Nations had taken an active part, and they were meditating fresh hostilities. Their bloody incursions excited a strong sensation throughout the United States, and produced the resolution to lead an overwhelming force into their territory, and to destroy their settlements.

The largest division of the army employed on that service assembled at Wyoming on a chief branch of the Susquehannah. Another division which had wintered on the Mohawk, marched under the orders of General Clinton, and joined the main body at the confluence of the two great sources of the Susquehannah. On the 22d of August the united force, amounting to nearly 5,000 men, under the command of General Sullivan, proceeded up the Cayuga, or western branch of the last-named river, which led directly into the Indian country. The preparations for this expedition did not escape the notice of those against whom it was directed, and the Indians seem fully to have penetrated Sullivan's plan of operation. Formidable as his force was, they determined to meet him, and try the fortune of a battle. They were about 1,000 strong, commanded by the two Butlers, Guy Johnson, M'Donald, and Brandt. They chose their ground with judgment, and fortified their camp at some distance above Chemung, and a mile in front of Newtown.

There Sullivan attacked them; and, after a short but spirited resistance, they retreated with precipitation. The Americans had thirty men killed or wounded; the Indians left only eleven dead bodies on the field; but they were so discouraged by this defeat, that they abandoned their villages and fields to the unresisted ravages of the victor, who laid waste their towns and orchards, so that they might have no inducement again to settle so near the states. The members of civilized society too faithfully imitated the savage enemy whom they assailed, in all the enormities of barbarous warfare.

This expedition gave little satisfaction to any of the parties concerned in planning or executing it, and Sullivan resigned his commission, and retired from the public service. In the course of the summer, the Indians on the southern frontier were also severely chastised; but although unable to resist the force sent against them, they made some sanguinary incursions into the provinces.

We have already seen that Admiral Count d'Estaing, after repairing his ships at Boston, sailed to the West Indies; whither he was followed by Admiral Byron with the British fleet, having on board a detachment of the army at New York, under General Grant. The French took the islands of Dominica, St. Vincent, and Grenada, and spread a general alarm throughout the West Indies. The British made themselves masters of St. Lucie; but this did not compensate for the loss of the islands already named. The season of the hurricanes approached; and D'Estaing, after an engagement with the British fleet, sailed toward the coast of North America.

Although General Prevost had been obliged to retire from Charleston, and to abandon the upper parts of Georgia; yet so long as he kept possession of the town of Savannah, and maintained a post at Beaufort, South Carolina was much exposed to hostile incursions. Therefore Governor Rutledge and General Lincoln earnestly pressed D'Estaing to repair to the Savannah, hoping by his aid to drive the British from Georgia. Plombard, the French consul at Charleston, joined in these solicitations. In compliance with their importunity, D'Estaing sailed from Cape François, in St. Domingo; and with twenty-two sail of the line, and a number of smaller vessels, having 6,000 soldiers on board, appeared off the Savannah, where he captured the Experiment, a fifty-gun ship, and some other British vessels.

General Lincoln, with about 1,000 men, marched to Zubly's ferry on the Savannah, but found more difficulty than he had anticipated in crossing the river and its marshes. On the evening of the 13th of September, however, he reach

ed the southern bank, and encamped on the heights of Ebenezer, twenty-three miles from the town of Savannah. There he was joined by Colonel M'Intosh, with his detachment, from Augusta. Pulaski's legion also arrived in camp. On the same day that Lincoln passed Zubly's ferry, D'Estaing landed 3,000 men at Beaulieu; and on the 16th of September the combined armies united their strength before the town of Savannah. That place was the headquarters of General Prevost, who commanded the British troops in the southern provinces. Apprehending no immediate danger, he had weakened his garrison by establishing some distant outposts in Georgia, and by leaving Colonel Maitland with a strong detachment at Beaufort, in the island of Port Royal in South Carolina ; but on the appearance of the French fleet, he immediately called in all his outposts; and before the French landed, or the Americans crossed the river, all the British detachments in Georgia had assembled at the town of Savannah, and amounted to nearly 2,000 men.

Even before the arrival of Lincoln, D'Estaing had summoned the place to surrender. But although General Prevost had exerted himself with great activity in strengthening the defences of the place from the moment that he heard of the appearance of the French fleet on the coast, yet his works were incomplete, and he was desirous of gaining time. He requested a suspension of hustilities for twenty-four hours, which was granted him. In that critical interval, Colonel Maitland, by extraordinary efforts, arrived with the garrison of Beaufort, and entered the town. Encouraged by this accession of strength, General Prevost now informed Count d'Estaing that he was resolved to defend the place to the last extremity. The combined armies determined to besiege the town, and made the necessary preparations for that purpose. Several days were spent in bringing up heavy artillery and stores from the fleet; and on the 23d of September, the besieging army broke ground before the town. By the 1st of October, they had advanced within 300 yards of the British works. Several batteries, mounting thirty-three pieces of heavy cannon and nine mortars, had for several days played incessantly on the garrison; and a floating battery of sixteen guns had also opened upon it from the river. But this cannonade made little impression on the works.

The situation of D'Estaing became extremely unpleasant. More time had already been spent in the siege than he had allotted for the expulsion of the British troops from that province. The French West India islands were exposed to danger in his absence; the tempestuous season of the year was setting in; a superior British fleet might come against him; and his officers strongly remonstrated against remaining longer in the Savannah. By continuing their regular approaches for a few days more, the besiegers would probably have made themselves masters of the place; but these few days D'Estaing could not spare. No alternative remained but to raise the siege, or storm the place. The last of these the French commander resolved to attempt. For that purpose, on the morning of the 9th of October, a heavy cannonade and bombardment opened on the town. Three thousand French, and 1,500 Americans, led by D'Estaing and Lincoln, advanced in three columns to the assault. A well-directed and destructive fire from the batteries opened upon them; but they resolutely advanced, broke through the abatis, crossed the ditch, and mounted the parapet. The French and Americans, with emulous valor, each planted a standard on a redoubt; but fell in great numbers in endeavoring to force their way into the works. While the assailants were vigorously opposed in front, the batteries galled their flanks. Count Pulaski, at the head of 200 horsemen, galloped between the batteries toward the town, with the intention of charging the garrison in the rear; but he fell mortally wounded, and his squadron was broken. The

vigor of the assailants began to abate; and, after a desperate conflict of fifty minutes, they were driven from the works, and sounded a retreat.

In this unsuccessful attack the French lost 700 men in killed and wounded, among the latter was Count d'Estaing himself; and the Americans 240. As the garrison, consisting of more than 2,000 men, fought for the most part under cover, their loss was comparatively small.

Both the French and Americans displayed much courage and steadiness in the attack; and, although unsuccessful, yet, instead of mutual accusations and reproaches, their respect for each other was increased.

After this repulse no hope of taking the town remained; and Count d'Estaing having removed his heavy artillery, both armies left their ground on the evening of the 18th of October. D'Estaing marched only two miles that evening, and remained in the same encampment next day, in order to cover General Lincoln's retreat, and secure him from a pursuit by the garrison. The Americans recrossed the Savannah at Zubly's ferry, and took a position in South Carolina. The militia returned home. The French, with all their artillery, ammunition, and baggage, embarked without delay; but scarcely were they on board when a violent storm arose, which so completely dispersed the fleet, that, of seven ships which the admiral ordered to Hampton Road in Chesapeake bay, one only was able to reach that place.

From the arrival of the French to assist in the siege of Savannah, the Americans had anticipated the most brilliant results; and the discomfiture of the combined forces at that place spread a deep gloom over the southern provinces, where the cause of independence seemed more desperate than at any former period of the war. Their paper money became more depreciated; the hopes of the loyalists revived; and many exiles returned to take possession of their estates; but they were soon obliged again to abandon their property, and to seek refuge among strangers.

On being informed by Lincoln of his circumstances, congress desired General Washington to order the North Carolina troops, and any other detachments he could spare from the northern army, to the aid of the southern provinces. At the same time they assured the inhabitants of South Carolina and Georgia of their watchful attention; and recommended to those states the filling up of their continental regiments, and a due regard to their militia while on actual service.

During the siege of Savannah, an ingenious enterprise of partisan warfare was executed by Colonel White of the Georgia line. Before the arrival of the French fleet in the Savannah, a British captain, with 111 men, had taken post near the river Ogeeche, twenty-five miles from Savannah. At the same place were five British vessels, four of which were armed, the largest with fourteen guns, the least with four; and the vessels were manned with forty sailors. Late at night, on the 30th of September, White, who had only six volunteers, including his own servant, kindled a number of fires in different places, so as to exhibit the appearance of a considerable encampment, practised several other corresponding artifices, and then summoned the captain instantly to surrender. That officer, believing that he was about to be attacked by a superior force, and that nothing but immediate submission could save him and his men from destruction, made no defence. The stratagem was carried on with so much address, that the prisoners, amounting to 141, were secured, and conducted to the American post at Sunbury, twenty-five miles distant.

The failure of the attack on Savannah, with the departure of the French fleet from the coast of America, presented a gloomy prospect, and was the forerunner of many calamities to the southern states. By their courage and vigor the northern provinces had repelled the attacks of the enemy, and discouraged future attempts against them. But, although the brave defence of Sullivan's isl