1780--A YEAR OF WEAKNESS AND DISASTER TO THE AMERICAN CAUSE,
AND OF SUCCESS TO THE BRITISH 32-41
Depression of American finances 32
Weakness of Washington's army 32
La Fayette returns from France with a loan of money and
reinforcements of naval and land forces 33
The British receive naval reinforcement of war ships, and
become superior to the French 33
Failure of the French reinforcements 33
Sir Henry Clinton goes South; besieges and takes Charleston 34
Conditions of the surrender and treatment of the inhabitants,
as stated by Dr. Ramsay and misrepresented by Mr. Bancroft 35
Sir Henry Clinton's bad administration and bad proclamation
in South Carolina; his exaggerated statements of his success;
re-embarks at Charleston for New York 36
Expeditions to secure the universal submission of the people;
but they weakened the cause of the British in the hearts of
the people 36
The military power of Congress reduced and crushed in the
Southern States 37
Lord Cornwallis's antecedents, and those of Lord Rawdon
(afterwards Marquis of Hastings); but their severe policy
unjustifiable and injurious to the British cause 38
Military proceedings in the North also unfavourable to the
Congress; its confessed weakness and gloomy prospects 40
Appeal of Congress to France for men and money as their only hope 40
Washington's despondency without French aid (in a note) 41
Mr. Hildreth, the historian, on the gloomy state of American
affairs at the close of the year 1780, though the English
victories and rule did not attract the hearts of the people
to the British cause 41