PUBLIC CHARACTERS OF 1798-9. EARL MOIRA. Juftum et tenacem propofiti virum, Mente quatit solidâ, neque Auster Dux inquieti turbidus Adriæ, Nec fulminantis magna Jovis manus: Si fractus illabatur orbis, HOR. 'RANCIS, Lord Rawdon, Earl of Moira,—a name FRA worthy to be pronounced by men of all parties, with respect, was born on the 7th day of December, in the year 1754. - Even in infancy, he began to exhibit eminent marks of that ardour and firmness of foul, which are the primary ingredients of heroifm. Like the great Turenne, he conceived an early paffion for the perils and the darings of a military life. During the progrefs of his education, his favourite boyish amusements were imitative of the arts of war. At ten years of age, he was feverely wounded in the leg, by the bursting of one of feveral brafs guns, which he was eagerly pointing, to batter an old folio volume. In the books which were put into his hands; cháracters, remarkable for calm intrepidity in the midst of dangers; for fortitude under the extremity of fuffering; for a courage kindling into bolder exertion and keener enjoyment, in proportion as the oppofition it encounters, becomes more terrible; were those which chiefly interefted his curiofity, excited, his admiration, and inflamed his heart with emulative ambition. He delighted to commit to memory, and would often repeat, with high emotion, fuch fentiments as thofe in which Zanga, in the tragedy of the Revenge, is made to triumph, in expectation of the agonies of the rack; or that with which Damien contemplated the approach of the day for his execution, and its close*; or that of the Spanish proverb, which afferts, that the laft of human ills, however otherwife formidable, yet, because it is the laft, is ever to be regarded as a light one. His education was conducted with every advantage which his rank and fortune could beftow, for the culture of youthful qualities of fuch fair promife; yet, without being directed to encourage his infant paffion for martial enterprize. His ardour for military glory was, however, confirmed and augmented while he advanced to manhood. Foreign travel, through thofe countries on the continent, which have been long accounted the La journée fera dure-mais elle fe paffera. † Ningummal a'ya granda, fi es pofteros favourite favourite feats of refinement, gave the laft polish to his manners, and a farther enlargement to his fentiments, before his entrance into public life. About the time of the commencement of the American war, he became an officer in the British army. With his regiment, he gladly embarked for America. In the memorable battle of Bunker's-hill, he ferved in the condition of lieutenant of the fifth company of grenadiers. He was one of only seven, out of the whole company, who efcaped unhurt in that action. But two fhots, received in his cap, fufficiently evinced that he had braved danger to the very teeth. And, it was the judgment of the late General Burgoyne that this young nobleman had, even on the day of Bunker's-hill alone, atchieved enough to cover his whole life with glory. He was afterwards present in the enterprize of ftorming Fort Clinton. He was known, during the life of his father, by the title of Lord Rawdon and this name became famous, in the dispatches which were received from America, in the courfe of the war. Merit fo eminent, at fo early an age, was fufficient to juftify any rapidity of military promotion, which the wealth and influence of his family could command for him. In the year 1778, before he had completed the full age of four-and-twenty, he rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the army, and ⚫ General Burgoyne's words, in his official difpatch, were, * Lord Rawdon has this day ftamped his fame for life." was appointed adjutant-general to the British forces under the command of Sir Henry Clinton. In the hazardous retreat of the British army from Philadelphia, through the Jerfeys, to New York, he evinced his valour, activity, and judgment, in this new command, by fervices of great importance to the fafety of the troops. He acquired new honour, by his conduct in the action at Monmouth. His behaviour, during the fiege of Charlestown, difplayed fo many eminent proofs, as well of military prudence and fagacity, as of activity and courage; that, notwithstanding his youth, and the fhort time which he had been in actual fervice, he was now judged worthy of a separate command; and was fent, at the head of a body of troops, to act in the province of South Carolina. The American general, Gates, had invaded this province; and the part affigned to Lord Rawdon was, to check the progress of the rebel army, until Lord Cornwallis fhould arrive with a force fufficient to repulfe them. With a difcernment and skill, highly honourable to his military talents, Lord Rawdon pofted himself, with his small force, in a fituation from which he could, for eightand-forty hours, fecurely defy the more powerful army of the Americans, to battle. Had Gates ventured to attack him in this encampment, there was little doubt but the British troops would have proved decifively victorious. In their relative local circumftances, Lord Rawdon might even have affailed the Americans with great probability of fuccefs. But with the coolness, prudence, and felf-denial, of an old commander, rather than the ardour of a young officer impetuous in the purfuit of glory, he chofe to await the arrival of Lord Cornwallis, inftead of risking an action which might indeed have been, in its event, eminently glorious to himself; but which, it was also poffible, might have proved unfortunate, and would, in this cafe, have difconcerted all the plans of Lord Cornwallis. Gates, retiring, endeavoured, by a circuitous march, to deprive Lord Rawdon of thofe local advantages which he had fo fkilfully feized. In the mean time Lord Cornwallis came up, and the new movements of the Americans were perceived to have thrown them into a condition, in which it was likely that they might be defeated. The action at Cam❤ den was confequently fought. Lord Rawdon, now under Lord Cornwallis, led on one of thofe divifions which were the first engaged; and, by his intrepidity, and promptitude of refolution, here merited new laurels. The Americans were entirely routed; and the British forces gained one of the moft deci five victories, which it was their fortune to obtain in the whole courfe of the war. Lord Cornwallis afterwards marching into North Carolina, left Lord Rawdon, with but a handful of troops, to maintain the fouthern province. The American generals, Sumpter and Marion, each at the head of a body of forces, more numerous than those which Lord Rawdon had to oppofe to them, broke into South Carolina, |