A Brief History of the United States

by Joel Dorman Steele

CAMPAIGN IN RHODE ISLAND.—A combined attack on Newport was arranged to be made by the French fleet under D'Estaing (da-es-tang), and the American army under General Sullivan. Soon after the French entered Narraganset Bay, Howe arrived off the harbor with the English fleet. D'Estaing went out to meet him. A storm came on, which so shattered both fleets that they were compelled to put back for repairs. General Sullivan, being thus deserted, retreated just in time to escape Clinton, who came up from New York with reinforcements. The French gave no further aid during the year.

THE WYOMING MASSACRE.—In July, a band of tories and Indians under Butler, entered the beautiful valley of the Wyoming. Most of the able-bodied men had gone to the war. The old men and the boys armed for the defence. The women and children fled for refuge to a fort near the present site of Wilkesbarre. Taking counsel of their courage, and their helpless mothers, wives, and children, a handful of men sallied out to meet the invaders, but were quickly defeated. All that night the Indians tortured their prisoners in every way that savage cruelty could devise. The fort having been surrendered on promise of safety, Butler did his best to restrain his savage allies, but in vain. By night the whole valley was ablaze with burning dwellings, while the people fled for their lives through the wilderness.

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1779.

CAMPAIGN AT THE SOUTH.—At the close of the preceding autumn the scene of conflict was transferred to Georgia. Savannah and Augusta were captured, and soon the entire State was conquered (map opp. p. 121). The British governor being restored, England could once more boast of a royal province among the colonies. Prevost now led the British against Charleston, S.C. He had scarcely summoned the city when he heard that Lincoln, his dreaded foe, was after him with the militia, and he was glad to escape back to Savannah. In September, D'Estaing joined Lincoln in an attack upon that city. After a severe bombardment an unsuccessful assault was made, in which a thousand lives were lost. Count Pulaski was mortally wounded.

[Footnote: Count Pulaski was a Polish patriot who, having lost his father and brothers in the hopeless defence of his country, and being himself outlawed, had come to fight for the freedom of America. At first he served as a volunteer. He fought valiantly at the battle of Brandywine. During the second year he commanded an independent corps of cavalry, lancers, and light infantry, called "Pulaski's Legion," with which he did effectual service. He was buried in the Savannah River. The corner-stone of a monument raised to his memory in Savannah, was laid by La Fayette while visiting that city during his triumphal progress through the United States.]

[Footnote: The British, discouraged by their failure to subdue the eastern and middle States, during the remainder of the war put forth their principal strength at the South.]

CAMPAIGN AT THE NORTH.—Clinton did little except to send out predatory parties. Norwalk, Fairfield, and New Haven, Conn., were either burned or plundered. Tryon, who commanded the Connecticut expedition, boasted of his clemency in leaving a single house standing on the New England coast.

[Footnote: General Putnam was at Horse Neck when Tryon was in the vicinity. Hastily gathering a few militia, he annoyed the British as long as possible, and then, compelled to flee before the enemy's overwhelming force, his men hid themselves in the adjacent swamp, while he, spurring his spirited horse over a precipice, descended a zigzag path, where the British dragoons did not dare to follow.]

THE CAPTURE OF STONY POINT by General Wayne, with only eight hundred men, was one of the most brilliant exploits of the war. The countersign, which, curiously enough, was "The fort is ours," was obtained from a negro who was in the habit of selling strawberries at the fort. He guided them in the darkness to the causeway leading over the flooded marsh around the foot of the hill, on which the fort was situated. The unsuspicious sentinel, having received the countersign, was chatting with the negro, when he was suddenly seized and gagged. Wayne's men passed over the causeway and reached the base of the hill undiscovered. Forming in two divisions, with unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets, they commenced the ascent of the steep and narrow path which led to the top. They had nearly reached the picket before they were discovered. Fire was at once opened upon them. Wayne was wounded, but commanded his aids to carry him that he might die at the head of the column. The rush of his men was irresistible. An instant more, and a deafening shout told that the fort was won. The British lost in killed, wounded, and prisoners, six hundred men.