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LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION OF LAFAYETTE FROM THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE KING OF FRANCE (From original document at the New York Historical Society)

Early the next day, two British columns marched along 1 7 7 8 the two roads that led northward and began an attack. August 29 A few British war-ships came up the bay and opened fire upon the American right. For nearly seven hours the battle raged with fearful carnage. In repelling the furious and repeated onsets of the Hessians, "the newly raised black regiment under Col. [Christopher] Greene distinguished itself by deeds of desperate valor." At last, the British retired to their fortified camp on Quaker Hill, where Sullivan desired to attack them. But the American troops had been without rest or food for thirty-six hours, the assault was abandoned, and both armies went into camp. On the morning of the thirtieth, Sullivan received word from Washington of the coming of Lord Howe's fleet with Sir Henry Clinton and five thousand troops, and heard from Boston that d'Estaing could not return as soon as had been expected, and a council of officers resolved on withdrawing the American army from the island. A cannonade kept up all day on both sides, the tents were struck at dark, and, by midnight, the main army had crossed the ferry to Tiverton. On the morning of the thirty-first, the British fleet with. Clinton's army arrived at Newport.

The failure of the siege of Newport, of which much Bad Blood had been expected, aroused great indignation against the French and, for a time, threatened the stability of the alliance. Although the failure was due as much to his slowness as to any fault of the French, Sullivan issued an intemperate general order reflecting on his allies. Congress passed resolutions approving d'Estaing's course, and Washington did what he could to allay the angry feelings of both sides. The people, however, refused to look at the matter temperately and, when d'Estaing issued a proclamation to the Canadians calling upon them to return to their old allegiance, criticism broke out anew. In November, the French fleet sailed for the West Indies.

On the
Southern
Frontier

Invasion of

the Cherokee Country

TH

HE Cherokees had not forgotten and, incited by British agents, again took up the hatchet. Early in July, 1776, their war-parties rushed down from the upland fastnesses, and the back-country settlements from southwestern Virginia to northwestern Georgia were wrapped in the horrors of barbarian warfare. Many of the settlers were slain and others took refuge in the stockade forts from which they beat back the foe. The Watauga settlers were the most exposed, but they received timely warning, retired into their stockades, and defended themselves successfully. In South Carolina, a force of Indians and Tories under a British agent named Cameron ravaged the border and ambushed a force under Colonel Andrew Williamson on Oconoree Creek, but was driven off. By the middle of August, Williamson had destroyed the Cherokee lower towns;

Wutherford

Autograph of Griffith Rutherford

owing to lack of provisions, he was unable to march against the upper towns. This success

was followed up by preparations for a joint invasion by Carolina and Virginia forces. The North Carolinians under General Griffith Rutherford left the head of the Catawba about the first of September, crossed the Blue

Ridge at Swananoa Gap, forded the French Broad, and 1 7 7 6 destroyed the middle towns. In the same month, the South 1 777 Carolinians under Williamson pushed up War Woman's Creek, passed through Rabun Gap, and, with the aid of Rutherford's command, succeeded in laying waste the towns along the Hiawassee. The Virginia army, including men from the Watauga region and some from North Carolina, rendezvoused at Great Island in the Holston and,

treaty was

led by Colonel William
Christian, reached the
overhill towns early in
November. For two
weeks, cabins were
burned and crops de-
stroyed. The Cherokees
gave up the horses and
they had taken and
cede some of their
In the ensuing

more formal
made and,

Susqueh

for several

Cherokees

again make war.

The surrender of Burgoyne hastened the

French alliance, but it did not bring safety to the northern frontiers. The British evacuated Ticonderoga and Crown Point, but their agents continued to stir up the Iroquois to massacre and pillage. Numerous petty attacks were made upon settlements

in New York and, in June, 1778, Colonel John Butler gathered a force of Tories and Iroquois, chiefly Senecas, under a chief known as Old King, for an attack upon the Connecticut settlers in the valley of Wyoming.