Carolina, in the month of February, 1781, invoked its inhabitants to rife in arms in favour of the rebellion; greatly haraffed this fmall British army a threatened to cut them off, to make them prisoners of war, or at least to drive them from the territory. Lord Rawdon's military talents were never more fplendidly exercised than upon this occafion. By a series of rapid marches, and daring exertions, he dif appointed all the efforts of the rebels; worfted them in feveral fevere contefts; and, within the fpace of less than ten days, expelled them out of the diftrict which they had invaded.

In the month of April following, another Ame, rican army advanced, under the command of General Greene, against the British troops, which, under Lord Rawdon, ftill held poffeffion of South Caro> lina. While Greene kept his ariny encamped on Hobkirk-hill, his lordfhip, anticipating the coming up of the American artillery, and the arrival of reinforcements which Greene expected to join him, refolved to attack the rebels in their camp, though with a very inferior force. The choice of a cir'cuitous line of march concealed his approach from the enemy. He reached the moft acceffible fide of the hill on which they lay, before they were at all aware that he was about to affault them. Greene, however, with great alertness, drew out his forcés to encounter the affailants: and when he perceived with what a narrowness of front the British advanced to the attack, he confidently expected a decifive victory.

victory, Difcerning, at once, the plans of the American commander, Lord Rawdon, with great promptitude of thought and resolution, opposed to these fuch a new arrangement, and fuch movements of the British troops, as were fitted effectually to defeat them. Perhaps, after all, the attempt of the British was one which nothing but the very difficult and critical fituation of their affairs in the province could fully juftify. The Americans defcended down the hill, under the protection of a very heavy fire of grape-shot from their artillery. An extenfion, however, of the British front-line, utterly difconcerted the American plan of attack. The British impctuously drove them back, pursued them to the fum, mit of the hill, filenced their cannon, and foon totally routed the whole American army. The victory was obftinately difputed; it was dearly earned; any thing less than Lord Rawdon's intrepid courage, and fertile invention in military refources, would have been unequal to the difficulties of the occafion.*

Yet, Lord Cornwallis found it, foon after, neceffary to evacuate the province of South Carolina; and in confequence of the indifpofition of his lordfhip's health at that time, the conduct of the retreat devolved upon Lord Rawdon. It was attended with the fevereft hardships; the want of the necef

See "Stedman's Hiftory of the American War," vol. II. p. 356-8.

faries for fubfiftence, a fatigue which the weakness of hunger was but ill-fitted to undergo, disease inceffantly thinning their numbers, an enemy active to harafs or furround them, local difficulties of which the clear and open ftate of almoft all European countries can convey no juft idea. The circumfpection, forefight, and unfparing perfonal exertion, with which this gallant leader watched over the fafety of the British troops during this retreat, and finally accomplished its object; as they were among the most eminent proofs which have ever been exhibited of military genius and skill; fo are they greatly above our praife. It became afterwards neceffary for him to evacuate Camden. For fome time fubfequent he continued, with great vigilance and activity, to purfue and harafs the movements of Ge neral Greene. When it appeared, that the farther profecution of this plan of operations would be fruitlefs, his lordship then returned to Charlestown.

In the diftrict of Charlestown, he, for a while, held a command. During this period, an unpleafing act of public justice was executed, under the authority of Lieutenant-colonel* Balfour, as commander within the town; on account of which, fome unmerited blame was afterwards thrown out against Lord Rawdon. Ifaac Haynes, an American, had been made prifoner when Charlestown was taken by the British forces. He voluntarily took the oath of allegiance to the British Government, and was fet at liberty. In

• Now lieutenant-general.

violation

violation of his oaths, he foon after began to intrigue for the fervice of the rebellion. Obtaining the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the American militia, he feduced a whole batallion of loyalists to defert with him to the rebels. His treachery was detected, when he was in the act of carrying it finally into execution, at the critical moment of the near approach of the enemy to affault the town. Thus flagrantly guilty, Haynes was brought to trial, before a Court of Enquiry; was convicted; and condemned to death. Lord Rawdon, with generous humanity, endeavoured, privately, to procure an application from the loyalifts, in favour of the unhappy criminal, which might obtain his pardon from Lieutenant-colonel Balfour. But, Sir Egerton Leigh, Attorney-general for the province, entirely defeated this benignant expedient, for the reconciliation of mercy with public juftice, by declaring, that he would fooner cut off his right "hand, than fign a petition fo injurious to his "Majesty's interefts." When particularly asked, indeed, by Lieutenant-colonel Balfour, in private, Lord Rawdon could not help giving his reluctant opinion, merely as a British officer, in favour of that which the interefts of military difcipline feemed, in this inftance, imperiously to demand. Haynes was executed. How unjustly this execution has been branded with the charge of cruelty; and with what falfity Lord Rawdon has been accufed, as its author; cannot but fufficiently appear to the reader;

from

from what the most unquestionable authority has

enabled us here to state*.

The exceffive heats of the climate, for fome time after, compelled the British troops to remain in a ftate of inaction. Lord Rawdon's health had been greatly impaired; and he fell into a dangerous indifpofition. One destined march was, on account of his illness, countermanded. His zeal for the fervice, made him renew his directions for that march, imme,

• It was known by every body in Charlestown, that Lord Rawdon fecretly encouraged Mr. Alexander Wright, and Mr. Powel, two eminent loyalifts, to procure a petition from their body, in favour of Colonel Haynes.-We fhall also add Lord Moira's own recent account of this transaction, as an additional proof of his delicate notions of his refponfibility.

པ་

"The learned lord (1) has brought the cafe of Colonel Haynes to juftify the fyftem which has been carried on in Ireland. Let me ftate to your lordships what the cafe was: Ifaac Haynes had "been taken at the capture of Charlestown. He was fuffered to "go on parole to his own houfe. He was not contented with "remaining a prifoner on parole; he voluntarily came forward, "and took the oath of allegiance. He foon began to intrigue;

and obtained the command of colonel of militia in the enemy's 66 army. He corrupted a battalion of our militia, which had been "enrolled and attefted. He was detected carrying them off, at the

very moment when the enemy were coming down upon us. "He was tried by a Court of Enquiry, and executed. But it is "neceffary to inform your lordships, that this Court of Enquiry "was the only criminal court known in the country. It was adopted from the example of the enemy, and was fo far fuperior "to a Court-martial, that the officer who prefided in it was re"fponsible for every efficient act."-See Earl Moira's Speech in the "Irish House of Lords. (1) Lord Clare.

diately