THE LAST BLOODSHED IN THE REVOLUTION. 489 Creek Bridge, about eight miles from Dorchester, Greene placed his main army under Colonel Williams, with instructions to continue the march southward, while he, with a detachment of the Maryland and Virginia infantry, and a portion of Lee's and Washington's cavalry, made an effort to capture the garrison of eight hundred and fifty men in charge of Dorchester. Intelligence of his movements having been communicated to the enemy, they destroyed their stores, etc., and retreated in all haste to Charleston. On the 7th of December, Williams, with the main army, halted at Round O, where he was joined on the 9th by General Greene; and on the 4th of January, 1782, St. Clair aud Wayne, with the Pennsylvania and Maryland troops, overtook them, after a long and weary march. On the 11th of July, the enemy evacuated Savannah, the regulars going to Charleston, and the loyalists, under Brown, taking refuge in Florida. Late in August, the enemy sent out a foraging fleet from Charleston, to collect provisions, and General Gist, with his brigade, composed of the cavalry of Lee's legion, the 3d and 4th Virginia regiments united, under Colonel Baylor; the infantry of the legion; the dismounted dragoons of the 3d regiment; the Delaware battalion, and one hundred men detached from the Maryland Line, commanded by Major Beale, was ordered immediately out to protect the Combahee District. On the 27th, Colonel Laurens, who was hastening to join him, met the enemy, and in a slight skirmish, was killed. General Gist, anticipating the danger to which Laurens was exposed, marched to his relief, and compelled the enemy to embark with slight loss. As soon as the enemy crossed the bar of Beaufort harbor, General Gist moved back to reinforce the main army, and his brigade was not again engaged during the war. Captain Wilmot, of Maryland, however, with a small force, still continued to guard John's Island, and watch the passage by the Stono; and his love of adventure led him occasionally to cross the river and harass the enemy on James Island. In one of these expeditions, undertaken in conjunction with Kosciuszko, against a party of the enemy's wood-cutters, on the 14th of November, 1782, he fell into an ambuscade, was himself shot dead, and Lieutenant Moore, his second in command, and a servant, severely wounded and made prisoners. "This was the last bloodshed," says Johnson, "in the American War."1 General Greene, having now regained all South Carolina except Charleston, the Maryland Legislature, on the 15th of January, 1783, in consideration of his services, adopted the following address, which was transmitted to him by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate: "The General Assembly of Maryland convened, think it their duty to give a public testimony of their sense of the services you have rendered the United States. This State in particular, feels obligations which can never be done away. You stopped the career of a victorious army; you defeated their army in pitched battles; you captured their garrisons; you recovered countries they had overrun, persevering through all these scenes amidst wants which enervate courage and destroy life, nor relaxing till Charles Town is 1 Life of Greene, ii., p. 345. abandoned, and the whole Southern States freed from the enemy. Every day affords fresh subject to admire General Washington, whose penetration discovered your abilities, and to whose wisdom we owe your appointment. 46 You have soldiers in your army, who have shared in all your fatigues, and partook of all your dangers. They are citizens of this State whom patriotism called into the field. We have to request that you may report to them the sentiments of this General Assembly, our feeling for their meritorious conduct, and the anxiety we must experience, till it shall be in our power to show every soldier some more substantial proof of our attention to their sufferings and services." At this time great discontents prevailed in the army, among both officers and men. The neglect of the States to furnish their proportions of the sum voted by congress for the prosecution of the war, had left the army almost destitute. There was scarce money enough to feed the troops from day to day; in fact there were days when they were without provisions. The pay of the officers and men was greatly in arrear, and fears were entertained whether they would ever receive their back pay; and in the event of peace they would be cast upon the community penniless, many broken in health, and unfitted, by long military habits, for the pursuits of peace. At this juncture the long wished-for news of peace arrived. A general treaty had been signed at Paris on the 20th of January. An armed vessel, the Triumph, belonging to the squadron of Count d'Estaing, arrived at Philadelphia from Cadiz, on the 23d of March, bringing the intelligence from General Lafayette to the President of Congress. In a few days, Sir Guy Carleton informed Washington that he was ordered to proclaim a cessation of hostilities by sea and land. On the 12th of April, the intelligence was communicated to Governor Paca by the President of Congress in the following letter: "Philadelphia, 12th April, 1783. "SIR:-Permit me to offer you iny congratulations on the important event announced by the United States in congress in the enclosed Proclamation for the cessation of hostilities; an event which is not only pleasing, as it relieves us from the accumulated distresses of war in the bowels of our country, but as it affords the fairest and most flattering prospects of its future greatness and prosperity. "I need not, I am persuaded, sir, use any arguments to urge your Excellency and the State in which you preside, to the most scrupulous attention to the execution of every stipulation in our Treaty which may depend you or them. "A national character is now to be acquired. I venture to hope that it will be worthy of the struggles by which we became a nation. "I have the honor to be, with great respect and esteem, "ROBT. R. LIVINGSTON." On the 22d of April, Governor Paca, in pursuance of the recommendation of congress, issued his proclamation declaring the cessation of arms by sea and land, and enjoining obedience to the treaty, and appointing Thursday, the 24th of April, as a day of public rejoicings. On the 25th, the governor also addressed the following circular letter to the sheriffs of the several counties: PEACE AND INDEPENDENCE. In Council, Annapolis 25th April, 1783. 491 County upon the "SIR-We beg leave to congratulate the good people of glorious event of a general cessation of hostilities among the powers of war, which their virtuous exertions have so greatly contributed to bring about; and we desire you will announce it to them on an appointed day by reading to them, in the most public place, the enclosed proclamation." On the 21st, the joyful news of peace and independence was celebrated in Baltimore with great enthusiasm. At night the town was brilliantly illuminated and many patriotic toasts were drunk. In Annapolis a temporary frame building, capable of holding several thousand persons, was erected on "Carroll's Green," "thirteen pieces of artillery were planted opposite, and an elegant and plentiful dinner was provided." The Maryland Gazette says: "The proclamation of his Excellency's command being read by the High Sheriff and thirteen cannon discharged, to announce the glorious and ever memorable event, the gentlemen then retired to dinner, at which were present his Excellency the Governor, the Honorable Council, many members of the Senate and Delegates of Assembly, and a great number of gentlemen, both Town and Country, who, with unfeigned satisfaction, congratulated each other on the blessings of Peace-the rising glory of their country— the prospects of her commerce, her future grandeur and importance in the scale of nations." After the dinner thirteen patriotic toasts were drank, each attended with the discharge of thirteen cannon At night the State House was beautifully illuminated, and an elegant entertainment was given to the ladies at the ballAt Frederick, Upper Marlboro', Chestertown and other large towns of the State, the joyous news was celebrated with great enthusiasm. room. The close of the war, which had found Maryland prosperous in material wealth, left her impoverished and deeply in debt. But it had also found her a dependent colony, and it left her an organized, independent and sovereign republic, mistress henceforth of her own destinies. The future was still doubtful before her. She was entering upon a strange and untried career, with new principles, new institutions, new duties and new perils; but, as we shall ere long see, she addressed herself to the task before her as resolutely as to that of conquering her freedom, and with no less success. CHAPTER XXIX. ON the 6th of May, 1783, the governor, in a message to the legislature, said that he had "The honor of communicating the preliminary Articles of Peace between Great Britain and America; also a proclamation by Congress, announcing the ratification and exchange of the preliminary articles of peace by Great Britain, France and Spain, and a general cessation of hostilities by all the belligerent powers. After a long and dreadful war, after conflicts and trials unexampled in the history of mankind, it is with heartfelt satisfaction that we now see our sufferings an 1 labors crowned with success, and the independence of America established on the surest foundation. On an event so interesting and important and so gloriously achieved, by the valor and patriotism of our citizens, we beg leave to offer you our warmest congratulations. * * * "The patient sufferings of our army, at different stages of the war, their patriotic exertions and gallant achievements under every circumstance of difficulty and danger, give them an unquestionable claim to every public notice and regard; and when it is considered how much we are indebted to them for the liberty and independence of America, the principles of gratitude and justice cannot fail to produce the most speedy and animated efforts to make them a generous compensation for their great and important services." Now that the war was over, the remnants of the Maryland regiments returned to their native State to be disbanded. Many of these veterans bore honorable scars, still more had their health broken down by hardships and disease, and nearly all were penniless and in rags. The Maryland Line, now numbering about five hundred men, under the command of Brigadier General Gist, embarked at Charleston on transports, and arrived at Annapolis late in July. They soon after marched to Baltimore, arriving there on the 27th. Before their departure home, General Greene, in a letter to Governor Paca, thus refers to the Maryland troops in the southern army: "Many of your officers are on their return home. I should be wanting in gratitude not to acknowledge their singular merit and the importance of their services. They have spilt their blood freely in the service of their country, and have faced every danger and difficulty without a murmur or complaint. I beg leave to recommend Colonel Williams, who has been at the head of your Line, to the particular notice of your State, as an officer of great merit and good conduct. A very considerable number of those (Maryland Line) returned are not, nor ever will be, fit for service again. They are incapable of doing active duty, and ought to be turned over to the Invalid Corps." The British prisoners confined at Frederick and Winchester, numbering about fifteen hundred, were marched to Baltimore in May, and embarked in vessels sent to transport them to New York. The remainder of the French troops stationed in Baltimore under the Chevalier de la Valette, marched to GENERAL GREENE IN ANNAPOLIS. 493 Philadelphia, as did those who had been stationed at Frederick. The latter force, under the command of Armand Marquis de la Rouerie, soon after their departure on the 28th of December, sent the following complimentary letter to Governor Paca: : "After having passed through the State over which you preside, I conceive it to be my duty to express to your Excellency the thanks of the legion under my command, and my own in particular, for the friendly dispositions and behaviour of the Marylanders towards us. The town of Frederick in which we have made the longest station, has particularly evidenced to us the worthy and high character of that country. Permit me to add here that where people are sensible as those, of the rights of military men to their attention and care, they do deserve having respectable troops as the Maryland Line, and do create in others wishes for the opportunity to serve them." These troops left Maryland with the good wishes of all classes, and General Valette said he would never forget the happy days he had passed amongst the citizens of Baltimore, and begged that they would "believe that their remembrance will be forever dear to his memory." Major General Greene, with his secretary, Major Hyrne, arrived in Annapolis on the 25th of September on his route northward. The governor was out of the city at the time, but returned the next morning. The following interesting account of his visit is taken from his diary: "26. We dined with the Governor, who is a very polite character, and a great friend of the army. He drank several toasts, which were accompanied with the discharge of thirteen cannon. A ball was proposed; but the weather being good I excused myself and set out; Major Hyrne was in the pouts all day, and would not go into Baltimore that night. Before we left Annapolis, the corporation presented us with an address expressive of their respect and affection. I got into Baltimore about ten at night and put up at Mr. Grant's. Before I quit Annapolis, I could not help observing this place is proposed for the fixed residence of Congress. Its situation is both pleasant and healthy, but too much exposed in time of war for the purposes of deliberation. Baltimore is a most thriving place. Trade flourishes, and the spirit of building exceeds belief. Not less than three hundred houses are put up in a year. Ground rents is little short of what they are in London. The inhabitants are all men of business. Here I had the pleasure of meeting two of my old officers, General Williams and Colonel Howard. The pleasure of meeting is easier felt than described. The inhabitants detained me four days to pay me the compliments of an address and a public dinner. The affection of the inhabitants was pleasing, and the attention of the people flattering. Hyrne got wounded here with a spear, and though it penetrated the heart he still survived." Before his departure from Annapolis, General Greene addressed the following letter to Governor Paca: "Sir: "Annapolis, September 27th, 1783. "Having accomplished the purposes of my command in the southern department as far as in my power, and peace and the dissolution of the army rendering my further stay necessary, I am now on my way to the northward. The friendly attention which I have experienced from this State in the progress of the southern war, has a just claim to every acknowledgment in my power. And although I am fully sensible that a sentiment of gratitude from an individual, addressed to a people, is of no significance, yet I cannot deny myself this piece of justice, which is due to my feelings. It affords me the highest |