The Ordway new era., 1913-09-19

heels, with a force but little inferior
to his own either in numbers or in
discipline. Be
York at all had not Charles Lee been
once more second In command In the
American army.
The insubordlnate Lee.
He had come out of captivity. .ex.
changed. and now proved himself the
insubordinate poltroon he was. He
had never had any real heart In the
cause. He owned estates in Virginia,
but he was not OF the great virginian
family OF the Northern Neck.
He was only soldier of fortune,
strayed out of the British service on
half pay to seek some profit in the
colonies. and cared for no interest but
his own. While prisoner he had
secretly directed Howe's movement
against Philadelphia, and now he was
to consummate his cowardly treach-
cry.
Washington outstripped his oppo-
nent in the movement upon New York.
and determined to fall upon him at
Monmouth Court House. where. on
the night of the 9th Of June. Clin-
toms divisions lay separate. offering .
chance to cut them asunder.
A Treaeherous Move.
On the morning Of the 2Sth. Lee
was ordered forward with six thou
sand men to enfold Clinton's left wing
eight thousand men. the flower o:
the British force-by gaining it's
flank. while Washington held its
main body ready to strike In his aid
at the right moment.
The movement was perfectly sue
cessful. and the fighting had begun.
when. to the amazement and chagrin
alike Of officers and men. Lee began
to withdraw. Lafayette sent . mes
senger hot-foot for Washington. who
rode up to find his men. not attack
ing. but pursued.
What IL the meaning Of all this ?"
he thundered. his wrath terrible to
see.
Washinsten's Terrible Wrath.
When Lee would have made some
excuse. he hotly cursed him. in his
fury. for coward, himself rallied the
willing troops. and led them forward
again to victory; won back the fleld
Lee had abandoned. and drove the
enemy to the cover Of = mprass.
In the night that fosspwed; Clinton
hastily withdrew. leaving even his
wounded behind him. and Washing
toms chance to crush him was gone.
Great sFrsdsriek's Opinion.
Clinton gained no advantage ex-
cept to reach New York with the
wreck Of his army" commended the
observant Frederick over sea; Amer
lea is probably lost for England"
But q great opportunity had been
treacherously thrown away. and the
war dragged henceforth with every
painful trial Of hope deferred.
French Fleet OF Sandy Hook.
A scant three weeks after Clinton
had reached New York. the Count
d'Estaing was on Sandy Hook. with
a French fleet Of twelve ships of the
line and six frigates. bringing four
thousand troops. The British fleet
within the harbor was barely half as
strong: but the pilots told the eau
tious Frenchman that his larger ships
could not cross the bar. and he turned
away from New York to strike at
Newport. the only other point now
held by the British in all the country.
That place had hardly been In
vested. however. when Lord Howe ap-
peared with a stronger fleet than the
French.
Fleet sails to Boston.
D'Estaing was obliged to draw on to
meet him: great storm sent both
fleets into port to reht instead OF to
fight; and the disgusted militiamen
and continentals. who had come to
take the town with the French. with
drew in high choler to see the feet,
without which they could do nothing.
taken on to Boston.
When the autumn came Clinton felt
free to send thirty-five hundred men
to the southern coast, and Savannah
was taken fDecember 20, 177S).
Only in the far west. at the depths
of the great wilderness beyond the
mountains. was anything done that
promised decisive advantage.
George Rogers Clark, that daring
SAXON IrUuiersmhus VINO moV6o so
like king through the far forest.
swept the whole country OF the Illinois
free from British soldiers and British
authority that winter Of 1889. annex
ing It to the states that meant to be
independent: and steady stream Of
immigration began to pour into the
opened country. as II to prepare still
deeper task Of conquest for the Brit
ish at far New York.
But few noted In the east what GAL
LIANT men were doing in the valley Of
the Mississippi.
They saw only that the British.
foiled in New England and the middle
colonies, had changed their plans, and
were now minded to try what could
be done in the south. There at last