1781. amples are never more nece" fuch dangerous occafions; 1 more effectual. The general. fequence of this, reprefented in fuch striking colours, as of the court. Greene at conduct of the Marylan lic) in fuch a manner participation of the cri racters he faid-" O fufficient to betray h errors. But the gene ryland line has nobly of fuch as have at he believe that fok whofe character is " their glory by an ? The gen. w! vails in your a and major taken place ! faving the frontier fettlements of both the Ca- 17816 from their incurfions, while the inhabitants were full liberty to concentrate their force against the nder lord Cornwallis. When the co-operation Indians could be of the leaft fervice to the Brirces, they were induced to break their engageThey, with a number of disguised whitemen, no themselves the king's friends, made an incurfion the district of Ninety Six, maffacred fome fami..and burned several houses. Gen. Pickens collected arty of the American militia, and penetrated into fettlements of the Cherokees. This he accomplishin fourteen days, at the head of 394 horfemen. In at fhort space he burned 13 towns and villages, killed ward of 40 Indians, and took a greater number priners. Not one of his party was killed, and only two were ounded. None of the expeditions against the Cheroees had been fo rapid and decifive as the prefent. Pickens id not expend three pounds of ammunition, and yet only three Indians escaped, after having been once seen, On this occafion a new and successful mode of fighting the Indians was introduced. Inftead of firing, the American militia rushed forward on horfeback, and charged with drawn fwords. This was the fecond time fince the commencement of the American war, that the Cherokees were chaftifed in their own fettlements, in confequence of their fuffering themselves to be excited by British emiffaries to commence hoftilities against their white neighbours. They again fued for peace, in the moft fubmiffive terms, and obtained it after promifing, that inftead of liftening to the advice of the royalists inftigating them to war, they would deliver to the authoVOL. IV. N rity The Brith had two commiffioned off ed; eight officers (fome of 175 non-commiffioned and on of more capital and Graffe to a co-operation town on the Erith miniitry powders to Sir George Rodte court in profecuting the sent to give effectuci uffitvin his whole fest and a me sth of July, and the moule of the month, eps of the line. In u nom the Cape with oh maving icen out or danger, for money, he dected 23 fall of the line and Accy, defigning to return cd upon fending Sir Samuel the Lae, fome frigates, and and forwarded dispatches Aug. it to adm. Graves. Graves however failed on a cruife 1781. before Boston. When he returned on the 16th of Auguft, the propofal was renewed: but it was now become neceffary to refit one of his fhips, and to repair others, fo that his fleet could not be ready in feafon. Mr. de Barras failed with the train and ftores from Rhode Island on the 25th; concluding from de Graffe's own difpatches, 25 that he must be then at the Chesapeak. De Barras was at liberty to have undertaken any other fervice: but though he was an older officer than de Graffe, he voluntarily chose to put himself under his command, to enfure an object, the attainment of which was of fuch immenfe confequence to the allied arms of France and America. On the day of his failing, Sir Samuel Hood arrived off the Chefapeak, where he expected to have met Graves with the fquadron from New York; but being disappointed, he fent a frigate to that commander with the news of his arrival. Had they formed a junction at this period and place, they might have fecured: the Chesapeak, and have prevented de Graffe's entering it a few days after. Sir Samuel having examined the bay, proceeded to the capes of Delaware, and not feeing or hearing any thing of de Graffe, made the beft of his way to Sandy Hook, where he arrived on the 28th. 28. On that day, the commanders at New York received intelligence, that Barras had failed three days before to the fouthward. Notwithstanding the hope of intercept- ; ing his fquadron before it could join de Graffe, must have been a new incentive for exertions; it was three days before Graves could be in readiness to proceed from New York with five hips of the line and a fifty gun to the Hook, and from thence with the whole fleet 310 1781. under his command to the fouthward. The day before he failed, de Graffe arrived in the Chesapeak. On his paffage the count fell in with and took a packet from Charlestown, having on board lord Rawdon, who was on his return to Great Britain. 5. The French admiral after blocking up York river, took poffeffion of James's, in order to cover the boats of the fleet, which were to convoy the marquis de St. Simon, with 3300 land forces from the Weft Indies, eighteen leagues up the river, to form a junction with Fayette. Graves received no intelligence of the French fleet (nor they of his approach) till they were discovered Sept, early in the morning of September the 5th, lying at anchor, to the number of 24 fail of the line, juft within Cape Henry, and confequently the mouth of the Chefapeak. The French immediately flipped their cables, and turning out from the anchorage ground, Graffe threw out a fignal for the fhips feverally to form the line as they could come up, without regarding particular ftations. The British fleet amounted to nineteen fhips of the line, and one or more of 50 guns. Through various delays the action did not commence till four o'clock, and then was partial, only the van and a part of the British centre being able to come near enough to engage with effect. De Graffe did not aim fo much at a close engagement, as at keeping poffeffion of the Chefapeak, and faving his fhips for that and all its correfpondent purposes. The abfence of 1800 of his feamen, and 90 officers, employed in conveying Simons's troops up James river, confirmed him in his avoidance of a hazardous action. Drake with the rear divifion, in confequence of the laft tack, becoming the van of the |