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Greene, with 1,500. The town of Springfield was burned, but Greene, taking a strong position, stopped the advance of the enemy, and he retired to Staten Island.

July 10-The Count de Rochambeau, with a fleet and 6,000 French troops, arrives at Newport, R. I. They are blockaded by the British.

Aug. 6—Col. Sumter gains a brilliant victory at Hanging Rock, S. C.

16-Battle of Camden, between Lord Cornwallis and Gen. Gates. The American army was superior in numbers (5,600; Cornwallis not much more than 2,000). Gates' army was largely composed of militia, which caught a panic at the first attack. The Americans lost 1,800 killed, wounded, and prisoners. British loss, 325.

18-Tarleton surprises and totally defeats Sumter. Sept. 21-Major André, of the British army, arranges with

Arnold for the surrender of the fortress of West

Point, on the Hudson, to the British. The plot miscarries, Arnold escapes, and André is captured.

Oct. 2-Major André is hung as a spy.

7-The British commander, Ferguson, is defeated and
killed by a body of American back-woodsmen, at
Kings Mountain, South Carolina. 300 British
killed and wounded, and 800 made prisoners

John Hart, of New Jersey, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, died this year.
1781.

Jan. An insurrection broke out among the Pennsylvania
and other troops of the American army in this month,
on account of the failure of Congress to pay them.
It threatened serious consequences, but was subdued
by the moderation and influence of Washington.
4-Arnold, the traitor, landed in Virginia, and laid waste
the country.

17-Battle of the "Cowpens," South Carolina. Colonel Morgan, American, totally defeated Colonel Tarleton, who lost six hundred men, with his baggage and artillery. Morgan lost eighty men.

Feb. 23-George Taylor, of Pennsylvania, signer of the Declaration of Independence, died.

28-Richard Stockton, of New Jersey signer of the Declaration of Independence, died.

15-Battle of Guildford Court House North Carolina. Gen. Greene, American commander, and Lord Cornwallis, after long skirmishing, came to a battle. Greene's army was mostly raw militia, which broke and fled. Greene was worsted, but retreated in quiet. His loss was 400; Cornwallis', 500. So heavy a loss was as bad as a defeat to Cornwallis.

Apr. 25-Battle of Hobkirks Hill. General Greene attacked by Lord Rawdon. The Americans driven from the field. Loss on each side, 250.

May 10-Lord Rawdon evacuates Camden, South Carolina. 21-Several British forts in South Carolina captured by Marion and Sumter, the British losing in them 800 troops.

28-The American frigate Alliance captures two British sloops of war.

June 5-General Pickens, with militia, captures Augusta,

Georgia. Lafayette had been maneuvering with the British forces in Virginia since April, with great ability. Though much inferior, he constantly held them in check, and avoided a battle.

July 6-Cornwallis, after a sharp skirmish with Lafayette, at Jamestown, retires to Portsmouth, Virginia. The

British troops had, in three months, destroyed $10,000,000 worth of property in Virginia.

Aug. 1-Cornwallis takes post at Yorktown, Virginia, and fortifies it. His force consists of 8,000 men.

17-It is arranged that the combined French and Amer-
ican forces shall attack Cornwallis, in Virginia.
25-Supplies and money for the American armies landed
at Boston, from France.

Sept 5-Forts Trumbull and Griswold, in Connecticut, taken by the British, under Arnold, with circumstances of great atrocity, and New London burned.

8-Battle of Eutaw Springs. Both sides claim the victory. The loss was about equal-seven hundred on each side. The advantage, in the end, was in favor of the Americans, though they were repulsed. The British soon retired.

10 The French fleet enter the Chesapeake Bay with heavy artilery for the siege of Yorktown, while De Grasse, the French Admiral, with a large squadron, guards the entrance against the British.

Oct. 6-The allied army, 16,000 strong, commence the siege of Yorktown.

19-Cornwallis surrenders Yorktown, and 7,000 troops, prisoners of war.

25-Colonel Willett repulses 600 tories, at Johnstown, New York, with loss.

Dec 31-Henry Laurens, United States Minister to France, sometime a prisoner in London, England, was exchanged for Gen. Burgoyne.

1782.

The war was now practically concluded. The finances of the United States, the sad condition of which had so much interfered with the collection and support of strong and welldisciplined armies, had been lately supported by loans from France and Holland. The Americans were stronger than ever, the British could not hold possession even of the Southern States, where there were more royalist inhabitants than further north; and the aid of France on the sea really made the Americans invincible. England could no longer raise the money or the troops to continue the struggle.

The year 1782 was mostly spent in negotiations. The dif culties of arranging the terms were great; and the boundaries of the new Government were a subject of much dispute. Mar. 4-Resolutions were passed in the English Parliament, in favor of peace.

Apr. 19-Holland acknowledges American independence. July 11-Savannah, Georgia, evacuated by the British, and occupied by General Wayne. The British carried off 5,000 negroes. Great discontent arose in the army in regard to pay, and only the great influence of Washington, and the wise moderation of American statesmen in Congress, prevented serious outbreaks. Franklin, Adams, Jay, and Laurens, were the American Commissioners who arranged terms of peace. Various Indian wars raged on the frontiers during this year.

1783.

Jan. 20-The preliminary treaty, providing for the cessation of hostilities between England and the United States, was signed.

Feb. 5-The Independence of the United States acknowledged by Sweden.

Mar. 24-The Independence of the United States acknowledged by Denmark.

The Independence of the United States acknowledged by Spain.

Apr. 19 Cessation of hostilities officially proclaimed in the United States-just eight years from the beginning

of the war. Estimated loss of men during the war, seventy thousand.

CHAPTER IX.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1787.

THE successful termination of the Revolutionary War of seven years made the United Colonies which had commenced it, in fact, as well as in their Declaration, Free and Independent States. Toward the close of the war they had adopted Articles of Confederation. These were soon found to be inadequate to secure the general welfare, and without sufficient authority to carry their measures into effect. No sufficient means were supplied by them to maintain the public credit, and all the interests of the country languished.

They formed the Bond of Union for six years or more, and served an excellent purpose in calling the attention of statesmen and the people to the points most important in the constitution of a vigorous government. It was the trial essay, and the intelligence of the leading men of that period turned it to great profit.

In 1786 the legislature of Virginia proposed a convention of commissioners to improve the condition of trade and commerce. These commissioners met and recommended Congress to call a General Convention to revise the Articles of Confederation. This convention assembled in May, 1787, in Philadelphia; all the States except Rhode Island being represented. George Washington was chosen president. The members of this convention were the representatives of a people who had proved their firmness and attachment to liberty during a long war and against great difficulties. The delegates were men of tried patriotism, and the event has proved their wise and discrimi

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