derable body of troops to attack Charleston, South-Carolina, where General Lincoln commanded. After a close siege of six weeks, the town surrendered to the British general, and the whole American garrison made pri

soners.

In August, 1780, General Gates was in North Carolina to take the command of the southern army. In the second week of August, Eari Cornwallis having received intelligence at Charleston, that Gates was advancing with his army, and that Sumpter was endeavouring to cut off the communication between that city and the army; that the whole country between the Pedee and the Black River had revolted; and that Lord Rawdon was collecting his whole force at Camden-he immddiately set off for that place. On his arrival he had no small difficulties to encounter. Gates was at hand with a great superiority of force; and the position of Camden, convenient in other respects, was a bad situation for an attack. He could indeed have made good his retreat to Charleston, but he must have left eight hundred sick men and a vast quantity of valuable stores to fall into the hands of the provincials. He likewise foresaw, that excepting Charleston and Savannah, a retreat would

occasion the loss of the two provinces of Carolina and Georgia. In his own words, there was "little to lose by a defeat, and much to gain by a victory." The intelligence which he had received that General Gates was encamped in a bad situation at Clermont about thirteen miles from Camden, no doubt confirmed his determination. He accordingly marched from Camden about 10 o'clock at night with an intention to surprise Gen. Gates; and making his dispositions in such a manner, as that his best troops and greatest force should be directed against the continental regiments, laying little stress on the militia, if these were sufficiently provided against.

It was very singular that the very same hour at which Lord Cornwallis set out from Camden to surprise General Gates, that general, ignorant of Cornwallis' arrival at Camden, should set out from Clermont to surprise him. About half an hour after two in the morning, the advanced parties of both armies met in the woods, and a firing commenced. Some of the cavalry of Armand's legion, wounded by the first fire of the enemy, threw others into disorder, and the whole recoiled so suddenly, that the first Maryland regiment, in the front of the column, was broken, and the whole line of the army thrown into a

general consternation. This first impression struck deep. The light infantry, however, executed their orders; particularly those under Colonel Pottersfield, who behaved with such spirit, that the enemy were no less surprised at this unexpected meeting. A few prisoners were taken on both sides, by whose information the respective commanders derived a knowledge of circumstances, of which both till then were ignorant. Colonel Pottersfield, in whose abilities and activity Gates had placed great dependence, received a musket ball which shattered the bones of his leg, in this first encounter. The American army soon recovered its order. Cornwallis also kept his ground; and frequent skirmishes ensued, with scarcely any other effect than to discover the situation of the armies, to evince the intention of the generals, and to serve as a prelude to what was to occur in the morning.

The action began at break of day, in a situation very advantageous for the British troops, but very unfavourable to the Americans. The latter were much more numerous; but the ground on which both armies stood was narrowed by swamps on the right and left, so that the Americans could not properly avail themselves of their superior

numbers.

M

The attack was made by the British troops with great vigour, and in a few minutes the action was general along the whole line. It was at this time a dead calm, with a little haziness in the air, which, preventing the smoke from rising, occasioned so thick a darkness, that it was difficult to see the effect of a very heavy and well-supported fire on both sides. The British troops either kept up a constant fire, or made use of bayonets, as opportunities offered; and after an obstinate resistance of three quarters of an hour, threw the Americans into total confusion, and forced them to give way in all quarters. The continental troops behaved remarkably. well, but the militia were soon broken, and Jeft the former to oppose the whole force of the British troops. General Gates did all in his power to rally the militia, but without effect: the continentals retreated in some order; but the rout of the militia was so great, that the British cavalry are said to have continued the pursuit of them to the distance of twenty-two miles from the place where the action happened. The loss of the Ameri-cans was very considerable; about one thousand prisoners were taken, and more are said to have been killed and wounded, but the number is not very accurately ascertain

ed. Eight pieces of brass cannon, two thousand stand of arms, a number of colours, and all the ammunition waggons of the Americans, were also taken. Of the British troops, the killed and wounded amounted to three hundred and twenty-four. Among the prisoners taken was major-general Baron De Kalb, who was mortally wounded, having exhibited great gallantry in the course of the action, and received eleven wounds. Besides Baron De Kalb, the Americans lost several other officers, among whom were Brigadier-General Gregory killed, and General Rutherford taken. The British troops by which this victory was atchieved, did not much exceed two thousand, while the American army is said to have amounted to six thousand; of which, however, the greatest part was militia.

During the summer of 1780, the British troops made frequent incursions from NewYork into the Jersies, and an unsuccessful attempt was made by General Knyphausen, with seven thousand men, to surprise the advanced posts of Washington's army. So great were the necessities of the American army, that Washington was obliged to call on the magistrates of the adjacent counties for specified quantities of provisions; nay,