CHAP. The general, at one period, defpairing of the accomXXXIX. plishment of his original deftination, projected an expedition to the Weft Indies, with a view to folicit 1780. the fanction of general Vaughan, who held the prin 11th Feb. cipal command on that station, in an attack on Porto Rico. A favourable change in the wind, however, enabled him to reach Charlestown, which he invested immediately on his landing. THE Americans, in confternation, adjourned the affembly of the province, and intrufted their governor, John Rutledge, with all powers except privation of life. The alarm, however, was fo great, that two proclamations for the militia, and all men of property, to join the army, produced little effect. An attempt to negotiate with the Spanish governor of Havannah for auxiliary fhips and troops was alfo unfuccefsful; but by the affiftance of French engineers, the works of defence were strengthened and extended, ftrong abbatis, deep holes dug at fmall diftances, and a wet ditch raked by redoubts, and protected by a ftrong citadel, mounting eighty pieces of cannon, guarded the town on every fide which was confidered affailable. The entrance of the harbour was impeded by the bar, and fecured by a fquadron of nine fail, under commodore Whipple, occupying a ftation called Five-fathom-hole. Fort Moultrie and Sullivan's Island were also improved with new works. Lincoln, the American general, placing the whole chance of protecting the province on the fate of the city, fhut himfelf up in it with feven thousand men, refolved to refift to the last extremity. SIR HENRY CLINTON, with a due regard to the lives committed to his protection, made methodical approaches; the harbour was blockaded by the fleet, and the troops flowly advancing, and constantly establishing or fortifying posts to maintain communication with the fea, croffed Ashley river, and broke ground 1. April, before Charlestown, at the distance of eight hundred yards from the works. ADMIRAL ADMIRAL ARBUTINOT had already paffed the bar, c HA г. unopposed by Whipple, who retired to Charlestown, XXXIX. after having funk eleven veffels of different defcrip- 1780. tions, across the mouth of Cooper river. The admiral, 20th Mar. however, with the first fair wind, paffed Fort Moul- 9th April. trie without stopping to engage, and anchored near Fort Johnftone. A RESOLUTE refufal being returned to a fummons 10th April, to furrender, batteries were opened on the town, and as the advance of admiral Arbuthnot obviated the neceffity of maintaining a communication with the fea, Sir Henry Clinton was enabled to difpatch ftrong bodies, under colonels Tarleton and Webster, to cut off the intercourfe of the garrison with the country. Tarleton, with no lefs judgment than activity, fur- 14th. prised the American force at Monk's Corner, routed them with the lofs of all their ftores, camp-equipage, baggage, and four hundred horfes, with their arms and accoutrements; an acquifition of the greatest importance to the British army, while the conqueft fecured the paffage of Cooper River. Clinton was afterward enabled, by the arrival of a reinforcement from New York, to fend another detachment acrofs Cooper river, and lord Cornwallis commanded the whole force. COLONEL TARLETON's enterprife, joined with the judicious measures of general Clinton, and the able movements of major Moncrieff, chief officer of the engineers, prevented all communication, and cut off from the garrifon all hopes of retreat into the country. The approaches were carried on with vigour, the canal was gained by furprife, and the works advanced to the verge of the ditch, a ftorm appeared inevitable, and the British flag was already flying on Fort Moul trie. The inhabitants now petitioned general Lincoln to accept terms of capitulation, which he had formerly refufed, and a council of war concurring in the mea- 12th May. fure, the furrender was figned, and the British commander took poffeffion of the town. The Americans were allowed fome of the honours of war, but the terms of the capitulation were, on the whole, fufficiently $ 4 1780. CHAP. ciently mortifying. The prifoners amounted to near XXXIX. feven thousand, including the governor, council, military, militia, and about a thoufand American and French feamen. The whole naval force was taken or destroyed, with four hundred pieces of ordnance, and a confiderable quantity of stores. The cautious proceedings of Sir Henry Clinton are entitled to the highest praise, as they enabled general Lincoln to collect all his force within the town, no part of which could afterward efcape. The British officers, in general, were highly extolled, and none more than major Moncrieff, who, in the defence of Savannah and this attack, fhewed the utmost perfection in the science of an engineer, and captain Elphinstone of the navy, who commanded a divifion of the fleet, and by his judicious arrangements fecured the paffage of the rivers Ashley and Cooper. Intelligence of this event, by far the moft brilliant of the American war, was received in England, juft at the clofe of lord George Gordon's riot, and greatly contributed to the restoration of calm and happiness at that critical moment. Alarm of the Americans. Clinton's addrefs: NOR was the alarm of the Americans inferior to the joy of the victors; their caufe feemed abandoned by their new allies, and they despaired of being able to retain the rich and fertile Southern Provinces. The judicious measures of Sir Henry Clinton were well adapted to produce this effect, and bring back to loyalty thofe important colonies. In an addrefs to the inhabitants, he stated, that in confideration of the loyal blood fpilt in former well-intended, but illtimed efforts to aflift the king's troops, he had hitherto abstained from exciting the inhabitants to arms. time was now arrived when every individual might, without apprehenfion, declare his fentiments; and it was the duty of every man to assist in restoring peace and good government. It was not his intention to call for unneceffary exertions: but it would be requifite for those who had families, to form a militia, under See the Crifis, No. ix. in the Remembrancer, vol. x, p. 233. The officers 1780. clamations. officers of their own choofing, for the maintenance of CHA P. peace and good order; while those who had no fa- XXXIX. milies fhould embody for fix months, under their own officers, to drive their rebel oppreffors from the province, and after the term of fervice, be freed from all but militia duty. Befide this well-conceived address, which was published as a hand-bill, the general iffued three proclamations: the firft fubjected to confifcation 22d May. the property of all who should appear in arms against and prothe royal government, or compel others to join the enemy, or hinder those inclined to affift the king's forces. The fecond was a joint proclamation of the 1st June. general and admiral, as commiffioners for reftoring peace, promifing fuch of the inhabitants as would return to their allegiance, and to thofe laws which they formerly boafted as their nobleft inheritance, a re-establishment of their former rights and immunities under a free British government, exempt from taxation, except by their own legiflature. From these benefits, however, were exempted all who were polluted with the blood of their fellow-citizens, wantonly and inhumanly fhed under the mock forms of juftice, for refufing fubmiffion to an ufurpation which they abhorred, and adhering to that government with which they deemed themselves infeparably connected. The third proclamation, proceeding on the fuppofition 34 that peace and good order were reftored by the defeat of the American forces, relieved from the state of prisoners on parole, all the inhabitants, except the military, thofe taken in Fort Moultrie and Charlestown, and thofe under actual confinement. But those who neglected returning to their allegiance, were to be treated as rebels and enemies. Two hundred and 5th. ten of the principal inhabitants of Charlestown, concurred in a congratulatory addrefs, on the restoration of the province to the political connection with Great Britain. Although the right of taxing by parliament had excited confiderable ferments, ftill, they faid, the people naturally revolted at the idea of indepen dency, XXXIX. 1780. CHAP. dency, which was firft promulgated in the northern colonies. They looked back, with painful regret, to convulfions fubverfive of the British conftitution, and productive of rank democracy, which, however carefully digefted in theory, had, in practice, exhibited a fyftem of tyrannic domination, only to be found among the uncivilized part of mankind, or in the hiftory of the dark and barbarous ages of antiquity. They regretted the mifery and ruin occafioned by the difregard of the king's overtures for accommodation, and would glory in difplaying their zeal by efforts for the restoration of felicity under the royal go Formation vernment b. THESE fentiments were not confined to the fubof military fcribers of the addrefs; great numbers affembled in arms, under the direction of major Ferguson, and the caufe of Great Britain appeared triumphant. force. SIR HENRY CLINTON did not, however, rely on Expeditions against the these flattering appearances; the fituation of affairs Americans. demanded his immediate prefence at New York, and he had applied to government for his recal; but before his departure, he arranged three expeditions for subduing the interior, and counteracting the enemy. One afcended the Savannah, and another paffed the Saluda to Ninety-fix; both found the people in general loyal, and difpofed to establish the regal govern Purfuit of 2nd May. 27th. ment. THE third expedition, commanded by earl Cornwallis, croffed the Santee river, and marched up the north-east bank, in pursuit of colonel Burford, who was retreating to North Carolina, with artillery, and waggons containing arms, ammunition, and cloathing. Before the British troops could furmount impediments, created by the Americans, Burford had already been retreating ten days. A corps of a hundred and feventy foot, and a hundred mounted infantry, with a three-pounder, was detached in purfuit, under See thofe papers in the Remembrancer, vol. x. p. 80. et feq. the |