washington and his comrades in arms-第28节
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er； of not pressing the enemy hard enough； party passion was invoked。 The Whigs were for Keppel； the Tories for Palliser； and the London mob was Whig。 When Keppel was acquitted there were riotous demonstrations； the house of Palliser was wrecked； and he himself barely escaped with his life。 Whig naval officers declared that they had no chance of fair treatment at the hands of a Tory Admiralty； and Lord Howe； among others； now refused to serve。 For a time British supremacy on the sea disappeared and it was only regained in April； 1782； when the Tory Admiral Rodney won a great victory in the West Indies against the French。
A spirit of violence was abroad in England。 The disabilities of the Roman Catholics were a gross scandal。 They might not vote or hold public office。 Yet when； in 1780； Parliament passed a bill removing some of their burdens dreadful riots broke out in London。 A fanatic； Lord George Gordon； led a mob to Westminster and； as Dr。 Johnson expressed it； 〃insulted〃 both Houses of Parliament。 The cowed ministry did nothing to check the disturbance。 The mob burned Newgate jail； released the prisoners from this and other prisons； and made a deliberate attempt to destroy London by fire。 Order was restored under the personal direction of the King； who； with all his faults； was no coward。 At the same time the Irish Parliament； under Protestant lead； was making a Declaration of Independence which； in 1782； England was obliged to admit by formal act of Parliament。 For the time being； though the two monarchies had the same king； Ireland； in name at least； was free of England。
Washington's enemy thus had embarrassments enough。 Yet these very years； 1779 and 1780； were the years in which he came nearest to despair。 The strain of a great movement is not in the early days of enthusiasm； but in the slow years when idealism is tempered by the strife of opinion and self…interest which brings delay and disillusion。 As the war went on recruiting became steadily more difficult。 The alliance with France actually worked to discourage it since it was felt that the cause was safe in the hands of this powerful ally。 Whatever Great Britain's difficulties about finance they were light compared with Washington's。 In time the 〃continental dollar〃 was worth only two cents。 Yet soldiers long had to take this money at its face value for their pay； with the result that the pay for three months would scarcely buy a pair of boots。 There is little wonder that more than once Washington had to face formidable mutiny among his troops。 The only ones on whom he could rely were the regulars enlisted by Congress and carefully trained。 The worth of the militia； he said； 〃depends entirely on the prospects of the day； if favorable； they throng to you； if not； they will not move。〃 They played a chief part in the prosperous campaign of 1777； when Burgoyne was beaten。 In the next year； before Newport； they wholly failed General Sullivan and deserted shamelessly to their homes。
By 1779 the fighting had shifted to the South。 Washington personally remained in the North to guard the Hudson and to watch the British in New York。 He sent La Fayette to France in January； 1779； there to urge not merely naval but military aid on a great scale。 La Fayette came back after an absence of a little over a year and in the end France promised eight thousand men who should be under Washington's control as completely as if they were American soldiers。 The older nation accepted the principle that the officers in the younger nation which she was helping should rank in their grade before her own。 It was a magnanimity reciprocated nearly a century and a half later when a great American army in Europe was placed under the supreme command of a Marshal of France。
CHAPTER IX。 THE WAR IN THE SOUTH
After 1778 there was no more decisive fighting in the North。 The British plan was to hold New York and keep there a threatening force； but to make the South henceforth the central arena of the war。 Accordingly； in 1779； they evacuated Rhode Island and left the magnificent harbor of Newport to be the chief base for the French fleet and army in America。 They also drew in their posts on the Hudson and left Washington free to strengthen West Point and other defenses by which he was blocking the river。 Meanwhile they were striking staggering blows in the South。 On December 29； 1778； a British force landed two miles below Savannah； in Georgia； lying near the mouth of the important Savannah River； and by nightfall； after some sharp fighting； took the place with its stores and shipping。 Augusta； the capital of Georgia； lay about a hundred and twenty…five miles up the river。 By the end of February； 1779； the British not only held Augusta but had established so strong a line of posts in the interior that Georgia seemed to be entirely under their control。
Then followed a singular chain of events。 Ever since hostilities had begun； in 1775； the revolutionary party had been dominant in the South。 Yet now again in 1779 the British flag floated over the capital of Georgia。 Some rejoiced and some mourned。 Men do not change lightly their political allegiance。 Probably Boston was the most completely revolutionary of American towns。 Yet even in Boston there had been a sad procession of exiles who would not turn against the King。 The South had been more evenly divided。 Now the Loyalists took heart and began to assert themselves。
When the British seemed secure in Georgia bands of Loyalists marched into the British camp in furious joy that now their day was come； and gave no gentle advice as to the crushing of rebellion。 Many a patriot farmhouse was now destroyed and the hapless owner either killed or driven to the mountains to live as best he could by hunting。 Sometimes even the children were shot down。 It so happened that a company of militia captured a large band of Loyalists marching to Augusta to support the British cause。 Here was the occasion for the republican patriots to assert their principles。 To them these Loyalists were guilty of treason。 Accordingly seventy of the prisoners were tried before a civil court and five of them were hanged。 For this hanging of prisoners the Loyalists； of course； retaliated in kind。 Both the British and American regular officers tried to restrain these fierce passions but the spirit of the war in the South was ruthless。 To this day many a tale of horror is repeated and； since Loyalist opinion was finally destroyed； no one survived to apportion blame to their enemies。 It is probable that each side matched the other in barbarity。
The British hoped to sweep rapidly through the South； to master it up to the borders of Virginia； and then to conquer that breeding ground of revolution。 In the spring of 1779 General Prevost marched from Georgia into South Carolina。 On the 12th of May he was before Charleston demanding surrender。 We are astonished now to read that； in response to Prevost's demand； a proposal was made that South Carolina should be allowed to remain neutral and that at the end of the war it should join the victorious side。 This certainly indicates a large body of opinion which was not irreconcilable with Great Britain and seems to justify the hope of the British that the beginnings of military success might rally the mass of the people to their side。 For the moment； however； Charleston did not surrender。 The resistance was so stiff that Prevost had to raise the siege and go back to Savannah。
Suddenly； early in September； 1779； the French fleet under d'Estaing appeared before Savannah。 It had come from the West Indies； partly to avoid the dreaded hurricane season of the autumn in those waters。 The British； practically without any naval defense； were confronted at once by twenty…two French ships of the line； eleven frigates； and many transports carrying an army。 The great flotilla easily got rid of the few British ships lying at Savannah。 An American army； under General Lincoln； marched to join d'Estaing。 The French landed some three thousand men； and the combined army numbered about six thousand。 A siege began which； it seemed； could end in only one way。 Prevost； however； with three thousand seven hundred men； nearly half of them sick； was defiant； and on the 9th of October the combined French and American armies made a great assault。 They met with disaster。 D'Estaing was severely wounded。 With losses of some nine hundred killed and wounded in the bitter fighting the assailants drew off and soon raised the siege。 The British losses were only fifty…four。 In the previous year French and Americans fighting together had utterly failed。 Now they had failed again and there was bitter recrimination between the defeated allies。 D'Estaing sailed away and soon lost some of his ships in a violent storm。 Ill…fortune pursued him to the end。 He served no more in the war and in the Reign of Terror in Paris； in 1794； he perished on the scaffold。
At Charleston the American General Lincoln was in command with about six thousand men。 The place； named after King Charles II； had been a center of British influence before the war。 That critical traveler； Lord Adam Gordon； thought its people clever in business； courteous； and hospitable。 Most of them； he says； made a visit to
