ing with blood, of their slaughtered brethren. Colonel Dennison, who commanded the fort, seeing the impossibility of defence, sent out a flag to inquire of Butler what terms would be allowed the garrison, on surrendering the fort? He answered, with all the fellness of his inhuman character, in a single word-the hatchet. Reduced to this dreadful extremity, the colonel still made what resistance he could. At length, having lost almost all his soldiers, he surrendered at discretion. The savages entered the fort, and began to drag out the vanquished, who, knowing the hands they were in, expected no mercy. But, impatient of the tedious process of murder in detail, the barbarians afterwards bethought themselves of enclosing the men, women and children promiscuously in the houses and barracks, to which they set fire and consumed all within, listening, delighted, to the moans and shrieks of the expiring multitude. "The fort of Wilkesbarre still remained in the power of the colonists of Wyoming. The victors presented themselves before it; those within, hoping to find mercy, surrendered at discretion, and without resistance. But if opposition exasperated these ferocious men, or rather these tigers, insatiable of human blood, submission did not soften them. Their rage was principally exercised upon the soldiers of the garrison, all of whom they put to death, with a barbarity ingenious in tortures. As for the rest, men, women, and children, who appeared to them not to merit any special attention, they burned them as before, in the houses and barracks. The forts being fallen into their hands, the barbarians proceeded, without obstacle, to the devastation of the country. They employed at once, fire, sword, and all instruments of destruction. The crops of every description were consigned to the flames. The habitations, granaries, and other constructions, the fruit of years of human industry, sunk in ruin under the destructive strokes of these cannibals. But who will believe that their fury, not yet satiated upon human creatures, was also wreaked upon the very beasts? That they cut out the tongues of the horses and cattle, and left them to wander in the midst of those fields lately so luxuriant, and now in deso lation, seeming to enjoy the torments of their lingering death? "We have long hesitated whether we ought to relate particular instances of this demoniac cruelty; the bare remembrance of them makes us shudder. But on reflecting that these examples may deter good [rulers] from war, and citizens from civil discord, we have deemed it useful to record them. Captain Bedlock having been stripped naked, the savages stuck sharp pine splinters into all parts of his body; and then a heap of knots of the same wood being piled round him, the whole was set on fire, and his two companions, the Captains Ranson and Durgee, thrown alive into the flames. The tories appeared to vie with, and even to surpass, the savages in barbarity. One of them, whose mother had married a second husband, butchered her with his own hand, and afterwards massacred his father-in-law, his own sisters, and their infants in the cradle. Another killed his own father, and exterminated all his family. A third imbrued his hands in the blood of his brothers, his sisters, his brother-in-law, and his father-in-law. "These were a part only of the horrors perpetrated by the loyalists and Indians, at the excision of Wyoming. Other atrocities, if possible, still more abominable, we leave in silence. "Those who had survived the massacres were no less worthy of commiseration; they were women and children, who had escaped to the woods at the time their husbands and fathers expired under the blows of the barbarians. Dispersed and wandering in the forests, as chance and fear directed their steps, without clothes, without food, without guide, these defenceless fugitives suffered every degree of distress. Several of the women were delivered alone in the woods, at a great distance from every possibility of relief. The most robust and resolute alone escaped; the others perished; their bodies and those of their hapless infants became the prey of wild beasts. Thus the most flourishing colony then existing in America was totally erased. "The destruction of Wyoming, and the cruelties which They accompanied it, filled all the inhabitants of America with horror, with compassion, and with indignant fury. fully purposed, on a future day, to exact a condign vengeance; but in the present state of the war, it was not in their power to execute their intent immediately." The day of retribution came, and the savages felt the fire and sword of a people whom their outrages had inspired with unrelenting fury, almost as savage as their own. CHAPTER XVIII. Campaign once more opened in the South-Savannah taken by the BritishD'Estaing arrives on the coast of Georgia-Attack on Savannah by the combined American and French Forces-They are repulsed-D'Estaing sails for FranceDaring Enterprise executed by Colonel John White. "Wo for the land thou tramplest o'er, THE South, which had been exempt from hostile operations ever since the enemy made the unsuccessful attempt upon Charleston, was destined once more to become the theatre of war. Georgia being the weakest state in the south, prudence dictated to an enemy, becoming rather cautious, to make that the first point of attack. In November, Colonel Campbell was despatched from New York, by Clinton, with 2500 men, against Savannah, which fell into the hands of the enemy, together with the state itself, after a short resistance made by the American General Howe, with a force consisting of only 600 continentals and a few hundred militia. In the succeeding year, an attempt was made to recover Savannah. Count D'Estaing, who had sailed to the West Indies, to strike at the British power there, returned to cooperate with the Americans. In September, 1779, he arrived so unexpectedly upon the coast of Georgia, that a British vessel of fifty guns, and three frigates, fell into his hands. General Lincoln, who had been appointed by Congress to take charge of the army of the south, on receiving intelligence that D'Estaing had arrived, marched to co-operate with him. Before the arrival of Lincoln, the Count had demanded the surrender of the town. General Prevost, the English commander, requested a day to consider upon the matter, which was very imprudently granted. A reinforcement arrived, and the enemy bid defiance to the Count. On the arrival of Lincoln, preparations were made for a siege. At length an assault was made by D'Estaing and Lincoln, in which they suffered so severely, that the siege was raised, and the count re-embarked and left America. "While the siege of Savannah was pending, one of the most extraordinary enterprises ever related in history, one, indeed, which nothing but the respectability of the testimony could have prevented our considering as marvellous, occurred. It was an enterprise conceived and executed by Colonel John White, of the Georgia line. A Captain French, of Delancey's first battalion, was posted, with 100 men, British regulars, on the Ogeechee river, about twenty-five miles from Savannah. There lay also, at the same place, five armed vessels, the largest mounting fourteen guns, and having on board, altogether, forty-one men. Colonel White, with Captain Etholm, three soldiers, and his own servant, approached this post on the evening of the 30th of September, kindled a number of fires, arranging them in the manner of a large camp, and summoned French to surrender; he and his comrades riding about in various directions, and giving orders in a loud voice, as if performing the duties of the staff to a large army. French, not doubting the reality of what he saw, and anxious to spare the effusion of blood, which a contest with a force so superior would produce, surrendered the whole detachment, together with the crews of the five vessels, amounting, in all, to 141 men, and 130 stand of arms! "Colonel White had still, however, a very difficult game to play; it was necessary to keep up the delusion of Captain French until the prisoners should be secured; and, with this view, he pretended that the animosity of his troops was so ungovernable, that a little stratagem would be necessary to save the prisoners from their fury, and that he should, therefore, commit them to the care of three guides, with orders to conduct them to a place of safety. With many thanks for the Colonel's humanity, French accepted the proposition, and marched off at a quick pace, under the direction of the three guides, fearful, at every step, that the rage of White's troops would burst upon them, in defiance of his humane attempts to restrain them. White, as soon as they were out of sight, employed himself in collecting the militia of the neighbourhood, with whom he overtook his prisoners, and they were conducted, in safety, for twenty-five miles, to an American fort."-Allen. CHAPTER XIX. Shameful Outrages of the British-Piratical Expedition against Virginia-Devastation of the Country-Expedition against Connecticut-New Haven plunderedFairfield, Norwalk, and Greenland burned-Horrid Brutalities committed by the British Troops-Putnam attacked by Governor Tryon-Wonderful Escape of Putnam. "O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers." UNABLE to subdue the American armies, the British now commenced a shameful war upon the peaceful inhabitants, and began to lay waste a country they could not conquer. One of these piratical expeditions was directed against Virginia, where their course was marked by cruelty and devastation; burning everything they could not carry away, until the country, as far as they proceeded, was converted into one vast scene of smoking ruins. A similar expedition was projected against the ports of Connecticut. This was placed under the command of Governor Tryon. After plundering New Haven, he proceeded to Fairfield, Norwalk, and Greenland, which he committed to the flames. "In an account of the devastations made by the English in this expedition, which was transmitted to Congress, it appeared that at Fairfield there were burnt two houses of public worship, fifteen dwelling-houses, eleven barns, and several |