Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-07-01
LUTON.

spirit or independence seemed TO Dc
utterly crushed out i'll Georgia and the
Carolinas. It was, in fact, so far sub
dued that the people of those States
might have been won back to their al
legiance if they had been treated with
lcnitv and humanity. But CORVALLIS
was vindictive Instead of conciIiating
the patriots, he goaded them ALMOST to
madness by harrying their country.
The sequestration of property, the torch,
the gibbet, and the sword of Tarleton's S
merciless Dragons, were his chosen
weapons. The result was grand ris-
ing Of the spirit of liberty. like that of
the Massachusetts, people at Lexington
and Concord: Many brave men rallied
at the call of Marian and Sampler, and
carried on guerrilla war, which. while
it desperately annoyed the English, also
prepared the great body Of the people
to cooperate with a newly organized
army under the comnans6ssf Greene,
whose military genius was second only
to that of Washington.
The campaign Of 1871 opened with
illustrous success in South Carolina,
where, on January II, at the Cowpens,
the heroic Morgan, after brilliant
fight, completely routed force of in
fantry and cavalry, numbering eleven
hundred men, commanded by the infa-
nous Tarleton. CORVALLIS was con-
founded 10y this defeat, and resolved to
push through North Carolina into Vir-
ginia, to which State he had been Or
dered by the British Minister, German,
to transfer the seat of war. He marched
rapidly to fall upon Greene's inferior
army, but that General avoided an un-
equal battle by retreat so mastery
that it was, as Washington wrote to him,
"highly applauded by all ranks"
In March Greene fought CORVALLIS
at Guilford Court House, in North Car
olina, with such desperate bravery that,
although he was finally compelled to
retreat, he inflicted greater losses on
the enemy than he suffered himself.
To the British their battle "drew after
it all the consequences of defeat, and
put an end to their power in North Gar
olina."
When CORVALLIS marched towards
Virginia, Greene led his half-starved
and nearly barefooted, but brave, army
to the interior of South Carolina. He
fought at Hobkirk's Hill, at Ninety-Six,
and at Eutaw Springs, losing his battles,
yet making such havoc in tho opposing
armies that his defeats had the effect
of victories. "I fight" he said with
characteristic honesty, 6" get beaten and
fight again. The result of his dogged
persistence, incessant activity, and hard
fighting, was, that by September he had
br0hen Up potsxSey ntexSsry oE British post IN South
Cornwallis arrived at Petersburg, Vir-
ginia, in May, 1881. The traitor, Ben
idict Arnold, who had already raided
the James river with British force, was
ir command. CORVALLIS, scorning as
sociation with such detestable charac-
ter, ordered him to New York, and then.
having seven thousand veterans under
his command, and being sure of support
from the British fleet, gave himself to
the task of subjugating Virginia. His
first movement was against a small force
commanded by the brave Lafayette, who
retreatcd before him. He then raided
the country, burning the homes of pat
riots, and robbing them of their horses,
and their movable property. Finally.
in obedience to orders received from
Gen. Clinton, who was expecting to be
attacked at New York by a combined
force of French and Americans, he
ma1ched his whole army to Yorktown,
which he seized early in August, and
Immediately began to fortify with the
utmost diligence. Lafayette, whose
little force had hung upon his rear, re-
ioiced at this movement, foreseeing the
grand result which followed shortly af-
J ter.
The American army then in Virginia
was vastly inferior to that of the English
Evidently the State was in great danger,
and all eyes turned to Washington as
the only man capable Of ridding their
soil of it's invaders.
While Gates and Greene were fight
ing on Southern soil, Washington was
occupied with the New Jersey, the Hud-
son River, and the New England States,
against the incursions of the English
forces, acting under the immediate
direction of Sir Henry Clinton, at New
York. He had been sorely grieved by
the almost successful treachery of Bene-
dict Arnold, at West Point in 1850, by
the inadequacy of the troops under his
command, and the inability of Congress
to supply even their most pressing
needs. Nevertheless, he had nobly
sustained his army by his fortitude, and
had succeeded in pcrsuading Congress
to obtain the aid of body of French
troops and the further cooperation of a
French fleet.
And now, when his native State de-
manded his presence, Congress armed
him with untrammeled authority tc
direct all it's forces. The French com
mander also agreed to operate under
his directions, and he prepared to strike
a decisive blow upon Yorktown Re.
questing the French Admiral to enter
Chesapeake Bay with his magniiicen,
fleet of twenty eight ships Of the line
and nearly four thousand land troops.
lie marched as many men as could be
safely spared from North, through New
Jersey to the Elk River, whence they
were conveyed by water to Williams
burgh.
Meantime British feet attacked the
French at the mouth of the Chesapeake
but was so severely handled that it had
to retreat with loss to New York. Then
on September %, 1871, Yorktown wa.
invested by land and water. Trenches
were soon after begun, and batterie:
erected. On October ii an assault wa!
made by the allied forces On the seconl