events, by conquering that great and important colony, to secure the ultimate subjugation of the southern states. Greene, without regard to the movements of his opponent, pushed on to his destiaation. The militia having either deserted, THE EEVOLITTION. 319 LORD BAWDON. or their term of service being expired, his force was reduced to eighteen hundred men ; but those, in fact, included all on whom he could, ever place much dependence. Approaching Camden, he found it occupied by Eawdon, with about eight hundred men, the other troops being employed upon the defence of de- tached posts ; yet his position was judged so strong as to afford no hope of success in a direct attack. The object aimed at was, by throwing out detachments which might capture the forts, and cut off the supplies in his rear, to compel him gradually to fall back. Lee, for this purpose, was sent with a strong party to co-operate with Marion and Sumpter. The English general, seeing the hostile troops thus reduced to about fifteen hundred, formed the bold resolution of attacking them. Making a large circuit round a swamp, he came upon their left flank quite unexpectedly, while the soldiers were busied m cookmg and washing. This first surprise was never wholly recovered ; yet they quickly stood to their arms, and formed in order of battle. They had even gained some advantages, when the 1st Mary- land regiment, considered the flower of the army, and which had highly distinguished itself both at Cowpens and Guildford, fell into confusion J and when ordered to make a retrograde 620 " THE REVOLUTION. movement, converted it into a complete retreat. The other corps, also, beginning to give ground, Greene thought it expe- dient to cause the whole to retire. The loss on each side was about two hundred and sixty killed and wounded ; and the Americans carried oflf fifty prisoners. Though compelled to retreat, the Americans reaped all the advantages of this victory. The triumph of the British was nearly as fatal as that of Pyrrhus. Greene could still maintain his posi- tion, and support the detachments operating in the rear of his adversary. Lee and Marion proceeded first against Fort Watson on the Santee, which commanded in a great measure the communication with Charleston. Having neither artillery nor besieging tools, they reared a tower above the level of the rampart, whence their rifle fire drove the defenders, and them- selves then mounted and compelled the garrison to surrender. They could not, however, prevent Colonel Watson from leading five hundred men to reinforce Lord Rawdon, who then advanced with the intention of bringing Greene again to action, but found him fallen back upon so strong a position, as to afford no reasonable hope of success. His lordship, finding his convoys intercepted, and viewing the generally insecure state of his posts in the lower country, considered himself under at least the temporary necessity of retreating thither. He had first in view the relief of Motte's House on the Congaree ; but before reaching it, had the mortification to find that, with the garrison of one hundred and sixty-five, it had fallen into the hands of Marion and Lee. He continued his march to Monk's Corner, where he covered Charleston and the surrounding country. The partisan chiefs rapidly seized this opportunity of attacking the interior posts, and reduced successively Orangeburg, Granby on the Congaree, and Augusta, the key of Upper Georgia. In these five forts they made eleven hundred prisoners. The most important one, however, was that named Ninety-six, on the Saluda, defended by a garrison of five hundred men. Orders had been sent to them to quit and retire downwards ; but the messenger was intercepted ; and Colonel Cruger, the commander, made the most active preparations for its defence. Greene con- sidered the place of such importance, that he undertook the siege in person, with a thousand regulars. He broke ground THE REVOLUTION. 383 before it on the night of the 23d of May, and though much impeded by a successful sally on the following day, proceed'^d with such energy, that by the 3d of June, the second parallel was completed, and the garrison summoned, but in vain, to surrender. On the 8th, he was reinforced by Lee, from the capture of Augusta ; and though he encountered a most gallant and effective resistance, trusted that the place must in due time fall. Three days after, however, he learned that Eawdon, having received a reinforcement from Ireland, was in full march to relieve it, and had baffled the attempts of Sumpter to impede his progress. The American leader, therefore, feeling himself unable to give battle, saw no prospect of carrying the fortress unless by storm. On the 18th, an attack against the two most commanding outworks was led by Lee and Campbell, the former of whom carried his point ; but the latter, thougli he penetrated into the ditch, and maintained his party there for three-quarters of an hour, found them exposed to so destructive a fire as compelled a general retreat. The siege was imme- diately raised, and Lord Eawdon, on the 21st, entered the place in triumph. Being again master of the field, he pressed for- ward in the hope of bringing his antagonist to battle ; but the latter rather chose to fall back towards the distant point of Charlotte in Virginia, while Rawdon did not attempt to pursue him beyond the Ennoree. Notwithstanding this present superiority, his lordship, having failed in his hopes of a decisive victory, and viewing the general aspect of the country, considered it no longer possible to attempt more than covering the lower districts of South Carolina. He therefore fell back to Orangeburg on the Edisto ; and though he attempted at first to maintain Cruger with a strong body at Ninety-six, was soon induced to recall him. Greene, being reinforced by one thousand men under ' Marion and Sumpter, reconnoitred his position, but judged it imprudent to attack ; and both armies, exhausted by such a series of active movements, took an interval of repose during the heat of the season. Lord Rawdon, being at this time obliged by ill health to return home, left the army under Colonel Stuart, who, to cover the lower country, occupied a position at the point where the 322 THE REVOLUTION. Cougaree and Wateree unite in forming the Santee. Greene, having received reinforcements from the north, and collected all his partisan detachments, found himself strong enough to try the chance of battle. His approach with this evident view induced the other party to retire forty miles down the river, to the strong post of Eutaw, whither the American immediately followed by slow and easy marches. On the 8th of September, the latter determined to attack the British camp, placing as usual his militia, in front, hoping that the English, in beating and pursuing them, would at least get into confusion ; but from this very dread, the latter had been warned to keep their posts till ordered to move. The American front, however, main- tained their ground better than usual, and the British, before beating them, became heated, and, forgetful of the warnings given, pushed forward irregularly. They were then charged by the veterans in the second line, and after a very severe struggle, driven off the field. There lay in their way, however, a large brick building and adjacent garden, where Stuart placed a strong corps, who could not be dislodged, and kept up a deadly fire, which checked the victors, enabling the retreating troops to be formed anew. At the same time. Colonel Wash- ington attacked the British flank ; but finding it strongly posted among woods, he was repulsed with loss, and himself taken prisoner. The American general, seeing no hope of making any further impression, retreated to his previous posi- tion. In this bloody and doubtful battle, both parties claim the victory, though the Americans with most reason, as the general result was greatly to their advantage. It was certainly far from decisive ; and the British loss of eighty-five killed and six hundred and eight wounded, was much greater than that of the Americans, who carried ofi" also above two hundred pri- soners. The British commander, conceiving himself unable to maintain so advanced a position, began to move on the evening of the 9th, and proceeded down to Monk's Corner, where he merely covered Charleston and its vicinity. To this and to Savannah were now limited British authority, which had lately extended so widely over the southern states. This great reverse was brought about not only by the resolu- tion and military skill of General Greene, and his gallant sab- THE REVOLUTION. 323 ordinates, but also by the conduct of the British commanders towards the inhabitants of the country. Had they been pro- perly treated, the successes of Greene would scarcely have secured so complete a triumph. But the persecution of many of the chief fiimilies, and the cruelty of Tarleton and the tory leaders, alienated the affections of the people, and induced them to render the American general every assistance in their power. In the belief that it would be satisfactory to the reader to trace this eventful campaign in the south continuously, rather than in fragments intermingled with other subjects, we have thus been led to anticipate the order of time, and must now go back to trace the course of events in the more central parts of the theatre of war. When Clinton sailed for the south, Knyphausen was left in command at New York, with instructions, while the main theatre of action continued 'elsewhere, to maintain a merely defensive position. An opportunity was thus afforded, which Washington eagerly desired to seize, and felt the more tempting, as during the intense cold of the succeeding winter all the waters around New York and its adjacent insular posts were frozen, and thus rendered accessible to a land force. He had the mortification to find that, reduced as the adverse force was, it still outnumbered his own, which was besides so desti- tute of food and clothing, that it was with difficulty kept together, and quite unfit for any laborious movement. The supplies still depended on the states, which furnished them as scantily and precariously as ever; while a new plan adopted of making the requisitions in goods rather than in money, proved still more cumbrous and inefficient. Changes were made in the commissariat, but injudiciously, and without any good effect. At one time, Washington only preserved his army from starving by a requisition on the people of New Jersey, rendered effective by the intimation that the articles, if not forthcoming, would be taken by force. One attack was made by Lord Stirling against a detached post on Staten Island; but he found it too well guarded. The army for 1780 was fixed at thirty-five thousand two hundred and eleven men, instead of which the actual force 324 THE REVOLUTION. GENERAL WAYNE. under arms in June, did not exceed five thousand five hundred. Their pay was five months in arrear, and even when received was scarcely of any value, through the depreciation of the cur- rency. A pledge was given that the deficiency from this source sliould be made good at the end of the war ; but the troops complained that this availed little when they were at present without the means of subsistence. On the 1st of January, 1780, the troops of the Pennsylvania line paraded under arms, and declared their resolution to obtain relief or return home. General Wayne attempted to recall them to their duty, but he was threatened with death, and obliged to yield to the mutinous tide of feeling. A com- mittee of Congress was appointed to confer with the troops, and at length they ^vere induced to return to their camp at THE REVOLUTION. 325 Morristown. Some New England regiments attempted to follow this example of mutiny, but they were quieted by the determination and severity of General Robert Howe. Knyp- hausen was encouraged to make offers to the mutineers ; but his agents were delivered over to the American authorities, and, on sending a strong force towards Morristown, he found the army ready to give him battle. His present policy being de- fensive, he returned to his former quarters. On the 18th of June, Clinton arrived from South Carolina with about four thousand men, — an event which caused the greatest alarm to General Washington ; and, in fact, he made another excursion in this quarter, but from similar motives did not advance farther then Springfield. He did not, indeed, not- withstanding the weakness of the American army, consider himself in a condition for any large offensive operation, stating his whole force at twelve thousand men, of whom nine thousand three hundred were fit for duty ; and after garrisoning the posts in and round New York, there remained scarcely a move- able body of five thousand, wholly insufficient for penetrating to any depth in the interior. He now, therefore, demanded a reinforcement of ten thousand, before he could hold out any hope of reducing America by force of arms. An event, moreover, had by this titne been announced, which gave a new turn to the current of affairs. The Marquis de Lafayette had embraced, with the utmost ardour, the cause of the Americans, and on a visit to his native country, had urged it so strongly upon his court, as at length to obtain the promise of a strong fleet and army to co-operate with theirs. These tidings, brought out by himself, were received with the highest exultation by Congress, who, in the preceding January, had promised to the French minister to bring forward twenty-five thousand men and abundant supplies. They roused themselves indeed somewhat from the torpor into which they had sunk, and made urgent requisitions for the states to make good their quotas, representing the disgrace inevitably incurred if the army should be exhibited to their allies in its present reduced Btate, totally incapable of any effective co-operation. These remonstrances had an effect too similar to those which had pre- ceded ; but some individual spirit was kindled. A bank was 41 326 THE REVOLUTION. formed at Philadelphia, under the auspices of Robert Morris, and £815,000 subscribed, solely to supply provisions to the troops ; the ladies in that city and elsewhere made liberal con- tributions; but these means did not go far in relieving the immense wants under which the army laboured. On the 13th of July, intelligence was received that the French fleet had been seen oflf the capes of Virginia, and next day that, according to previous arrangements, they were stand- ing into the harbour of Newport, on Rhode Island. About six thousand men, under the Count de Rochambeau, were escorted by a squadron under the Chevalier Ternay. A second division was at Brest, waiting for transports ; but it was afterwards blockaded by an English fleet, and never reached America. This arrival, while it gratified, not a little embarrassed "Wash- ington. All the recent efforts had brought only a thousand recruits, and he laboured under extreme uncertainty as to when he might expect more. The whole combined force would not exceed that now strongly fortified in New York; yet he determined to propose a joint attack by sea and land. This arrangement, however, rested upon the naval superiority which Ternay at first possessed ; but it was transferred to the other side by the arrival of six sail under Graves. Clinton was even encouraged to make an attempt upon the ships and troops at Newport ; but delays in equipping his own vessels retarded the movement till the place was found too strongly secured. Hopes were meantime entertained that Admiral de Guichen, from the West Indies, would re-establish the French superiority; but instead of him, Rodney arrived with a squadron, which gave the enemy the advantage in these seas. Rhode Island, during the rest of the season, was kept closely blockaded. An occurrence now happened which excited an intense in- terest throughout the union. General Arnold had been a most conspicuous military, character of the Revolution. His campaign in Canada, notwithstanding its misfortunes, had elevated him to the highest reputation. Unluckily, his temper and manners, proud and overbearing, raised up numerous enemies, who became even a majority in Congress. Hence, when an exten- sive promotion was made, he was passed over, and five officers, junior m the service, and much inferior in reputation, were THE REVOLUTION. 327 placed over his head. Washington deeply deplored this in- justice, and remonstrated, though vainly, against it. He did everything possible to soothe the wounded pride of his friend, whose exploits as a volunteer, during several attacks on the coast of New England, were so very splendid, that Congress granted the promotion he so ardently sought. The com- mander-in-chief then procured for him an appointment in the army sent against Burgoyne, where he greatly augmented his reputation, and being disabled by severe wounds for field service, obtained from the same authority the honourable station of commandant in Philadelphia. Here, however, his haughty bearing brought him into collision with the members of Con- gress and the provincial council of that city.. He made a claim for reimbursement of advances during the Canadian campaign, which was alleged by his enemies to be exorbitant, and even fraudulent. Its amount or nature being nowhere stated, it is difficult to judge; but there is reason to believe that Arnold had, at least, laid himself open to the suspicion of the really patriotic. Congress, alleging the intricacy of the account, delayed the settlement from time to time, and no part was ever actually paid. This was the more harassing, as an extravagant mode of living had involved him in em- barrassments, which he sought to relieve by privateering and commercial speculation, not certainly dishonest, yet considered unsuitable to his rank and situation ; and being unfortunate, they aggravated his distress. From the observation of these circumstances, his enemies inferred the likelihood of his abusing, for corrupt purposes, the powers attached to his com- mand. Eagerly scanning with this view every particular, the city council presented a series of charges to Congress; but a committee of that body reported that nothing criminal had been proved. Among its members, however, then violently rent by faction, the party hostile to him preponderated. The report of their own committee was rejected, and a new one named, composed partly of the accusing council ; yet, as even this was not found to work well, the affair was finally referred to a court-martial. The great difficulty found in making up a plausible accusation, with some military operations, caused a delay of more than a year. At length, on the 26th of 328 THE REVOLUTION". January, 1780, the court pronounced its sentence, finding him guilty of two charges, — that, when at Valley Forge, he had granted protection to a vessel sailing from Philadelphia, when it was somewhat irregular to do so ; and that he had once employed public wagons in the conveyance of private property, though paying all the expenses. Neither act, in the opinion of the court, implied any criminal intention ; yet, upon these nugatory grounds, he was sentenced to be publicly reprimanded by the commander-in-chief. That great man could not escape the unwelcome task, but executed it in the most delicate pos- sible manner, rendering it, indeed, rather a panegyric than a censure. He recalled Arnold's great actions, and promised fresh opportunities for distinction ; but nothing probably could soothe Arnold's wounded feelings at not obtaining that .full acquittal to which he thought himself entitled. Arnold now finally determined to go over to the British cause. The purpose was carried out in a manner which fully justifies the Americans in branding him with the name of traitor. He made, perhaps, too large personal stipulations for himself, especially if they included a sum of money ; which, there is reason to believe, was the case. He carried on a long correspondence, and gave information to the British, while he held office, and professed zeal in the American interest ; lastly, he took steps now to be narrated, by which no man of honour would seek to support even the best of causes. His object was to obtain possession of some important post, by delivering over which he might gain high credit with his new employers ; and this design was facilitated by the great value set on his talents by the commander-in-chief. He accord- ingly solicited the command at West Point, the key of all the positions on the Hudson, and by which the two wings of the army mainly communicated. This choice surprised Washing- ton, who had destined him for leader of one of the wings of the army, as likely to be both' the most useful and most agree- able to his ardent temper; however, he consented. Arnold could then arrange that, while the place appeared perfectly secure, there might be left an unguarded point by which an enemy could enter. Of this he apprised Major Andr6, with THE REVOLUTION. 329 OAPTURB or AHDRE. whom he had all along corresponded, at the same time soliciting and pointing out means for a meeting within the American hnes. This was eflfected after some difficulty, and all the necessary arrangements were then made. Circumstances obliged the English ofl&cer to return by a circuitous route; but, with an escort and Arnold's passport, he succeeded in passing safely all the hostile guards, and had reached a sort of neutral ground, where ■ he appeared quite safe. Suddenly three men rushed out from a wood, stopped his horse, and one presented a pistol to his breast; when, erroneously supposing them to be British, he rashly betrayed his own character. They then searched his person, and found papers containing all the par- ticulars of the plot, which, along with the prisoner, were carried to Colonel Jameson, the nearest commandant, who, bewildered and unable to see the bearings of the affair, sent expresses at once to "Washington and to Arnold himself The latter received his while at breakfast, and waiting a visit of inspection from the commander. He suppressed his emotion, and having taken a hurried and agonizing leave of his wife, ran down to the river, threw himself into a boat, and by urgency and promises, in- duced the men to row him down with the utmost rapidity till he got on board a British vessel. Washington was not a little surprised on arriving not to find Arnold, of whom nothing could 2E 330 THE REVOLUTION. HAJOB ANDRE. be learned during the whole forenoon. At four he received Jameson's despatch, when he is said to have displayed the utmost self-possession, only saying to Lafayette, " Whom can we trust now ?" Andr^, thus placed in the power of his enemies, was con- sidered the most rising young officer in the British army. After a few years' service, Clinton had appointed him adjutant- general, and he had every prospect of rising to the highest commands. His brilliant accomplishments, amiable temper, and engaging manners, rendered him the idol of his brother officers. With a noble, though imprudent frankness, he wrote to Washington a statement of all the circumstances, not seem- ingly dreading that he would be treated otherwise than as a prisoner of war. That commander, however, submitted the case to a council of fourteen general officers, who decided that he ought to be considered as a spy, and as such to suffer death, The justice of the sentence seems indubitable, since the only plea offered, that he came at the desire and under the flag of an A.merican general, appears futile when the well known pur- pose is considered. Clinton lavished offers of exchange, and Arnold wrote a violent letter, threatening bloody reprisals; but this rather injured the cause. The only overture made was THE REVOLUTION. 331 to take the latter himself in exchange, to which, of course, Clinton would never listen. The captive met his doom with a gentle and heroic fortitude, admired even by those who con- demned him. During the winter, Washington was indefatigable in urging Congress and the states to take measures for rendering the army somewhat efficient. His remonstrances, with the shame of a palpable failure before their great ally, roused them to a certain degree of activity. But their finances were in a more desperate state than ever. Their paper had ceased to bear any value ; their credit was entirely exhausted ; the taxes which could be levied on the people were of small amount, slow and uncertain in collection. There remained no possible resource unless from foreign courts, to whom they had already made application. Mr. Jay, nevertheless, was sent to Spain, which, having recently joined the confederacy, and professed great friendship for the new republic, was expected to grant some assistance. That gentleman, however, soon warned his employers that the favour of this, as of other courts, rested solely upon interest, or even the whim or caprice of statesmen. Congress, in this extremity, sent over on a special mission to Prance, Colonel Laurens, who, by presenting, contrary to etiquette, a memorial in person to the king, and even hinting to the minister that America might otherwise be obliged to join Britain, ob- tained a subsidy of six million livres, with a further sum by way of loan, and guarantee for a Dutch loan of five million guilders. This was intimated to be the very last pecuniary a,id that could be granted; but it relieved the present urgency. Washington had also the satisfaction of prevaihng upon Congress to promise half-pay to the ofiicers at the end of the war, and to enlist troops only for its whole duration. The states were also urged to make up the army to the number of thirty-seven thousand by the 1st of January, 1781, and the commander hoped that something approaching to the half of that number might have been assembled. By the Isfc of June, whoever, the whole fell short of eight thousand; yet he deter- mined, with the aid of the French, to press forward offensive operations, considering it, in the present state of the Union, of the very last importance that the contest should be brought to 332 THE EEVOLUTION. SOCHAUBEAU. a speedy period. Having, in the beginning of July, been joined by the French army under Eochambeau, he projected an attempt to surprise the posts defending the northern part of New York , Island. The approach was made on two different points ; but want of concert, and the prepared state of the British, rendered the attempt abortive. The American commander, then, learn- ing that a reinforcement of three thousand Hessians had ar- rived in New York, gave up all hopes of carrying that capital, and turned his views in another direction. Virginia had insensibly, as it were, become a principal theatre of war. Leslie, as already observed, had been sent thither to reinforce Cornwallis, who, it was hoped, might penetrate through the Carolinas ; but after Ferguson's disaster, he was ordered to go round by Charleston. With the view, however, of creating a diversion in favour of the southern army, Clinton, in December, 1780, sent Arnold with sixteen hundred men to the Chesapeake. That officer, displaying all his wonted activity, overran a great extent of country, and captured Rich- THE REVOLUTION. 333 mond, the capital, destroying great quantities of stores. Wabh- ington, most anxious to strike a blow against liim, prevailed upon Destouches, the French admiral, to proceed thither with a land-force ; but the latter was overtaken by Arbuthnot, and endured a hard battle, which, though not admitted to be a defeat, obliged him to return. Clinton, still with the same view, sent another force of two thousand men, under General Phillips, which arrived in the Chesapeake on the 26th of March. This officer, being complete master of the field, overran the country between the James and York rivers, seized the large town of Petersburg, as also Chesterfield courthouse, the militia rendezvous, and other stations, destroying great quantities of shipping and stores, with all the warehoused tobacco. Lafay- ette being sent against him, added to his force about two thousand militia, and succeeded by good dispositions in securing Richmond. Operations seemed at a stand, when intelligence was received of Comwallis's march into this territory ; and, in spite of every effort of the French general, he, in the end of May, joined Phillips at Petersburg, taking the command of the whole army. Being then decidedly superior, he took possession of Richmond, and began a hot pursuit of Lafayette, who retreated into the upper country so rapidly and so skilfully, that he could not be overtaken. The English general then turned back, and sent a detachment under Colonel Simcoe, who destroyed the chief magazine at the junction of the two branches of James River. Tarleton pushed his cavalry so swiftly upon Charlotteville, where the state assembly was met, that seven members were taken, and the rest very narrowly escaped. Lafayette, however, now returned with a considerable force, and, by his manoeuvres, induced the British commander to retire to Williamsburg. He afterwards continued his retreat to Portsmouth,- in the course of which the former made an attack, but was repulsed, without, however, -sustaining a severe loss. Under the apprehension inspired by the threatening move- ments of Washington and the FrencTi army against New York, Clinton had ordered a considerable reinforcement from Virginia, but countermanded it on receiving new instructions, along with an additional body of troops. He had formed apparently a 42 2b 2 334 THE RETOLUTION. favourite plan.- It is nowhere distinctly developed in his letters ;• but by a passage in one, very active operations were proposed at the head of the Chesapeake, to be combined pro- bably with a movement from New York, and comprehending ^ Philadelphia and Baltimore. Aware that this plan required the maritime command of that great inlet, he inquired if ministers would insure its maintenance ; and they made this engagement without duly considering its difficulties. Under . these views, he directed Cornwallis to occupy and fortify a naval position at the entrance of the bay, specially recommend- ing Old Point Comfort, at the mouth of James River. This measure did not harmonize with Cornwallis's views ; however, he obeyed; but the above position being declared by the engineers indefensible, he recommended, in preference, York- town, on the river of that name ; which was agreed to, and operations actively commenced. Washington, meantime, had been meditating movements in Virginia, and had solicited De Grasse, then in the West Indies, to secure for him at least a temporary command of the Chesapeake. After the failure of his efforts and hopes in regard to New York, this became his main object. With the highest satisfaction he received the intimation, that, on the 3d of August, the French admiral, with above twenty-five ships of the line and three thousand two hundred troops, would sail for the Chesapeake, and remain there till the middle of October. No hesitation was then made in commencing a movement upon Virginia with the whole French army and a strong de- tachment of the American. It was impossible that so giieat a movement could be concealed; but the utmost pains were taken to lead Clinton into the belief that its object was New York. This was the less difficult, as the American commander's aims and efforts had long been really turned in that direction, and his opponent had felt extremely sensitive on that subject. The crossing of the Hudson, and the march down its right bank, might have been undertaken with either design. Letters were written, and contrived to be intercepted, tending to con- firm the deception. It was not till the 31st of August, that the allied force took their direct route to the Chesapeake : they had then an easy march to the head of that estuary, down THE REVOLUTION. 335 BATTLE BETWEEN THE PEENCH AND ENGLISH FLEETS. which they would be conveyed in transports to Lord Com- wallis's position, which could be reached from New York only amid the uncertainties of a maritime voyage, and the access, it was hoped, blocked up by a superior fleet. In fact, De Grasse, with twenty-eight sail of the line, had entered it in the end of August. Rodney had been opposed to him in the West Indies ; but, imagining that a great part of the French fleet must have been sent to protect a convoy going to Europe, he himself took that direction, and sent only fourteen sail, under Admiral Hood, to New York. That officer there came under the com- mand of his senior. Admiral Graves, who, having nineteen vessels, hesitated not to sail for the Chesapeake, to attack the superior force of De Grasse. He found it ranged across the entrance, and an obstinate contest ensued, with various and on the whole indecisive results. Then, however, Barras fropa Newport brought a reinforcement, which rendered the French force so decidedly superior, that Graves was obliged to return. Amid all these movements, it was not till the 6th of Septem- ber that Clinton became fully aware of Washington's destina- tion, and of the extreme danger to which Cornwallis would thus be exposed. He then wrote to that nobleman, pointing out the circumstances, and proposing, as the only mode of re- 336 THE REVOLUTION. lieving him, that he himself should sail from New York, and join him with a reinforcement of four thousand troops. This course implied that the Virginia army should meantime remain on the defensive in its present position. Cornwallis continued, therefore, in his position at Yorktown, while perils thickened around him. "Washington, dreading chiefly the march southward, directed Lafayette to take post at Williamsburg, where he himself arrived on the 14th of September. Colonel Tarleton urged an attack upon this force while still inferior to the British ; but this was declined ; and indeed it should seem that such able commanders would easily have avoided fighting in a disadvantageous position by retreating behind the broad estuary of James River. The successive divisions, descending the Chesapeake, continued to arrive at Williamsburg, where, on the 25th of September, the last of them landed, raising the army to seven thousand French, five thousand five hundred American regulars, and three thousand five hundred militia. On the 28th, this force broke up and moved towards York, which the British commander had been diligently fortifying, while a smaller post was main- tained at Gloucester, on the opposite side of the river. He had formed an outer circuit of intrenched lines ; but these, during the evening of the 29th, he abandoned, retiring within the body of the fort. This movement surprised Washington, and is also disapproved by Tarleton, who thinks he might have gained time by maintaining this exterior position. He had just, how- ever, received a letter from Clinton, intimating a full expecta- tion of sailing on the 5th of October, or at most, two or three days later; and judging the works fully sufiicient to hold out till his arrival, dreaded loss and peril from encountering, even within lines, so superior an enemy. The operations of the besieging army were confined to a strict blockade till the 6th of October, when the artillery and military stores arrived in the camp. On the evening of that day the first parallel was begun in silence and caution, and before morning was so far advanced as in a great measure to cover the troops*. All being felt to depend upon rapidity, operations were pushed with the utmost ardour, and the two nations were incited to deeds of valour. By the 10th, the fire had become THE REVOLUTION. 337 COLONEL JOHN LATRENS. most formidable ; a number of the batteries were silenced, and a frigate and three transports in the harbour set on fire and consumed. On the night of the 11th, the second parallel was commenced, and had the same success as the first, of being undiscovered till morning Three days were devoted to its completion ; but the British, having with great labour opened several new batteries, then poured in a most destructive fire. That in particular from two redoubts was so terrible, that with- out carrying them, the siege could not be prosecuted. This grand operation was fixed for the night of the 14th, when one fort was undertaken by the French, under the Baron de Viomenil, the other by the Americans under Lafayette, aided by Colonels Hamilton and Laurens. The latter rushed on with such impetuosity, that, without firing a gun, they soon carried the post, making twenty prisoners, though losing forty killed and wounded. The French encountered a stronger resistance, and suffered the loss of about a hundred, but finally carried their redoubt also. Cornwallis now perceived that a fatal crisis was rapidly approaching. He endeavoured to retard it by a sally, on the morning of the 16th, of three hundred and fifty men undor 338 THE REVOLUTION. 8ITBItEia)BB 07 OORHWALLIS. Colonel Abercrombie, who carried the two most advanced bat- teries, but could not retain them for a sufficient time to com- plete their destruction. On the following night, it was deter- mined to cross to the northern bank, and endeavour to force a way by land to New York. The boats were collected with the greatest secrecy, the embarkation completed, and even the landing commenced, when a violent tempest of wind and rain interrupted the movement, and obliged the troops to employ all their efforts in regaining the fortress. On the following day, all the batteries of the second parallel were finished, and began to play with such tremendous effect, that, in the opinion of the officers and engineers, the place was no longer tenable. Com- wallis therefore opened a negotiation for surrender, on the basis of the garrison being sent to Europe and remaining on parole until released or exchanged ; but Washington would admit only of unconditional surrender. It was agreed, however, that the officers should be allowed the honours of war, with their arms and baggage ; and that the Bonetta sloop of war should be per- THE REVOLUTION. 339 Hiiited to go unsearched, with the understood view of placing in security those civil officers who had rendered themselves obnoxious to the United States government. On these condi- tions, the capitulation was signed on the morning of the 19th. The prisoners surrendered were seven thousand and seventy- three, of whom, however, only four thousand and seventeen were fit for duty. Clinton, meantime, had not been forgetful of his promise,? ; but the fleet had been so much shattered in the late engage- ment, that some preparation was necessary to fit it for sailing. It was, however, resolved, at a general meeting both of the military and naval commanders, that the 5th of October should be fixed as the period for this movement ; and he had therefore a reasonable expectation of fulfilling his promise. On the 28th of September, he addressed a letter to Admiral Graves on this important point, who replied that the fleet could not sail till the 8th ; terms which did not indeed imply a positive pledge for that day, yet gave reason to hope that it would not be much exceeded. It did not, however, depart till the 19th, the very day on which the capitulation was signed. This catastrophe, like that of Burgoyne, was felt less from tlie actual amount of loss sustained, than from the impression which it made upon the public mind of Europe. In Britain, the popular feeling had been raised above former disasters by indignation against the league of the continental powers, and by the brilliant promises which the successes in the southern colonies seemed to afford. During the session of 1780-1781, indeed, Mr. Fox, who now figured as leader of opposition, pre- dicted that these would be very ephemeral, and repelled any expectation of finally recovering the lost colonies. Ministers, however, were still confident, and generally supported by the nation. In the course of the year 1781, however, the horizon of Europe assumed a different aspect. A commercial treaty and other connexions formed by Holland with the colonies led to a declaration of war against her, involving a consequent collision with almost the whole naval power of the continent. The Empress of Russia, taking advantage of the state of affairs, placed herself at the head of what was termed the armed neutrality, having. in view to limit the right of search hitherto 340 THE REVOLUTION. CHABLES JAMES FOX. exercised by Great Britain ; and though this did not lead to any actual hostility, it rendered the situation of the country still more critical. When, to the severe pressure thus caused, was added the disastrous intelligence from the new continent, there arose in the nation a cry for peace and for the recognition of American independence, as vehement as formerly for war and supremacy. After a short struggle against the popular current, Lord North resigned. A new ministry was formed under the pre- miership of the Marquis of Rockingham. Eussia having offered her mediation, the United States Congress sent Jay, Laurens, and Jefferson, to co-operate with Adams and Franklin in negotiations for peace. They were instructed not to treat, except in conjunction with the French ofBcials, and upon no other basis than the absolute recognition of the independence .^f the United States. The negotiations were carried on at Paris. Mr. Oswald represented the British government. On the 30th of November, 1782, a treaty was signed by the Ameri- can commissioners, independent of the French minister, and the joyful news of peace was sent to both the mother country and the states. On the 20th of January, 1783, the preliminary treaty was signed between France, Spain, and Great Britain, and on the 3d of September, the definitive treaties of all the THE REVOLUTION. 341 GEITERAL CABLETON. powers were signed together. That of America was ratified by Congress on the 14th of January, 1784. Sir Guy Carleton, who had succeeded Sir Henry Chnton in the chief command of the British forces, then superintended the evacuation of the country, by his troops. The American army was disbanded, Washington retired to private life, with true greatness of spirit, and the independence of the States was achieved. The cause for which the patriots had so nobly struggled was triumphant. A new nation had asserted its power to maintain the freedom of its firesides, and now com- menced a career of glory. A WESTEEN HUNTEK. CHAPTER XIV. INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. HE causes of the long and bloody wars between the pioneers of the "West and the Indians have been variously stated. Hos- tility to the advance of a people, who deprived the savage tribes of j;heir fair and extensive hunting grounds was, doubt- less, the most influential of the motives to take up the hatchet ; but the representations and the pay of those who claimed to be civilized, but who were willing to, use any means of injuring the republican settlers, were impulses nearly as powerful. It may be true, as is asserted, that the lands of the west were not fairly bought from the Indians, that (342) OAPTVBI OF BOONE. (343) INDIAN "WARS OP THE WEST. 345 they were always compelled to sell, and then did not receive any approach to a consideration ; and if this be so, they wero surely justified in fighting for the regions where reposed the bones of their ancestors and relatives ; such conduct has always been admired by the civilized portion of mankind. In many cases, however, the Indians fought for land they had never occupied, and to which, consequently, they could have no claim. The instigations of renegade white men, and the outrages com- mitted by some of the more reckless borderers, may be added to the causes of Indian hostility in the "West. The early French adventurers in the "West may have visited the borders of Kentucky; but we have no evidence of their attempting to explore that wild region. Perhaps the first Englishman who reached it, was Colonel James Smith, who was made prisoner by the Indians. In 1767, John Finley visited Kentucky, and engaged in a trade with the red men. At that time, this region was known as the "Bloody Ground." The forests swarmed with the finest game, and the northern and southern tribes came to hunt here. Fierce contests were frequent, and hence the name of the country. On Finley's return to North Carolina, he represented Kentucky as another Eden. His account of his expedition fired Daniel BoOne and others, who resolved to set off for the beautiful wilderness. With five companions, Boone started on the 1st of May, 1769. On the 7th of June, they reached the point to which Finley had journeyed two years before, and there they encamped and engaged in hunting and exploration. At that time, Boone was in the prime of life, possessed of great bodily strength and, activity, and skilled in woodcraft. On the 22d of December, Boone and his friend Stuart were captured by a large party of Indians. They remained in captivity a week, and then contrived to escape. Their four companions had in the mean time returned home. In a short time, Boone's brother and another man joined the adventurers. But the confidence inspired by increased numbers did not con- tinue long. The Indians displayed unquenchable hostility. Stuart was killed by them. The man who had accompanied Squire Boone returned to North Carolina, and the brothers were left alone in the wilderness. When their stock of ammu- 2E 346 INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. nltion was reduced, Squire Boone returned to the settlements^ for a new supply, and Daniel spent three months alone in Kentucky. In March, 1771, these daring brothers went to, North Carolina, and made up a party for a settlement in the wilderness. The pioneers started from the Yadkin on the 25th of Sep- tember, 1773. There were six families. At Powell's Valley, forty men joined them. Full of hope and spirit, they pressed on towards the last great mountain barrier; but just as they approached it, on the 10th of October, they were attacked in the rear by a party of Indians, who killed six of the emigrants and wounded a seventh. Among the slain was Boone's son. The In- dians were repulsed, but the attack considerably depressed the spirits of the whites, and caused them to retrace their steps, and not to stop until they had placed a double mountain range between them and the western wilds. In the mean time, other parties, under Colonel James Knox and Captain Bullitt, had visited Kentucky, and explored some portions of the country. The Indians acted in a friendly manner tc^-ards these adventurers. For a time, the settlement of Kentucky was delayed; for though James Harrod, in the spring of 177V, penetrated the wilderness, and built his o, ruin w|iere Harrop^feburg now stands, he could not long stay there. The Dunmore War forced hira to return to the frontier settlements, and aid against the Indians. By the treaty made after the battle of Point Pleasant, the Shawnees agreed not to hunt south of the Ohio nor molest emigrants. Boone, Harrod, and other adventurers then returned, to Kentucky. Various settlements were soon formed, Boones- borough, Harrodsburg, and Logan's Station, being the principal. On the breaking out of the war of independence, British agents were active in enlisting the Indians of the Northwestern territory in their cause. Rewards were offered for scalps. In the summer of 1776, straggling parties of red men so filled the woods of Kentucky, that there was no safety for the settlers outside of their forts. Several skirmishes occurred, in which, however, the whites had, the advantage. Colonel George Rogers, Clarke, who deserves to bp considered the founder of Kentucky, and who ever exerted his great abilities for the benefit of the pioneers, went to Virginia, and procured a large supply of am- INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. 347 .■>u ^^=;^^^^.czr^ TIIB KENTUCKY PIONEERS. munition for tlie stations, which were all attacked at various times by the Indians, and reduced to extremities. A number of the settlers were surprised by lurking savages and killed. The horses and cattle were driven away; the fields remained uncultivated. The number of the whites became fewer and fewer, and from the older settlements little or no aid was sent until August 1777, when Colonel Bowman came from Virginia with one hundred men. At the close of this year, the three 348 INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. stations, Logan's, Boone's, and Harrod's, contained all the settlers of Kentucky ; their efficient military force being one hundred and ten men. In defending the stations, many acts of real heroism were performed, worthy of immortal recollection. Benjamin Logan particularly distinguished himself. In May, 1777, the fort at which Logan lived, was surrounded by Indians, more than a hundred in number; and so silently had they made their ap-. proach, that the first notice which the garrison had of their presence was a discharge of firearms upon some men who were guarding the women as they milked the cows outside the station. One was killed, a second mortally wounded, and a third, named Harrison, disabled. This poor man, unable to aid himself, lay in sight of the fort, where his wife, who saw his condition, was begging some one to go to his relief ' But to attempt such a thing seemed madness ; for whoever ventured from either side into the open ground, where Harrison lay writhing and groaning, would instantly become a target for all the sharpshooters of the opposite party. For some moments Logan stood it pretty well ; he tried to persuade himself and the poor woman who was pleading to him, that his duty required him to remain within the walls and let the savages complete their bloody work. But such a heart as his was too warm to be long restrained by arguments and judicious expe- diency; and suddenly turning to his men, he cried, "Come, boys, who's the man to help me in with Harrison ?" There were brave men there, but to run into certain death in order to save a man whom, after all, they could not save, — ^it was asking too much ; and all shook their heads, and shrunk back from the mad proposal. " Not one ! not one of you help a poor fellow to save his scalp ?" " "Why, what's the good, Captain ? to let the red rascals kill us won't help Harrison ?" At last, one, half inspired by Logan's impetuous courage, agreed to go ; he could die but once, he said, and was about as ready, then, as he should ever be. The gate was slightly opened, and the two doomed men stepped out ; instantly a tempest of rifle balls opened upon them, and Logan's companion, rapidly reasoning himself into the belief that he was not so ready to die as he had beheved, bolted back into the station. Not so his noble- INDIAN WARS OF THE "WEST. 349 hearted leader. Alone, through that tempest, he sprang forward to where the wounded man lay, and while his hat, hunting- shirt, and hair were cut and torn by the ceaseless shower, he lifted his comrade like a child in his arms, and regained the fort without a scratch. But this rescue of a fellow-being, though worthy of record in immortal verse, was nothing compared with what this same Benjamin Logan did soon after. The Indians continued their siege ; still they made no impression, but the garrison were running short of powder and ball, and none could be procured except by crossing the mountains. To do this, the neighbouring forest must be passed, thronging with Indians, and a journey of some hundred miles accomplished along a path every portion of which might be waylaid, and at last the fort must be re-entered with the articles so much needed. Surely, if ever an enterprise seemed hopeless, it was this one, and yet the thing must be tried. Logan pondered the matter carefully ; he calculated the distance, not less than four hundred miles in and back ; he estimated the aid from other quarters : and in the silence of night asked wisdom and guidance from God. Nor did he ask in vain ; wisdom was given him. At iii^'ht, with two picked companions, he stole from the station, every breath hushed. The summer leaves were thick above them, and with the' profoundest care and skill, Logan guided his followers from tree to tree, from run to run, unseen by the savages, who dreamed not, probably, of so dangerous an undertaking. Quickly but most cautiously pushing eastward, walking forty or fifty miles a day, the three woodsmen passed onward till the Cumberland range was in sight; then, avoiding the. Gap, which they supposed would be watched by Indians, over those rugged hills, where man had never climbed before, they forced their way with untiring energy and a rapidity to us, degenerate as we are, inconceivable. The mountains crossed, and the valley of the Holston reached, Logan procured his ammunition, and then turned alone on his homeward track, leaving his two companions, with full directions, to follow him more slowly with the lead and powder. He returned before them, because he wished to revive the hopes of his little garrison in the wilder- ness, numbering as it did, in his absence, only ten men, and 44 350 INDIAN WAES, OF THE "WEST. they without the means of defence. He feared they would yield, if he delayed an hour ; so, back, like a chamois, he sped, over those broken and precipitous ranges, and actually reached and re-entered his fort in ten days from the time he left it, safe and full of hope. Such a spirit would have made even women dare and do everything, and by his influence the siege was still resisted till the ammunition came safe to hand. From May till September that little band was thus beset ; then. Colonel, Bowman relieved them. Throughout the spring and summer of 1777, the settlements in the vicinity of Wheeling were beset by the savages. On the evening of September 26th, 1777, smoke was seen by those near Wheeling, down the river, and was supposed to proceed from the burning of the block-house at Grave Creek. Thq people of the vicinity, taking the alarm, fled to the fort. Within . its walls were forty-two fighting men, of various ages and gifts : these were well supplied with guns, both rifles and muskets, but had only a scant supply of gunpowder, as the event proved. The night of the 26 th passed without alarm, but when, very early upon the 27th, two men, who were sent out for horses, in order to alarm the settlements near by, had proceeded some distance from the fort, they met a party of six savages, by whom one of them was shot. The commandant of the post. Colonel Shepherd, learning from the survivor that there were but six of the assailants, sent a party of fifteen men to see to them. These were suffered to march after the six, who seem to have been meant merely for a decoy, until they were within = the Indian lines, when, suddenly, in front, behind, and on every, side, the painied warriors showed themselves. The little band; fought bravely against incalculable odds,, but of the fifteep three only escaped, and they by means of the brush and logs, which were in the corn field where the skirmish took place* As soon as the position of the fi:rst band was seen at the fort,, thirteen others rushed to their assistance, and shared their fate. Then, and it was not yet sunrise, the whole body of Indians, disposed ,in somewhat martial order, appeared regularly to invest the devoted fort. There were nearly four hundred of them, and of the defenders but twelve men and boys ; unless indeed we count women, than whom, as we shall INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. 351 see, none were braver or calmer within the walls of that little fortress. The Indians were led by Simon Girty, who was acting as an agent for the British in the attempt to secure the aid of a part, at any rate, of the frontier men, in the revolutionary struggle. Fort Henry stood immediately upon the bank of the Ohio, about a quarter of a mile above the mouth of Wheeling Creek ; between it and the steep river hill which every traveller in the west is acquainted with, were twenty or thirty log huts. When Girty then, as we have said, led his red troops against the fort, he at once took possession of the houses of the village as a safe and ready-made line of attack, and from the window of one of the cabins called upon the little garrison to surrender to King George, and promised absolution to all who would do so. Colonel Shepherd answered at once that they would neither desert nor yield ; and when Girty recommenced his eloquence, a^ shot from some impatient listener suddenly stopped his mouth. Then commenced the siege. It was just sunrise in the quiet valley, through which the quiet autumnal river flowed as peacefully as if war was never known. A calm, warm, bright September day — one of those days most lovely among the many pleasant ones of a year in the Ohio valley — and from sunrise till noon, and from noon till night of that day, the hundreds of besiegers and units of besieged about and within Fort Henry, ceased not to load and discharge musket or rifle till it was too hot to hold. About noon the fire of the attackers slackened, and then as powder was scarce in the fort, and it was remembered that a keg was concealed in the house of Ebenezer Zane, some sixty yards distant, — it was determined to make an effort to obtain it. When the question, " Who will go ?" was proposed, however, so many competitors appeared that time was wasted in adjusting claims to what was almost sure death. The rest of the story we must let Mr. Geo. S. McKiernan, from whom we take our whole account nearly,— tell in his own words. At this crisis, a young lady, the sister of Ebenezer and Silas Zane, came forward and desired that she might be permitted to execute the service. This proposition seemed so extravagant 352 INDIAN "WARS OF THE WEST. that it met with a peremptory refusal; but she instantly renewed her petition in terms of redoubled earnestness, and all the remonstrances of the Colonel and her relatives failed to dissuade her from her heroic purpose. It was jBnally represented to her that either of the young men, on account of his superior fleetness and familiarity with scenes of danger, would be more likely than herself to do the work successfully. She replied, that the danger which would attend the enterprise was the» identical reason that induced her to offer her services, for, as the garrison was very weak, no soldier's life should be placed in needless jeopardy, and that, if she were to fall, the loss would not be felt. Her petition was ultimately granted, and the gate opened for her to pass out. The opening of the gate arrested the attention of several Indians who were straggling through the village. It was noticed that their eyes were upon her as she crossed the open space to reach her brother's house ; but seized, perhaps, with a sudden freak of clemency, or believing that a woman's life was not worth a load of gunpowder, or in- fluenced by some other unexplained motive, they permitted her to pass without molestation. When she reappeared with the powder in her arms, the Indians, suspecting, no doubt, the character of her burden, elevated their firelocks and discharged a volley at her as she swiftly glided towards the gate ; but the balls all flew wide of the mark, and the fearless girl reached the fort in safety with her prize. The allies of Britain, finding rifles powerless when used against well-built block-houses and pickets, determined upon trying an extemporary cannon, and having bound a hollow maple with chains, having bored a touch hole, and plugged up one end, they loaded it liberally and levelled it at the gate of . the impregnable castle. It was now evening, and the disap- pointed Wyandots gathered about their artillery, longing to see its loading of stones open to them the door of the American citadel. The match was applied; bursting into a thousand pieces, the cannon of Girty tore, maimed, and killed his copper- coloured kinsfolk, but hurt none else. During that night many of the assailants withdrew dis- heartened. On the morning of the 28th, fiufteen men came from Cross creek to the aid of Fort Henry, and forty-one from QEOBeB B06XBS CLABEE. (354) INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. 355 Short creek. Of these all entered the fort except Major McCoUoch, the leader of the Short creek volunteers. McCoUoch possessed a great reputation as a borderer, and the Indians were anxious to take him alive. They drove him towards the summit of a steep hill overlooking the site of the present town of Wheeling, where the daring Major made a terrific leap. The Indians thought that he would be dashed to pieces; but he escaped unharmed. McCoUoch's Leap is a noted event in border history, and certainly was a wonderful exploit. The precipice down which the Major plunged, has a descent, nearly perpendicular, of one hundred and fifty feet. Finding all attempts to take the fort fruitless, the Indians killed all the stock, including more than three hundred cattle, burned houses and fences, and destroyed every article of furni- ture. Of the forty-two men who had been in the fort, twenty- five were killed, all outside of the walls. Of the savages one hundred are supposed to have perished. The next year, Colonel George Sogers Clarke undertook the famous expedition against Kaskaskia and Vincennes. He was completely successful in overcoming difficulties that would have daunted most men, and capturing the British posts, from which the Indians had been supplied with arms. The whole merit of the conception and execution of this enterprise belongs to Colonel Clarke. His daring genius supplied what was wanting in numbers and equipment. He held a council with the Indians at Cahokia, addressed them in a manly and eloquent strain, explaining the causes of the quarrel between Great Britain and the colonies, and succeeded in getting their assent to a treaty of peace. In this council, Clarke displayed more knowledge of the Indian character than had ever before been shown by a white negotiator. The colonel was certainly the greatest character who figured in the early history of the west, and, on another field, might have won a splendid reputation. While Clarke was fortunate in the far west, misfortune lowered upon other Kentuckians. Daniel Boone and 27 others, while making salt at the Blue Licks, were captured by the In- tiians, and carried to Detroit. On the way, the Shawnees became very much attached to Boone, and instead of giving him up to Governor Hamilton, with the other prisoners, insisted 356 INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST CAHADIAHS AKD INDIANS ENCAMPED BEFORE BOONE's STATION. upon taking him home with them. Boone was forced to comply. On arriving at Chilicothe, he found a large army of Indians collected for an expedition against the settlements of Kentucky. He then resolved to escape, and succeeded in the attempt. Eeaching his station, he found it totally unprepared for defence. The alarm was given, and all the men set to work to repair the fortifications. The escape of Boone delayed the starting of the Indian expedition. The red men had calculated on surprising the settlements, and they now saw their plans frustrated. About the 1st of August, Boone, with nineteen men, set out to reconnoitre, and, if possible, to strike an anticipating blow. After crossing the Ohio, the party suddenly met the advancing army, and was forced td take a circuitous route to get back to Boonesborough in safety. On the 8th of August, the enemy, five hundred in number, INDIAN "WARS OP THE WEST. 357 With British and French flags flying, and led by Captain Duquesne, surrounded Boonesborough. On being summoned to surrender, Boone requested two days fdr consideration, and these were granted. At the end of that period, he announced his determination to fight. Captain Duquesne then desired to treat. Boone consented, with singular inprudence, which might have proved fatal. The conference was held outside of the fort, but within rifle reach of the garrison. A treaty was concluded ; but symptoms of treachery appearing, Boone and his friends fled to the fort, and thus broke off negotiation. Captain Duquesne then opened a fire upon the fort, which was continued for ten days without effect. On the 20th of August, the enemy was forced to retire, having lost 37 men, and wasted a vast amount of ammunition. The capture of Governor Hamil- ton by Clarke and the expeditions of Sullivan and Brodhead then mitigated the hostility of the Indians for a time, and the frontiers were saved from entire desolation. The failure of an expedition under Colonel Bowman to the Little Miami, how- ever, brought the Indians south of the Ohio again in 1779, and they unexpectedly won a victory over the whites of no slight importance. As Colonel Rogers with a body of riflemen was proceeding along the Ohio, near the Licking, he discovered a few Indians. Supposing himself to be far superior, he ordered seventy of his men to land, intending to surround the savages. In a few moments, however, he was himself surrounded, and after a hard-fought battle, only twenty of the whites escaped. Captain Benham, and another Kentuckian, had a singular escape. Benham was shot through both hips, so as to be power- less in the lower limbs, but contrived to conceal himself till the Indians had retired. His companion had both arms broken, and also concealed himself till the savages had gone. These two men then rendered each other such assistance as they could, lived in this way for six weeks, and were then rescued. In the summer of 1780, Kentucky was invaded by a more formidable force than had yet been seen on her soil during the existence of the settlements. A body of six hundred men, Canadians and Indians, commanded by Colonel Byrd, a British officer, and accompanied by either two or six cannon, marched 45 2a:i 358 INDIAN •WAKS OF THE WEST. up the valley of the Licking. It first appeared, on the 22d of June, before Riddle's station on the south fork of that river, and required instant surrender. The demand could not be resisted, as the Kentucky stockades were powerless against cannon. Martin's station on the same stream was next taken ; and then, from some unexplained cause, the whole body of invaders, — whose number was double that of all the fighting men east of the Kentucky river, — turned right about face, an^ hurried out of the country with all speed. The only reasonable explanation of the matter is that the British commander, horror-stricken and terrified at the excesses and cruelties of his savage alUes, dared not go forward in the task — by no means a hopeless one — of depopulating the woods of Kentucky. This incursion by Byrd and his red friends, little as it had effected, was enough to cause Clarke, who had just returned from his labours on Fort Jefferson, and who found at the Falls a letter from the Governor of Virginia, recommending an attack upon the Indian villages north of the Ohio, — ^to take immediate steps for the chastisement of the savages, and especially for the destruction of the store which furnished goods to the natives. This was situated where the post destroyed by the French in 1752 had been, and was known in latter days as Loramie's store. When, however, in accordance with his determination, Clarke, in July, went to Harrodsburg to enlist recruits, he found the whole population crazy about land entries, Mr. May, the Surveyor, having opened his office but two months previous. The General proposed to him to shut up for a time while the Indians were attended to; the Surveyor in reply expressed a perfect willingness to do so in case General Clarke would order it, but said that otherwise he had no authority to take such a step. The order was accordingly given and public notice spread abroad, accompanied by a full statement of the reasons for the proceeding. The result proved, as usual, Clarke's saga- city; volunteers flocked to his standard, and soon with a thousand men he was at the mouth of the Licking. Silently and swiftly from that point he proceeded to attack the town known as ChiUcothe, on the Little Miami, and then the Pika- way towns on Mad river. In both attacks he succeeded; destroying the towns, burning the crops, and above all annihi- BCNTINE) SCOUTS, OB BAHSEBS. (360) INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. S61 lating the British store above referred to, with its contents. This expedition, the first efficient one ever undertaken against the Miami nests of enemies, for a time relieved Kentucky from the attack of any body of Indians sufficiently numerous to produce serious alarm. The Indians converted by Heckewelder and other Moravian missionaries to Christianity, resided upon the Muskingum. They were peaceful and industrious ; but both parties were jealous of them, and entertained suspicion of their secret action. These poor Indians were thus exposed to attack from whites and savages. In the spring of 1781, Colonel Brodhead led a body of troops against some of the hostile Delawares upon the Muskingum. This, a portion of his followers thought, would be an excellent opportunity to destroy the Moravian towns, and it was with difficulty he could withhold them. He sent word to Hecke- welder, and tried to prevent any attack upon the members of his flock. In this attempt he appears to have succeeded ; but he did not, perhaps could not, prevent the slaughter of the troops taken from the hostile Delawares. First, sixteen were killed, and then nearly twenty. A chief, who came under assurances of safety to Brodhead's camp, was also murdered by a noted partisan, named Martin Wetzel. From that time, the Virginians rested until autumn, when the frontier men, led by Colonel David Williamson, marched out expressly against the towns of the Christian Delawares ; but they found that the Hurons had preceded them, and the huts and fields of the friends of peace were deserted. In the course of this year, the Indians were very active on the frontier, and their outrages so exasperated the borderers, that they were disposed to slay all who had Indian blood in their veins. The details of all the skirmishes and attacks would be monotonous, and we therefore omit them. During the year, the Kentuckians made a more effectual organization of their forces. Clarke was commissioned a brigadier-general; and Boone, Todd, Trigg, Floyd, Logan, and Pope were mvested with subordinate commands. " , i.. , The year 1782 was the most eventful in the early history of Kentucky. The very extraordinary affair known as EstJl'a 362 INDIAN "WARS OF THE WEST. Defeat, and the Battle of the Blue Licks, will ever make it memorable. The first conflict was memorable for a display of military skill on the part of the Indian commander, unparalleled in the warfare of his people. In the month of May, a party of about twenty-five Wyandots^ invested Estill's Station, on the south of the Kentucky river, killed one white man, took a negro prisoner, and, after de- stroying the cattle, retreated. Soon after the Indians disap> peared, Captain Estill raised a company of twenty-five men. With these he pursued the Indians ; and on Hinkston's Fork of Licking, two miles below the Little Mountain, came within gunshot of them. They had just crossed the creek, which in that part is small; and were ascending one side, as Estill's party descended the other, of two approaching hills, of mode- rate elevation. The water-course which lay between, had produced an opening in the timber, and brush, conducing to mutual discovery ; while both hills were well set with trees, interspersed with saplings and bushes. Instantly, after dis- covering the Indians, some of Captain Estill's men fired at them ; at first they seemed alarmed, and made a movement like flight : but their chief, although wounded, gave them orders to stand and fight — on which they promptly prepared for battle, by each man taking a tree, and facing his enemy, as nearly in a line as practicable. In the mean time. Captain Estill, with due attention to what was passing on the opposite site, checked the progress of his men at about sixty yards' distance from the foe, and gave orders to extend their line in front of the Indians, to cover themselves by the means of the trees, and to fire, as the object should be seen, with a sure aim. This order, perfectly adapted to the occasion, was executed with alacrity, as far as cir- cumstances would admit, and the desultory mode of Indian fighting was thought to require. So that both sides were preparing, and ready, at the same time, for the bloody conflict which ensued, and which proved to be singularly obstinate. The numbers were equal : some have said exactly twenty- five on each side ; others have mentioned, that Captain Estill, upon seeing the Indians form for battle, despatched one or two of his men upon the back trail, to hasten forward a small INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. 363 reinfon.ement which he expected was following him; and if BO, it gave the Indians the superiority of numbers, without producing the desired assistance — for the reinforcement never arrived. Now were the hostile lines within rifle-shot, and the action became warm and general. Never was battle more like single combat; each man sought his man, and fired only when he saw his mark. "Wounds and death were inflicted on either side, neither advancing nor retreating. The firing was deliberate ; with caution they looked, but look they would, for the foe ; although Hfe itself was often the forfeit. And thus, both sides firmly stood, or bravely fell, for more than one hour ; upwards of one-fourth of the combatants had fallen, never more to rise, on either side, and several others were wounded. Never, probably, was the native bravery or collected fortitude of men put to a test more severe. Never was monoeuvring more necessary, or less practicable. Captain Estill had not a man to spare from his line, and deemed unsafe any movement in front, with a view to force the enemy from their ground; because in such a movement he must expose his men, and some of them would inevitably fall before they could reach the ad- versary. This would increase the relative superiority of the enemy, while they would receive the survivors with the toma- hawk in hand ; in the use of which they were practised and expert. He clearly perceived that no advantage was to be obtained over the Indians, while the action was continued in their own mode of warfare. For although his men were probably the best shooters, the- Indians were undoubtedly the most expert hiders; so that victory itself, could it have been purchased with the loss of his last man, would afford but a melancholy consola- tion for the loss of friends and comrades ; but even of victory, without some manoeuvre, he could not assure himself. He determined to detach six of his men, by a valley, to gain the flank or rear of the enemy ; while himself, with the residue, maintained his position in front. The detachment was accordingly made under the command of Lieutenant Miller, to whom the route was shown, and the order given, conformably to the above-mentioned determina- tion; unfortunately, however, it Was not executed. The 364 INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. lieutenant, either mistaking his way, or intentionally betraying his duty, his honour, and his captain, did not proceed with the requisite despatch ; and the Indians, attentive to occurrences, finding out the weakened condition of their adversaries, rushed upon them, and compelled a retreat, after Captain Estill and eight of his men were killed. Pour others were badly wounded, who, notwithstanding, made their escape ; so that only nine fell into the hands of the savages, who scalped and stripped them, of course. It was believed by the survivors of this action, that one half of the Indians were killed ; and this idea was corroborated by reports from their towns. There is also a tradition, that Miller, with his detachment, crossed the creek, fell in with the enemy, lost one or two of his men, and had a third or fourth wounded, before he retreated. In reviewing the incidents of this battle, the conduct of the Indians cannot fail of commanding attention. Their deter- mined bravery ; their obstinate perseverance; the promptitude with which they seized on the absence of the detachment, to advance on their enemy ; and thus, by a step not less bold than judicious, to insure to themselves a victory of immortal renown : conduct alike bespeaking the possession of skill in war, and a training to command, which could but render them formidable, and even victorious. The Shawnees, Delawares, and Wyandots, in particular, were terrifying to the exposed stations, as their depredations were frequent. It was thought that they fought with more than usual obstinacy, and were even likely to derive an increased audacity from repeated success. A party of twenty or more, without a formal attack, showed itself at Hoy's Station, and took several persons belonging to it; with these they made off, and were soon afterwards pursued by Captain Holder and seven- teen men, for twenty miles or more. The ensuing day the Indians were overtaken, near the upper Blue Licks ; a battle ensued ; but the captain thinking his force too unequal, retreated, with the loss of four men killed or wounded. The loss on the side of the Indians was not known. The time now approached, when, in consequence of former arrangements, the several Indian nations surrounding the country were to meet at Old ChiHcothe, and thence to proceed IKDIAN WARS OF THE WEST, 365 on the great expedition which was to exterminate the Long Knife from Kentucky, and to give the country once more to the red men, its rightful owners. Even the scouts and patrols were withdrawn to the ren- dezvous at Chilicothe, and the popular perturbation was succeeded by a calm. The suspense was but short in its continuance. At Chilicothe, the assemblage of Indians was reinforced by a detachment from Detroit, as the quota of his Britannic Majesty. When the whole grand army, consisting of parties from the Cherokees, Wyandots, Atawas, Pottowato- mees, Delawares, and several other nations bordering on the Mississippi or the lakes, including the Canadians and the Shawnees, who were considered the principals, were convened, they amounted to about five hundred men, painted and jjrimmed for war. Of this formidable armament the people of Kentucky had no certain intelligence at the time. The country was soon alarmed by advanced parties, so disposed as rather to divert the attention from, than direct it to, the object of designed attack, while the inhabitants even flattered themselves that nothing more terrible was yet to come. So prone are husband- men, who cultivate the soil, to indulge their hope of safety, and their love of peace, even in war. Hasty was the march of the Indians, nor was there any scout or spy on their route to collect and bring an account of their approach. So remarkably alike appears the conduct of both sides, that each suffers surprise after surprise, without changing its habits of policy. Perhaps, their conditions equally forbid an attempt, which would be rendered on either side ineffectual, for want of means. Two years before, a similar army had surprised and taken Ruddle's Station— Martin's shared the like fate— and that of Grant had been abandoned. Bryant's Station was thence the frontier on that quarter, approaching nearest to the enemy. It consisted of about thirty or forty cabins, and from forty to fifty men. It had a bastion at either end, composed of strong logs, built in the block-house form, with necessary loop-holes. The cabins were ranged in two or three rows parallel to each other, and connected by strong palisades, where they did not 46 2H 366 INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. otherwise join. It had no supply of water within, but a very fine spring ran from the foot of the point, on which it stood, near to the bank of Elkhorn, at that place but a small creek. On the 15th of August, some few of the men being absent, and others in the adjacent corn-field, but the greater part of them about the station, the Indians suddenly appeared before the place, and without any summons commenced an attack with small arms. Fortunately, they had no cannon ; and it was recollected that no station had been taken without. Their numbers were not known, as they were dispersed among the growing corn, or concealed by the fences and the weeds. The fort gates were immediately manned, and kept, for the reception of those who were out and should desire to enter ; others of the garrison ran to the bastions and loop-holes, from which they fired and kept off the assailants. Some of the men belonging to the fort entered from without ; others, thinking the attempt too hazardous, or else that it was proper to alarm their neighbours, repaired to Lexington and other places with the news, and a call for help. To render this, the utmost alacrity was everywhere shown. Some volunteers from Lex^ ington, with great speed and gallantry, threw themselves into the place that evening; the next day it was reinforced by detachments from Boone's and Strode's Stations, ten or twelve miles distant. These parties rode through a lane, which led to the place besieged, and were fired on by the Indians, lying behind the fences, without injury. The Indians had made their camps on both sides of the creek, then in wood above the station, and so near the spring as to render it useless to the garrison, without incurring the most imminent danger in attempting to get the water by day, or even by night, notwithstanding which it was however obtained. The place was closely invested for the two suc- ceeding days, during which time the Indians kept up almost a constant fire, on the one side or the other, from fences, trees, or stumps, whereby they killed four men and wounded three others. They made several attempts to fire the cabins, and for that purpose shot lighted arrows on the roofs, and even approached the walls with torches ; but from these they were repulsed, nor had their ignited arrows the desired efiect. The INDIAN "WARS OF THE WEST. 367 besiegers killed a great number of cattle, some of which they eat, and after killing some, they took away other horses. But having exposed themselves considerably in their various attempts, some of which were bold, and after suffering, as it was believed, the loss of about thirty warriors killed, and many others wounded, they raised the siege the morning of the fourth day. This experiment had proved that they were not likely to take the place in any short time, while they could but ap- prehend, that if they continued before it, the country would be raised in arms and brought upon their backs. They therefore, after remaining the third night in their camp, about sunrise the next morning left their fires burning, some bits of meat on their roasting sticks, and deliberately took the road made by buffaloes and hunters to the lower Blue Licks, by the way of Ruddle's Station, for the purpose, as it was surmised, of alle- viating their present mortification, by viewing in ruins the scene of former triumph. For it was neither the shortest, plainest, nor smoothest way to the Licks. That they could not ■expect and did not desire to conceal their route, will appear in the sequel. In the mean time, however. Colonel John Todd, who resided m Lexington, despatched intelligence to Lieutenant Colonel Trigg, living at Harrodsburgh, of the attack on Bryant's Station, leaving it to the latter to give the intelligence to his superior. Colonel Benjamin Logan. Neither Colonel Trigg nor Colonel Boone, who had also been called on, lost any time in collecting the men in their respective neighbourhoods, but with singular promptitude, on the 18th of the month, but after the Indians had left the ground, repaired to Bryant's Station under the command of Todd, as the superior officer from Lexington, where they had rendezvoused their men under, their appropriate officers. The majors were M'Gary and Harland, from near Harrodsburgh, and Levi Todd of Lexington. The enemy having retreated, a council was held in which it was promptly decided to pursue the Indians, without waiting for the arrival of Colonel Logan, who was known to be collect- ing a strong party, and to be expected on the ground in a few days ; but when arrived, would as the superior officer have the command. A circumstance, which it was suspected, both Todd 368 INDIAN WARS OP THE WEST. and Trigg desired to avoid — thinking themselves equal to the command and sanguine of success — as they were emulous of praise, and possessed an idea of mental superiority. In consequence of the determination of the council, the march was immediately ordered and forthwith commencedy under the command of Colonel Todd, and next to him. Colonel Trigg, on the route of the enemy : whose numbers, as yet, though considerable, were not known. They had not proceeded' very far, before Boone and some others, experienced in the manners of the Indians, discovered signs of ostentation and of tardiness on their trail, indicative of their willingness to be pursued, and calculated to. point out their route, while apparent caution had been taken to conceal their numbers. The one was effected by chopping the trees on the way, the other by treading in single file a narrow tract ; contracting their camp, and using but few fires, where they stopped to eat. No In- dian was seen, although it was apparent they were at no great distance in advance, until the pursuers reached the southern bank of Licking at the Licks. The van of the party then dis- covered a few of them on the opposite side of the river, travers- ing the hill side, and who, apparently without alarm and leisurely, retired over the hill from their sight. A halt was called, the principal officers being assembled, the information then given, and the question a-sked : " What shall be done ? Whether is it best immediately to cross the river and continue the march, or stand here until the country round about cstn be reconnoitred by proper parties, and measures ultimately taken according to circumstances, either to attack if the enemy were near, or wait the arrival of Colonel Logan ?" Neither of the superior oiEcers were much skilled in the manner or custom of Indian warfare ; they were however willing to be informed, and had actually called upon Colonel Boone for his opinion of the case, and how they should act. This he was detailing with his usual candour and circumspection, by adverting to his own observations on the different appearances on the road, and the fact of the Indians showing themselves on the next hill. As to the number of the enemy, his conjectures varied from three to five hundred, owing to the ambiguous nature of the sign they had made on the road. From the care- , INDIAN WARS OP THE "WEST. 369 less manner in which the Indians who had been seen con- ducted themselves, he was of the opinion that the main body was near and prepared for action. He was particularly well acquainted with the situation of the ground about the Licks, and the manner in which the river winds into an irregular ellipsis, embracing the great buffalo road and ridge from the Licks, towards Limestone, as its longest line of bisection, and which is terminated by two ravines heading near together a mile from the Licks, and extending in opposite directions to the river. He had suggested the probability of the Indians having here formed an ambuscade, the advantages to them and the disadvantages to the party of Colonels Todd and Trigg, should this conjecture be realized and the march continued. He proposed that the party should divide ; the one half march up Licking on the south side to the mouth of a small creek, now called Elk cre^k, and there crossing over, proceed on the ridge to the outside of the ravines, while the other half should advance to the high ground on the north of the Licks, and place itself in a situation to co-operate on the enemy in case of attack. He showed that the whole advantage of position might be thus turned against the enemy. And he insisted, as the very least that should be done, if his superiors were deter- mined not to wait for Colonel Logan, was to have the country explored round about, before they marched the main body over the river; for they were yet ignorant whether the Indians had crossed or not ; and in either event, if they were near, they meant to take advantage of the measure, which their superiority of number would render decisive. Already had Boone nearly gained the entire approbation of his superiors and of those who heard his counsel — ^for in fact they only hesitated between his propositions — when Major M'Gary, impatient of delay, rushed his horse forward to the water's edge, and raised the war whoop, next cried out with a loud voice : " Those who are not cowards, follow me,^l will show them where the Indians are," spurred his horse into the river. One followed and then another in quick succession, until a motion and agitation was communi- cated to the whole ; the council was broken up ; the oflacers who might have been otherwise inclined were forced along in "the crowd and tumult; nothing had been concerted; no distinct 31* 370 INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. orders were given, or if given not observed ; they crossed the river and pursued the road, as the general guide kept by M'Gary in front. On either side of which parties flanked off, as the unevenness and irregularity of the ground would permit ; all moving forward with the utmost disorder and precipitation over a surface covered with rocks, laid bare by the trampling of the buffalo and the washing of the rains, for ages past. When the van approached the ridge next within the ravines, which have been mentioned, to the left an Indian or two were observed on it at a distance ; these appeared to retreat along the ridge, which led to the point between the ravine and river. One moment of cool reflection might have suggested the idea of decoy, and the next would have shown the propriety of caution. It appears, however, that the determination to find the enemy so engrossed the party, that prudence was, like fear, completely excluded. The party therefore pressed on toward the end of the ridge, where it was covered by a forest of oak trees of middling size, and the ravines with small saplings or brush wood, while the whole extent of the ellipsis had been stripped of all herbage by the herds of buffalo, which were in the habit of resorting to the Licks. Some scattering trees here and there appeared on a pavement of rock, as rude as it was singular, throughout the whole extent of the field. Both Todd and Trigg had deviated from the main road, and, probably with a view of taking their position on the right of the troops, were far from the front, which moved rapidly and rather obliquely, headed by M'Gary, Harland, and M'Bride, and followed by the rest without regular order ; the whole, with a few excep- tions, being armed with rifles and mounted on horses, formed a broken line corresponding with the ridge and nearly parallel to the ravines, which were filled with Indians. No sooner had M'Gary entered the forest, than he dis- covered the enemy waiting for him ; here tlie action imme- diately began, and soon became warm and bloody ; on either side the rifle was pointed, on either side the warrior fell. It was discovered, that the ravines extending the whole length of the line of Kentuckians had concealed the savages who fired, and rushed upon their foes, not half their equal in point of numbers. Todd and Trigg, who were on the right when the -t- 'rt^' I I BATILB OF THE BLUB I.ICE3. (3T2) INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. 373 line fronted the ravines, were thrown into the rear when its flank was changed, and it moved to the left when the battle began. Already had those fallen ; already were the Indians turning the right or rear of this line ; already had twenty or more of those brave men who first engaged breathed their last; already was the line everywhere ajSgailed, when a retreat com- menced under the uplifted tomahawk. At the beginning of the battle many of the men dismounted, while others did not ; in the retreat, some recovered their horses, others fled on foot, over the rocky field already described, which was environed by high and rugged cliffs on either hand, until it declined into aflat, as it approached the salt spring. The ford was narrow, and the water, though shallow on it, was deep, both above and below. Some of the fugitives were overtaken on the way to the river, and fell beneath the stroke of the Indian spear or hatchet, but at the water was a greater havoc — some were slain in the water, some on either shore. Here it was, that a singular phenomenon was exhibited : a man by the name of Netherland, well mounted and among the foremost in the flight, having crossing Licking and gained the farthest bank, thinking himself out of danger, checks his horse, takes a back view, sees the savages preparing to rush into the water, and there to extinguish the remains of many lives, almost exhausted by wounds and the fatigue of flight, cries out with a shrill and commanding voice to those who had made the shore next to him : " Halt ! fire on the Indians, and protect the men in the river !" The call had the desired effect on ten or a dozen, who immediately halt, fire on the enemy and check their pursuit, probably by so doing as many lives were saved. This resistance, however, proves but momentary ; the Indians gather rapidly on the shore ; numbers of them are seen crossing the river, and personal safety suggests a speedy flight. The fugitives were pursued for miles ; nor did they find a place of safety short of Bryant's Station, thirty-six miles from the scene of action. Here, many of those on horseback arrive J within six, and others on foot within eight hours, after tuv battle. Never had Kentucky experienced so fatal a blow as that ac the Blue Licks; of the one hundred and sixty-six brave men. 47 374 INDIAN "WARS OF THE WEST. who repaired to the assistance of Bryant s station, one half, or more, were from Harrodsburgh, and its vicinity. The whole loss on the side of Kentucky, was sixty killed, and seven made prisoners. Of the wounded, but few escaped. The Indians, it was said, lost sixty-four killed, besides a number wounded. Such were the reports from their towns atterwards; and that they masacred four of their prisoners to make tne loss equal. The equal loss is doubted. In the midst of these disastrous events, there was yet one consolation ; the party with Colonel Logan was considerable, in full march, and unbroken, as undismayed. The van of Logan's command had passed Bryant's Station, on its way to the Blue Licks, when it was met by the fugitives from the field of recent battle ; it then returned to Bryant's, where the- colonel halted, on receipt of the intelligence, until the rear came up, which was one day, and then, late in the evening, resumed his march, which was continued the greater part of the night, and again, at sunrise next morning, for the Licks ; to engage the enemy if there, and if not, to bury the dead. About noon, the hattle ground was approached, and the dead bodies seen strewed along the field. Some were mangled by savages, some by vultures, some by wild beasts ; they were swollen, and rendered quite yellow, by the scorching rays of the sun, upon their naked skins. Each man who had lost a par- ticular friend, or relative, sought for him, that if found, he might receive the solemn rites of burial ; if not found, that the hope of his being a prisoner, and that he would return at some future day, might be indulged, to cheer the melancholy impression of the scene. But even this imperfect consolation was denied; for none knew the remains of his friend, when found, so much were the visages of the dead disfigured. No Indian carcase was seen : nor was it known how the enemy had disposed of their killed, for no grave appeared; nor many trails of blood. The party with Logan, having performed the last solemn duties of the field, and no /resA dgn of the Indians being seen, it was marched back to Bryant's, and dismissed, to the number of four hundred and fifty men. A force, which it is believed, under the direction of Logan, had it come up before the battle, INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. 375 or been waited for by Colonel Todd and his party, would have certainly been successful. The Indian army consisting, as has been observed, of detach- ments from different nations, determined, after so great a victory, to return home with the scalps. Those from the north, being the greater portion, gave no further molestation; but the western bands, taking their route through the settlements in Jefferson county, could not forego the temptation which was offered them of increasing their number of scalps and prisoners. Their sign was however seen, before they struck the intended blow. Intelligence of which being promptly conveyed to Colonel Floyd, he forthwith ordered out a party of militia, to scour the country on Salt river, where the savages were sus- pected to be lurking. Some of this party were from Kinche- loe's Station, consisting of six or seven families on Simpson's creek. In their absence, no accident occurred ; but on the first of September, the party finding no Indians, dispersed, and those belonging to Kincheloe's returned home in the evening. Thinking all well, and being much fatigued, they resigned them- selves and families to sleep, when in the night the enemy fell upon the place by surprise, and were in the houses before the people of them were awake. Thus circumstanced, they killed several persons, men, women, or children, and were proceeding to destroy or capture the rest, when the darkness of the night favoured the escape of a few. General Clarke, then resident at the falls of Ohio, impressed with the Uveliest feelings of sympathy for the distress of the sufferers, and convinced of the necessity of rousing the country from its anguish and despondence, proposed an expedition against the Indians, and invited the superior ofiicers to meet him in council. This invitation was complied with, and the means of calling out the men, and of furnishing them, con- certed. A draft was to take place where there was a deficiency of volunteers, and impressments of horses and other supplies might be resorted to, where voluntary contributions failed. Much reliance was nevertheless had on the patriotism and personal exertions of the people generally. Nor was this con- fidence of the officers in the least disappointed. The intended expedition being announced, and the adopted regulations pro- 376 INDIAN -WAES OF THE WEST. claimed, with a call for assistance, soon was seen the utmost activity of preparation. Both officers and men volunteered ; and beeves, packhorses, and other supplies offered by those who could not leave their home. But in every case where property was offered or impressed, it was valued, and a certificate given to the former owner, as evidence of his claim to future compen- sation, should the government make provision for payment, which at the time was uncertain. , Bryant's Station was appointed the place of rendezvous for the upper part of the country, the falls of Ohio for the lower, and the mouth of Licking for the point of union. There, Gene- ral Clarke was to take the command : previous to which, the two divisions were commanded by Logan and Floyd respect- ively. In the last of September, an army of about one thou- sand mounted militia, armed with rifles,, assembled on the bank of the Ohio, and was put in motion by the general for the Lidian towns on the Miami and Scioto. This expedition was conducted with the despatch essential to the quality and equipments of the troops, and for which the commander-in-chief had on former occasions obtained celebrity. He had proceeded without being discovered into the neighbour- hood of the first town, and within half a mile of a camp of the rear of the party that had been in Kentucky, when a straggler discovered his approach, and gave the alarm of " a mighty army on its march." The camp was immediately evacuated with precipitation, and the frightful intelligence being spread through the different villages, everywhere produced similar effects, dismay and flight. Empty cabins and deserted fields were only to be found, or here and there a scouting party of savages were seen, who sometimes fired, sometimes not, but always fled. This scene was repeated in the course of a march of several days through the different Chilicothes, Pickawa, and Willstown. These were severally reduced to ashes, and the fields of corn entirely cut up and destroyed, leaving only ruin and desolation in the country. Among the few prisoners taken — seven in all — there was an old man of distinction in his tribe, who was murdered by Major M'Gary ; and although highly disapproved by the general, it was not deemed prudent to cause the subject INDIAN WARS OP THE WEST. 377 to be investigated. There were two other Indians killed, according to the laws of war, which place running and fighting upon an equal footing of offence. The loss of two men killed by the enemy, and an equal number by accident, closes the account of losses on this excursion. And although its success was but a scanty compensation for the defeats of the year, it had nevertheless the good effect of proving both to the Indians and the people of Kentucky that the latter were superior, and that there was no danger of the former ever overrunning the country. Prom this time, no formidable party of Indians ever invaded Kentucky, nor was the country for the residue of the year molested by their scouts or marauders. Consequences attribut- able to the recent expedition, the progress of negotiations for a general peace, the conviction of inadequate force, and the season of the year, for the winter was near, and all the other considerations pressed upon them. In the mean time, the Moravian Indians were treated with unparalleled barbarity. In the spring of 1782, some of them, who had been almost starved to death during the winter, returned to their old places of abode, to gather what they could of the remainder of their property. About the time they returned for that purpose, parties of Wyandots came down upon the settlements, and slew many. This excited the frontier-men, and believing a connexion to exist between the ilets of the Wyandots and the late movement of the Moravians, it was determined to attack and exterminate the latter, or at least to waste their lands and destroy their towns. Eighty or ninety, men met for the purpose of effecting the objects just named, and marched in silence and swiftness upon the devoted villages. They reached them; by threats and lies got hold of the gleaners scattered among them, and bound their prisoners, while they dehberated upon their fate. Williamson, the com- mander of the party, put the question: Shall these men, women, and children be taken to Pittsburgh, or be killed ? Of the eighty or ninety men present, sixteen or eighteen only were for granting their lives ; and the prisoners were told to prepare for death. They prepared for death, and soon were dead; slaughtered, some say in one way, and some in another; 378 INDIAN -WARS or THE WEST. but thus much is certain, that eighty or ninety American men murdered, in cold blood, about forty men, twenty women, and thirty-four children, — all defenceless and innocent fellow Christians. It was in March of 1782, that this great murder was com- mitted. And as the tiger, having once tasted blood, longs for blood, so it was with the frontier-men ; and another expedition was at once organized, to make a dash at the towns of tli«^ Moravian Delawares and Wyandots upon the Sandusky. No Indian was to be spared ; friend or foe, every red man was to die. The commander of the expedition was Colonel William Crawford, Washington's old agent in the West. He did not want to go, but found it could not be avoided. The troops, numbering nearly five hundred men, marched in June to the Sandusky uninterrupted. There they found the towns deserted, and the savages on the alert. A battle ensued, and the whites were forced to retreat. In their retreat many left the main body ; and nearly all who did so perished. Crawford was cap- tured and burned at the stake, after being subjected to horrible tortures. The peace between Great Britain and the United States, con- cluded in 1783, did not lead at once to the cessation of Indian hostilities. The British government determined not to sur- render the posts in the northwestern territory until certain claims were adjusted, and there is every reason to believe that British agents were actively employed among the Indians, to render them inimical to the States. Still, the commissioners of the west contrived to get the assent of a number of the tribes to advantageous treaties. The indefinite claim of the Six Nations to the northwestern territory was extinguished by a treaty concluded at Fort Stanwix on the 22d of October, 1783. Arthur Lee, Richard Butler, and Colonel Clark, on the 21st of January, 1785, held a conference with the Wyandots, De- lawares, Chippeways, and Ottawas, at Fort M'Intosh, and obtained the grant of a large portion of the northwestern territory, for the settlement of which a company was immedi- ately formed in New England. On the 31st of January, 1786, another treaty was concluded at the mouth of the Miami, between Clark, Butler, and Parsons, and representatives of the INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. 379 Delawares, Wyandots, and Shawnees. The Wabash Indiana refused to attend this council, and evinced a growing hostility. The treaty was only brought to an advantageous conclusion by the politic bearing of Clarke, who, by showing the red men that he was indifferent whether they accepted peace or war, daunted them, and was enabled to dictate terms. Still, in spite of treaties, the Indians continued to make predatory incursions along the frontier. Upon the 16th of May the Governor of Virginia was forced to write upon the subject to Congress, which at once sent two companies down the Ohio to the Falls, and upon the 30th of June authorized the raising of militia in Kentucky, and the invasion of the country of the mischief-makers, under the com- mand of the leading United States officer. We do not learn that it was nominally under this resolution that General Clarke's expedition of the ensuing fall was undertaken ; but at any rate this act on the part of Congress justified offensive measures on the part of the Kentuckians when they became necessary; and it being thought necessary to act upon the Wabash before winter, a body of a thousand men or more gathered at the Falls, and marched thence towards Vincennes, which place they reached some time in September, 1786. Here the army remained inactive during nine days, waiting the arrival of their provisions and ammunition, which had been sent down to the mouth of the Wabash in boats, and were delayed by the low water. This stay, so different from Clarke's old mode of proceeding, was in opposition to his advice, and proved fatal to the expedition. The soldiers became restive, and their confidence in the General being destroyed, by discovering the fact that his clear mind was too commonly confused and darkened by the influence of ardent spirits, they at last refused obedience; a body of three hundred turned their faces home- ward, and the rest soon followed in their track. Another expedition conducted by Colonel Logan against the Shawnees, who had resumed hostilities, terminated very differently from that under the conqueror of IlHnois; their towns were burned and their crops wasted. Various attempts were now made to bring the Indians to a de- finitive treaty of peace, in order to secure the Ohio settlers from 380 INDIAN "WARS OP THE -WEST. eEHEBAL ST. CLA.IB. hostile incursions. These efforts were not successful, until January, 1789, when a council was held at Fort Harmar, on the Ohio, opposite the mouth of the Muskingum. In the sum- mer of the same year, Marietta, the first settlement in Ohio, was founded under cheering auspices, and other settlements were made soon afterwards. The Indians, however, respected no treaties, and continued their depredations along the frontier. The Wabash tribes threatened to destroy all settlements made north of the Ohio, and west of Pittsburgh. Fort Washington was begun in June of this year, on the site of Cincinnati. The garrison consisted of 140 men, under the command of Major Doughty. Upon the 29 th of December, General Harmar, with three hundred additional troops, arrived. General St. Clair was appointed Governor of the territory, north of the Ohio. Soon after, news arrived that the Wabash Indians and other tribes, protesting against the treaty of Fort Harmar as made by un- authorized persons, had taken up arms and had burned an American. St. Clair and Harmar then concerted a plan for a campaign into the Indian country. Authorized by acts of Congress, St. Clair called upon Virginia for 1000, and upon Pennsylvania for 500 militia. Of these, 300 were to meet at Fort Steuben, to INDIAN "WARS OF THE WEST. 381 aid the troops from Port Knox against the Weas and Kickapoos, of the "Wabash; 700 were to gather at Fort Washington, and 500 just below Wheeling ; the two latter bodies being intended to march with the regulars from Fort Washington under General Harmar, against the towns at the junction of the St. Mary and the St. Joseph. The Kentucky militia began to come in at Fort Washington about the middle of September, 1790. They were badly equipped, and averse to subordination and camp discipline. On the 20th of September, the various troops designed for the expedition rendezvoused at Fort Washington, and on the following day commenced their march to the Miami villages. The country was rough, swampy, and in many places almost impassable, so that seventeen days were consumed before the . main body could come within striking distance of the enemy. In the mean time, the great scarcity of provisions rendered it necessary for the general to sweep the 'forest with numerous small detachments, and as the woods swarmed with roving bands of Indians, most of these parties were cut off. At length, the main body, considerably reduced by this petty warfare, came within a few miles of their towns. Here the general ordered Captain Armstrong, at the head of thirty regulars, and Colonel Hardin of Kentucky, with one hundred and fifty militia, to advance and reconnoitre. In the execution of this order they suddenly found themselves in the presence of a superior number of Indians, who suddenly arose from the bushes and opened a heavy fire upon them. The militia in- stantly gave way, while the regulars, accustomed to more orderly movements, attempted a regular retreat. The enemy rushed upon them tomahawk in hand, and completely sur- rounded them. The regulars attempted to open a passage with the bayonet, but in vain ; they were all destroyed, with the exception of their captain and one lieutenant. Captain Armstrong was remarkably stout and active, and succeeded in breaking through the enemy's line, although not without receiving several severe wounds. Finding himself hard pressed, he plunged into a deep and miry swamp, where he lay concealed during the whole night within two hundred yards of the Indian camp, and witnessed the dances and joyous 48 2 1 2 382 INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. festivity with which they celebrated their victory. The lieu- tenant (Haitshorn), escaped by accidentally stumbling over a log, and falling into a pit, where he lay concealed by the rank grass which grew around him. The loss of the militia was very trifling. Notwithstanding this severe check, Harmar advanced with the main body upon their villages, which he found deserted and in flames, the Indians having fired them with their own hands. Here he found several hundred acres^ of corn, which was completely destroyed. He then advanced upon the adjoining villages, which he found deserted and burned as the first had been. Having destroyed all the corn which he found, the army commenced its retreat from the Indian country, supposing the enemy sufficiently intimidated. After marching about ten miles on the homeward route, General Harmar received information which induced him to suppose that a body of Indians had returned and taken posses- sion of the village which he had just left. He detached, there- fore, eighty regular troops under the orders of Major Wyllys, and nearly the whole of his miUtia under Colonel Hardin, with orders to return to the village and destroy such of the enemy as presented themselves. The detachment accordingly counter- marched and proceeded with all possible despatch to the ap- pointed spot, fearful only that the enemy might hear of their movement and escape before they could come up. The militia in loose order took the advance; the regulars moving in a hollow square brought up the rear. Upon the plain in front of the town, a number of Indians were seen, between whom and the militia a sharp action commenced. After a few rounds, with considerable effect upon both sides, the savages fled in disorder, and were eagerly and impetuously pursued by the militia, who in the ardour of the chase were drawn into the woods to a considerable distance from the regulars. Suddenly from the opposite quarter several hundred Indians appeared, rushing with loud yells upon the unsupported regulars. Major Wyllys, who was a brave and experienced officer, formed his men in a square, and endeavoured to gain a more favourable spot of ground, but was prevented by the desperate impetuosity with which the enemy assailed him. Unchecked by the murderous fire which was poured upon them INDIAN WARS OP THE "WEST. 383 from the different sides of the square, they rushed in masses up to the points of the bayonets, hurled their tomahawks with fatal accuracy, and putting aside the bayonets with their hands, or clogging them with their bodies, they were quickly mingled with the troops, and handled their long knives with destructive effect. In two minutes the bloody struggle was over. Major Wyllys fell, together with seventy-three privates and one lieutenant. One captain, one ensign, and seven privates, three of whom were wounded, were the sole survivors of this short but desperate encounter. The Indian loss was nearly equal, as they sustained several heavy fires which the closeness of their masses rendered very destructive, and as they rushed upon the bayonets of the troops with the most astonishing disregard to their own safety. Their object was to overwhelm the regulars before the militia could return to their support, and it was as boldly executed as it had been finely conceived. In a short time the militia returned from the pursuit of the flying party which had decoyed them to a distance ; but it was now too late to retrieve the fortune of the day. After some sharp skirmishing, they effected their retreat to the main body, with the loss of one hundred and eight killed and twenty-eight wounded. This dreadful slaughter so reduced the strength and spirits of Harmar's army, that he was happy in being permitted to retreat unmolested, having totally failed in accomplishing the objects of the expedition, and by obstinately persevering in the ruinous plan of acting in detachments, having thrown away the lives of more than half of his regular force. This abortive expedition served only to encourage the enemy, and to give additional rancour to their incursions. The inhabitants of Kentucky now petitioned Congress for permission to fight the Indians in their own way, and upon the 9th of March, 1791, orders were issued to Brigadier Gene- ral Scott, authorizing him, in conjunction with Harry Innis, John Brown, Benjamin Logan, and Isaac Shelby, to organize an expedition of mounted volunteers against the nations upon the Wabash. On the 23d of May, the detachment took up its Une of march from the Ohio. Colonel John Hardin, who burned to retrieve his fame, led the van and directed the scouts 384 INDIAN ■WARS OP THE WEST. and rangers. On the 1st of June, the towns of the enemy were discovered. ' "We give General Scott's account of the movements that followed. "I immediately detached Colonel John Hardin," says he, "with sixty mounted infantry, and a troop of light-horse under Captain M'Coy, to attack the villages to the left, and moved on briskly with my main body in order of battle, towards the town, the smoke of which was discernible. My guides were deceived with respect to the situation of the town : for, instead of standing at the edge of the plain through which I marched, I found it on the low ground bordering on the Wabash : on turning the point of woods, one house presented in my front. Captain Price was ordered to assault that with forty men. He executed the command with great gallantry, and killed two warriors. "When I gained the summit of the eminence which over- looks the villages on the banks of the Wabash, I discovered the enemy in great confusion, endeavouring to make their / escape over the river in canoes. I instantly ordered Lieutenant Colonel-commandant Wilkinson to rush forward with the first battalion. The order was executed with promptitude, and this detachment gained the bank of the river just as the rear INDIAN "WARS OF THE WEST. 385 of the enemy had embarked ; and, regardless of a brisk fire kept up from a Kickapoo town on the opposite bank, they in a few minutes, by a well directed fire from their rifles, destroyed all the savages with which five canoes were crowded. To my great mortification the Wabash was many feet beyond fording at this place : I therefore detached Colonel Wilkinson to a ford two miles above, which my guides informed me was more practicable. Wilkinson moved the first battalion up to the fording place, found the river impassable, and returned to Ouiatenon. " The enemy still kept possession of the Kickapoo town : I determined to dislodge them ; and for that purpose ordered Captain King's and Logsdon's companies to march down the river below the town, and cross, under the conduct of Major Barboe. Several of the men swam the river, and others passed in a small canoe. This movement was unobserved ; and my men had taken post on the bank before they were discovered by the enemy, who immediately abandoned the village. About this time word was brought to me that Colonel Hardin was encumbered with prisoners, and had discovered a stronger village further to my left than those I had observed, which he was proceeding to attack. I immediately detached Captain Brown, with his company, to support the Colonel : but the distance being six miles, before the Captain arrived the business was done, and Colonel Hardin joined me k little before sunset, having killed six warriors, and taken fifty-two prisoners. Captain Bull, the warrior who discovered me in the morning, had gained the main town, and given the alarm, a short time before me; but the villages to my left were uninformed of my approach, and had no retreat. " The next morning I determined to detach my Lieutenant Colonel-commandant, with five hundred men, to destroy the important town of Keth-tip-e-carnunk, eighteen miles from my camp, on the west side of the Wabash ; but on examina- tion, I discovered my men and horses to be so crippled and worn down by a long laborious march, and the active exer- tions of the preceding day, that three hundred and sixty men only could be found in a capacity to undertake the enterprise, and they prepared to march on foot. Colonel 386 INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. Wilkinson marched with this detachment at half after five in the evening, and returned to my camp the next day at one o'clock, having marched thirty-six miles in twelve hours, and destroyed the most important settlement of the enemy in that quarter of the federal territory. "Many of the inhabitants of the village (Ouiatenon) were French, and lived in a state of civilization. By the books, letters, and other documents, found there, it is evident tha| place was in close connexion with, and dependent on, Detroit. A large quantity of corn, a variety of household goods, peltry, and other articles were burned with this village, which con- sisted of about seventy houses, many of them well finished." As the expedition under Scott, although successful, had not reached the higher towns upon the "Wabash, Governor St, Clair thought it best to send another (the Secretary of War having authorized such a step), against the villages on Eel river; and Wilkinson was appointed 'to command. He marched from near Fort Washington, upon the first of August, and on the 7th reached the Wabash just above the mouth of the river he was in search of. While reconnoitring, however, in the hope of surprising the natives, word was brought him that they were alarmed and flying; a general charge was instantly ordered. " The men," says Wilkinson, " forcing their way over every obstacle, plunged through the river with vast intrepidity. The enemy was unable to make the smallest resistance. Six war- riors, and (in the hurry and confusion of the charge) two squaws and a child, were killed, thirty-four prisoners were t&ken, and an unfortunate captive released, with the loss of two men killed and one wounded. " I found this town scattered along Eel river for full three miles, on an uneven, scrubby oak barren, intersected alternately by bogs almost impassable, and impervious thickets of plum, hazle, and blackjacks. Notwithstanding these difficulties, if I may credit the report of the prisoners, very few who were in town escaped. Expecting a second expedition, their goods were generally packed up and buried. Sixty warriors had crossed the Wabash to watch the paths leading from the Ohio. The head chief, with all the prisoners, and a number of families, INDIAN "WAES OF THE WEST. 387 were out digging a root which they substitute in the place of the potato; and about one hour before my arrival, all the warriors, except eight, had mounted their horses, and rode up the river to a French store to purchase ammunition. This ammunition had arrived from the Miami village that very day, and the squaws informed me was stored about two miles from the town. I detached Major Caldwell in quest of it ; but he failed to make any discovery, although he scoured the country for seven or eight miles up the river. "I encamped in the town that night, and the next morning I cut up the corn, scarcely in the milk, burnt the cabins, mounted the young warriors, squaws, and children, in the best manner in my power, and leaving two infirm squaws and a child, with a short talk, I commenced my march for the Kickapoo town in the prairie." The Kickapoo prairie metropolis was not reached ; the horses were too sore, and the bogs too deep ; but various cornfields were destroyed, " and a respectable" Kickapoo town given to the flames; for which the General was duly thanked by his country. In the mean time, preparations were making for an expedition on a greater scale, under the comn^and of General St. Clair. Cincinnati, as usual, was the place of rendezvous. In Septem- ber, 1791, an army was assembled at that place, greatly superior, in numbers, oflScers, and equipments, to any which had yet appeared in the west. The regular force was composed of three complete regiments of infantry, two companies of artillery, and one of cavalry. The mihtia who joined St. Clair at Fort Washington, amounted to upwards of six hundred men, most of whom had long been accustomed to Indian warfare. The General commenced his march from Cincinnati on the 17th of September, and following the route of Harmar, arrived at Fort Jefferson without material loss, although not without Tiaving sustained much inconvenience from scarcity of provi- sions. The Kentucky rangers, amounting to upwards of two hundred men, had encountered several small parties of Indians, but no serious affair had as yet taken place. Shortly after leaving Fort Jefferson, one of the militia regiments, with their usual disregard to discipHne, determined that it was inexpedient 388 INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. to proceed farther, and detaching themselves from the main body, returned rapidly to the fort on their way home. This ill-timed mutiny not only discouraged the remainder, but com-, pelled the General to detach the first regiment in pursuit of them, if not to bring them back, at least to prevent them from injuring the stores, collected at the fort for the use of the army. With the remainder of the troops, amounting in all to about twelve hundred men, he continued his march to the great Miami villages. On the evening of the 3d of November, he encamped upon a very commanding piece of .ground, upon the bank of one of the tributaries of the Wabash, where he determined to throw up some slight works for the purpose of protecting their knapsacks and baggage, having to move upon the Miami villages, supposed to be within twelve miles, as soon as the first regiment should rejoin them. The remainder of the evening was employed in concerting the plan of the proposed work with Major Ferguson of the engineers, and when the Gentries were posted at night, everything was as quiet as could have been desired. The troops were encamped in two lines, with an interval of seventy yards between them, which was all that the nature of the ground would permit. The battalions of Majors Butler, Clarke, and Patterson, composed the front line, the whole under the orders of Major-General Butler, an officer of high and merited repu- tation. The front of the line was covered by a creek, its right flank by the river, and its left by a strong corps of infantry. The second line was composed of the battalions of Majors Gaither and Bedinger, and the second regiment under the com- mand of Lieutenant Colonel Darke. This line, like the other, was secured upon one flank by the river, and upon the other by the cavalry and pickets. The night passed away without alarm. The sentinels were vigilant, and the ofiicers upon the alert. A few hours before day, St. Clair caused the reveille to be beaten, and the troops to be paraded under arms, under the expectation that an attack would probably be made. In this situation, they continued until daylight, when they were dis- missed to their tents. Some were endeavouring to snatch a few minutes' sleep, others were preparing for the expected INDIAN •WARS OF THE "WEST. 389 march, when suddenly the report of a rifle was heard from the militia a few hundred yards in front, which was quickly followed by a sharp irregular volley in the same direction. The drums instantly beat to arms, the officers flew, in every direct tion, and in two minutes the troops were formed in order of battle. Presently the militia rushed into the camp, in the utmost disorder, closely pursued by swarms of Indians, who, in many places, were mingled with them, and were cutting them down with their tomahawks. Major Butler's battalion received the first shock, and was thrown into disorder by the tumultuous flight of the militia, who, in their eagerness to escape, bore down everything before them. Here Major-General Butler had stationed himself, and here St. Clair directed his attention, in order to remedy the confusion which began to spread rapidly through the whole line. The Indians pressed forward with great audacity, and many of them were mingled with the troops, before their pro- gress could be checked. Major-General Butler was wounded at the first fire, and before his wound could be dressed, an Indian who had penetrated the ranks of the regiment, ran up to the spot where he lay, and tomahawked him before his attendants could interpose. The desperate savage was instantly killed. By great exertions, Butler's battalion was restored to order, and the heavy and sustained fire of the first line com- pelled the enemy to pause and shelter themselves. This interval, however, endured but for a moment. An in- visible but tremendous fire quickly opened upon the whole front of the encampment, which rapidly extended to the rear, and encompassed the troops on both sides. St. Clair, who at that time was worn down by a fever, and unable to mount his horse, nevertheless, as is universally admitted, exerted himself with a courage and presence of mind worthy of a better fate. He instantly directed his litter to the right of the rear line, where the great weight of fire fell, and where the slaughter, particularly of the officers, was terrible. Here Darke com- manded, an officer who had been trained to hard service, during the revolutionary war, and who was now gallantly exerting himself to check the consternation which was evidently be- ginning to prevail. St. Clair ordered him to make a rapid 49 2E: 390 INDIAN "WARS OF THE "WEST. charge with the bayonet, and rouse the enemy from their covert. The order was instantly obeyed, and, at first, apparently with great effect. Swarms of dusky bodies arose from the high grass, and fled before the regiment with every mark of conster- nation ; but as the troops were unable to overtake them, they quickly recovered their courage,, and kept up so fatal a retreat- ing fire, that the exhausted regulars were compelled, in their turn, to give way. This charge, however, relieved that par- ticular point for some time; but the weight of the fire was transferred to the centre of the first line, where it threatened to annihilate everything within its range. There, in turn, the unfortunate General was borne by his attendants, and ordered a second appeal to the bayonet. This second charge was made with the same impetuosity as at first, and with the same momentary success. But the attack was instantly shifted to another point, where the same charge was made and the same result followed. The Indians would retire before them, still keeping up a most fatal fire, and the continentals were uniformly compelled to retire in turn. St. Clair brought up the artillery in order to sweep the bushes with grape, but the horses and artillerymen were destroyed by the terrible fire of the enemy, before any efiect could be produced. They were instantly manned afresh from the infantry, and again swept of defenders. The slaughter had now become prodigious. Four-fifths of the officers and one-half of the men were either killed or wounded. The ground was covered with bodies, and the little ravine which led to the river was running with blood. The fire of the enemy had not in the least slackened, and the troops were falling in heaps before it in every part of the camp. To have attempted to maintain his position longer, could only have led to the total destruction of his force, without the possibility of annoying the enemy, who never showed them- selves, unless when charged, and whose numbers (to judge from the weight and extent of the fire) must have greatly exceeded his own. The men were evidently much disheartened, but the officers, who were chiefly veterans of the revolution, still main- tained a firm countenance, and exerted themselves with un- INDIAN "WARS OF THE WEST. 391 availing heroism to the last. Under these circumstances, St. Clair determined to save the lives of the survivors if possible, and for that purpose collected the remnants of several battalions into one corps, at the head of which he ordered Lieutenant Colonel Darke to make an impetuous charge upon the enemy, in order to open a passage for the remainder of the army. Darke executed his orders with great spirit, and drove the Indians before him to the distance of a quarter of a mile. The remainder of the army instantly rushed through the opening, in order to gain the road ; Major Clarke, with the remnant of his battalion, bringing up the rear, and endeavouring to keep the Indians in check. The retreat soon degenerated into a total rout. Officers who strove to arrest the panic, only sacrificed themselves. Clarke, the leader of the rear guard, soon fell in this dangerous serviqe, and his corps were totally disorganized. Officers and soldiers were now mingled without the sUghtest regard to discipline, and " devil take the hindmost," was the order of the day. The pursuit, at first, was keen ; but the temptation afforded by the plunder of the camp soon brought them back, and the wearied, wounded, and disheartened fugitives were permitted to retire from the field unmolested. The rout continued as far as Fort Jefferson, twenty-nine miles from the scene of action. The action lasted more than three hours, during the whole of which time the fire was heavy and incessant. The loss, in proportion to the number engaged, was enormous, and is unparalleled, except in the affair of Braddock. Sixty- eight officers were killed upon the spot, and twenty-eight wounded. Out of nine hundred privates who went into action, five hundred and fifty were left dead upon the field, and many of the survivors were wounded. General St. Clair was un- touched, although eight balls passed through his hat and clothes, and several horses were killed under him. The Indian loss was reported by themselves at fifty-eight killed and wounded, which was probably not underrated, as they were never visible after the first attack, until charged with the bayonet. At Fort Jefferson, the fugitives were joined by the first regiment, who, as noticed above, had been detached m pursuit of the deserters. Here a council of war was called, 352 INDIAN -WARS OF THE -WEST. which terminated in the unanimous opinion, that the junction with the first regiment did not justify an attempt upon the enemy in the present condition of aflFairs, and that the army should return to Fort Washington without delay. This was accordingly done, and thus closed the second campaign against the Indians. The unfortunate General was, as usual, assailed from one end of the country to the other, but particularly in Kentucky, with one loud and merciless outcry of abuse, and even detestation. All the misfortunes of his life (and they were many and bitter) were brought up in array against him. He was reproached with cowardice^ treason, imbecility, and a disposition to prolong the war, in order to preserve that authority which it gave him. He was charged with sacrificing the lives of his men and the interests of his country, to his own private ambition. Men, who had never fired a rifle, and never beheld an Indian, criti- cised severely the plan of his encampment and the order of his battle ; and, in short, all the bitter ingredients which compose the cup of the unsuccessful general, were drained to the dregs. The leader of the Indian army in this bloody engagement was a chief of the Missassago tribe, known by the name of the " Little Turtle." Notwithstanding his name, he was at least six feet high, strong, muscular, and remarkably dignified in his appearance. He was forty years of age, had seen much service, and had accompanied Burgoyne in his disastrous invasion. His aspect was harsh, sour, and forbidding, and his person during the action was arrayed in the very extremity of Indian foppery, having at least twenty dollars' worth of silver depend- ing from his nose and ears. The plan of attack was conceived by him alone, in opposition to the opinion of almost every other chief Notwithstanding his ability, however, he was said to have been unpopular among the Indians, probably in conse- quence of those very abilities. Many veteran ofl&cers of inferior rank, who had served with distinction throughout the revolutionary war, were destined to perish in this unhappy action. Among them was the gallant and unrewarded Captain Kirkwood, of the old Delaware line, so often and so honourably mentioned in Lee's Memoirs. The state of Delaware having had but one regiment on the continental INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. 393 establishment, and that regiment having been reduced to a company at Camden, it was impossible for Kirkwood to be ptomoted without a violation of the ordinary rules, by which commissions were regulated. He accordingly had the mortifi- cation of beholding junior ojfficers daily mounting above him in the scale of rank, while he himself, however meritorious, was compelled to remain in his present condition, on account of the small force which his native state could bring into the field. Notwithstanding this constant source of mortification, he fought with distinguished gallantry, throughout the war, and was personally engaged in the battles of Camden, Guilford, Hobkirks, Ninety-six, and Eutaw, the hottest and bloodiest which occurred during the revolution. At the peace of 1783, he returned with a broken fortune, but a high reputation for courage, honour, and probity, and upon the re-appearance of war in the north-west, he hastened once more to the scene of action, and submitted, without reluctance, to the command of ofl&cers who had been boys while he was fighting those severe battles in the south. He fell in a brave attempt to repel the enemy with the bayonet, and thus closed a career as honourable as it was unrewarded. Lieutenant-Colonel Darke's escape was almost miraculous. Possessed of a tall, striking figure, in full uniform, and superbly mounted, he headed three desperate charges against the enemy, in each of which he was a conspicuous mark. His clothes were cut in many places, but he escaped with only a slight flesh wound. In the last charge. Ensign Wilson, a youth of seven- teen, was shot through the heart, and fell a few paces in the rear of the regiment, which was then rather rapidly returning to their original position. An Indian, attracted by his rich uniform, sprung up from the grass, and rushed forward to scalp him. Darke, who was at that time in the rear of his regiment, suddenly faced about', dashed at the Indian on horseback, and cleft his skull with his broadsword, drawing upon himself by the act a rapid discharge of more than a dozen rifles. He rejoined his regiment, however, in safety, being compelled to leave the body of young Wilson to the enemy. On the evening of the 8th of November, the broken remains of the army arrived at Fort Washington, and were placed in winter quarters. 33* 394 INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. WasHngton now informed the unfortunate St. Clair, that he could neither grant him a court of inquiry, nor allow him to retain his position. More vigorous operations to secure peace to the northwestern frontier were determined upon ; but, in the mean time, commissioners were sent into the Indian country to see if it was possible to bring about negotiations. Of course, under the circumstances, these attempts to conclude a peace were not successful. After their great triumph, the red men ever cherished hopes of driving the whites beyond the Ohio. It being determined to raise a more efficient army, Wash- ington began to look about for a general to take the command. Generals Morgan, Scott, Wayne, Lee, and Colonel Darke, were proposed. Washington selected the energetic Wayne — surnamed, for his furious courage in battle, " Mad Anthony." Wayne imme- diately repaired to Pittsburgh, and proceeded to organize the army. Every exertion was made to fit the men for the pecu- liar warfare in which they were about to engage. In the mean time, commissioners, under the direction of the general government, continued their fruitless exertions to quiet the Indians without the use of force. Wayne's "Legion" passed the winter of 1792-93 at Legionville, and there remained until the last of April, 1793, when it was taken down the river to Cincinnati, and encamped near Fort Washington. There it continued till October, engaged merely in preparations, the Commander-in-chief having been directed by the executive to issue a proclamation, forbidding all hostile movements north of the Ohio, until the northern commissioners should be heard from. This proclamation was issued, and the country remained tranquil, although preparations were made for action, in case it should finally become needful. On the 16th of August, 1793, the final messages took place between the American commissioners and the Indians, at the mouth of Detroit river ; on the 23d reached Fort Erie, near Niagara ; upon the same day they sent three letters to General Wayne, by three distinct channels, advising him of the issue of the negotiation. Wayne, encamped at his " Hobson's choice," and contending with the unwillingness of Kentuckians to volunteer in connexion with regular troops, — with fever, in- fluenza, and desertion, — was struggling hard to bring his army INDIAN WARS OF THE WEST. 395 to such form and consistency as would enable him to meet the enemy with confidence. On the 5th of October, he writes that he cannot hope to have, deducting the sick and those left in garrison, more than 2600 regular troops, 360 mounted volunteers, and 36 guides and spies to go with him beyond Fort Jefferson. On the 7th the legion left Cincinnati, and upon the 13th, without any accident, encamped upon a strong position beyond Fort Jefferson. Here, upon the 24th of October, he was joined by 1000 mounted Kentucky volunteers under General Scott, to whom he had written pressing requests to hasten forward with all the men he could muster. This request Scott hastened to comply with, and the Governor, upon the 28th of September had ordered, in addition, a draft of militia. The Kentucky troops, however, were soon dismissed again, until spring. One attack had been made upon the troops previous to the 23d of October, and only one : a body of two commissioned and ninety non-commissioned officers and soldiers, conveying twenty wagons of supplies, was assaulted on the 17th, seven miles beyond Fort St. Clair, and Lieutenant Lowry and Ensign Boyd, with thirteen others, were killed. Although so little opposition had thus far been encountered, however, Wayne determined to stay where he was, for the winter, and having 70,000 rations on hapd in October, with the prospect of 120,000 more, while the Indians were sure to be short of provisions, he proceeded to fortify his position ; which he named Fort Greenville, and which was situated upon the spot now occupied by the town of that name. This being done, on the 23d or 24th of December, a detachment was sent forward to take possession of the field of St. Clair's defeat. They arrived upon the spot at Christmas day. " Six hundred skulls," says one present, " were gathered up and buried; when we went to lie down in our tents at night, we had to scrape the bones together and carry them out, to make our beds." Here was built Fort Recovery, which was properly garrisoned, and placed under the charge of Captain Alexander Gibson. During the early months of 1794, Wayne was steadily engaged in preparing everything for a sure blow when the time came, and, by means of Captain Gibson and hia various spies, kept himself informed of the plans and move- 896 iNBlAIir WARS OF THE WEST. ments of the savages. All his information showed the faith in British assistance which still aniiaated the doomed race of red-men. On the 30th of June, 1794, Fort Recovery, the advanced American post, was assaulted by the Little Turtle, at the head of 1000 to 1500 warriors; and although repelled, the assail- ants rallied and returned to the charge, and kept up the attack through the whole of that day, and a part of the follow-, ing. Nor' was this assfiiling force entirely composed of natives ; General Wayne, in his despatch, says his spies report " a great number of white men with the Indians." On the 26th of July, Scott, with some 1600 mounted men from Kentucky, joined Wayne at Greenville, and on the 28th the legion moved forward. On the 8th of August, the army was near the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee, at Grand Glaize, and proceeded at once to build Fort Defiance where the rivers meet. The Indians had hastily abandoned their towns upon hearing of the approach of the army from a runaway member of the Quartermaster's corps, who was afterwards taken at Pittsburgh. It had been Wayne's plan to reach the head-quarters of the savages. Grand Glaize, undiscovered ; and in order to do this, he had caused two roads to be cut, one towards the foot of the rapids (Roche de Bout), the other to the junction of the St. Mary and St. Josepfi, while he pressed forward between the two : and this stratagem, he thinks would have been successful but for the deserter referred to. While engaged upon Fort Defiance, the American commander received full and accurate accounts of the Indians and the aid they would receive from the volunteers of Detroit and elsewhere ; he learned the nature of the ground, and the circumstances favourable and unfavourable ; and upon the whole, consideriilg the spirit of his troops, officers and men, regulars and volun- teers, he determined to march forward and settle matters at once. But yet, true to the last to the spirit of compromise and peace so forcibly taught by Washington, on the 1 3th of August he sent Christopher Miller, who had been naturalized among the Shawanees, and had been taken prisoner on the 11 th by Wayne's spieSj as a special messenger, offering terms of friendship. INDIAN -WARS OP THE WEST. 397 Unwilling to waste time, the troops moved forward on the 15th, and on the 16th met Miller returning with the message that if the Americans would wait ten days at Grand Glaize they (the Indians) would decide for peace or war; which Wayne replied to only by marching straight on. On the 18th, the Legion had advanced forty-one miles from Grand Glaize' and being near by the long looked for foe, began to throw up some light works, called Fort Deposit, wherein to place the heavy baggage during the expected battle. On that day, five of Wayne's spies, among whom was May, rode into the very camp of the enemy : in attempting to retreat again, May's horse fell, and he was taken. The next day, the day before the battle, he was tied to a tree and shot at as a target. During the 19th, the army still laboured on their works : on the 20th, at 7 or 8 o'clock, all baggage having been left behind, the white forces moved down the north bank of the Maumee; — "the Legion on the right, its flank covered by the Maumee : one brigade of mounted volunteers on the left, under Brigadier General Todd, and the other in the rear, under Brigadier Ge- neral Barbee. A select battalion of mounted volunteers moved in front of the Legion, commanded by Major Price, who was directed to keep sufficiently advanced, so as to give timely notice for the troops to form in case of action, it being yet undetermined whether the Indians would decide for peace or War. "After advancing about five miles. Major Price's corps received so severe a fire from the enemy, who were secreted in the woods and high grass, as to compel them to retreat. The Le- gion was immediately formed in two lines, principally in a close thick wood, which extended for miles on our left, and for a very considerable distance in front ; the ground being covered with old fallen timber, probably occasioned by a tornado, which rendered it impracticable for the cavalry to act with efiect, and afforded the enemy the most favourable covert for their mode of warfare. The savages were formed in three lines, within supporting distance of each other, and extending for near two iniles at right angles with the river. I soon discovered, from the weight of the fire and extent of their lines, that the enemy were in full force in front, in possession of their favourite 50 398 INDIAN WARS OF THE "WEST. f'f \ .jcly*^ ^\ r 3 ■TtSS. / Hi WAYNE DEFEATING THE INDIANS. ground, and endeavouring to turn our left flank. I therefore gave orders for the second line to advance and support the first ; and directed Major General Scott to gain and turn the right flank of the savages, with the whole of the mounted volunteers, by a circuitous route ; at the same time I ordered the front line to advance and charge with trailed arms, and rouse the Indians from their coverts at the point of the bayonet, and when up to deliver a close and well directed fire on their backs, followed by a brisk charge, so as not to give them time to load again. " I also ordered Captain Mis Campbell, who commanded the legionary cavalry, to turn the left flank of the enemy next the river, and which afforded a favourable field for that corps to act in. All these orders were obeyed with spirit and prompti- tude ; but such was the impetuosity of the charge by the first line of infantry, that the Indians and Canadian militia and volunteers were driven from all their coverts in so short a time, that although every possible exertion was used by the officers of the second line of the Legion, and by Generals Scott, Todd, and Barbee, of the mounted volunteers, to gain their proper positions, but part of each could get up in season to participate in the action ; the enemy being driven, in the course of one INDIAN WARS OP THE WEST. 399 hour, more than two miles, through the thick woods, already mentioned, by less than one-half their numbers. From every account the enemy amounted to two thousand combatants. The troops actually engaged against them were short of nine hundred. This horde of savages, with their allies, abandoned themselves to flight, and dispersed with terror and dismay, leaving our victorious army in full and quiet possession of the field of battle, which terminated under the influence of the guns of the British garrison, as you will observe by the enclosed correspondence between Major Campbell, the commandant, and myself, upon the occasion." The broken remains of the Indian army were pursued under the guns of the British fort, and so keen was the ardour of Wayne's men, and so strong their resentment against the English, that it was with the utmost difficulty they could be restrained from storming it upon the spot. As it was, many of the Kentucky troops advanced within gunshot, and insulted the garrison with a select volley of oaths and epithets, which must have given the British commandant a high idea of back- woods gentility. He instantly wrote an indignant letter to- General Wayne, complaining of the outrage, and demanding by what authority he trespassed upon the sacred precincts of a British garrison ? Now, " Mad Anthony" was the last man in the world to be dragooned into politeness, and he replied in terms but little shbrt of those employed by the Kentuckians, and satisfactorily informed Captain Campbell, the British com- mandant, that his only chance of safety was silence and civility. After some sharp messages on both sides, the war of the pen ceased, and the destruction of property began. Houses, stores, cornfields, orchards, were soon wrapped in flames or levelled with the earth. The dwelling-house and store of Colonel M'Kee, tho Indian Agent, shared the fate of the rest. All this was performed before the face of Captain Campbell, who was compelled to look on in silence, and withoilt any effort to prevent it. There remains not the least question now that the Indians were not only encouraged in their acts of hostility by the English traders, but were actually supphed with arms, ammunition, and provisions, by order of the Eng- lish commandant at Detroit, Colonel England. There remams 400 IFDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. a correspondence between this gentleman and M'Kee, in which urgent demands are made for fresh supplies of ammunition, and the approach of " the enemy" (as they called Wayne) is mentioned with great anxiety. After the battle of the Rapids, he writes that the Indians are much discouraged, -and that " it will require great efforts to induce them to remain in a body." Had Wayne been positively informed of this circumstance, he would scarcely have restrained his men from a more energetic expression of indignation. The Indian force being completely dispersed, their cornfields cut up, and their houses destroyed, Wayne drew off from the neighbourhood of the British posts, and, in order to hold the Indians permanently in check, he erected a fort at the junction of the Auglaize and Miami, in the very heart of the Indian country, to which he gave the appropriate name of Defiance. As this was connected with Fort Washington by various inter- mediate fortifications, it could not fail completely to overawe the enemy, who, in a very short time, urgently and unani- mously demanded peace. No victory could have been better timed than that of Wayne. The various tribes of Indians throughout the whole of the United States, encouraged by the repeated disasters of the armies in the northwest, had become very unsteady, and menacing in their intercourse with the whites. The Creeks and Cherokees, in the south, were already in arms, while the Oneidas, Tuscaroras, &c., in the north, were evidently prepar- ing for hostilities. The shock of the victory at the Eapids, however, was felt in all quarters. The southern Indians in- stantly demanded peace ; the Oneidas, conscious of their evil intentions, and fearful of the consequences, became suddenly affectionate even to servility ; and within a few months after the victory, all the frontiers enjoyed the most profound peace. Wayne reported his loss at thirty-three killed and one hundred wounded. The Indian loss could not be ascertained, but was supposed to exceed that of the Americans. This, however, is very doubtful, as they gave way immediately, and were not so much exposed as the continentals. One circumstance attending their flight is remarkable, and deserves to be inserted. Three Indians being hard pressed by INDIAN WARS OP THE WEST. 401 tlie cavalry upon one side, and the infantry upon the other, plunged into the river and attempted to swim to the opposite shore. A runaway negro who had attached Tiimself to the American army, was concealed in the bushes upon the opposite bank, and perceiving three Indians approaching nearer than in his opinion was consistent with the security of his hiding-place, Jie collected courage enough to level his rifle at the foremost, as he was swimming, and shot him through the head. The other two Indians instantly halted in the water, and attempted to drag the body of their dead companion ashore. The negro, in the mean time, reloaded his gun and shot another dead upon the spot. The survivor then seized hold of both bodies, and attempted, with a fidelity which seems astonishing, to bring them both to land. The negro having had leisure to reload a second time, and firing from his covert upon the surviving Indian, wounded him mortally while struggling with the dead bodies. He then ventured to approach them, and from the striking resemblance of their features, as well as their devoted attachment, they were supposed to have been brothers. After scalping them, he permitted their bodies to float down the stream. The Indians now sued for peace. Preliminaries were settled, and it was determined that a grand conference should be held at Greenville, to form a definitive treaty. During the month of June, 1795, the representatives of the northwestern tribes began to gather at Greenville, and on the 16th of that month Wayne met in council the Delawares, Ottawas, Pottawatamies, and Eel River Indians ; and the conferences, which lasted till August 10th, commenced. On the 21st of June, Buckongehelas arrived; on the 23d, the Little Turtle and other Miamies; on the 13th of July, Tarke and other Wyandot Chiefs reached the appointed spot; and upon the 18th, Blue Jacket with thirteen Shawnees, and Masass with twenty Chippeways. Most of these, as it appeared by their statements, had been tampered with by M'Kee, Brant, and other English agents. They had, however, aU determined to make a permanent peace with the Thirteen Fires, and although some difficulty as to the ownership of the lands to be ceded, at one time seemed likely to arise, the good sense of Wayne and of the Chiefs prevented it, and upon 402 INDIAN -WARS OF THE WEST. the 30th. of July the treaty was agreed to which was to bury the hatchet for ever. Between that day and the 3d of August it was engrossed, and having been signed by the various nations upon the day last named, on the 7th was finally acted upon, and the presents from the United States distributed forthwith. While the Council was in session some mischief had been done in Virginia by a band of Shawnees, but On the 9th of September these also came to Greenville, gave up their prisoners, and asked « for forgiveness. The basis of the treaty of Greenville was the previous one made at Fort Harmar. Hostilities were to cease ; all prisoners were to be restored, a large portion of the- north- western territory wds ceded to the United States ; the Indians were allowed to hunt within the ceded lands ; all previous treaties w^re annulled. Prom this time until the mighty Tecumseh began to agitate the west, the inhabitants enjoyed peace and security.