the contrary, thought the publick faith and his own honour pledged, as will be seen by his letter which follows. "It may be thought, (says he) contrary to our interest to go into an exchange, as the enemy would derive more immediate advantage from it than we should but on principles of genuine extensive policy, independent of the consideration of compassion and justice, we are under an obligation not to elude it. An event of this kind is the general wish of the country. I know it to be the wish of the army, and it must be the ardent wish of the unhappy sufferers themselves, Should the exchange be deferred, till the terms of the last resolve of Congress on the subject are fulfilled, it will be difficult to prevent our being generally accused with a breach of good faith. Speculative minds may consider all our professions as mere professions, or at least, that interest and policy are to be the only arbiters of their validity. I cannot doubt that Congress, in preservation of the publick faith and my personal honour, will remove all impediments, that now oppose themselves to my engagements, and will authorise me, through commissioners, to settle as extensive and competent a cartel as may appear advantageous and necessary, any resolutions heretofore to the contrary, notwithstanding."

This letter produced the effect of relieving Washington in some measure from his unpleasant embarrassment, as Congress soon after resolved that he might proceed in his arrangements for an exchange without excluding those prisoners whose accounts remained unsettled. Commissioners were consequently appointed on both sides; but mutual objections

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arose to every thing like a general proposal, and the affair was left in its former state.

Let us now turn our attention for a few moments to the South, which for a period of more than eighteen months had enjoyed a state of almost uninterrupted tranquillity. In the spring of the present year, a small expedition was sent from Georgia under Cap⚫tain Willing, against the British settlements in West Florida. They were wholly without protection, and surrendered to Captain Willing without resistance. Another expedition was soon after undertaken by General Robert Howe, against East Florida, at the head of about 2,000 men, chiefly militia of South Carolina and Georgia, which proved greatly unfortu nate to the Americans. They proceeded to Fort Tonyn, in the St. Mary's River, which upon their approach was destroyed by the British, who retired to St. Augustine. They met with little or no opposition from the enemy; but the season being uncommonly sickly, and the men unaccustomed to the climate, they were unable to pursue their advantages, disease broke out among them to an alarming degree, and after losing nearly one fourth of their number, they returned without having effected any thing.

Sir Henry Clinton, in the mean time, finding that he was not likely to effect any thing of importance in the north, determined upon making an attempt for the conquest of Georgia. The views of Sir Henry in this expedition, extended even further than the mere conquest of a province; he calculated upon opposing such an effectual barrier to the commerce of South Carolina, as should ensure to his government all the advantages of the southtern trade, and finally, by exposing South Carolina to constant inroads from

the force which he should be able to maintain there, force that colony to recede from the union, and return to her obedience to his king. These were comprehensive projects, better calculated to make a noise in Europe, than to produce any lasting advantage either to Sir Henry or his government.

The command of the land forces destined for this expedition, was entrusted to Colonel Campbell: they consisted of two battalions of Hessians, four battalions of provincials, the 71st Regiment of foot, and a detachment of royal artillery, in all about 2,000 men. Transports were provided for them at Sandy Hook, and they embarked on the 27th November, with an escort of several ships of war under the command of Commodore Hyde Parker. General Prevost who commanded the troops in East Florida, had received orders to cooperate with this expedition, by invading Georgia with all the troops that could be collected, and spared from the defence of St. Augustine. The fleet arrived at the island of Tybee, near the mouth of the river Savannah, on the 23d December, and after several day's delay, during which they received exact information of the American defences of the river, they proceeded on the 28th up the river to the landing place, which from the swampy nature of the ground, was a narrow causeway of several hundred yards in length, and of course well calculated for defence. But the whole force destined for the protection of Georgia, amounted to no more than about 800 men, under General Howe. About 50 only of these under Captain Smith, were posted on a piece of rising ground at the head of the causeway to oppose the landing of the enemy; while General Howe himself took a position about half a mile from the

town of Savannah, on the main road leading to the landing place.

Colonel Campbell having made a judicious arrangement of his forces, ordered that Lieutenant Colonel Maitland should land with the first division at day-break on the morning of the 29th. This division consisted of all the light infantry, the NewYork volunteers, and the first battalion of the 71st. Captain Cameron was the first to land with his light company, and pushing forward along the causeway, was killed by the first fire from the party under Captain Smith. His company continued their march, and Smith and his little party were obliged to abandon their post. The whole British army having now landed, Colonel Campbell proceeded to move towards the position of General Howe, having left a small detachment to guard the landing place. He pursued the main road, on the left of which was a thickly wooded swamp, and on the right, plantations of rice a small road crossed the grand route at a small distance from the head of the causeway, at which Colonel Campbell posted a part of the Wissenbach regiment, as a rear guard. The march of the army from the nature of the ground was necessarily slow and cautious and Colonel Campbell did not come within the proper distance for the commencement of his plan of attack until 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

The position of General Howe was by nature strong and difficult of access. His little army was formed in two divisions, one on each side of the road on the right was Colonel Eugee with two regiments of South Carolina troops, his right protected by the wood and morass before mentioned on the

left of the wood was posted Colonel Elliot, with three broken battalions of the Georgia troops, having the river on their left and rice swamps in front. In their rear was a small fort on Savannah Bluff, and the town of Savannah. They had one piece of artillery at each extremity of their line, and two on the great road in their centre, in front of which a deep trench had been cut, which connected the two swamps; and a little in front of the trench ran a swampy brook, the bridge leading over which had been destroyed. General Howe, supposing the woody morass on his right to be impenetrable, and that the enemy would of necessity be compelled to attack him on the left, fancied himself secure; but unfortunately a negro who had fallen into the hands of the enemy, gave them information of a private path which led through the morass. Colonel Campbell immediately saw the advantage which this would give him, and directed Sir James Baird with the light infantry and the New York Volunteers to pursue it, while he formed his artillery in a masked position, ready to open upon the American line, as soon as he should hear that Sir James had gained their right flank. This manœuvre succeeded but too well: Sir James readily gained his object, coming completely round into the rear of Colonel Euger, and at that moment the enemy's artillery unmasked, and the 71st moved briskly up in front.

General Howe saw too late the danger of his situation; attacked at once in front and rear, by a force so much his superiour, he was compelled to order an immediate and precipitate retreat. The British pursued with the ardour of victory, and did great execution, driving the Americans through the town of Savannah, in which they bayonetted many of the de28

VOL. II.