The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-11-28 00:00:00, page 1

From the Maryland Gazettc.
To Earl CORNWALLIS, Lieutenant-
General, &c. &c.
My Lord,
A GENERAL, who 'poffeffes that dignity of
foul, which exalts the conqueror above the
insolence of a triumph, and elevates the
vanquished above meanness and despon
dence, will ever find the generous among his enemies,
ready to applaud his merit and to drop a tear to his
misfortunes, wliilft the officer, who wages a savage
warfare, and sullies his victories by insult and inhu
manity, will not have a friend among the virtuous,
even in the zenith of his success, nor one, of all man
kind, to fympathife with him on a reverie of fortune.
The philanthropy of America would be highly gra
tified in paying your Lordship the tribute due an
enlightened and humane soldier, did your conduct
entitle you to such treatment; but as her justice
obliges her to view you in the odious light of a cruel
leader and an unprincipled plunderer, it would be
impious in her to treat you with generosity or deli
cacy. As an American soldier, I confider it a virtue
to embitter your captivity by recalling to your re
membrance the follies which have led tp your pre
sent catastrophe, and to hold you up as an object of
universal detestation, by surrounding you with an
assemblage of your crimes; but the implacable re
sentment I feel, when I reflect on your Lordship's
cruelties, shall not hurry me beyond the bounds of
candour and truth, or bribe me to cloud your re
putation with one undeserved shade.
Considering your Lordship as one of the principal
actors in the military drama, I have taken some pains
to acquire a knowledge of your principles and abili
ties and I sincerely with the result of my enquiries
was less degrading to human nature. As a politician,
I have found you devoid of liability and integrity;
zu a soldier, deficient in every amiable and leading
chara&eriffic of your profeffion.
When the present contest was merely a political
question, we obfeve your Lordship engaged in a warm
rppofition to the ministry, and, if Parliamentary re
cords may be relied on, not hesitating to declare, that
should an armed force be called in to the aid of their
;'conftitutional laws, refinance on the part of Ame
a would become a duty they owed to themselves
'd their posterity. These sentiments, my Lord,
nere truly dignified, and, had you made them the
unerring rule of your conduct, must have ensured
you the gratitude of America, and the esteem of the
virtuous of every nation ; but how opposite were your
profeffions and principles! In a few months, regard
iefs of your solemn declarations, you prepare to em
bark for America, and to enforce, in a military
character, the very measures, which as a senator, you
had reprobated, as unjust and oppressive. This is a
fad, my Lord, which your warmest partisans have
not the effrontery to deny, and which no art or elo
quence can palliate! Had you displayed in your ope
rations the sublime of military talents, and been
crowned with every trophy ambition sighs for, this
one aft would damn you to eternal infamy!
From the moment you consented to draw your
sword against her liberties, America ought to have
viewed you as a monster; yet the formed a favour
able idea of your character, and gave you credit
for virtues you never possessed even in contempla
tion. This erroneous opinion with refpett to your
Lordship must have flowed from your situation,
which prevented both your head and heart from hav
ing a fair trial. Sir William Howe, whilst you acted
under his immediate command, put you almost above
the reach of fortune. At the head of the Britifli
grenadiers and light infantry, opposed to raw and
undisciplined troops, and of far inferior numbers,
an officer of the lowest rate abilities could not fail of
acquiring eclat, and it is very uncommon for crimes
to be imputed to the hero ofa triumph.. The smiles
of prosperity cover a multitude of fins in private life,
but a fortunate General is immaculate in the eyes of
a misjudging world.
An unbounded ambition is the source of all your
Lordship's misfortunes. Flattered with the fond idea
of outstripping your good friend Sir Henry Clinton in
military fame, and becoming Commander in Chief,
you used all your influence to obtain a separate com
mand, and the southern states were fixed on as the
theatre of your atchievements. Like Phaeton, you
imprudently engaged in an undertaking beyond your
abilities, gave the rein to your enterprise, and left
rezfon and humanity behind to lament your follies
and cruelties, and like that rash adventurer, you have
not only wrought your own ruin, but have involved
thousands in unmerited calamity.
The battle of Camden was the firft memorable
[Vol. IV.]
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY, November 28, 1781.
event that marked your Lordship's operations, which,
though it afforded you the momentary exultations
of a dearbought victory, and gave you an opportu
nity of figuring in the Gazettes at the expence of
candour, proved difgraceful to you in its consequen
ces. Initead of improving the advantages of this
success, you fuffered your army to relax their difei
pline in a Rate of inactivity, whilst your enemy was
recovering from the shock of the defeat. After
dreaming away some months, you marched into
North-Carolina, and took possession of Charlotte;
but finding the rude whigs of Mecklinburg very trou
blesome, and hearing a small body of continentals
and militia were moving towards you, your Lord
ship made a precipitate retreat to the strong holds of
Winnfborough, and fuffered a part of your baggage
to fall into our hands, within fight of your army.
In the mean time Colonel Ferguson, being unfup-.
ported by your Lordship, fell a facrifice to his partisan
spirit, and several of your other detachments were
defeated by the militia. The tories, who, encourag
ed by your superior force and fortune, were arming
in your cause, gave over the design, and lay frill at
home. All these events flowed from your Lordship's
amazing inactivity. Although the American forces
did not amount to half the number you could have
brought into the field, I verily believe your Lordship
Would have slept away the winter, is a southern cli
mate, the season for active operations, had not Gene
ral Morgan's detachment aroused you from your
lethargy, and alarmed you for your out-posts; but
even then, you aCted like a man ftupified with opiates.
When you might have fubjeCted Morgan to the ope
rations of your whole force, you opposed to him a
detachment, not much superior in number to his
command, and, contrary to the established maxims
of good policy, left that doubtful which you might
have made certain. Was it just tojudge from events,
the folly of this measure would receive additional
prooffrom its unfortunate issue, Your darling Tarle
ton met with a complete defeat, and in return for
your Lordship's unwarranted partiality in his favour,
threw you into a delirium by the tale of his misfor
tunes. In a paroxifm of grief and rage, you made a
burnt offering of your baggage, and became rash,
bold, and enterprising. You conceived the daring
idea of recovering your captivated troops, and of
tearing the laurel wreath from the brow of the illus
trious Morgan; and had this triumph affected him
as the success at Camden did your Lordship, you
would have most certainly effected it; but he was
too great an officer to confider himfelf victorious,
until he had secured the fruits of his victory. The
historian, who delineates the character of the hero
of the Cowpens, will be at a loss to determine, whe
ther he deserves greater applause for his gallant
ry and address in obtaining the victory, or for his
great exertion of abilities in securing and improving
the advantages resulting from it.
Difappoiuted in this attempt, and General Greene's
army and Morgan's detachment having formed a
junction, a new object attracted your Lordship's at
tention, and a new field was opened for the display
of great talents. Every advantage an officer could
wiih, who sighed for a brilliant name, was on your
Lordship's fide. Your army was greatly superior
both in numbers and discipline to that of your enemy,
and you was in the midst of your friends. It was
your interest to bring on an immediate and decisive
action and consequently General Greene's to avoid
it. Here then was a trial of skill; Greene's address
prevailed, and gave him the palm; he retired over
the Dan and Stanton rivers, in the face of your
Lordship's army, in good order and without loss,
and by amazing exertions gained such an accession
of force, as rendered it prudent and advifeable for
him to meet your Lordship in the field. He knew,
that a defeat would be certain ruin to you, and
could only be a partial evil to him. Guildford was the
feene of action ; the contest was obstinate and bloody;
and although fortune gave your Lordfllip the field,
it terminated honourably for the American arms,
and was attended with most of the good consequen
ces of a victory. This is not the suggestion of fancy
or prejudice: it is an assertion established by the
most undeniable faCts. A few days after your boast
ed success, we find your Lordship making a precipi
tate retreat, leaving your wounded to our mercy,
and your tory friends to the justice of their country.
Previous to your retreat, you issued a pompous
proclamation, emblazoning your success, and inviting
these infatuated men to fly to the royal standard
for protection for their property and persons, and
then basely deserted them. I defy your Lordship
to defend this conduct, either upon the principles
of policy, justice or humanity. To destroy the con-
T H E
fidence the tories had placed in the promises of go
vernment and her officers, was furcly impolitic; to
deny them that protection you promised them, un
just; and to delude them into a conduct which must
fubjeC tthem to punishment, the extreme of cruelty!
With a victorious army you retired to Wilmington,
and took melter under the guns of your Flipping,
leaving your posts in South-Carolina and Georgia,
which you had wafted much time and fpilt much
blood in establishing, open to the vigilance of Gene
ral Greene, who instantly took advantage of your
Lordship's error, made a rapid march into these
States, and in a few months, by the most consum
mate address and unwearied perfevtrance, reduced
all your posts, except Charleftown, Savannah, and
Ninety-Six, and made their garrisons prisoners of
war. Ninety-Six was on the point of surrendering,
and although relieved by the unexpected arrival of
troops from Europe, was soon after abandoned. I
ask your Lordship, what advantages you promised
yourfelf, equal to such certain and important losses?
Surely you were not so ignorant, as to suppose that
your marching through Virginia, would compensate
for your pots and garrisons facrificed in Carolina,
and Georgia. Deluded by the fplendour of the en,-
terprife you loft fight of every other confederation,
and rested your justification on the event, which had
it ° een . as brilliant, as it is unfortunate, such is the
disposition of your countrymen, that they would
not only have acquitted you of rathnefs and folly,
but have decreed you a triumph! You have put all
your trust in fortune, and the has jilted you in the
moment you most needed her favours. Despairing
of nothing yourfelf, you have taught your royal matter
ahd his Ministry to hope for every thing. Whilst
warmed with the profpeC tof the possession of the
southern states, and cherishing the fond hopes of an
entire fubjeCtion of America, they will receive the
fad recital of your misfortunes, and your Lordship
will be facrificed to their disappointed ambition, and
to appease the clamours of the people. How truly
pitiable your Lordship's situation! Deserted and
abuled by your own countrymen, for your want of
success and military talents; despised and execrated
by America, for your want of humanity; you m^t
bid an eternal adieu to temporal felicity; the fuf
frages of the world will deny you a good name, and
a guilty confeience rob you of inward peace and
domestic tranquility! Your lot, my Lord, is really
severe, but it is what you have richly merited! Your
inhumane treatment to the wretched Haves who fled
to you for freedom and protection, is more than
fufficient to entitle you to the heaviest calamity*.
Callous to the tender emotions of cbmpaffion, and
Heeled against the miseries of your fellow-creatures,
your Lordship can have no claim on the sympathy
of mankind, or the smiles of heaven.
Wilhing you an agreeable voyage to your native
country, and as pleating a reception from your royal
master, as the nature of your mission will admit, I
beg leave to subscribe myfelf, your Lordship's most
obedient servant,
An AMERICAN SOLDIER.
Annapolis, October 30, 1781.
*lt must inf,ire ever, feeling bosom with horror and
resentment, when the, are told, that out of upwards
of 2000 slaves, who joined Lord Cornwallis's arm,,
upwards of 1500 have,erifadfrom disease and famine.
It is a fact, which can be proved b, innumerable evi
dences, ibat previjions were only given to those men who
were able to work, wbilfl the women, children, and
men debilitated bj Jicknefs, were left to linger out a mi
serable exigence, embittered b, the rage of hunger.
Man, were turned out in such a situation, that they ex
pired before the, could reach our army. Lord Cornwal
lis s attempt tofpread the small-pox among the inhabi
tants in the vicinity of York, has been reduced to a
certainty, and mus render him contemptible in the eyes
of every civilized nation, it being a practice as incon
fiflent with toe law of nations and war as repugnant
to humanity. The fate of the brave and worth, Colonel
Scammell is mediately imputable to Lord Cornwallis;
this unfortunate officer was taken pri/oner, whilst fix
"zg toe frfl picquets of the allied arm,. Hefur-endered
to two British officers, and whilst he was under their
protection, man, minutes after his surrender, a dragoon
rode up to him, put the muzzle of bis pifol to bis back,
and gave him a wound of which he died; nor was
tais all their inhumanity towards him; having robbed
him of bis horse they obliged him to run near half
mile, exhausted with the loss of blood, and ready to
faint under the anguifb of his wound. The publick ma,
rely on this as a fact; the circumflances are precifel,
as related by the Colonel himfelf. It needs no com
ment.
[Numb. 205.]