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occupied by the English and strongly garrisoned at all important points. Through the influence of Governor Patrick Henry of Virginia, Clark was granted permission to organize an expedition having for its object nothing less than the wresting of the entire region beyond the Alleghanies from the control of the British. Proceeding in the early summer of 1779 to the mouth of the Ohio, he left his boats and marched overland to the British posts of Kaskaskia and Cahokia, both of which places surrendered without resistance. Colonel Hamilton, in command of the British post at Detroit, now heard of Clark's operations, and with the idea of putting a stop to them, he early in the winter occupied a former British outpost at Vincennes. Here Clark attacked him in February, after a most difficult overland march, and forced his surrender. An American expedition from Pittsburg in the meantime having taken the post of Natchez, on the lower Mississippi, the whole region was now in the hands of the Americans. Colonel Clark then met the Indians in council and convinced them that their best interests demanded the cultivation of the friendship of the new republic. When the treaty was made in 1783, Clark's successful occupation of that region secured the Mississippi as the western boundary of the United States.

246. Slow Progress of the War: "Mad Anthony" Wayne at Stony Point-July 15.-There were few military movements of consequence undertaken during 1779. England was engaged in a "battle royal" with several nations openly, and she had incurred the enmity of nearly every nation of Europe. Ireland, also, was restless, and gave her much concern. She could therefore spare no troops for large movements. On his part, Washington, had to be content with keeping Clinton shut up in New York, and strengthening the fortifications on the Hudson River. In the early spring he determined to fortify Stony Point, a rocky promontory admirably situated to command the river. But Clinton also had designs on the same position, and, sending a strong force

up the river in May, the Americans were compelled to retire. Washington at once planned its capture. One of his most trusted generals, "Mad Anthony" Wayne, so called by the soldiers because of his daring bravery, was given command of twelve hundred picked troops and asked to capture Stony Point. The plan involved the secret

passage of the marsh at low tide under cover of darkness, then a swift bayonet charge up the hill. On the night of July 15 a friendly negro huckster, who had access to the fort, was used by Wayne to secure the capture of the British pickets. His whole force then crossed the intervening marsh and was swarming up the hill before the British were aware of Wayne's presence. The rush of Wayne's men was irresistible, and after a few minutes of bloody work in the trenches the fort was surrendered.

247. Paulus Hook-August 18.-Among the smaller successes of the patriots this year, none was more daring than that of "Light Horse Harry" Lee, at Paulus Hook, New Jersey.

This point was well within the British lines on the New Jersey coast, and was rather carelessly guarded by a small force. Lee having worked his way within the British lines, ordered a charge at the moment of discovery and the fort was captured, with all its garrison. Though its immediate evacuation was necessary, Lee brought off his men and prisoners with the loss of but two men killed and three wounded.

248. Lincoln and the French Fail at Savannah.-General Benjamin Lincoln had been sent south to direct operations against the British. In conjunction with the French fleet, he, in September, attempted to recapture Savannah. His attack, though spirited, met with a bloody repulse. D'Estaing and Lincoln withdrew, leaving Georgia in the possession of the British. The close of the year 1779 thus found the British in possession of but three important points on the coast-New York, Newport, and Savannah.

EVENTS OF. 1780

249. The British in the South.-Failing to crush the rebellion in the northern colonies, and having met with but

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were encouraged in the belief that the large Tory element in the Carolinas would make the subjugation of those coio:

nies an easy matter. But as usual, they "reckoned without their host,"-none of the colonists were more loyal than the Carolinians.

250. Charleston Captured-May 12.-Clinton himself came to take charge of operations in the south, bringing a fleet and large reinforcements. Washington had sent General Benjamin Lincoln to help the southern patriots. Lincoln garrisoned Charleston with a force of seven thousand men and attempted to hold that point against Clinton's superior force, aided by the British fleet. After sustaining a forty days' siege, Lincoln was compelled to surrender his whole army.

Clinton then returned north, leaving Cornwallis in command. Cornwallis now issued a proclamation which required the inhabitants to declare themselves friends or foes. This proclamation precipitated a fierce partisan warfare in the Carolinas. Sir Bannastre Tarleton, a British cavalry commander, began a campaign of devastation. He was so vindictive and so cruel toward all Americans who were so unfortunate as to fall into his hands that the whole south became aroused, and before the British were aware, another American army was in the field.

251. Gates in Command: Battle of Camden-August 16. General Horatio Gates was now sent south to take charge of the American armies there. He found in North Carolina the nucleus of an army, which gained in numbers as he marched south; however, many of his troops were raw militia.

Camden, South Carolina, had been selected by the British as a point from which to operate. Gates determined to capture that point, but he delayed the attack so long that Cornwallis was able to bring up reinforcements from Charleston. Even then the British force was much smaller than the American, though all were veterans. When ten miles from Camden, Gates went into camp for two days, while reconnoitering the position of the enemy. He finally moved to the attack, making a night march. Cornwallis had determined

on the same tactics. When the two armies met they lay on their arms until morning, when the battle ensued. Gates foolishly placed his raw militia at the front. They became panic stricken at the outset, and soon the whole army, save the Maryland regulars under the brave Baron De Kalb, who fell mortally wounded, was in headlong flight. Gates himself fled at the head of his troops, and it is said did not pause in his wild flight for seventy miles. This ended the military career of that scheming officer. He was at once succeeded in command by Nathaniel Greene, one of the best generals in the army, whose brilliant work soon brought success to the American cause in the south.

252. The Yeomanry at King's Mountain-October 7.The British again had full sway in South Carolina and they continued to annoy the Americans. As long as they carried on their operations in the low country, they were comparatively free from resistance, but as they went into the hill country and toward the mountains, they frequently met with determined opposition. Major Patrick Ferguson had been sent into the highlands on the border of the two states with a small British force, Cornwallis believing that the Tories would join Ferguson on the march. Instead of being joined by Tories, Ferguson was met by an army of southern patriots-a large number of whom had come from the west slope of the Blue Ridge. They were hunters and trappers in picturesque costume-each man was a sharpshooter. By the time the British had reached King's Mountain, three thousand Americans were on their trail and Ferguson was brought to bay. The fight was as picturesque as the participants. Ferguson took position on the side of the mountain, where he found strong natural intrenchments of rock and tree. He was at once surrounded by the yeoman army, who were masters at this kind of fighting. Ferguson at last fell, mortally wounded, and the British surrendered.

253. Partisan Leaders-Marion, Sumter, Pickens, and Lee. -Partisan warfare is always merciless because so much of

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