t, and resorted to barter, taking their pay in sheep or
ploughs, in jugs of rum or kegs of salt pork, or whatever they could
get. It thus became almost impossible either to pay soldiers, or to
clothe and feed them properly and supply them with powder and ball. We
thus see why the Americans, as well as the British conducted the war so
languidly that for two years after the storming of Stony Point their
main armies sat and faced each other by the Hudson river, without any
movements of importance.

[Sidenote: The British conquer Georgia, 1779.]

In one quarter, however, the British began to make rapid progress. They
possessed the Floridas, having got them from Spain by the treaty of
1763. Next them lay Georgia, the weakest of the thirteen states, and
then came the Carolinas, with a strong Tory element in the population.
For such reasons, after the great invasion of New York had failed, the
British tried the plan of starting at the southern extremity of the
Union and lopping off one state after another. In the autumn of 1778
General Prevost advanced from East Florida, and in a brief campaign
succeeded in capturing Savannah, Sunbury, and Augusta. General Lincoln,
who had won distinction in the Saratoga campaign, was appointed to
command the American forces in the South. He sent General Ashe, with
1500 men, to threaten Augusta. At Ashe's approach, the British abandoned
the town and retreated toward Savannah. Ashe pursued too closely and at
Briar Creek, March 3, 1779, the enemy turned upon him and routed him.
The Americans lost nearly 1000 men killed, wounded, and captured,
besides their cannon and small arms; and this victory cost the British
only 16 men killed and wounded. Augusta was reoccupied, the royal
governor, Sir James Wright, was reinstated in office, and the machinery
of government which had been in operation previous to 1776 was restored.
Lincoln now advanced upon Augusta, but Prevost foiled him by returning
the offensive and marching upon Charleston. In order to protect that
city, Lincoln was obliged to retrace his steps. It was now the middle of
May, and little more was done till September, when D'Estaing returned
from the West Indies. On the 23d Savannah was invested by the combined
forces of Lincoln and D'Estaing, and the siege was vigorously carried on
for a fortnight. Then the French admiral grew impatient. On the 9th of
October a fierce assault was made, in which the allies were defeated
with the loss o