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battle of Long Island, General Washington wanted information respecting the strength, position, and probable movements of the enemy. Captain Hale tendered his services, went over to Brooklyn, and was taken on his return just as he was passing the outposts of the enemy. Said I with emphasis, Do you remember the sequel ?" "Yes," said Andre. "He was hanged as a spy! But you surely do not consider his case and mine alike ?" similar will be your fate."

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Yes, precisely similar; and

84. Andre was tried by a court composed of Generals Greene, Lafayette, Stark, and other officers, found guilty, and condemned to be hung as a spy. He was led forth to die. The cart on which he stood moved away, and he was no longer in the land of the living. Forty years afterward his remains were taken to England, and, though "such honor belongs to other enterprises and deeds," were laid in Westminster Abbey beneath a costly monument.'

85. Gates's defeat near Camden "withered the laurels which he had snatched at Sara

toga," and he was superseded

in the command of the southern department by Gen

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Battle

of the eral Greene, who, says Cowpens.

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a

Hawthorne, was Quaker and a blacksmith, and the best soldier, except Washington, in the army." Separating his forces into two divisions, Greene sent one, under Morgan, to repress the ravages of the British and tories in

GENERAL GREENE.

1"Arnold was made brigadier-general in the British service, and put on an official level with honorable men who scorned to associate with the traitor. What golden reward he was to have received had his treason been successful is not known; but six thousanu unree nundred and fifteen pounds sterling were paid to him, as a compensation for losses which he pretended to have suffered in going over to the enemies of his country."-Irving.

1781

Battle of Eutaw Springs.

173

South Carolina. The successes of Morgan impelled Cornwallis to send Tarleton to intercept him; but at the Cowpens, where the Americans made a stand, the British were completely routed, and "Morgan won the most extraordinary victory of the war (Jan. 17, 1781)."

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Cornwallis

pursues Morgan.

86. Hearing of the disaster to Tarleton, Cornwallis started in pursuit of Morgan, who, anticipating the enemy's movement, had hurried off with his prisoners and spoils. 'Morgan succeeded in reaching the Catawba and crossing it just two hours before those in pursuit of him reached its banks. A heavy rain came on and fell all night, and by daybreak the river was so swollen as to be impassable." Here Greene came to the aid of Morgan, and, by skillful maneuvering, reached the fords of the Dan, and crossed the river as the British appeared on the opposite bank. Cornwallis then gave up the pursuit ; but Greene recrossed the Dan and advanced to Guilford (ghilford) Court House. There he was attacked by Battle Cornwallis (March 15) and forced to retreat; but of Guilford the British suffered so severely in the battle that the result was almost as good as a victory to the Americans. Cornwallis "could not hold the ground he had so bravely won, and was obliged to retreat from the scene of triumph."

Court House.

87. Greene now boldly advanced into South Carolina, while Cornwallis, with a portion of his forces, moved northward into Virginia. At Hobkirk's Hill, near Camden, Greene was attacked by Lord Rawdon, and defeated; but the battle was so stoutly contested by Greene that the enemy were too much cut up to make any use of their victory (April 25). Being obliged to abandon Camden, the British set it on fire. Few posts now remained in the possession of the British; for the South Carolina partisan leaders had kept up a harassing warfare against them. To make this more effective, Greene had detached Colonel Henry Lee with a small body Battle of troops, which was called "Lee's Legion." The of Eutaw last battle in the South was fought at Eutaw Springs. Springs (Sept. 8). It was a desperate conflict; but the result

was so doubtful that both parties claimed the victory. Throughout this campaign, Greene had shown splendid ability as a general, although he had met with no positive success. To use his own language, he would "fight, get beaten, and fight again."

88. After his treason Arnold was as active in the service of the king as he had previously been in that of his country. He endeavored to do his countrymen all the harm he could. In

Arnold's

command of a force of British and refugee troops, expedition and boasting that he would give the Americans a against blow that would make the whole continent

Virginia. shake," he sailed up the James river, and at Richmond set fire to stores, workshops, and other buildings. His work of destruction being completed at that place, he descended the river, making landings from time to time, to burn, plunder, and destroy (1781). It is related that, to one of the prisoners captured by the British, Arnold put the question: "If the Americans should catch me, what would they do with me?" The prompt reply was: "They would cut off your leg that was wounded at Saratoga and bury it with the honors of war, but the rest of you they would hang."

89. The closing event of the war was now at hand. Washington, having the aid of a French army under Rochambeau (ro-sham-bo'), had threatened New York; but hearing that

Siege a French fleet, under De Grasse (grass), had arof Yorktown. rived in the Chesapeake, he suddenly changed his plan, and proceeded rapidly to Yorktown, where Cornwallis had taken position. It was too late for Clinton to intercept the march of the Americans; and the British fleet had been

1 When Clinton found it was too late to send troops to Jamestown for the relief of Cornwallis, he undertook to recall Washington by sending Arnold, who was then in New York, against Connecticut. Arnold plundered and burned New London; and Colonel Eyre (re), his associate officer, having taken Fort Griswold, barbarously massacred half of the garrison after they had surrendered. Colonel Ledvard, the American commandant, was delivering up his sword, when a tory officer, seizing it, plunged it into his breast, killing him ou the spot (Sept. 6th).

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1781

Surrender of Cornwallis.

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foiled by De Grasse. Cornwallis, attacked by sea and land, was therefore compelled to surrender his whole army prisoners of war. (Oct. 19.)

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Surrender

90. At about twelve o'clock, he combined army was drawn up in two lines, more than a mile in length-the Americans on the right side of the road, the French on the left. Washington, mounted on a noble steed and attended by his staff, was in front of the former; the Count de Rochambeau and his suite were in front of the latter. The French troops, in complete uniform and well equipped, made a brilliant appearance, and had

of

Cornwallis.

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marched to the ground with a band of music playing, which was a novelty in the American service. The concourse of spectators from the country seemed equal in number to the military, yet silence and order prevailed. In passing through the line formed by the allied troops, the march of the British

The patriots who had the misfortune to become prisoners of war during the long struggle for freedom, were treated with every possible insult and outrage. Many of them were confined in loathsome dungeons on prison-ships, where they received such inhuman treatment that thousands died. Of these floating hulks, the most noted was the Jersey, which was anchored in a small bay off the Long Island shore, opposite the city of New York, and used as a prison-ship until the close of the war

troops was careless and irregular, and their aspect sullen. The order o'ground arms' was given by their officers with a tone of deep chagrin, and many of the soldiers threw down their muskets with a violence sufficient to break them."

Result of the surrender.

91. The surrender of Cornwallis was a death-blow to the hope that England would ever regain her colonies. When the prime minister, Lord North, heard of it, he acted as if "a ball had entered his breast." He threw up his arms, and walked wildly up and down the room, exclaiming from time to time: "It is all over! It is all over!" Public opinion in England demanded peace, but stubborn King George would not yield at once. The clamor out-of-doors against the war increasing, a new ministry was formed; and a treaty was made at Paris (Sept. 3, 1783), by which Great Britain acknowledged the independence of the United States, agreed to the great lakes on the north and the Mississippi as boundaries, and conceded the right to fish on the banks of Newfoundland.

Condition of the

92. At the close of the war the people, although they had gained their independence, had a great many troubles to contend with. There was no money, for all had been spent in the war. There was very little wealth in the country, for its commerce had been ruined, its country. agriculture and manufactures very much neglected, and a great deal of its property destroyed. Its currency had been so reduced in value as to be almost worthless. Congress had no means to pay the army, and the troops, not realizing the difficulties, became dissatisfied, considering themselves treated with injustice and ingratitude. Some of the officers were so indignant that they were ready to enter into a secret combination to make Washington king, thinking that thus they could acquire a recompense for their toils and sufferings. When, however, they made the proposal to him, he rejected it with indignation, and rebuked them for their selfishness and want of patriotism.

93. On the 25th of November, 1783, "Evacuation Day."

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