tish rulers; and in the end they inflicted severe vengeance on
the state of South Carolina. Three years, however, elapsed before they
made another attempt. In December, 1778, a British fleet of thirty seven
sail, arrived off Savannah in Georgia, and landed about 4000 men. One
half of these, under Col. Campbell, immediately made an attack upon
the town. Gen. Howe, with six or seven hundred Americans, attempted
to oppose them; but was defeated at the first onset. The enemy took
possession of the town; and, as the Georgia militia were backward in
turning out, the whole country soon fell under their dominion. Shortly
after the taking of Savannah, Gen. Lincoln took command of the American
army, and Gen. Prevost of the British. On the 3d of Feb. 1779, Gen.
Moultrie, with a party of about 300 militia, mostly citizens of
Charleston and Beaufort, with the company of ancient artillery of
Charleston, was posted at Beaufort, where he heard the enemy was
advancing. He immediately dispatched his aid, Capt. Francis Kinloch,
to reconnoitre; while he moved forward on the road to Beaufort ferry.
Kinloch returning soon, stated the supposed force of the British, and
that they were near upon the road; Moultrie now pushed on to gain a
defile, but found it occupied by the enemy. There being no alternative,
he then drew up his men in open ground, with two field pieces in the
centre, and one on the right. The British force was two companies
of picked light infantry, posted under cover of a swamp. The militia
engaged them, and fought under this disadvantage till their ammunition
was all expended, and Moultrie ordered a retreat; but the British made
a simultaneous movement, and it became a drawn battle. Lieut. Wilkins of
the ancient artillery, was mortally wounded, and seven men were killed.
Capt. Heyward, Lieuts. Sawyer and Brown, and fifteen men, were wounded.
In the general's account of the action, the loss of the British is
not stated; he speaks highly of the conduct of his officers and men;
particularly of Capt. John Barnwell; and indeed it was no little matter,
thus to bring militia, in the open field, to fight regulars under cover.

Lincoln's force was fluctuating, as it consisted principally of militia,
who could not be brought under control; and in the midst of arms, when
the enemy were at the distance of only three miles, their officers
refused to subject them to the articles of war; and insisted upon their
being tried by the militia law