sioners to treat with the Creek Indians on the frontiers of the southern states, and in 1793, he was one of the commissioners to effect a peace with the western Indians.

Having, after his resignation of the office of collector, passed about two years in retirement, and in tranquillity of mind, but experiencing the feebleness of age, he received a short attack of disease, by which his life was terminated on the 9th of May, 1810.

General Lincoln in his nature, was unsusceptible of the spirit of envy. Whoever achieved a noble action to the honour and advantage of his country, whether as a patriot or soldier, was with him the man of merit, and the theme of eulogy, though it might eclipse his own fame. He was universally respected as one of the best of men, of ardent patriotism, and of heroic courage. Major-general Knox, whose candour and discriminating judgment no one will deny, was known to estimate next to Washington, in military talents, generals Greene and Lincoln. Colonel Nathan Rice, a respectable officer, who was a member of his military family, observes, that the sacrifice of as much domestic happiness as falls to the lot of man, to serve his country, would seem to place his patriotism beyond suspicion. The firmness and zeal with which he rendered this service during her struggle, the coolness with which he met danger, his fortitude under bodily pain, privation and disappointment, and the confidence reposed in him by the commander in chief, all strongly evince that his country had not misjudged in elevating him to the distinguished rank he held in the army. While at Purysburg, on the Savannah river, a soldier named Fickling, having been detected in frequent attempts to desert, was tried, and sentenced to be hanged. The general ordered the execution. The rope broke; a second was procured, which broke also; the case was reported to the general for directions. "Let him run," said the general, "I thought he looked like a scape gallows."

We are indebted for the foregoing interesting sketch of general Lincoln, to Dr. Thacher's excellent work. We select what follows from Garden's interesting Anecdotes of the Revolutionary War.

"It happened that as Fickling was led to execution,

the surgeon-general of the army passed accidentally on his way to his quarters, which were at some distance off. On being tied up to the fatal tree, the removal of the ladder caused the rope to break, and the culprit fell to the ground. This circumstance, to a man of better character, might have proved of advantage; but being universally considered as a miscreant, from whom no good could be expected, a new rope was sought for, which lieutenant Hamilton, the adjutant of the first regiment, a stout and heavy man, essayed by every means, but without effect, to break. Fickling was then haltered, and again turned off, when to the astonishment of the by-standers, the rope untwisted, and he fell a second time, uninjured, to the ground. A cry for mercy was now general throughout the ranks, which occasioned major Ladson, aid-de-camp to general Lincoln, to gallop to head quarters, to make a representation of facts, which were no sooner stated, than an immediate pardon was granted, accompanied with an order, that he should, instantaneously, be drummed, with every mark of infamy, out of camp, and threatened with instant death, if ever he should, at any future period, be found attempting to approach it. In the interim, the surgeon-general had established himself at his quarters, in a distant barn, little doubting but that the catastrophe was at an end, and Fickling quietly resting in his grave. Midnight was at hand, and he was busily engaged in writing, when hearing the approach of a footstep, he raised his eyes, and saw with astonishment, the figure of a man, who had, in his opinion, been executed, slowly, and with haggard countenance, approaching towards him. "How! how is this?" exclaimed the doctor. "Whence come

you? What do you want with me? Were you not hanged this morning?" "Yes, sir," replied the resuscitated man, I am the wretch you saw going to the gallows, and who was hanged." "Keep your distance," said the doctor; approach me not till you say, why you come here?" "Simply, sir," said the supposed spectre, solicit food. I am no ghost, doctor. The rope broke twice while the executioner was doing his office, and the general thought proper to pardon me." "If that be the case," rejoined the doctor, "eat and welcome; but I beg

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of you, in future, to have a little more consideration, and not intrude so unceremoniously into the apartment of one who had every right to suppose you an inhabitant of the tomb."

The person and air of general Lincoln betokened his military vocation. He was of a middle height, and erect, broad chested and muscular, in his latter years corpu lent, with open intelligent features, a venerable and be nign aspect. His manners were easy and unaffected, but courteous and polite. In all his transactions, both public and private, his mind was elevated above all sordid or sinister views, and our history will not perhaps record many names more estimable than was that of general Lincoln.

Regularity, both in business and his mode of living, were peculiar traits in his character; habitually temperate, and accustomed to sleep, unconfined to time or place. In conversation he was always correct and chaste; on no occasion uttering any thing like profanity or levity on serious subjects, and when others have indulged in these respects in his presence, it was ever received by him with such marked disapprobation of countenance, as to draw from them an instantaneous apology, and regret for the offence.

The following anecdote is related of general Lincoln: When he went to make peace with the Creek Indians, one of the chiefs asked him to sit down on a log. He was then desired to move, and, in a few minutes, to move farther. The request was repeated until the general got to the end of the log. The Indian said, "Move farther;" to which the general replied, "I can move no farther." "Just so it is with us," said the chief; "you have moved us back to the water, and then ask us to move farther!"

MARION, FRANCIS, colonel in the regular service, and brigadier-general in the militia of South Carolina, was born in the vicinity of Georgetown, in South Carolina, in the year 1733.

Young Marion, at the age of sixteen, entered on board a vessel bound to the West Indies, with a determination to fit himself for a seafaring life. On his outward passage, the vessel was upset in a gale of wind, when the crew took to their boat without water or provisions, it being impracticable to save any of either. A dog jumped into the boat with the crew, and upon his flesh, eaten raw, did the survivers of these unfortunate men subsist for seven or eight days; in which period several died of hunger.

Among the few who escaped was young Marion. After reaching land, Marion relinquished his original plan of life, and engaged in the labours of agriculture. In this occupation he continued until 1759, when he became a soldier, and was appointed a lieutenant in a company of volunteers, raised for an expedition against the Cherokee Indians, commanded by captain William Moultrie, (since general Moultrie.) This expedition was conducted by governor Lyttleton: it was followed in a year or two by another invasion of the Cherokee country by colonel Grant, who served as major-general in our war under sir William Howe.

In this last expedition lieutenant Marion also served, having been promoted to the rank of captain. As soon as the war broke out between the colonies and the mother country, Marion was called to the command of a company in the first corps raised by the state of South Carolina. He was soon afterwards promoted to a majority, and served in that rank under colonel Moultrie, in his intrepid defence of fort Moultrie, against the combined attack of sir Henry Clinton and sir Henry Parker, on the 2d of June, 1776. He was afterwards placed at the head of a regiment as lieutenant-colonelcommandant, in which capacity he served during the siege of Charleston; when, having fractured his leg by some accident, he became incapable of military duty, and fortunately for his country, escaped the captivity to which the garrison was, in the sequel, forced to submit.

Upon the fall of Charleston, many of the leading men of the state of South Carolina sought personal safety, with their adherents, in the adjoining states. Delighted at the present prospect, these faithful and brave citizens

hastened back to their country to share in the perils and toils of war.

Among them were Francis Marion and Thomas Sumpter, both colonels in the South Carolina line, and both promoted by governor Rutledge to the rank of brigadier-general in the militia of the state. Enthusiastically wedded to the cause of liberty, he deeply deplored the doleful condition of his beloved country. The common Iweal was his sole object; nothing selfish, nothing mercenary, soiled his ermin character. Fertile in stratagem, he struck unperceived; and retiring to those hidden retreats, selected by himself, in the morasses of Pedee and Black River, he placed his corps not only out of the reach of his foe, but often out of the discovery of his friends. A rigid disciplinarian, he reduced to practice the justice of his heart; and during the difficult course of warfare, through which he passed, calumny itself never charged him with violating the rights of person, property, or humanity. Never avoiding danger, he never rashly sought it; and acting for all around him as he did for himself, he risked the lives of his troops only when it was necessary. Never elated with prosperity, nor depressed by adversity, he preserved an equanimity which won the admiration of his friends, and exacted the respect of his enemies. The country, from Camden to the sea coast, between the Pedee and Santee, was the theatre of his exertions.

When Charleston fell into the enemy's hands, lieutenant-colonel Marion abandoned his state, and took shelter in North Carolina. The moment he recovered from the fracture of his leg, he engaged in preparing the means of annoying the enemy, then in the flood-tide of prosperity. With sixteen men only, he crossed the Santee, and commenced that daring system of warfare which so much annoyed the British army.

Colonel Peter Horry, in his life of general Marion, gives the following interesting incident: "About this time, we received a flag from the enemy in Georgetown, South Carolina, the object of which was to make some arrangements about the exchange of prisoners. The flag, after the usual ceremony of blindfolding, was conducted into Marion's encampment. Having heard great talk