A M E 
met together before day-light at the-place where the ac¬ 
tion happened. The attack was made by the Britifli troops 
with great vigour, and in a few minutes the action was ge¬ 
neral along the whole line. It was at this time a dead 
calm, with a little hazinefs in the air, which prevented 
the fmoke from riling, and occalioned fo thick a darknefs, 
that it was difficult to fee the e lie ft of a very heavy and 
well-fupp'orted lire on both lides. The Britifli troops ei¬ 
ther kept up a conftant fire, or made ufe of bayonets, as 
opportunities offered : and, after an obftinate refinance 
during three quarters of an hour, threw the Americans 
into 'total confufion, and forced them to give way in all 
quarters. The continental troops appear to have behaved 
well, but the militia were foon broken, and left the regu¬ 
lars to oppofe the whole force of the Britifli troops. Ge¬ 
neral Gates did all in his power to rally the militia, but 
without effect:' the continentals retreated in fome order; 
but the rout of the militia was fo great, that the Britifli 
cavalry are faid to have continued the purfuit of them to 
the diltance of twenty-two miles from the place where the 
■ aftion happened. The lofs of the Americans was very 
con fide ruble : about 1000 prifoners were taken, and more 
laid to have been killed and wounded, but the number .is 
not very accurately afeertained. Seven pieces of brafs 
cannon, a number of colours, and all the ammunition- 
waggons of the Americans, were taken. Ol the Britifli 
troops, the killed and wounded amounted to 213. Among 
the prifoners was major-general baron de Kalb, a Prulfian 
officer in the American fervice, who was mortally wound¬ 
ed, having exhibited great gallantry in the aftion, and 
received eleven wounds. The Britifli troops by which 
this great viftory was atchieved did not much exceed 2000, 
while the American army is faid to have amounted to 
6coo ; of which, however, the greateff part was militia. 
Lieutenant-colonel Tarleton, who had greatly diltin- 
guiflied himfelf in this aftion, was detached the following 
day, with fome cavalry and light infantry, amounting to 
about 350 men, to attack a corps of Americans under ge¬ 
neral Sumpter. He executed this fervice with great acti¬ 
vity and military addrefs. He procured good information 
of Sumpter’s movements; and by force and concealed 
marches came up with and furprifed him in the middle of 
the day on the 18th, near the Catawba fords. He totally 
deflroyed or difperfed his detachment, which confifted of 
700 men, killing 150 on the fpot, and taking two pieces 
of brafs cannon, 300 prifoners, and forty-four waggons. 
Not long after tliefe events, major-general Arnold, who 
had engaged fo ardently in the caufeof America, and who 
had exhibited fo much bravery in the fupport of it, be¬ 
came an apoftate. Major Andre, adjutant-general to the 
'Britifli army, was a principal agent in this tranfaftion: 
or, if the overture of joining the king’s troops came firft 
from Arnold, this gentleman was the perfon employed 
to concert riie affair with him. More muff have been 
originally comprehended in the fcheme than the mere de- 
fertion of the American caufe by Arnold: but, whatever 
deligns had been formed for promoting the views of the 
Britifli government, they were fruftrated by the appre¬ 
hending of major Andre. He was taken in difguife, af¬ 
ter having affumed a falfe name, on the 23d of September, 
by three American foldiers; to whom he offered confide- 
rable rewards if they would have fuffered him to efcape, 
but without effeft. Several papers written by Arnold 
were found upon him; and, when Arnold had learned that 
lUajor Andre was feized, he found means to get on-board 
a barge, and to efcape to one of the king’s (hips. Gene¬ 
ra! Wafhirtgton referred the cafe of major Andre to the 
examination and decision of a board of general officers, 
confiding of major-general Green, major-general lord 
Sterling, major-general the marquis de la Fayette, major- 
genera! the baron de Stenben, two other major-generals, 
and eight brigadier-generals. Major Andre was exami¬ 
ned before them, and the particulars of his cafe enquired 
into ; and they reported to the American commander in 
chief, that Mr. Andrd came on Ihore from the Vulture 
Vol. I. No. 29. 
RICA. 461 
floop of war in the night, on an interview with general 
Arnold, in a private and fecret manner; that he changed, 
his drefs within the American lines ; and, under a feigned 
name, and in a difguifed habit, palled the American works 
at Stoney Point and Verplanks Point on the eveiing of 
the 22d of September; that he was taken on the morning 
of rhe 23d at Tarry-town, being then on his way tor New 
York: and that, when taken, he had in his pofleilion fe- 
*vcral papers which contained intelligence for the enemy. 
They therefore determined, that he ought to be conlldered 
as a fpy from the enemy ; and that, agreeable to the law 
and ufageof nations, he ought to fuffer death. Sir Henry 
Clinton, lieutenant-general Robertfon, and the late Ame¬ 
rican general Arnold, all wrote pre-fling letters. to genenf 
Walhington on the occaiion, to prevent the decision,-of 
the board of general officers from being put in force ; but 
their applications were ineffectual. Major Andre whs 
hanged at Tappan, in the province of New Yo;k, on 
the 2d of October. He met his fate with great firmnefs; 
but appeared fomewhat hurt that he was not allowed a 
more military death, for which he had foliated. He was 
a gentleman of very amiable qualities, had a tafte for li ¬ 
terature and the fine arts, and polfeffed many accomplilh- 
ments. His death, therefore, was regretted even bv his 
enemies; and the feverity of the determination concerning 
him was much exclaimed againft in Great Britain. It was, 
however, generally acknowledged by impartial periods, 
that there was nothing in the execution of this unfortu¬ 
nate gentleman but what was perfectly conlonant to the 
rules of war. 
Arnold was now made a brigadier-general in the king’s 
fervice, and publifhed an addrefs to the inhabitants of 
America, dated from New York, October 7, in which he 
endeavoured to juftify his defection of their cattfe. He 
faid, that, when he firft engaged in it, he conceived the 
rights of his country to be in danger, and that duty and 
honour called him to her defence. A redrefsof grievan¬ 
ces was his only aim and objeCt; and therefore he acqui- 
efced unwillingly in the declaration of independence, be- 
caufe he thought it precipitate. But what now induced 
him to defert their caufe was the difguft he had conceived 
at the French alliance, and at the refufal of congrefs to 
comply with the laft terms offered by Great Britain, which 
he thought equal to all their expectations and their wants. 
After the defeat of general Gates by earl Cornwallis, 
that nobleman exerted himfelf to the utmoft in extending 
the progrefs of the Britifli arms, and with conliderable 
effect. But one enterprife, which was condufted by ma¬ 
jor Fergufon, proved unfuccefsful. That officer had 
taken abundant pains to difeipline fome of the Tory mi¬ 
litia, as they were termed; and with a paity of thefe, 
and fome Britifh troops, amounting in the whole to about 
1400 men, made incurlions into the country. .But on the 
7th of October he was attacked by a fuperior number of 
Americans, at a place called King’s Mountain, and to¬ 
tally defeated. One hundred and fifty were killed in the 
aftion, and 810 made prifoners, of which 150 were 
wounded. Fifteen hundred /land of arms alfo fell into the 
hands of the Americans, whole lofs was inconfiderabfe. 
On the 3d of September, the Mercury,.a-congrefspack¬ 
et, was taken by the Vella!, captain Keppel, near New¬ 
foundland. On board this packet was Mr. Laurens, late 
prefident of the congrefs, w.ho was bound on an enibafly 
to Holland. He had thrown his -papers overboard, but 
■great part of them were recovered without having received 
much damage. He was brought to London, and exami¬ 
ned before the privy-council; inconfequence of which he 
was committed clofe prifoner to the "lower on the 6th of 
October, on a charge of high treafon. His papers...were 
delivered to the miniftry, and contributed to facilitate a 
rupture with Holland, as among them was found the (ketch 
of a treaty of amity and commerce between the republic 
of Holland and the United States of America. 
At the beginning of the .year 1781, an affair happened 
in America, from which expectations were formed by Sir 
6 B Henry 
