USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 3 > Part 27
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In about five weeks after the termination of the expedition to Virginia, a similar one was projected against the exposed mar- gin of Connecticut. Governor Tryon was appointed to the command of about two thousand six hundred land forces, em- ployed on this business. The transports which conveyed these troops were covered by a number of armed vessels, commanded by Sir George Collyer. They proceeded from the city of New-
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York on the fifth of July, by the way of Hurl-gate, and pass- ing down the Sound, landed at East Haven. The comman- ders made an address to the inhabitants, in which they invited them to return to their allegiance, and promised protection to all who should remain peaceably at home, &c. One of the addresses was sent by a flag to Colonel Whiting, of the militia, near Fairfield. The colonel was allowed one hour for his an- swer, but he had scarcely time to read it before the town was in flames. The British marched from their landing to New Haven. The town, on their entering it, was given up to be plundered, a few instances of protection excepted. An aged citizen, who laboured under a natural impediment of speech, had his tongue cut out. After perpetrating every species of enormity, but that of burning houses, the invaders re-embarked and went to Fairfield. The militia of that place and the vicini- ty being assembled, posted themselves at the court-house green, and gave considerable annoyance to them as they were advanc- ing, but soon retired to the height back of the town. The town was evacuated by the inhabitants, except some women, who remained with the view of saving their property. These supposed that their sex would protect them, but they soon had reason to repent of their temerity. Parties of the royal army entered the deserted houses, broke open desks, trunks, and chests, and took every thing of value. They robbed the wo- men of their buckles, rings, bonnets, aprons, and handkerchiefs. They abused them, threatened their lives, and presented bayo- nets to their breasts. Towards evening they began to burn the houses. The women begged Governor 'Tryon to. spare the town. Mr. Sayer, the Episcopal clergyman, who had suffered for his attachment to the royal cause, joined the women in their request, but it was unavailing. They then begged that a few houses might be spared for a general shelter, but be declined , to spare beyond two buildings, and the places for public wor- ship.
The British in this excursion also burned East Haven, and the greatest part of Green's Farmns, and the town of Norwalk. Considerable numbers of ships, either finished or on the stocks,
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with a large amount of stores and merchandise, were de. stroyed.
The fires and destruction which accompanied this expedition, were severely censured by the Americans, and apologized for by the British in a manner altogether unsatisfactory.
While the British were carrying on these desolating opera- tions, Washington was called upon for continental troops, but he was unable to spare enough to afford relief and protection. He durst not detach largely, as he was apprehensive that one design of the British, in these predatory excursions, was to draw off a proportion of his army from West Point, on the Hudson, to favour an intended attack on that important post. General Parsons, though closely connected with Connecticut, it being his native state, and though from his small force he was unable to make successful opposition to the invaders, did not press the commander-in-chief for reinforcements. Had Washington di- vided his army conformably to the wishes of the invaded citi- zens, he would have subjected his whole force to be cut up in detail.
His army was posted at some distance from the British head- , quarters, in the city of New-York, and on both sides of the Hudson. The advance, consisting of three hundred infantry, and one hundred and fifty cavalry, under Colonel White, pat- roled constantly for several months, in front of the British lines, and kept a constant watch on the Sound and on the Hudson. This corps had sundry skirmishes with parties of the British, and was particularly useful in checking their excursions, and in procuring and communicating intelligence of their movements.
About this time General Putnam, who had been stationed at Reading, in Connecticut, when on a visit to his outpost at Horse Neck, was attacked by Governor Tryon, with fifteen hundred men. General Putnam had only one hundred and fifty men, and two field pieces. He, however, planted his can- non on the high ground near the meeting-house, and by several fires retarded the advancing enemy, and continued to make op- position, till be perceived the enemy's horse, supported by the infantry, were about to charge, when after ordering his men to
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provide for their own safety, by retiring to a swamp inaccessible to cavalry, he rode down the precipice at the church. This is so steep as to have artificial stairs, composed of nearly one hundred steps, cut in the rocks, for the convenience of foot passengers. The cavalry of the enemy, on coming to the verge of this precipice, stopped short, without venturing down, and before they could get round the brow of the hill, Putnam was beyond their reach. He proceeded to Stamford, and having strengthened his little band with some militia, faced about, and pursued Tryon on his return.
The campaign, though barren of great events, was distin- guished by one of the most gallant enterprises which took place in the course of the war. This was the capture of Stoney Point, on the Hudson. General Wayne, who conducted this enterprise, set out on the fourteenth day of July, about noon, at the head of a strong detachment of infantry, and completed a march of fourteen miles over bad roads, by eight o'clock in . the evening. The detachment, being then within a mile and a , half of its object, was halted and formed into columns. Wayne, with a few of his officers, advanced and reconnoitred the works. At half-past eleven the whole moved forward to the assault. The van of the right, consisting of one hundred and fifty volun- teers, under Lieutenant-colonel Fleury, advanced with unload- ed muskets and fixed bayonets. These were preceded by twenty picked men, who were to remove the abbatis and other obstruc- tions. The van of the left was led by Major Stewart, and moved forward also with unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets. It was also preceded by a similar forlorn hope. Wayne put himself at the head of the right column, and gave orders not to fire, but to depend on the bayonet. The two columns directed their attacks to opposite points of the works, while a party en- gaged the attention of the garrison by a feint in their frout. The approaches were more difficult than had been anticipated ; the works were defended by a deep morass-but neither the morass, the double abbatis, nor the strength of the works, · damped the ardour of the troops. In the face of a tremendous fire of musketry and cannon, they forced their way at the point
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- of the bayonet, and both columns met in the centre of the works, at nearly the same instant. Wayne, as he passed the last ab- batis, was wounded in the head by a musket ball, but the wound was not dangerous. Lieutenants Gibbons and Knox, who led the forlorn hope, escaped unhurt, although the first lost seven- teen men out of twenty, and the last nearly as many. The killed and wounded of the Americans amounted to ninety-eight. The killed of the garrison were sixty-three, and the number of. their prisoners five hundred and forty-three. Two standards, fifteen pieces of cannon, and a considerable quantity of military stores, fell into the hands of the conquerors. The clemency shown to the vanquished was highly applauded. The custom of war, and the recent barbarities at Norwalk, New Haven and Fairfield, would have been an apology, had the Americans put the whole garrison to death.
Upon the capture of Stoney Point, the Americans turned its artillery against Verplanck's Point, and fired upon it with so much effect, that the shipping in its vicinity had to cut their cables and fall down the river. As soon as the news of the capture of Stoney Point reached New-York, Sir Henry Clinton caused immediate preparations to be made to relieve the garri- son at Verplank's Point, and to recover the former. Washing- ton, who was not inclined to risk an engagement for either ar both of them, gave orders to remove the cannon and stores, de- stroy the works, and evacuate the post. The British commander, therefore, regained possession of Stoney Point on the third day after its capture, and placed in it a strong garrison.
The successful enterprise of the Americans at Stoney Point was speedily followed by another, which equalled it in boldness of design. This was the surprise of the British garrison at , Powles' Hook, (now Jersey City) opposite to the city of New- York, which was effected by Major Lee, with three hundred and fifty men. Major Sutherland, the commander, with a number of Hessians, got off to a small block-house on the left of the fort, but thirty of his men were killed, and one hundred and sixty taken prisoners. Major Lee made an immediate re- treat.
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These advantages were more than counterbalanced, by an unsuccessful attempt made by the state of Massachusetts, on a British post at Penobscot. Colonel M.Clean, by the direction of Sir Henry Clinton, landed with a detachment of six hundred and fifty men, from Halifax, on the 16th of June, on the banks of the river Penobscot, in the state of Maine, and proceeded soon after to construct a fort in a well chosen situation. This occa- sioned an alarm at Boston ; to counteract the establishment of the post, measures were resolved upon. That armed vessels, trans- ports, and sailors might be secured tor the expedition, an embargo for forty days was laid by the state of Massachusetts on all its shipping. A considerable armament, consisting of eighteen armed vessels, besides transports, was fitted out with extraordi- nary dispatch. A body of land forces, commanded by General Lovel, embarked on this expedition. On the twenty-fifth of July, the Massachusetts fleet, consisting of thirty-seven sail, ap- peared off Penobscot. General Lovel, on his landing, sum- moned Colonel Mot lean to surrender, which being refused, he proceeded to erect a battery. A cannonading commenced, and was kept up for about two weeks, but without much effect. While the besiegers were making preparations for an assault, Sir George Collyer appeared in view, with a squadron, for the relief of the garrison. His marine force consisted of the Rai- sonable, of sixty-four guns, and five frigates. The Americans at first made a display of risistance, but it was only to give the transports time to move up the river and debark the troops. The superior force of the enemy was irresistible, and the escape of the Americans impracticable. A general flight on the one side, and a general pursuit on the other, took place. Sir George Collyer destroyed and captured seventeen vessels. The Ame- rican soldiers and sailors had to return a great part of their way by land through thick woods.
In the mean time hostilities between the fleets of France and Great Britain were carrying on in the East and West Indies, and the European seas, and along the coast of the United States.
In June, Spain declared war against Great Britain. This -
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event was altogether unexpected to the British ministry, who - had supposed that Spain, in as much as she possessed colonies, would not set so bad an example to them, as to give any coun- . tenance to the Americans. The event, however, demonstrated that nations are not always governed by fixed principles, and that similarity in circumstances does not occasion a similarity in action.
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The situation of Great Britain was at this time critical. She was weakened and distracted in a domestic contest, in which victory produced no solid advantages, but defeat its natural effects. In the midst of this wasting contest, in which her ability to reduce her revolted colonies was doubtful, she was suddenly involved in a new and much more dangerous war with one of the greatest powers in Europe. At this very time, when she was engaged in this double warfare, the Spaniards added their forces to that of her other foes.
In this situation an abandonment of the war with the United States was recommended by some of the leading men in the nation, but this recommendation was overruled by Parliament.
In the year 1779, though the war was carried on for little more than distress and depredation in the northern and middle states, the re-establishment of the British government was at- tempted in Carolina and Georgia. After the reduction of Sa- vannah, a great part of the state of Georgia was restored to the King's peace. The royal army was strengthened by a power- ful reinforcement from East Florida, and the whole was put under the command of General Provost. There were at that time but few continental troops in Georgia and South Carolina, and scarce any in North Carolina. A body of militia was de- tached by North Carolina to aid her sister states. These join- ed the continentals, but not before they had retreated out of Georgia, and taken post in South Carolina. Towards the close of the year, General Lincoln was appointed to take the command of the southern army, which then consisted of only a few hundred continentals. To supply the deficiency of regular troops, a considerable body of militia was ordered to join him, but they added much more to his numbers than to his effective
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force. They had not yet learned that implicit obedience was necessary to insure success in military operations. Accustom- ed to habits of freedom and independence, they reluctantly submitted to discipline. The royal army at Savannah, being reinforced by the troops from St. Augustine, was enabled to extend their posts. The first object was to take possession of Port Royal, in South Carolina. Major Gardiner, being de- tached with two hundred men, landed on the island, but Gene- ral Moultrie, at the head of an equal number of Americans, at- tacked and drove him off. This repulse restrained the British from attempting any immediate enterprise to the northward of Savannah, but they fixed posts at Ebenezer and Augusta, and extended themselves over a great part of Georgia; they also 'attempted to strengthen themselves, by means of the tories, in the western settlements of that state and North Carolina. Emis- saries were sent among the inhabitants of that description, to encourage them to a general insurrection. Several hundreds of them accordingly rose, and after rendezvousing, set off to join the royal army at Augusta. They had, however, no sooner embodied and begun their march, than they commenced such a scene of plunder on the defenceless settlements through which they passed, as induced the inhabitants to turn out to oppose them.
Colonel Pickins, with about three hundred men of the latter description, pursued and came up with them, when an action commenced, which ended in the defeat of the tories. Colonel Boyd, their leader, with forty men, were killed. . By this action the British were disconcerted in some of their plans ; the tories were dispersed-some ran quite off, while others returned home, and threw themselves on the mercy of their country. These were tried by the laws of South Carolina, and seventy were condemned to die, but the sentence was only executed on five of their ringleaders.
As the British extended their posts on the Georgia side of Savannah River, General Lincoln fixed encampments at Black Swamp, nearly opposite to Augusta, on the Carolina side. With the view of confining the British to the low country dear VOL. III. 39
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the ocean, General Lincoln formed a plan for crossing into Georgia. In the execution of this design, General Ash, with fifteen hundred North Carolina militia and a few regulars, after crossing the Savannah, took a position on Briar Creek ; but in a few days he was surprised by Lieutenant-colonel Provost, who, having made a circuitous march of fifty miles, came unex- pectedly on his rear with nine hundred men. The militia were thrown into confusion, and fled at the first fire. One hundred and fifty were killed, and one hundred and sixty-two were taken prisoners. Many were drowned in the Savannah River. Of those who escaped, a great part returned home. The conti- mentals, under Colonel Elbert, made a stout resistance, but were at length compelled to surrender. This untoward event deprived General Lincoln of one-fourth of his numbers, and opened a communication between the British, the Indians, and the tories of North and South Carolina.
Unexperienced in the art of war, the Americans were subject to those reverses of fortune which usually attend soldiers in their first essays. Unacquainted with military stratagems, deficient in discipline, and not thoroughly broken to habits of implicit obedience, they were often surprised, and had to learn, by re- peated misfortunes, the necessity of subordination and disci- pline.
The disasters which had followed the American arms since the landing of the British near Savannah, occasioned well- founded apprehensions for the safety of the adjacent states. The militia of South Carolina was, therefore, put on a better footing, and a regiment of cavalry was raised. John Rutledge was called to the chair of government, and invested, with his ' council, with dictatorial powers. He convened a numerous body of the militia near the centre of the state, that they might be in readiness to march whithersoever public service required. The original plan of penetrating into Georgia was resumed ; part of the American force was stationed on the north side of the Savannah, at Purrysburgh and Black Swamp, while Gene- ral Lincoln and the main army crossed into Georgia, near Au- gusta. General Provost availed himself of the moment when
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the American army had ascended one hundred and fifty miles, towards the source of the Savannah, and crossed into South Carolina, over the same river, near its mouth, with two thou- sand four hundred men, and a considerable body of Indians. The superior forces of the British soon compelled General Moultrie to retire. General Lincoln, on receiving information of this, detached three hundred of his light troops to the assis- tance of Moultrie, and then marched with his main army to- wards the capital of Georgia. He was induced to march on Savannah, from an idea that General Provost meant nothing more than to divert him by a feint on South Carolina; but when he found that the latter was pushing for Charleston, he re-crossed the Savannah and pursued him. The British pro- ceeded by the main road, near the coast, with little opposition, and in the mean time the Americans retreated before them to- wards Charleston. Meeting with little difficulty, and finding many of the inhabitants friendly to the royal cause, General Provost continued liis march, and about the tenth of May, ap- peared before the town, which was defended by three thousand three hundred men, mostly militia.
Meanwhile General Lincoln advanced with all possible dis- patch to the relief of Charleston. The British general, on learning this, retreated to the islands near the sea, in order to avoid being placed between two armies. Very soon after this, General Lincoln arrived in the vicinity of Charleston, and en- camped over against the enemy. On the twentieth of June, an attack was made by about twelve hundred Americans on seven hundred of the British posted at Stono Ferry ; but the latter, being protected by strong works, compelled the former to re- tire, with the loss of one hundred and fifty men.
Immediately after this affair, the militia, impatient of absence from their homes, returned, and about the same time the enemy left the islands adjacent to Charleston, retreating from one . island to another, till they reached Port Royal and Savannah.
This incursion, like those made in the middle and northern . states, contributed very little to the promotion of the royal cause, although it added much to the wealth of the officers and
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followers of the army. The forces under Provost spread them- selves over a considerable part of the richest settlements, and where there were the fewest white people in proportion to the . number of slaves. There was much to attract, and but little to oppose the invaders. Every place in their line of march ex- perienced the effects of their rapacity.
Soon after the retreat of the enemy, General Lincoln retired from Charleston, with the continentals, to Sheldon, where he remained till the arrival, on the coast of Georgia, of a French fleet, consisting of twenty sail of the line and thirteen frigates, under the command of Count D. Estaing. This was about the first of September, and his appearance was so unexpected, that a fifty gun ship and three frigates, belonging to the enemy, fell into his hands.
As soon as his arrival was known, General Lincoln decamp- ed, and marched for the vicinity of Savannah, for the purpose of acting in concert with the French, against the British. Or- ders were given for the militia of South Carolina and Georgia to rendezvous near the same place.
The British general, anticipating an attack from the Ameri- cans and French, set about strengthening the works at Savan- nah. The American militia, buoyed up with the hope of ex- pelling the enemy from Georgia, turned out with alacrity. D'Estaing, before the arrival of General Lincoln, demanded the surrender of the town to the arms of France. Provost asked a suspension of hostilities for twenty-four hours, for pre- paring terms of capitulation, which was granted. Before the twenty-four hours had elapsed, Lieutenant-colonel Maitland, with several hundred men, who had been stationed at Beaufort, made their way through many obstacles, and joined the royal army cooped up in Savannah. The general, encouraged by the arrival of this force, determined on resistance. The French and Americans, who formed a junction the evening after, were therefore reduced to the necessity of storming or besieging the place. The resolution of proceeding by siege being adopted, several days were unavoidably consumed in preparing for it. Meanwhile, the garrison were indefatigable in strengthening
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their works. The besiegers, on the fourth of October, opened their batteries on the town. . Soon after the commencement of the cannonade, Provost solicited for leave to send the women and children out of the place ; but this was refused. On a re- port from the engineers, that a considerable time would be necessary to reduce the garrison by regular approaches, it was determined to make an assault. This measure was forced on Count D'Estaing by his marine officers, who remonstrated against his continuing to risk so valuable a fleet on a danger- . ous coast, in the hurricane season, and at so great a distance from the shore. Under these circumstances, no farther delay, it was alleged, ought to be made. To assault or raise the siege was therefore the alternative. The former was agreed on. Two feints were made by the militia, and a real attack, with three thousand five hundred French troops, and nine hun- dred and fifty continentals and militia from Charleston. These marched up to the lines, under the command of the Count D'Estaing and General Lincoln, but a heavy and well directed fire threw the front of their columns into confusion, and it being found impossible to carry the place, a retreat was ordered. Count D.Estaing and Count Pulaski, were both wounded- the former slightly, but the lat er mortally. Six hundred and thirty-seven of the French, and upwards of two hundred of the Americans, were killed or wounded. The force of the garrison was between two and three thousand men. Immediately after this unsuccessful assault, the militia, almost universally, went home. Count D'Estaing re-embarked his troops, and left the - continent.
This visit of the French fleet to the coast of America, though unsuccessful as to its main object, was not without utility to the United States. It disconcerted the measures already di- gested by the British commanders, and caused a considerable waste of time before they could determine on a new plan of operations. It also occasioned the evacuation of Rhode Island.
The siege of Savannah being raised, the continentals, under General Lincoln, retreated over the river, and took post. The
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vicissitudes of an autumnal atmosphere made a severe impres. sion on the troops, exhausted as they were by fatigue, and de- jected by defeat. The Georgia exiles, who had assembled to re-possess themselves of their estates, were a second time oblig- ed to flee. The most gloomy apprehensions, respecting the southern states, took possession of the minds of the people.
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