er. Rathburn
protested vigorously, pointing out the two vessels he had captured,
and urging Whipple to follow his example, and capture as many vessels
as he could in the same manner. Finally Whipple overcame his fears,
and adopted Rathburn's methods, with such success that shortly after
nightfall the Americans left the fleet, taking with them eleven rich
prizes. Eight of these they succeeded in taking safe to Boston, where
they were sold for more than a million dollars.

In May, 1779, occurred two unimportant engagements,--one off Sandy
Hook, in which the United States sloop "Providence," ten guns,
captured the British sloop "Diligent," after a brief but spirited
engagement; the second action occurred off St. Kitts, where the United
States brig "Retaliation" successfully resisted a vigorous attack by a
British cutter and a brig. The record of the regular navy for the year
closed with the cruise of the United States frigates "Deane" and
"Boston," that set sail from the Delaware late in the summer. They
kept the seas for nearly three months, but made only a few bloodless
captures.

The next year opened with a great disaster to the American cause. The
Count d'Estaing, after aimlessly wandering up and down the coast of
the United States with the fleet ostensibly sent to aid the Americans,
suddenly took himself and his fleet off to the West Indies. Sir Henry
Clinton soon learned of the departure of the French, and gathered an
expedition for the capture of Charleston. On the 10th of February,
Clinton with five thousand troops, and a British fleet under Admiral
Arbuthnot, appeared off Edisto Inlet, about thirty miles from
Charleston, and began leisurely preparations for an attack upon the
city. Had he pushed ahead and made his assault at once, he would have
met but little resistance; but his delay of over a month gave the
people of Charleston time to prepare for a spirited resistance.

The approach of the British fleet penned up in Charleston harbor
several United States men-of-war and armed vessels, among them the
"Providence," "Queen of France," "Boston," "Ranger," "Gen. Moultrie,"
and "Notre Dame." These vessels took an active part in the defence of
the harbor against Arbuthnot's fleet, but were beaten back. The
"Queen," the "Gen. Moultrie," and the "Notre Dame" were then sunk in
the channel to obstruct the progress of the enemy; their guns being
taken ashore, and mounted in the batteries on the sea-wall. Then
followed