loss of seven hundred French and two hundred and thirty-four Americans killed and wounded; while that of the besieged was only fiftyfive. The French admiral no longer paused in embarking his troops and sailing for the West Indies; thus a second time disappointing sanguine expectations, and leaving the American cause in a worse state than before.

During the summer, a squadron was fitted out by the American commissioners of Paris, the command of which was given to Commodore John Paul Jones. He sailed from Port L'Orient, in July, in the Bon Homme Richard of forty guns, accompanied by the Alliance, thirty-six, the Pallas, thirty-two, and the Vengeance, twelve.

After capturing several vessels on the coast of Scotland, he threatened to lay the town of Leith under contribution; but a storm coming on, he set sail, and directed his course to Flamborough Head. On the night of the 23d of September, while cruising off the Head, he fell in with the Serapis, of forty-four guns, which was convoying the Baltic fleet, in company with the frigate Countess of Scarborough. The people of the surrounding country were gathered on the heights about the Head, and witnessed the novel scene. The Serapis had every advantage over the Richard in the number and calibre of guns, and in being more manageable than her antagonist. This advan

CAPTURE OF THE SERAPIS.

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tage was somewhat lessened, however, by the Serapis running her bowsprit between the poop and mizzen-mast of the Bon Homme Richard, when Jones, with his own hands, lashed it fast, and brought the two vessels together. The ships were thus engaged from halfpast eight till half-past ten, the muzzles of their guns touching each other's sides. One of the men on the Bon Homme Richard carried a basket of hand-grenades out on the mainyard, and threw them among the crew of the Serapis. At half-past eight, one of these combustibles exploded a cartridge-magazine, blew up among the people abaft the main-mast, and rendered all the guns on that side useless. The two ships were frequently on fire during the action, and the spectacle was inexpressibly awful. At last Captain Pearson of the Serapis struck his flag, when Jones immediately transferred his crew on board of her, as the Bon Homme Richard was in a sinking condition.

Whilst the action between the two larger vessels was maintained, the Pallas engaged, and, after two hours' fighting, compelled the Countess of Scarborough to surrender. On the 25th, the Bon Homme Richard, after every exertion on the part of Commodore Jones to save her, went down. Jones sailed for Holland with his prizes, and on the 3d of October anchored off the Texel, having taken during the short cruise prizes estimated to amount to more than £40,000.

In 1780, Commodore Jones took command of the Ariel, a small store-ship of twenty guns, and sailed for the United States; but, losing his masts in a gale, he was obliged to return to L'Orient to refit; and, thus delayed, he did not reach America until February, 1781. Jones was honoured with the thanks of Congress, and a gold medal was struck in commemoration of the victory over the Serapis.

ENERAL CLINTON had

determined to begin operations on a great scale in the southern states. Recent information showed

them to be more defenceless, and the inhabitants better inclined to the British dominion, than those on the great northern theatre of war; while their reduction might facilitate that of the others, or at all events preserve for Britain an important portion of her American terHe had recently obtained a reinforcement from England, and had withdrawn the force hitherto stationed with little advantage upon Rhode Island. On the 26th of December, 1779, leaving Knyp

SIEGE OF SAVANNAH.

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hausen with troops sufficient to defend New York against the army of Washington, he sailed with five thousand men for Savannah.

HE voyage was prolonged till the

end of January; some of the vessels were wrecked, and nearly all the horses perished. He exerted himself actively to repair these losses; and by the middle of February he re-embarked and landed at St. John's Island, near Charleston. Some time was spent in recruiting and reinforcing his troops and re

mounting his cavalry; while Lincoln was actively strengthening the garrison, and restoring the works which, since the memorable attack in May, had fallen into almost complete decay. He raised two thousand regulars, one thousand militia, and a great body of armed citizens; but the chief hope rested on preventing the British from crossing the bar; but the fleet, under a favourable wind and tide, passed with scarcely any opposition. Lincoln then seriously deliberated on evacuating the place and saving his army; but he dreaded popular reproach, and was buoyed up with promises of re-inforcements that never arrived. On the 1st of April, Clinton crossed the Ashley, which, with Cooper river, encloses the peninsula of Charleston, and broke ground before the city. On the 9th, the first parallel was completed; yet the garrison still communicated with the country by their cavalry at Monks' Corner, about thirty miles up Cooper river. Colonel Tarleton surprised and defeated this body. The British soon after received a reinforcement of three thousand; when Lincoln seriously proposed an attempt to extricate his army; but the principal inhabitants, entertaining a well-founded dread of ill-treatment from the captors, prevailed upon him only to offer a capitulation on condition of the garrison being still allowed to serve. This proposal was at once rejected; the siege was steadily pushed; all the outward posts successively fell; and the third parallel being completed, preparations were made for a general assault. Lincoln, then seeing his situation hopeless, submitted to the terms. proffered by the victor, that all the military stores should be given up, the regular troops made prisoners of war, while the militia, on giving their parole, might return and remain unmolested at their homes. The prisoners taken were stated by Clinton at five

thousand six hundred and eighteen, with one thousand seamen and three hundred and eleven pieces of ordnance.

Clinton now published a proclamation, promising to the people a renewal of all their former privileges, with the addition of not being taxed unless by their own consent. Soon after, he issued another, absolving the militia from their paroles, and calling upon them to join with other citizens in aiding the British cause. This step was an outrageous breach of faith, and at once roused the whole southern country into determined resistance of their faithless oppressors.

On the 5th of June, Clinton set sail for New York, leaving Lord Cornwallis with four thousand men to secure, and if he could, extend his conquests. Detachments had already been sent up the principal rivers, Savannah, Saluda, and Santee. On the last only, a party of four hundred, under Colonel Buford, was rapidly retreating. Though ten days in advance, they were overtaken by the rapid march of Tarleton, and at Waxhaws completely routed and dispersed. Tarleton caused a massacre of nearly the whole detachment, and thus gave rise to the term Tarleton's quarters, which was current during the remainder of the war. The principal force of the enemy was then advanced to Camden on the Wateree, near the frontier of North Carolina; but the intense heat, with the difficulty of provisioning