fidence in and esteem for each other increased. It was 1779thought, that the delicacy and propriety of gen. Lincoln's conduct on every occasion, contributed much to this agreeable circumstance. The militia almost universally returned home, immediately after the unfuccessful afsfault. In about ten days, count d'Estaing reimbarked his troops, artillery and baggage, and left the continent; while gen. Lincoln returned to South Carolina. But the French were scarcely on board, when a violent gale dispersed the whole fleet; and though the count had ordered seven ships to repair to Hampton road in the Chesapeak, the marquis de Vaudreuil was the only officer who was able to execute a part of the order. While the siege of Savannah was pending, a remarkable enterprise was effected by col. John White of the Georgia line. Previous to the arrival of d'Estaing on the coast of Georgia, a captain of Delancey's ist battalion had taken post with about 100 American royal regulars near the river Ogeechee, about 25 miles from Savannah. There were also at the same place five British vessels, four of which were armed, the largest with 14. guns, the smallest with 4, and the whole manned with about 40 failors. Col. White, with fix volunteers, including his own fervant, made them all prifoners. On September the 30th, at eleven o'clock at night, he kindled a number of fires in different places, adopted the parade of a large encampment, practifed a variety of other stratagems, and fummoned the captain to furrender; who was so fully impressed with an opinion, that nothing but an instant compliance could fave-his men from being cut in pieces by a superior force, that he made no defence, The deception was carried on with 1779. fuch address, that all the prisoners, amounting to 141, were fecured *; and afterward safely conducted by three of the captors for 25 miles through the country to an American post †. : Count Pulaski died before the end of October. Congress have refolved, that a monument should be erected to his memory. He was a Polander of high birth, and had been concerned in a bold enterprise in his native country. With a few men he had carried off king Stanislaus from the middle of his capital, though furrounded by a numerous body of guards and a Ruffian army. The king, after being a prifoner for fome time, escaped by the favor of one of the band, and foon afterward declared Pulafki an out-law. Nothing could be more congenial to his sentiments than to employ his arms in fupport of the American states. He offered his service to congress, and was honored with the rank of a brigadier general. But the count was far from being fatisfied with his employ, as appears from his letter, dated Charlestown, Aug. 19, in which he wrote " Such has been my lot, that nothing less than my honor, which I will never forfeit, retains me in a service, which ill-treatment makes me begin to abhor. Every proceeding respecting myself has been so thoroughly mortifying, that nothing but the integrity of my heart, and the fervency of my zeal, supports me under it." Let us turn to New York. It was not till August the 25th, that adm. Arbuthnot arrived with the fleet, which conveyed the reinforcements, camp equipage, stores and other neceffaries, that : * General Lincoln's Letter of October the 2d, to gov. Rutledge. + Dr. Ramfay's History, vol. ii. p. 35-43. were to enable Sir Henry Clinton to act with suitable 1779vigor. The 21st of September Sir Andrew Hammond arrived with an additional force of 1500 men from Corke. These several arrivals however, did not make the British at New York easy, when they had the news of count d'Estaing's being on the American coast. The intelligence occafioned an apprehenfion of a formidable attack by fea and land, supposed to have been concerted between the count and gen. Washington, and defenfive measures were thought of. Beside adopting every other mean of a vigorous defence, transports were dispatched 26. to Rhode Island to bring off the garrifon. All things being in readiness, the royal troops evacuted Newport on the 25th of October; embarked in the evening, failed at night, and reached New York on the 27th. They 27. were in fufficient force while at Newport, to have made predatory excursions, and to have done much mischief; notwithstanding the troops that gen. Gates, who was stationed at Providence, had under his command. But gen. Sir Robert Pigot's humanity might revolt at fuch barbarous expeditions; which is the more probable, from the strict and positive orders he gave for the observance of the most exact regularity and discipline during the evacuation. As it was universally known that he meant to be obeyed, so obedience was as universally practised. The men were no wife chargeable at their quitting the island, with any wanton cruelties, or needless destruction, or with an unjust seizure of property *. However, as gen. Gates could not know but that Sept. 21. Oct. * This is the substance of what was related to me by difinterested persons at Newport and the neighbourhood, fome short time after the evacuation. 1.779. military commands might require Sir Robert Pigot to: ravage the country to the extent of his power, he secured to himself the mean of gaining the earliest intelligence of every capital movement upon the island, by the aid of lieut. Seth Chapin. The lieutenant employed a trusty woman living at Newport to write down all the information she could procure. A certain place in a rock near the water side was agreed upon, where the written intelligence was put. The woman had her particular fignals; and by putting up poles or sticks as though only drying linen, and making a show of fuch business in a certain way, notified to the lieutenant on the other fide of the water, that there was some special matter to be communicated. At night the lieutenant pafsed over in his boat from Little Compton, landed and brought it away. Through this settled correfpondence, Gates learnt the next day what were the movements and talk of the enemy. After the evacuation, the general defired the lieutenant to mention what confideration would fatisfy him for the dangerous service in which he had been engaged. The answer was, I shall be fully fatisfied with 1200 dollars for myself, and 2 or 300 for fome others that were concerned." Such was the depreciation then, that the whole 1500 were not worth 75 hard dollars, now they are worth about 30. Sir H. Clinton having received certain intelligence of the repulfe given the combined troops in their attack on Savannah, refumed the plan of an expedition againft South Carolina, which the appearance of count d'Estaing obliged him to fufpend. Every thing was prepared, and about 7000 troops were embarked, but detained till he had full affurance of the French fleet's having wholly quitted the American coaft, when they failed 1779. under the convoy of adm. Arbuthnot, on the 26th of December. Their operations will be related in a future letter. Congress having obtained fatisfactory evidence of what was in contemplation, had ordered on the 10th of November, three of the continental frigates to Charleftown for its defence. 1 On the 19th of November, they resolved that it be Nov. earnestly recommended to the several states forthwith, 19. to enact laws for establishing and carrying into execution a general limitation of prices throughout their respective jurifdictions, on certain prescribed principles, the operation to commence from the ist of next February-by which time the operation may be found to be impoffible. They concluded on the 23d, that bills of ex 23. change be drawn on Mr. Jay for 100,0001. sterling, and on Mr. Laurens for 100,000l. payable at fix months fight, and the fame to be fold at the current rate of exchange." They after that directed the committee of 29. foreign affairs to write to Meffrs. Jay and Laurens, informing them of the drafts to be made upon them, explaining fully the reasons that urge congress to draw, and directing them to keep up a mutual correfpondence, and to afford each other every affistance in procuring money to pay the bills. A committee of seven having been appointed by congress to wait on the minister of France, and to receive his communications, reported Dec. the following extracts and summary of the communica 16. tions-That the minister of France had it in command from his king, to impress on the minds of congrefsThat the British cabinet have an almost insuperable re luctance to admit the idea of the independence of thefe |