that the town would be defended to the last extremity. The zeal and ardour of both officers and men rose with the occasion; and new defences were daily constructed under the masterly direction of an able engineer, Captain Moncrieff.

On the morning of the fourth of October, the batteries of the besiegers were opened with nine mortars, thirty seven pieces of cannon from the land side, and fifteen from the water. It being at length ascertained, that considerable time would be necessary to reduce the garrison by regular approaches, it was determined to make an assault. In pursuance of this determination, on the ninth of October, while two feints were made with the militia, a real attack was made on Spring Hill battery just as day light appeared, with two columns, consisting of three thousand five hundred French troops, six hundred continentals, and three hundred and fifty of the inhabitants of Charlestown. The principal of these columns, commanded by Count D'Estaing and General Lincoln.marched up boldly to the lines; but a heavy and well directed fire from the gallies threw the front of the column into confusion. The places of those who fell being instantly supplied by others, it still moved on until it reached a redoubt, where the contest became more fierce and desperate. Captain Tawse fell in defending the gate of his redoubt, with his sword plunged in the body of the third assailant whom he had slain with his own hand. and a French and an American standard were for an instant planted on the parapet; but the assailants, after sustaining the enemy's fire fifty-five minutes, were ordered to retreat. Six hundred and thirty-seven of the French, and two hundred and forty one of the continentals and militia, were killed or wounded. Immediately after this unsuccessful assault, the militia almost universally went to their homes, and Count D'Estaing, reembarking his troops and artillery, left the continent."**

"One of the most extraordinary enterprises ever related in history, one indeed which nothing but the respectability of the testimony could have prevented our considering as marvellous, occurred during the siege of Savannah. It was an enterprise conceived and executed by Colonel John White, of the Georgia line. A Captain French of Delancey's 1st battalion, was posted with 100 men, British regulars, on the Ogeechee River, about 25 miles from Savannah. There lay also at the same place five armed vessels, the

An assault is believed to have been unadv sble; but this measure was forced on D'Estaing by his marine officers, who remonstrated against his continuing to risk the French fleet on a dangerous coast, in the hurricane season, and at such a distance from the shore, as to be endangered by a British squadron. "In a few days, the lines of the besiegers might have been carried, by regular approaches, into the works of the besieged." Count Pułaski was mortally wounded in this assault; and Congress resolved that a monument should be erected to his memory. He was a Plander of high birth, who with a few men had carried off King Stanislaus from the middle of his capital. The king, after being some time a prisoner, made his escape; and soon after declared Pulaski an outlaw. Thus proscribed, he came to America, and offered his service to congress, which honoured him with the rank of brigadier general.

Holmes' Annals, vol. ii. p. 410-16.

largest mounting 14 guns, and having on board altogether 41 inen. Colonel White, with Captain Etholm, three soldiers, and his own servant approached this post on the evening of the 30th of September, kindled a number of fires, arranging them in the manner of a large camp. and summoned French to surrender, he and his coinrades in the mean time riding about in various directions, and giving orders in a loud voice, as if performing the duties of the staff to a large army. French, not doubting the reality of what he saw, and anxious to spare the effusion of blood which a contest with a force so superior would produce, surrendered the whole detachment, together with the crews of the five vessels, amounting in all to 141 men, and 130 stand of arms! Colonel White, however, had still a very difficult game to play; it was necessary to keep up the delusion of French, until the prisoners should be secured; and with this view, he pretended that the animosity of his troops was so ungovernable that a little stratagem would be necessary to save the prisoners from their fury, and that he should therefore commit them to the care of three guides with orders to conduct them to a place of safety. With many thanks for the Colonel's humanity, French accepted the proposition, and marched off at a quick pace under the direction of the three guides, fearful at every step that the rage of White's troops would burst upon them in defiance of his humane attempts to restrain it. White, as soon as they were out of sight, employed himself in collecting the militia of the neighbourhood, with whom he soon overtook his prisoners, and they were conducted in safety for 25 miles to an American post."*

"The operations of the British in the more northern parts of America were predatory, rather than military. In May, 1779, a naval and land force, commanded by Sir George Collier and general Matthews, made a descent on Virginia. On their arrival, they took possession of Portsmouth, and of Norfolk; destroyed the houses, vessels, naval stores, and a large magazine of provisions, at Suffolk; made a similar destruction at Kemp's Landing, Shepherd's Gosport, Tanner's Creek, and other places in the vicinity; and, after setting fire to the houses and other public buildings in the dockyard at Gosport, embarked with their booty for New-York.

A similar expedition was soon after undertaken from New-York against the southern margin of Connecticut, by Governor Tryon, with two thousand six hundred land forces, supported by Brigadier General Garth, and accompanied by Sir George Collier with armed vessels to cover the transports. Early in the morning of the fifth of July, the fleet, consisting of about forty sail, anchored off West Haven; and at sunrise, a detachment of one thousand troops, under General Garth, landed at that place. No soldiers were at this time stationed at New-Haven; but the militia and citizens made instant preparations to harass the enemy, whom they could not hope effectually to resist. Captain James Hilihouse with a small band of brave young men, some of whom were students at Yale College,

*Allen's Revolution, vol. ii. p. 272.

advanced very near the royal troops while on parade near West Haven Church; and, when they commenced their march, fired ou the advanced guards, and drove them back to the main body. The enemy, though checked in their march, proceeded in force, and entered New-Haven about one in the afternoon, from which time until eight in the evening the town was subjected to almost indiscriminate ravage and plunder. During these transactions on the west side of the harbour, Governor Tryon landed about one thousand troops at East Haven; and, though severely harassed, effected a junction with Garth's division in New-Haven. The enemy evacuated the town the next morning. The fleet left the harbour the next succeeding night, and the morning after anchored off Fairfield. The militia of that town and the vicinity, posting themselves at the court house green, gave the enemy considerable annoyance, as they advanced; but soon retreated. The royal army plundered and burned the town; and the greatest part of the neighbouring village of Green Farms. A few days afterward they laid the town of Norwalk in ashes.*"t

"By the time Sir George Collier had returned from the Chesapeake, Sir Henry Clinton had planned another expedition against the American fortresses on the Hudson. The command of this river had always been considered, by both parties, as highly important, and Washington had employed the opportunity which the cessation of active operations on the part of Sir Henry had allowed him, in constructing several works, particularly at Verplank's, and at Stony Point. His army lay at Middle Brook, in Jersey, and these posts were garrisoned by a small number of men, chiefly artificers and labourers. Major-General Vaughan, the former despoiler of the beautiful banks of the Hudson, was again chosen to command this expedition, which embarked under the convoy of Sir George Collier, on the 30th of May. On the 31st, General Vaughan, with the main body of the army, landed on the east side of the river, a few miles below Verplank's: General Pattison, accompanied by Sir Henry Clinton himself, advanced with the remainder of the army

* At East Haven the British burned several houses; but they burned nothing in NewHaven, excepting some stores on the Long Wharf. There were burnt at Fairfield 85 dwelling houses, 2 churches, a handsome court house, several school houses, 55 barns, 15 stores, and 15 shops; at Green Farms, 15 dwelling houses, 1 church, 11 barns, and several stores; at Norwalk, 80 dwelling houses, 2 churches 87 barns, 17 shops, 4 mills, and 5 vessels. The royal commanders, in addresses to the inhabitants of the places which they invaded, invited them to return to their allegiance, and promised protection to all, who should remain peaceably in their usual places of residence. One of these addresses was sent by a flag to Colonel Whiting of the militia, near Fairfield, who was allowed an hour for his answer; but he had scarcely time to read the address before the town was in flames. His answer expressed at once the general principles of the colony, and the certain influence of this outrage: Connecticut, having nobly dared to take up arms against the cruel despotism of Great Britain, and the flames having preceded the answer to your flag, they will persist to oppose to the utmost the power exerted against injured innocence."-The loss of the British troops in this expedition was 20 killed, 96 wounded, and 32 missing.