CHAP. XV. 1779. ariftocracy, is the moft productive of vaffalage and mifery, is a problem yet undecided. We leave deeper politicians to determine if they can, which is the moft abhorrent to the feelings of humanity. But the difcuffion of the conftitution of the Poles, is not a part of the bufinefs of the present work. Yet the ruin of Poland may be viewed as an example and a warning to other nations, particularly to those who enjoy a free, elective, representative gov ernment. CHAPTER XVI. Sir Henry Clinton and Admiral Arbuthnot fail for South Carolina. Charleston invefted-Capitulates.-General Lincoln and his Army Prifoners of War.-General Clinton returns to New York.-Lord Cornwallis's Com mand and Civil Administration in Charleston.-Mr. Gadfden and other Gentlemen fufpected, and fent to St. Auguftine.-Much Oppofition to British Authority in both the Carolinas.-The Count de Rochambeau and the Admiral de Tiernay arrive at Newport.-Brit ish Depredations in the Jerfies. Catastrophe of Mr. Caldwell and his Family.-Armed Neutrality.-Some Obfervations on the State of Ireland.--Riots in Enland. Curfory Obfervations. 1779. FROM the unavoidable inactivity of the CHAP. xvi. Americans in fome parts of the continent, and the misfortunes that had attended their arms in others, in the fummer of one thousand feven hundred and feventy-nine, fir Henry Clinton was left without any impediment, to profecute a well concerted expedition to the fouthern colonies. The opulence of the planters there, the want of discipline in their militia, the distance and difficulty of reinforcing them, and the fickly state of the inhabitants, promised an eafy conqueft and a rich harveft to the in vaders. CHAP. XVI. 1779. The fummer and autumn paffed off; and it was late in the month of December, before general Clinton embarked. He had a strong body of troops, and a forcible fquadron commanded by admiral Arbuthnot, who accompanied him; but they proceeded heavily on their 1780. way; and it was not until the ensuing spring was far advanced, that the admiral paffed the bar, and made himself master of the harbor of Charleston. The Americans flattered themselves for fome time, that they fhould be able to make an ef fectual refiftance to the paffage of the British fleet up the Cooper river: (this paffes on one fide, and the Ashley runs on the other of the town of Charleston :) but they foon abandoned every ground to the potent English, except the town of Charleston, which they determined to defend to the laft extremity. Governor Rutledge was vefted by the legif. lature with very extraordinary powers, which he was obliged to exercise in their full latitude. This gentleman had acted on all occafions with spirit and judgment becoming his character, both as a foldier and a magiftrate. He immediately called out the militia; and published a proclamation, directing all the inhabitants who claimed any property in the town, to repair immediately to the American standard, on pain of confifcation. Though couched in strong and 1780. fevere terms, this proclamation had little effect. CHAP. XVI. The manifeft reluctance of fome to oppofe the power of Britain, the dread that others felt of fo potent an adverfary, the ill fuccefs of the American arms in Georgia, the furprife of the cavalry and other parties that were coming to their relief, the arrival of British reinforcements, and the rapid advance they made to conqueft, appalled the inhabitants, and obliged the citizens foon to abandon all hopes of even faving their town. The firft fummons of furrender, on the fixteenth of April, was rejected by the American commander, though it announced the dreadful confequences of a cannonade and ftorm, which would foon be the unhappy fate of Charleston, "should the place, in fallacious fecurity, or the "commander, in wanton indifference to the "fate of the inhabitants, delay a furrender." General Lincoln replied, that he had received the joint fummons of general Clinton and admiral Arbuthnot; that "fixty days had paffed "fince it had been known, that their intentions 66 against the town of Charleston were hoftile; "in which, time had been afforded to abandon "it; but that duty and inclination pointed to "him the propriety of defending it to the last "extremity." After this decided answer, the most vigorous operations enfued on both fides, but with great CHAP. XV 1780. advantage in favor of the British, till the eighth of May, when fir Henry Clinton again called on the American commander, to prevent the farther effufion of blood, by an immediate furrender. He warned him, that "if he refused "this laft fummons, he fhould throw on him "the charge, of whatever vindictive severity "an exafperated foldiery might inflict on the 66 unhappy people: that he fhould wait his an"fwer till eight o'clock, an hour beyond which, "refiftance would be temerity." General Lincoln fummoned a council on this occafion, who were unanimoufly of opinion, that articles of capitulation fhould be propofed.* The terms offered were feveral of them rejected, others were mutilated; and all relaxation or qualification being refufed by the British commander, it was as unanimoufly agreed, that hoftilities fhould again re-commence on the enfuing day. Accordingly, an inceffant fire was kept up from the ninth to the eleventh, when an address from the principal inhabitants of the town, and a number of the country militia, expreffed their fatisfaction in the terms already offered by general Clinton: at the fame time, * This general view of the fiege and furrender of Charleston, is principally collected from general Lincoln's defence and apology in a letter to general Washington, which the author was favored with the perufal of in manufcript, by general Lincoln. |