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Show VBY THE PRESTOIErEXCT.J3g? Matters Take Turn for Worse in Dark Year of 1780 Clinton Is Defeated in the South Cornwallia Meets With Great Success, but Is Driven Back to Yorktown, Where He Is Beselged in 1781 Forced to Surrender. (Copyright. 1896. by Harper & Brothers. All rights reserved.) (Copyright. 1013. by the McClure Newspaper News-paper Syndicate.) BUT few noted In the east what gallant gal-lant men were doing In tho willey of the Mississippi. They caw only that the British, foiled in Now England and tho middle colonies, had changed their plans, and were now rninded to try what could be done in the south. There at last their campaigns seemed about to yield them something. Savannah taken, they had little trouble In overrunning Georgia, and every effort to dislodge them failed; for Washington could not withdraw his army from before be-fore Clinton at New York. Spain joined Franco in offensive alliance in April, 1779; In August a combined French and Spanish Span-ish lleet attempted an Invasion of England; Eng-land; all Europo seemed about to turn upo the stout little kingdom In Its unapi-mous unapi-mous fear and hatred of her arrogant supremacy su-premacy upon the aeas. Everywhere there was war upon the ocean highways even Amorlca sending forth men of desperate valor, like John Paul Jones, to ravage and challenge Britain upon her very coasts. But England's spirit only rose wtlh the danger, and Washington waited all tha weary year through for his French allies. TURN FOR THE WORSE. Tn 17S0 it looked for a little as if the British were Indeed turned victors. In the spring Clinton withdrew the force that had held Newport to New York, and. leaving Goneral Knyphauson there with a powerful force to keep Washington and the city, carried 8000 men "southward to take Charleston. There were forces already al-ready in the south sufficient to swell his army to 10,000 ere he Invested the fated town: and on May 12. 17S0, it fell Into his hands, with General Lincoln and 3000 prisoners. Washington had sent such succor as he could, but the British force was overwhelming, and South Carolina was lost. South Carolina teemed with loyalists. The whole country was swept and harried by partisan bands. Tho men who should have swelled General Lincoln's Lin-coln's force knew not when their homes might be plundered and destroyed, If they were to leave them. The planters of the low country dared nto stir for fear of an Insurrection of their slaves. In Juno. Clinton could Lake half his force back to New York, deeming tho work done. Gen-oral Gen-oral Gates completed tho disastrous record. rec-ord. On June 13 he was given chief command com-mand In the south and was told that the country expected another "Burgoynade." His force was above 3000, and he struck his blow, ao he should, at Camdon. where CornwalUs had but 2000 men, albeit trained and veteran troops; but the end was total, shameful rout (August 16, 17S0), and men knew at last tho Incapacity Inca-pacity of their "hero at Saratoga." "We look on America as at our feet," said Horace Walpole. DARE YEAR OF 1780. Certainly things looked desperato enough that dark year. The congress was sinking Into a more and more holpless Inefficiency. Definite articles of confederation confed-eration had beon submitted to the statos nearly throe years ago (November, 1777). but they had nto beon adopted yet, and tho states had almost ceased to heed the requisitions of the congress at all. Unable Un-able to lax, it paid Its bills and tho wages of Its troops In paper, which so rapidly fell In valuo that by the time the hopeless year 17S0 was out men In the ranks found a month's pay too llttlo with which to buy even a single bushel of wheat. Washington was obliged to levy supplies from the country round him to feed his army; and In spite of their stanch loyalty loy-alty to him, his men grew mutinous. In sheer disgust with the weak and faithless faith-less government they wore expected' to serve. WholcBalo desertion began, as many as 100 men a month going over to the enemy, to get at least pay and food and cltohlng. The country seemed not so much dismayed as worn out and Indifferent; In-different; weary of waiting and lipping; looking stolidly to see the end come. Washington was helpless. Without the co-operation of a naval force. It was Impossible Im-possible to do moro than hold the British Brit-ish In New York. France. It was true, was bestirring herself again. On July 10 a French fleet put In at Newport and landed a force of BOOO men. under Count Rochambcau. a most sensible and capable officer, who was directed to Join Washington Wash-ington and put himself ontlrelv under his command. But a powerful British fleot presently made Its appearance In the Gound; the French admiral dared not atlr: Rochambcau dared nto leave hlin without succor; and tho reinforcements that were to have followed out of France were blockaded In tho harbor of Brest. TREASON OF ARNOLD. Thtn. while things stood so, treason was added. Benedict Arnold, tho man whom Washington trusted with a deep affection, and whom the army loved for his gallantry, entered Into corrospondonce with the enemy: arranged to give West Point and tho posts dependent upon It Into their hands; and, his treason suddenly sud-denly detected, escaped without punishment punish-ment to tho British sloop of war that waited in tho river (or tho British agent in the plot. Washington was ut hand when the discovery was mado. His aides were breakfasting with Arnold when the traitor was handed the note which told him ho was found out: and Arnold hod scarcely excused himself and made good his flight when the commander-in-chief re.ichcd tho house. When Washington learnod what had happened. It smote him so that mighty sobs burst from horn, as If his great heart would break; and all the night through tho guard could hear him pacing his room endlcsslv. In i lonely vigil with his bitter thoughts. Ho did rot In his own grief forget the stricken strick-en Jf upstairs "Go to M-s "nold he said to ono of his oftlcers, "and-B her that, though my duty required W-no W-no means should bo neglected to arrj, General Arnold, I have great pleasure-: " acquainting her that he Is now safojfr board a BrltlBh vessel." Arnold - . deemed himself wronged and liisujedfi congress but what officer that Wushl ton trusted ' nilghe not? - WlicT'couM. confided In If such men turned traltoW But a sudden turning of affairs nuirWiiW" the close of the year. Cormva'Ills hadrSBB etratcd too far into .tho Carollnas: mm advanced Into North Carolina, aM H BS beset, as Burgoyne had Uctn. by a ruBBB of the country. Ho lost 1200 meti! Mwm King's mountain (October 7, 17iO,BS Burgoyno has lost 1000 ot BennlngwIB and everywhere, as ho. oveiI. ho fbNS himself checked by tho best oflicenj-JB long war had bred Nathanael Orefl 9 who had been Washington's rluht the war through; Henry Le, the fl&rM J master of cavalry, whom Washing loved; the veteran Steuben; ."'JBIH had won Saratoga with Arnold; d"PSH tlsan leaders a score, whom he MB learned to dread In that Tflflo forM country. He was outgeneraled; his foi HI were taken In detail and beaten, ana mm himself wan forced at last Into VirgU mJB By mid-summer. 17S1, all his Int S. posts wero lost, and he war cut off It Mfe Charleston and Savannah by a com itu ho dared not cross again. In vlrel UV though at first ho raided as he pleai i . ho was chocked moro and more as; uj season advanced by a growing forcai fe dor Lafayette; and by the first jjad 1 August ho had taken counsel of pruO 1 and established himself, lOOp strong, Yorktown. near the sea. his oaae ot J , a piles. Then It waa- that ashln struck tho blow which ended the 1 a At last Rochambcau was free to W at last a French fleet was athawJ ,, block the free passage of tho a. , i Count do Grasso, with twenty-eight I of th dine, six frigates and 2000 n 1 was In tho West Indies, and In AM W sent word to Washington fHj about to bring his oi6 fleet to flj Chesapeake, as Washington ; had . w (H Either the Chesapeake or .orl JB been Washington's prayer to him. V Intr as If he were but mpvlng aooui i mm Yoerk from north to ih tar vantage of Position, ..th'"5ld 1 denlv took 2000 Continentals ana Frenchmen, under Rochambeaii. aU long 100 miles lo Jork rivei In J W j to find CornwalUs already omji there, as ho, had planned. Grasso's fleet In tho bay and WJr Intrenched across the pen insu lawiW men, now tho French lmd ioaniu 3000.' A few weeks' slcgo and UdrltffidXe the way from N aVi as easily as If cJnpncs 1 1 he added, "your exconencj s , I monts in Now Joey re . 1 nothing could surpass them- i J -m |
