prefented. They, however, held out during the remainder of their ftay, the fame favourable conditions, and fhould fill retain the fame conciliatory difpofition and fentiments, which they had hitherto propofed or manifested.

The Commiffioners then thought it neceffary to inform and warn the people, of the total and material change which was to take place, in the whole nature and future conduct of the war, if they fhould still perfevere in their obftinacy; more efpecially, as that was founded upon the pretended alliance with France. Upon this fubject they expreffed themfelves as follows: "The policy, as well " as the benevolence of Great "Britain, had hitherto checked "the extremes of war, when

jects, and to defolate a country, fhortly to become again a "fource of mutual advantage; "but when that country profeffes "the unnatural defign, not only

of eftranging herfelf from us, "but of mortgaging herfelf and "her refources to our enemies, "the whole conteft is changed; and the queftion is, how far "Great Britain may, by every means in her power, deftroy or "render useless, a connection contrived for her ruin, and for "the aggrandizement of France. "Under fuch circumftances, the laws of felf-prefervation muft direct the conduct "Great Britain; and, if the "British Colonies are to become "an acceffion to France, will di"rect her to render that accef "fion of as little avail as poffible to her enemy."

of

The first act of the Con10th. grefs in confequence of this manifefto, was a cautionary declaration or notice to the public, ftating, that as there was every reafon to expect, that their unnatural enemies, defpairing of being able to enflave and fubdue them by open force, would, as the last effort, ravage, burn, and deftroy every city and town on that continent, which they could come at; they therefore ftrongly recommended to all thofe people, who lived in places expefed to their ravages, immediately to build huts, at the distance of at leaft thirty miles from their prefent habitations, whither they were to convey their wives, children, cattle, and effects, with all who were incapable of bearing arms, on the firft alarm of the enemy,

So far, the policy of the meafure was prudent and juftifiable; but the following claufe of this public inftrument, however coloured by a difplay of humanity, confined merely to terms, towards its conclufion, or even covered under the pretence of being intended only to operate in terrorem, can fcarcely elcape condemnation, as being exceedingly reprehenfible and unjuft in its principle. The refolution is couched in the following words, viz. "That immediately when the

enemy begin to burn or destroy any town, it be recommended "to the people of thefe ftates, to "fet fire, to ravage, burn and

destroy, the houses and properties of all Tories, and ene"mies to the freedom and inde"pendence of America, and fecure the perfons of fuch, fo as to prevent them from aflifting “ the

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ss the enemy, always taking care, "not to treat them or their fami"lies with any wanton cruelties, "as we do not wifh, in this par"ticular, to copy after our ene"mies, or their German, negro, " and copper-coloured allies."

This was followed, in about three weeks, by a counter manifetto on the part of the Congress, filled with bitterness and acrimony. In this they boaft, that fince they could not prevent, they ftrove, at leaft, to alleviate the calamities of war; had studied to fpare thofe who were in arms against them, and to lighten the chains of captivity. In contraft to this portrait of their own conduct, they drew a hideous picture of those enormities which they attributed to the other fide. They charge their enemy with having laid waste the open country, burned the defenceless villages, and having butchered the citizens of America. That their prifons had been the flaughterhoufes of her foldiers, their fhips of her feamen, and, that the feverest injuries had been aggravated by the groffeft infults. That, foiled in their vain attempt to fubjugate the unconquerable fpirit of freedom, they had meanly affailed the reprefentatives of America with bribes, with deceit, and with the fervility of adulation.

As a fpecimen of the fpirit which inspired this piece, and the acrimony with which it abounds, we shall give the following paffage in their own language- They "have made a mock of humanity, by the wanton deftruction of "men: they have made a mock "of religion, by impious appeals "to God, whilft in the violation " of his facred commands: they

have made a mock even of

proclaim, that if our enemies "prefume to execute their threats,

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or perfift in their prefent career "of barbarity, we will take fuch "exemplary vengeance as fhall "deter others from a like con"duct. We appeal to that God "who fearcheth the hearts of men, "for the rectitude of our inten"' tions. And in his holy pre"fence we declare, that as we are "not moved by any light and

hafty fuggeftions of anger or re

venge, fo through every pof"fible change of fortune, we will "adhere to this our determina"❝tion."

Thus, unhappily, did the fecond commiffion for the restoration of peace in America, prove as futile in the event as the former. Although it would be too much to affirm, that any propofal made by the commiffioners, or any circumftances attending their miffion, could have been productive of the defired effect, after the conclufion of the French treaties; it would however feem, that nothing could have been more untoward in point of time, and more fubverfive of

the

the purposes of their commiffion, than the fudden retreat from Philadelphia, which took place almost at the inftant of its being opened. However neceffary this measure might have been, confidered in a military view, the difgrace of a retreat, and the lofs of a province, were undoubtedly omens very inaufpicious to the opening of a negociation. It has been publicly faid, (however strange it must appear) that one of the commiffioners, at leaft, was totally unacquainted, even at the time of their arrival, that this measure was not only intended, but that the orders for its execution actually accompanied their miffion.

As if Fortune had defigned, that this commiflion fhould have been diftinguished in every part of its exiftence from all others, it was alfo attended with the fingular circumftance, of a letter from the Marquis De la Fayette, (whofe military conduct had placed him very high in the opinion of the Americans, as well as in their fervice) to the Earl of Carlisle, challenging that nobleman, as firft commiffioner, to the field, there to answer in his own perfon, and in fingle combat, for fome harshness of reflection upon the conduct of the French court and nation, which had appeared in thofe public acts or inftruments, that he and his brethren had iffued in their political capacity. It is almoft needlefs to obferve, that fuch propofal, which could only be excufed by national levity, or the heat and inexperience of youth, was rejected by the noble Lord to whom it was addreffed, with the flight that it deferved.

Whilft New York, the Jerfies,

Pennfylvania, and the borders of Connecticut, had hitherto endured all the calamities of war, it fortuned, that the northern and fouthern, as well as the more interior colonies, enjoyed no inconfiderable degree of general tranquility. The early tranfactions in the neighbourhood of Bofton, the attempt on Charlestown, Lord Dunmore's adventures in Virginia, with the fubjugation of the Tories in North and South Carolina, being the principal exceptions to this obfervation. The continual petty hoftilities carried on between the inhabitants of the two neighbouring weak colonies, of Georgia and Eaft Florida, ferved, however, to keep the rumour of war alive to the fouthward; and an expedition undertaken in the spring of this year by a party of Americans, conveyed its effects to the Miffifippi, and afforded no fmall cause af alarm, to the whole new colony of Weft Florida, which had hitherto been totally clear of the general tumult.

The expedition was, however, confined in its prefent effect to its immediate object, which only extended to the reduction of the Britifh fettlements in that country which had formerly belonged to a diftinguished Indian nation called Natches; who many years before had fallen victims to European policy, the whole people having been perfidiously exterminated by the French. Thefe fettlements were under the government, and confidered as a part of Weft Florida; but being too remote for protection, if it could even have been afforded, the inhabitants preferved their property by furrendering without refiftance to a Cap

tain Willing, who commanded the American party, and who, although they were furprized and totally in his power, granted them every condition which they required, for their prefent and future fecurity. It feems by the account, as if this party had fallen down the Miffifippi by water; but from what place is not specified. It is probable, and feems in fome degree confirmed by fubfequent events, that the objects of this expedition were not confined merely to the reduction of the country in question, but were extended to the eftablishment of an intimate correfpondence with the Spaniards at New Orleans, and to further views upon Weft Florida.

The ftate and circumstances of the war, as well as of the forces under his command, together with the winter season, which reftrained, if it did not entirely fhut up enterprize, in the northern and central colonies, afforded an opportunity to General Sir Henry Clinton, towards the clofe of the year, to direct his views to the fouthward. The recovery of the province of Georgia, although in itself neither great nor powerful, was in various refpects a matter of the utmost importance. Its products were indeed confiderable, and rendered more fo, by their being greatly wanted. In particular, nothing could be more effential to the fupport of a fleet and army, at fo great a distance from their principal fources of fupply, than its ftaple commodity, rice, which was now dedicated to the service of our enemies, whether in Europe or America. The poffeffion of this province would alfo, by prefenting a new barrier to the enemy, re

lieve Eaft Florida from those con ftant alarms, incurfions, and dangers, to which it had been fo long expofed. And the two Florida's, with this, would all together form fuch an aggregate establishment of ftrength at the fouthern extremity of the continent, as could not fail greatly to influence the future operations and fortune of the war.

Important as thefe objects were, this acquifition held out one ftill greater. The fouthern colonies produced thofe commodities which were most wanted and most valuable in the European markets. France took off a prodigious quantity of their ftaple products; and the quiet and fecurity which they had hitherto enjoyed, admitted fo vigorous a cultivation, that their export trade feemed little otherwife affected by the war, than what it fuffered from the British cruizers. Thus, in effect, the continental credit in Europe was principally upheld by the fouthern colonies; and they became the medium through which they received those fupplies, that were not only indifpenfibly neceffary to the fupport of the war, but even to the conducting of the common bufinefs and affairs of life. The recovery of Georgia, would not only put an end to that quiet and fecurity upon which fo much depended, but would open fo wide a door into South Carolina, as could never be effectually closed whilft it was held by a vigorous enemy; at the fame time, that the vicinity of Charlestown would conftantly expofe it to his enterprize, and that the fate of the whole colony inevitably hung upon that of the capital.

All these important confequences, and perhaps others, were fully

compre

comprehended by the General; and the time and feafon ferving, he entrusted the conduct of the expedition in the land department, fo far as it was undertaken from New York, to Colonel Campbell, a brave and able officer, whofe miffortune of being taken with a part of his regiment on their paffage to America, as well as his fubfequent fufferings under a long confinement near Bofton, we have formerly feen. The force appointed to act under this gentleman's command, confifted of the 71ft 'regiment of foot, two battalions of Heffians, four of provincials, and a detachment of the royal artillery.

The tranfports, with this force, failed from Sandy Hook, on the 27th of November 1778; being escorted by a small fquadron of fhips of war, under the command of Commodore Hyde Parker. In the mean time, inftructions had been communicated to Major General Prevoft, who commanded the troops in Eaft Florida, to collect all the force that could poffibly be fpared, from the mere neceffary, defence of the fort and garrifon of St. Auguftine, and to fecond the views of the expedition, by a vigorous invafion of the province of Georgia on that fide, and by even endeavouring to penetrate fo far, as to be able to co-operate immediately with Colonel Campbell, in his intended attack on the capital town of Savannah.

It does not feem from any thing that appears, that the Americans were aware of the object of this enterprize; or, perhaps, the great nefs of the distance, prevented their being able to take any measure for defeating its effect.

Dec. 23d.

The fleet arrived at the island of Tybee, near the mouth of the river Savannah, in fomething under a month. On the following day, the Commodore, with the greater part of the tranfports, got over the bar, and anchored in the river, within the Light Houfe of Tybee; but, from fome unavoidable circumstances of delay, it was not until the 27th that they were there joined by the reft of the fleet. The commanders being totally ignorant of the force of the enemy, and of the ftate of defence which they were to encounter, feized this opportunity of delay, in endeavouring to procure intelligence. For this purpose, a company of light infantry, with a naval officer and failors, were difpatched, in two flat boats, up one of the creeks, and had the fortune of feizing and bringing off two men, who afforded the most fatiffactory information. The commanders were now acquainted, that the batteries which had been conftructed for the defence of the river, had been fo much neglected, as to be grown out of repair and condition; and, that there were very few troops in the town, but that re-inforcements were daily expected. They also gave fuch exact information, of the fituation of two row gallies, which had been armed for the defence of the river, as afforded means after for cutting off their retreat, by any of thofe numerous creeks which interfect that country.

Upon this intelligence, the commanders determined to lofe no time in the profecution of their enterprize. Colonel Campbell had already feized the opportunity afforded by the delay, in making a

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