he West Indies, determined to shift the scene of the
continental war to the Southern States, where there was believed to be
a large number of loyalists. The expedition was directed upon Georgia,
and was so far successful that Savannah fell into their hands in the
last days of 1778. The whole State speedily submitted. Operations were
thence extended into South Carolina, but failed to bring about the
capture of Charleston.

Word of these events was sent to D'Estaing in the West Indies,
accompanied by urgent representations of the danger to the Carolinas,
and the murmurings of the people against the French, who were accused
of forsaking their allies, having rendered them no service, but on the
contrary having profited by the cordial help of the Bostonians to
refit their crippled fleet. There was a sting of truth in the alleged
failure to help, which impelled D'Estaing to disregard the orders
actually in his hands to return at once to Europe with certain ships.
Instead of obeying them he sailed for the American coast with
twenty-two ships-of-the-line, having in view two objects,--the relief
of the Southern States and an attack upon New York in conjunction with
Washington's army.

Arriving off the coast of Georgia on the 1st of September, D'Estaing
took the English wholly at unawares; but the fatal lack of promptness,
which had previously marked the command of this very daring man, again
betrayed his good fortune. Dallying at first before Savannah, the
fleeting of precious days again brought on a change of conditions, and
the approach of the bad-weather season impelled him, too slow at
first, into a premature assault. In it he displayed his accustomed
gallantry, fighting at the head of his column, as did the American
general; but the result was a bloody repulse. The siege was raised,
and D'Estaing sailed at once for France, not only giving up his
project upon New York, but abandoning the Southern States to the
enemy. The value of this help from the great sea power of France, thus
cruelly dangled before the eyes of the Americans only to be withdrawn,
was shown by the action of the English, who abandoned Newport in the
utmost haste when they learned the presence of the French fleet.
Withdrawal had been before decided upon, but D'Estaing's coming
converted it into flight.

After the departure of D'Estaing, which involved that of the whole
French fleet,--for the ships which did not go back to France returned
to the West Indi