4 $S A M E R 
ter, that 1200were killed and wounded; among the for¬ 
mer was count Polafki, and among the latter D’Eftaing 
himfelf. This difafter entirely overthrew the fanguine 
hopes of the Americans and French ; mutual reproaches 
and animofities took place, and, after waiting eight days, 
both parties prepared to retreat; the French to their (hip¬ 
ping, and the Americans into Carolina. 
While the allies were thus unfuccefsfully employed in 
the fouthern colonies, their antagonifts were no lei’s afli- 
duous in diftrefling them in the northern parts. Sir George 
Collier was lent with a fleet, carrying general Matthews, 
with a body of land-forces, into the province of Virginia. 
Their firlt attempt was on tiie townof Pcftfmouth ; where, 
though the enemy had deftroyed lome (hips of great value, 
the Britiih troops arrived in time to fave a great number 
of others. On this occafion about i2oveffelsof different 
(ir.es'were burnt, and twenty carried off; and an immenfe 
quantity of provifions defigned for the life of general Wafli- 
ingtori’s army was either taken or deftroyed, together with 
a great variety of naval and military (tores. 
The fuccefs with which this expedition was attended, 
foon gave encouragement to another. The Americans had 
for fome time been employed in erecting two flrong forts 
on the river; the one at Verplanks Neck on the ealt, and 
the other at Stoney Point on the weft, (ide. Thefe when 
completed would have been of the utmoft fervice to the 
Americans, by commanding the principal pafs, called the 
King’s Ferry, between the northern and fouthern colonies. 
At preient, however, they were not in a condition to make 
any effectual defence ; and it was determined to attack 
them before the works ftiould be completed. The force 
employed on this occafion was divided into two battalions; 
one of which directed its courfe againft Verplanks, and 
tiie other againft Stoney Point. The former was com¬ 
manded by general Vaughan, the latter by general Patti- 
ion, while the (hipping was under the direction of Sir 
George Collier. General Vaughan met with no refiftanee, 
the enemy abandoning their works, and letting tire to 
every thing they could not carry off. At Stoney Point, 
however, a vigorous defence was made, though the gar- 
rilbn was ;it hilt obliged to capitulate. To feeure the pof- 
•ieliion of this laft, which was the more important of the 
two, general Clinton removed from his former fituation, 
and encamped in fuch a manner that Wafhington could 
riot give any alliftance. The Americans, in turn, revenged 
themfelves by diftrefling, with their numerous privateers, 
the trade to New York. 
This occafioned an expedition to Connecticut, where 
thefe privateers were chiefly built and harboured. The 
command was given to governor Tryon and general Garth. 
Under convoy of a conftderable number of armed veflels 
they landed at Newhaven, where they demolifhed the bat¬ 
teries that had been ereCted to oppofe them, and deftroyed 
the (hipping and naval (lores; but they fpared the town 
itfelf, as the inhabitants had abftained from firing out of 
their houfes upon the troops. From Newhaven they 
marched to Fairfield, where they proceeded as before, and 
reduced the town to afhes. Norwalk was next attacked, 
which in like manner was burnt; as was alfo Greenfield, a 
linall fea-port in the neighbourhood. Thefe fucceffes 
proved very alarming as well as detrimental to the Ame¬ 
ricans ; fo that general Wafhington determined at all events 
to drive the enemy from Stoney Point. For this purpofe 
he fent general Wayne with a detachment of chofen men, 
.directing them to attempt the recovery of it by furprife. 
On this occafion the Americans (hewed a fpirit and refo- 
lution exceeding any thing they had performed during the 
1 ourfe of the war. Though the fortifications of this place 
were very ftrong, they attacked the Britiih with bayonets, 
after palling through a heavy fire of mufquetry and grape- 
ihot; and, in 'fpite of all oppofition, obliged the furviving 
part,of the garrifon, amounting to 500 men, to furrender 
■prifoners of war. Though the Americans did not retain 
Stoney Point, the fuccefs they had met with emboldened 
them to make a (imilar attempt on Paulus Hook, a fortified 
I C A. 
poft on the Jerfey fide, oppofite to New Yoik ; but they 
were obliged to retreat, after they had made themfelves 
inafters of one or two pofts. |L. I 
An expedition of greater importance was now projected 
on the part of the Americans. This was again (fa poft on 
the river Penobfcot, on the borders of Nova Scotia, of 
which the Britiih had lately taken pofleflion, and where 
they had begun to ereCt a fort, which threatened great in¬ 
convenience to the colonills. The armament deftined a- 
gainft it was fo foon got in readinef's, that colonel Mac- 
lane, the commanding officer at Penobfcot, found himfelf 
obliged to drop the execution of part of his fcheme ; and, 
inftead of a regular fort, to content himfelf with putting 
the works already conftruCled in as good a pofture of de¬ 
fence as poftible. The Americans could not effect a land¬ 
ing without much difficulty ; and, as foon as this was done, 
they erefted leveral batteries, and kept up a brilk fire 
for the fpace of a fortnight. They now propofed to carry 
the fort by a general alfiuilt; but before this could be 
efrefted, they perceived Sir George Collier, with a Britifh 
fleet, coming to its relief. On this, they inftantly re-em¬ 
barked their artillery and military llores, and failed,up 
the- river, as far as poflible, in order to avoid him. They 
were fo clofely purfued, however, that not a (ingle veffel 
could efcape ; fo that the whole fleet, confiding of nine¬ 
teen armed veflels and twenty-four tranfports, was de¬ 
ftroyed. The (oldiers and failors were obliged to wander 
through immenfe deferts, where they fullered much for 
want of provifions ; and, to add to their calamities, a 
quarrel arofe between the foldiers and feamen concerning 
the caufe of their difafter, which ended in a violent fray, 
wherein a great number were killed. 
Thus, the arms of America and France being almoft 
everywhere unlitccefsful, the independency of the former 
feemed yet to be in danger, notwithftanding the affiftance 
of fo powerful an ally, when further encouragement was 
given by the acceffion of Spain to the confederacy againft 
Britain, in the month of June, 1779. The firft effect of 
this appeared in the invafion of Welt Florida by the Spa¬ 
niards, in September following. As the country was in 
no (late of defence, the enemy ealily made themfelves 
mafters of it, almoft without oppofition. Their next en- 
terprife w as againft the Bay of Honduras, where the Bri- 
tifli logwood-cutters were fettled. Thefe, finding them¬ 
felves too weak to relift, applied to the governor of Ja¬ 
maica for relief; who fent them a fupply of men, ammu¬ 
nition, and military (lores, under captain Dalrymple. Be¬ 
fore thte arrival of this detachment, the principal fettle- 
ment in thofe parts, called St. George’s Key, had been 
taken by the Spaniards, and retaken by the Britifh. In 
his way, captain Dalrymple fell in with a fquadron from 
admiral Parker, in fearch of fome regifter fliips richly la¬ 
den ; but which, retreating into the harbour of Omoa, 
were too ftrongly protected by the fort to be attacked 
with fafety. A project w'as then formed, in conjun&ion 
with the people of Honduras, to reduce this fort. The 
defignwasto furprife it; but, the Spaniards having difeo- 
vered them, they were obliged to fight. Vidfory quickly 
declared for the Britifh ; but the fortifications were fo 
ftrong, that the artillery made no impreflion. It was then 
determined to try the fuccefs of an elcalade ; and this was 
executed with fo much fpirit, that the Spaniards ftood 
aftoni(hed, without making any refiftanee, and, in fpite of 
all the efforts of the officers, threw down their arms and 
lurrendered. The fpoil was immenfe, being valued at 
three millions of dollars. The Spaniards chiefly lamented 
the lofs of 250 quintals of quicklilver; a commodity in- 
difpenfably necellary in the working of their gold and di¬ 
ver mines, fo that they offered to ranfoni it at any price; 
but this was refufed, as well as the ranfom of the fdrt, 
though the governor offered 300,000 dollars for it. A 
ftnall garrifon was left for the defence of the place ;• but it 
was foon after attacked by a fuperior force, and retaken. 
We muft now take a view of the tranfaftions in the 
fouthern colonies; to which the war, in the year 1780, 
was 
