COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE FRENCH FLEET AND ARMY,
UNDER COUNT D'ESTAING, TO ASSIST THE CONGRESS 17-32
Count D'Estaing arrives in America with a powerful
fleet and several thousand soldiers 17
Anchors off Sandy Hook for eleven days; goes to Long Island
by Washington's advice, and sails up Newport River, whither
he is pursued by the Lord Admiral Howe with a less powerful
fleet; the ships, with 4,000 French soldiers and 10,000 Americans,
to land and attack the British on Long Island, who were
only 5,000 strong 17
The two fleets separated by a storm; only fighting between
individual ships 18
Count D'Estaing, against the remonstrances and protests of
American officers, determines to sail for Boston Harbour for
the repair of his ships 18
Bitter feeling and riot between the American sailors and
citizens and French seamen and soldiers in the streets of Boston 19
Raids in New England by British expeditions (in a note) 19
Differences between Count D'Estaing and the American
officers as to the mode of attacking the British on Long Island 19
Early in November Count D'Estaing with his fleet quitted
the port of Boston and sailed for the West Indies, thus
disappointing the hopes of the Americans from the French alliance 20
Count D'Estaing, though strengthened by the fleet of
Count De Grasse, could not be induced to come to close
fight with Admiral Byron 21
The French take St. Vincent 21
Count D'Estaing complained of by the Americans to the
French Court, which orders him to return to the American
coasts and assist the Colonists 22
D'Estaing arrives suddenly on the American coasts with
twenty-two sail-of-the-line and eleven frigates and six
thousand soldiers; his magnificent plans and expectations 22
D'Estaing arranges with General Lincoln to attack
Savannah and rescue the province of Georgia, and afterwards
other Southern provinces, from the British 23
Account of the Siege of Savannah, and the defeat
of the French and their American allies; result of the contest 24
Mutual recriminations and jealousies between the French
and American officers; Count D'Estaing sails with his
fleet for France 25
Why this minute account of Count D'Estaing's abortive
expeditions to America; the barren results of the first
two years' alliance between Congress and the King of France,
by Dr. Ramsay 27
Spain joins France against England in 1779 28
Low state of the American army and finances; discouragement
and despondency of the Americans in 1780 28
The degeneracy of Congress in 1778, as stated by General Washington 29
Depreciation of public credit; sale of the confiscated property
of "Tories" 30