composed of one company of light infantry and a few dragoons was led by Captain Parker, who was ordered when he met the enemy to trust altogether to the sword and bayonet. Brown had to pass over a causeway, which it was important for Wayne to possess in order to accomplish his object. Parker therefore moved with celerity, and about 10 in the forenoon reached the causeway, where he was in a few minutes met by a small patrole of the enemy's cavalry, the whole of which he took with the exception of one dragoon.Brown's whole force being in the mean time upon the causeway, with his cavalry in front, they were charged by Lieutenant Bowyer with our horse, and being thrown into confusion and driven back upon their infantry, which from the narrowness of the causeway could not be brought to their support, Brown was compelled to fall back with his whole column. Upon General Wayne's coming up with the van, the enemy was pursued with the hope of being able to bring him to battle, but his retreat was made good to Savannah.

The Indians whom Brown had expected to meet, did not reach their place of rendezvous until a month afterwards, when hearing of Wayne's position in the vicinity, they determined to fall upon his pickets; and early on the morning of the 24th of June, the attempt was made. But the Indian chief was deceived in his expectation instead of falling upon the American picket he soon found himself fighting Wayne's whole army; and after a most gallant action in which both parties fought with uncommon bravery, hand to hand, this Indian chief and seventeen of his warriors fell, and the rest took to flight. They were immediately pursued in all directions, and 12 of them were overtaken and brought back. These General Wayne

thought proper to put to death. Our loss did not exceed twelve, killed and wounded.

It was perhaps one of the most extraordinary incidents that ever occurred, that a number of Indian warriors should have passed from the Creek nation, through the whole state of Georgia, without being seen or discovered by a single individual who could communicate the intelligence to General Wayne.When attacked in his camp in the dark, he had not the most distant suspicion of the nature of his antagonists, but took it for granted, on the contrary, that the whole garrison of Savannah had fallen upon him, and under this impression, determing to sell his life dearly, he exposed his person to every hazard, and fought with a gallantry never surpassed. Lieutenant Colonel Posey, and Captain Parker bravely seconded their commander, in this unlooked for attack, which closed the war in Georgia, the enemy having soon after determined upon evacuating Savannab, the only post which they now held in the state.

When this measure was made known to the merchants of Savannah, a deputation waited upon General Wayne, under the protection of a flag of truce, to know upon what conditions he would grant security to their persons and property. Wayne in his reply promised present protection to themselves and property whenever the British garrison should withdraw, but referred the ultimate decision of their fate to the civil authority. The merchants and other inhabitants, however, were not content with this uncertainty, and sent a second deputation to ascertain the definitive conditions upon which they might remain in the town. Instructed in the mean time by Governour Martin, General Wayne now gave them assurances,

that all who chose to remain should be protected in person and property, and that those who did not owe allegiance to the United States, should be allowed a reasonable time to dispose of their effects and settle their affairs. Major Habersham, of Georgia, Wayne's messenger on this occasion, and a gentleman of high character, pledged himself for the faithful observance of these conditions, and the affair being thus satisfactorily adjusted, the British garrison evacuated the place on the 11th of July, and the Americans entered it on the same day.

Thus was Georgia once more, and forever restored to the union, after being in possession of the enemy for more than three years. The town and works of Savannah were uninjured during the occupation by the enemy, for which much credit is due to Brigadier General Clarke, an officer much esteemed by the Americans for his humanity. It is computed that Georgia lost by the ravages of the enemy during the war, one thousand of its citizens, and about 4000 slaves.

General Wayne, after taking possession of Savannab, moved with his army to South Carolina, and having again joined General Greene, the concentrated troops moved nearer to Charleston, with a view of cutting off the enemy's supplies from the country, and occasional skirmishes took place, which generally ended in driving the provision parties back without gaining the object of their excursion. But the British ministry having, in the mean time, heard of the decisive operations in Virginia, began seriously to think of peace, and seeing the futility of any further efforts to maintain their possessions in the South, had given orders for abandoning all offensive operations, and evacuating their posts. General Leslie, therefore, to

avoid the necessity of procuring supplies for his troops at the hazard of further blood, addressed a letter to General Greene, in which, after stating the sole object of his inroads into the country, he proposed a cessation of hostilities, and the consequent discontinuance of his foraging parties, on condition of being permitted to purchase from the inhabitants at a fair price, such provisions as might be necessary for his army while it remained in Charleston. If the proposal of the British General had terminated here, it is possible that neither General Greene, nor the civil authority, would have found any grounds of objection to what, under every consideration, was so advantageous to themselves. But there was a threat in the alternative which aroused their pride; and on the plea of good faith to our allies, against whose possessions in the West Indies it was believed the British forces would be turned, and for which expedition, more than for their present wants, it was alleged that provisions would be amassed, the proposition was rejected.

This decision on the part of the American military and civil authorities, rendered it necessary for General Leslie to continue his predatory excursions, and to endeavour to take that by force, which he had shown his willingness to procure by peaceable purchase. For this purpose, a considerable detachment was fitted out, which under the protection of their armed vessels, proceeded to the Combahee River, and commenced loading their transports with provisions.

The light corps of General Greene's army, now considerably augmented, and placed under the command of Brigadier General Gist, (Lee having early in the present year obtained permission to retire from

the army on account of his health) was always held in readiness to counteract these excursions of the enemy; and this movement, therefore, was no sooner known to Greene, than Gist was detached in pursuit of the party. He advanced by a rapid march, and came up with the enemy on Page's Point, on the 27th of August. Lieutenant Colonel Laurens, the son of Mr. President Laurens, a young officer of splendid promise, and heroick gallantry, to whose command one division of the light corps had been entrusted on its augmentation, was at the moment of General Gist's marching, confined to his bed by illness; but upon being informed of the intended enterprise, nothing could restrain his determination to join his corps, and coming up with them just as they reached the point of destination, he obtained permission to place himself at the head of the van, which was at some distance in advance of the main body. Perceiving that the enemy were preparing to retire, he determined to strike at them, though his force was greatly inferiour, and in the execution of this daring design, this intrepid hero fell mortally wounded. Gist got up time enough to take one of the enemy's transports, but the remainder retired safely to Charles

ton.

There was something in the character of Lieutenant Colonel Laurens, which demands the particular notice of the American historian. His picture is thus drawn by Dr. Ramsay, who knew him well, and confirmed by Washington, with whom he had braved most of the dangers of the war. "Nature had adorned him with a large proportion of her choicest gifts, and these were highly cultivated by an elegant, useful and practical education. His patriotism was of