October 1st, to Colonel White, Captain Elholm and four others, one of whom was the Colonel's servant. On the preceding night, this small party kindled a number of fires in different places, and adopted the parade of a large encampment. By these, and a variety of deceptive stratagems, Captain French was impressed with an opinion, that nothing but an instant surrender, in conformity to a peremptory summons, could save his men from being cut to pieces by a superior force. He therefore gave up, without making any resistance.

At the close of the campaign of 1779, the public mind was in a state of despondency. The alliance with France had not produced the expected results, and the Americans had made very feeble exertions for the support of their cause, while trusting to their allies. Still, in the south, the British forces were confined to Savannah, and in the north, to New York and its vicinity.

The naval efforts of the Americans were considerably limited by the vigilance of the British squadrons. Yet a large number of privateers, kept the seas, and several successful cruisers were fitted out in the French ports for the American service. The most distinguished naval commander in the service of the States was Captain John Paul Jones. His name had become formidable in the British seas. Receiving the command of a small squadron, of which the Le Bon Homme Richard was the principal vessel, Jones cruised on the coast of England and Scotland, and on the 24th of September, fell in with a fleet of merchantmen from the Baltic,

convoyed by the frigate Serapis and a smaller vessel, named the Countess of Scarborough.

The Serapis had every advantage over her antagonist; in the number and calibre of guns, and in being more manageable. The last advantage was somewhat lessened, however, by the Serapis running her bowsprit between the poop and mizzenmast of the Bon Homme Richard, when Jones, with his own hands, lashed it fast, and brought the two vessels together. The ships were thus engaged from half-past eight till half-past ten, the muzzles of their guns touching each other's sides. One of the men in the Bon Homme Richard carried a basket of hand-grenades out on the mainyard, and threw them among the crew of the Serapis. At half-past eight, one of these combustibles exploded a cartridge-magazine, blew up among the people abaft the main-mast, and rendered all the guns on that side useless. The two ships were frequently on fire during the action, and the spectacle was inexpressibly awful. Finding that he was unable longer to defend his ship, and his convoy having in the mean time escaped to such a distance as to remove any fears of their capture, Captain Pearson of the Serapis struck his flag, when Jones immediately transferred his crew on board of her, as the Bon Homme Richard was in a sinking condition.

Whilst the action between the two larger vessels was maintained, the

Pallas engaged, and after two hours' fighting compelled the Countess of Scarborough to surrender. On the 25th, the Bon Homme Richard, after every exertion on the part of Commodore Jones to save her, went down. Jones sailed to Holland with his prizes, and on the 3d of October anchored off the Texel, having taken during his short cruise prizes estimated to amount to more than £40,000.

In 1780, Commodore Jones took command of the Ariel, a small storeship of twenty guns, and sailed for the United States; but, losing his masts in a gale, he was obliged to return to L'Orient to refit; and, thus delayed, he did not reach America until February, 1781. The gallant sailor was honored with the thanks of Congress, and a gold medal struck in commemoration of the victory over the Serapis.

CAMPAIGN OF 1780 IN THE SOUTHERN STATES, TILL THE DEFEAT OF

GATES AT CAMDEN.

HE ease with which the British had overrun Georgia, and the ineffectual resistance of the people of the Southern States, indicated that quarter of the Union as the most feasible object of attack. Sir Henry Clinton, as soon as he was assured of the departure of the French fleet, and that the army under Washington was too small and poorly provided to make an attempt on New York, resolved to renew offensive operations in the South. Leaving the powerful garrison of New York under the command of General Knyphausen, he embarked, with fifteen regiments, a powerful detachment of artillery, 250 cavalry, and an ample supply of stores, and sailed under the convoy of a suitable naval force, commanded by Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot. After a tedious and dangerous passage, in which part of their ordnance, most of their artillery and all of their cavalry horses were lost, the fleet arrived at Tybee, in Georgia, January 21, 1780.