1781.]

BATTLE OF EUTAW.

285

longer expecting aid from French troops about to return home, decided again to engage the British force in South Carolina.

Hearing of Greene's approach, the British army retired to Eutaw. They were there attacked on the eighth of September. On a steady charge under Colonel Williams and Lieutenant-colonel Campbell, part of the British line broke, and fled in confusion. The sharp conflict that took place with the remainder was terminated by a charge of Lee's cavalry, when the British force was wholly driven from the field: but a detachment having taken shelter in a three-storied brick house, all attempts to dislodge them proved fruitless. The broken battalions were then rallied, and again brought into action; and in a charge by Colonel Washington his horse was killed, when he fell, and was taken prisoner. The battle was obstinately continued on both sides, without any thing decisive, when Greene withdrew his troops to the ground they had occupied in the morning.

In this action, which Greene regarded as a victory, the American killed, wounded and missing were five hundred and fifty-five. The loss of the British was six hundred and ninety-three. Their respective forces were about equal. Lord Rawdon having returned to England, the British were commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Stuart.

In the pecuniary difficulties of the United States, Mr. Robert Morris was now appointed superintendent of finances, in which department he had peculiar skill; and though he could not supply the deficiency of money, he greatly mitigated its evils. One of his expedients was the establishment of a national bank, the paper and credit of which greatly aided the impoverished treasury of the Union; and these services have justly ranked him

286

ARNOLD INVADES CONNECTICUT.

[CHAP. III.

among the most efficient instruments of American independence.

The respective forces under Washington and De Rochambeau having, after some unexpected delays, assembled at Dobbs' Ferry, they there awaited the arrival of the French fleet, under the Count de Grasse, before they attacked New York. A reinforcement of about three thousand British having arrived there, Clin-. ton countermanded his order for a part of Cornwallis's troops, and that General was ordered to occupy a more central position in Virginia than Portsmouth.

Washington was now informed that the Count de Grasse was on his way from St. Domingo to the Chesapeake, having on board three thousand two hundred soldiers, and that he had engaged to return to the West Indies by the middle of October. The American General decided to change his plans, and to bend all his efforts against Cornwallis, instead of New York. He, however, took great pains to conceal this change of purpose from the enemy, by his own movements, and by letters intended to be intercepted. He succeeded so well, that even when he had begun his march towards Virginia, Clinton was led to believe that it was merely to draw him from New York, and then attack him with a superior force.

Washington waited until he heard that De Grasse had entered the Chesapeake, when he crossed the Delaware for that Bay, and thus his purpose was made manifest to all. Clinton then, as his last resort, made an effort to recall Washington by an invasion of Connecticut under Arnold. New London was captured by the traitor, after a spirited defence, and the garrison at Fort Griswold inhumanly put to the sword. The town and the stores it contained, were consigned to the flames.

1781.]

SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS.

287

Washington, however, was not to be thus diverted from his purpose. He proceeded to Virginia with the Count de Rochambeau and Chevalier de Chastellux, De Grasse, at the Capes, met with a British fleet, which, though inferior in numbers, ventured to engage him. He did not decline an action, but would not thereby put to hazard the more important object of capturing Cornwallis. He therefore so used his advantage of being to windward as to decline a close action, and to secure the safe entrance of the squadron under Barras, from Rhode Island, into the Bay.

Lord Cornwallis, not deeming Portsmouth a safe station, had made a selection of Yorktown, on York River, twelve miles below Williamsburg.

The allied armies proceeded at once to this place, and proposing to besiege it, opened their first parallel on the sixth of October, within six hundred yards of the British lines. The second parallel was opened on the eleventh; and two redoubts which annoyed the besiegers were gallantly taken by assault-one by French troops, commanded by Alexander Hamilton; and the other by American troops, commanded by La Fayette, both of whom, though justly provoked by the course pursued at New London under similar circumstances, disdained to follow the unworthy example. Cornwallis finding further resistance unavailing, was disposed to make the desperate attempt of crossing the river over to Gloucester Point; and cutting his way through the American force stationed there, to aim at reaching New York by forced marches. But a storm prevented an attempt which could scarcely have succeeded. No course was now left but for him to capitulate; and he did so on the nineteenth of October. The army, and all that belonged to it, was surrendered to Washington; and the ships and seamen to the Count de

288

CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES.

LCHAP. III. Grasse. The total amount of prisoners, exclusive of seamen, was about seven thousand. The loss sustained in the siege was five hundred and twenty-two. The allied army was estimated at sixteen thousand, of whom seven thousand were French.

This capture filled the country with pride and exultation, and no one doubted that it must soon put an end to British hostilities, which the experience of six years had shown were as unavailing as they were burdensome and expensive. The French fleet sailed for the West Indies, and the Commander-in-chief proceeded to Philadelphia.

After the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, the British post at Wilmington, in North Carolina, was evacuated. Their troops in Georgia were concentrated at Savannah, and subsequently the troops in South Carolina were collected in Charleston.

Congress, as early as the tenth of December, after a conference of a committee of their body with General Washington, assisted by the heads of departments, decided on the requisitions to be made of the States, and other preparations for the next campaign. The General addressed a circular letter to the States, in which he impressed them with the necessity of a strict and early compliance with these requisitions, to make the next a decisive campaign.

It having now become evident to all unbiassed minds that Great Britain could not hope to reduce her former colonies again to subjection, a cessation of hostilities was pressed in Parliament by the Opposition, and finally prevailed. A change of administration soon followed, and the ministry had the sanction of Parliament to conclude a peace. Sir Guy Carleton, who had succeeded Sir Henry Clinton in command of New York, and was appointed, with Admiral Digby, a Commissioner to negotiate a peace,

1782.]

INDEPENDENCE ACKNOWLEDGED.

289

communicated these facts to General Washington and to Congress. The only immediate effect of these measures was to suspend all further active military operations on both sides. Other communications of the same conciliatory character having been received from General Carleton, the jealousy of the French minister was excited, and to quiet his fears, Congress passed a resolution that they would enter into no discussion relative to pacification, but in concert with His most Christian Majesty.

In July, 1782, the British garrisons were withdrawn from Savannah, and from Charleston on the fourteenth of December. After a protracted negotiation, preliminaries of peace were signed at Paris on the twentieth of January, 1783, by which the Independence of the United States was formally acknowledged.

[NOTE.-In narrating the events of the War of the Revolution, I have principally relied on the authority of Gordon, Marshall, the Annual Register, and Sparks's Writings of Washington, all of whom are distinguished both for fairness and accuracy.]

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