ed on, dropped down the
river. Andre now saw no way for him but to get back to New York; but at
Tarrytown he was met by three patriots, who caught his horse by the
reins, and, though Andre tried to tip them, he did not succeed. They
found papers on his person, among them a copy of _Punch_, which made
them suspicious that he was not an American, and so he was tried and
hanged as a spy. This was one of the saddest features of the American
Revolution, and should teach us to be careful how we go about in an
enemy's country, also to use great care in selecting and subscribing for
papers.

In 1781, Greene, who succeeded Gates, took charge of the two thousand
ragged and bony troops. January 17 he was attacked at Cowpens by
Tarleton. The militia fell back, and the English made a grand charge,
supposing victory to be within reach. But the wily and foxy troops
turned at thirty yards and gave the undertaking business a boom that
will never be forgotten.

Morgan was in command of the Colonial forces. He went on looking for
more regulars to kill, but soon ran up against Cornwallis the
surrenderer.

General Greene now joined Morgan, and took charge of the retreat. At the
Yadkin River they crossed over ahead of Cornwallis, when it began for to
rain. When Cornwallis came to the river he found it so swollen and
restless that he decided not to cross. Later he crossed higher up, and
made for the fords of the Dan at thirty miles a day, to head off the
Americans. Greene beat him, however, by a length, and saved his troops.

The writer has seen the place on the Yadkin where Cornwallis decided not
to cross. It was one of the pivotal points of the war, and is of about
medium height.

A fight followed at Guilford Court-House, where the Americans were
driven back, but the enemy got thinned out so noticeably that Cornwallis
decided to retreat. He went back to Washington on a Bull Run schedule,
without pausing even for feed or water. Cornwallis was greatly agitated,
and the coat he wore at the time, and now shown in the Smithsonian
Institution, shows distinctly the marks made where the Colonists played
checkers on the tail.

The battle of Eutaw Springs, September 8, also greatly reduced the
British forces at that point.

Arnold conducted a campaign into Virginia, and was very brutal about it,
killing a great many people who were strangers to him, and who had never
harmed him, not knowing him, as the historian says, from "Adam's off
ox."