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deed fully justified by the result of this military investigation, and treated with the utmoft respect by the army, and by the inhabitants on his return to Virginia. Yet the tide of fame ebbed faft before him: but the impreffion made by his valor and military glory could never be erased.

The most exalted minds may, however, be clouded by misfortunes. Chagrined by his defeat, and the confequences attending it, the climax of his affliction was completed by the death of an amiable wife, and the lofs of his only fon, a very hopeful youth, who died about the fame time. This honeft republican, whofe determined fpirit, uncorruptible integrity, and military merits, had been fo eminently useful to America in many critical emergencies, retired to Traveller's Reft, his feat in Virginia, where he continued until the temporary prejudice against him had fubfided, when he again refumed his rank in the army.

After a little time had diffipated the fudden impreffion made by his ill fuccefs and retreat, it was allowed by almoft every one, that general Gates was not treated by congress with all

"treat in the world was little better than a flight." The duke however gained, rather than loft reputation thereby. He resumed his high rank, as a commander of the first abilities, and lived and died crowned with military fame and applaufe.

SIEGE OF ROUEN..... Mod. Univ. Hiftory.

the delicacy, or indeed gratitude, that was due to an officer of his acknowledged merit. He however received the orders for fuperfedure and fufpenfion, and refigned the command to general Greene with becoming dignity.

With a generosity and candor characteristic of himself, general Greene, who fucceeded in the southern command, on all occafions vindicated the reputation of general Gates, who was fully reftored to the good opinion of his countrymen ; and continued to act an honorable part till the conclufion of the war. General Greene invariably afferted, that if there was any mif take in the conduct of Gates, it was in hazarding an action at all against such superior forces, not in his retreating after the battle was irretrievably loft. There was a large clafs, who from various motives, after the misfortunes of general Gates, endeavoured to vilify his name, and detract from his character.

It may be observed in this, as in innumerable inftances in the life of man, that virtue and talents do not always hold their rank in the public esteem. Malice, intrigue, envy, and other adventitious circumftances, frequently caft a fhade over the most meritorious characters; and fortune, more than real worth, not seldom establishes the reputation of her favorites, in the opinion of the undiscerning multitude, and hands them down to pofterity with laurels on their brow, which perhaps they never earned,

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while characters of more intrinfic excellence, are vilified or forgotten. General Gates however, had the confolation at all times to reflect on the juft and univerfal plaudits he received, for the glorious termination of his northern campaign, and the many advantages which accrued to America, from the complete conqueft of fuch a formidable body of her foes.

Lord Cornwallis did not reap all the advantages he had expected from his victory at Camden. His feverity did not aid his defigns, though he fanctioned by proclamations the most fummary executions of the unhappy fufferers, who had by compulfion borne arms in the British service, and were afterwards found enlifted under the banners of their country, in oppofition to royal authority. Many of this defcription fuffered immediate death, in confequence of the order of the commander in chief, while their houses were burned, and their families obliged to fly naked to the wilderness to feek fome miferable shelter. Indeed little lefs feverity could have been expected, from circumftances not favorable to the character of a Britifh nobleman.

Whether ftimulated by refentment, aroused by fear, or prompted by a wifh to depopulate a country they defpaired of conquering, is uncertain; it is true, however, that fome of the British commanders when coming to action, obferved in general orders, that they wanted no

1780.

prifoners and it was faid, that even lord Corn- CHAP. XVII. wallis had fometimes given the fame cruel intimation, to troops too much disposed to barbarity, without the countenance of their fuperiors.

The outrages of Tarleton and other Britifli partifans, who cruelly and fuccessfully ravaged the Carolinas, exemplified in too many inftances, that the account of this difpofition is not exaggerated. Their licentioufnefs was for feveral weeks indulged, without any check to their wanton barbarities. But the people daily more and more alienated from the royal cause, by a feries of unthought of miferies, inflicted and fuffered in confequence of its fuccefs; the inhabitants of the ftate of North Carolina, as well as of South Carolina and Georgia, and indeed the fettlers on the more diftant borders, were, in a few weeks after the battle of Camden, every where in motion, to stop the progress of British depredation and power. For a time these fierce people were without connected fyftem, regular difcipline or fubordination, and had scarcely any knowledge of each other's defigns. Small parties collected under any officer who had the courage to lead them on, and many fuch they found, ready to facrifice every thing to the liberty they had enjoyed, and that independence they wifhed to maintain.

From the defultory movements of the British after the battle of Camden, and the continual

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refiftance and unceasing activity of the Americans, attack and defeat, surprise and escape, plunder, burning, and devaftation, pervaded the whole country, when the aged, the helpless, the women, and the children, alternately fell the prey of oppofite partifans. But the defeat of major Ferguson, a brave and favorite officer, early in autumn, was a blow that difcovered at once the spirit of the people, and opened to lord Cornwallis the general difaffection of that part of the country, where he had been led to place the moft confidence.

Major Ferguson had for feveral weeks taken poft in Tryon county, not far diftant from the western mountains. He had there collected a body of royalifts, who united with his regular detachments, spread terror and dismay through all the adjacent country. This aroufed to action all who were capable of bearing arms, in oppofition to his defigns. A body of militia collected in and about the highlands of North Carolina: a party of Hunter's riflemen, a number of the steady yeomanry of the country, in fhort, a numerous and refolute band, in defiance of danger and fatigue, determined to drive him from his ftrong pofition on a pot called King's Mountain. Under various commanders who had little knowledge of each other, they feemed all to unite in the defign of hunting down this useful prop of British authority, in that part of the country.