Baron De Kalb, a major-general in the American army, was born in
Germany, about the year 1717. When young, he entered into the service
of France, in which he continued for 42 years, and obtained the rank
of brigadier-general. In 1757, during the war between England and
France, he was sent, by the French government, to the American
colonies, in order to learn the points in which they were most
vulnerable, and how far the seeds of discontent might be sown in them
towards the mother country. He was seized, while in the performance of
this commission, as a suspected person, but escaped detection. He then
went to Canada, where he remained until its conquest by the British,
after which he returned to France. In 1777, during the war of the
revolution, he came a second time to the U. States, and offered his
services to congress. They were accepted, and he was soon after made a
major-general. At first he was placed in the northern army, but when
the danger which threatened Charleston from the formidable expedition
under sir Henry Clinton, in 1778, rendered it necessary to reinforce
the American troops in the south, a detachment was sent to them,
consisting of the Maryland and Delaware lines, which were put under
his command. Before he could arrive, however, at the scene of action,
general Lincoln had been made prisoner, and the direction of the whole
southern army in consequence devolved upon the baron, until the
appointment of general Gates. August 15th, Gates was defeated near
Camden by lord Rawdon, and in the battle, baron de Kalb, who commanded
the right wing, fell, covered with wounds, while gallantly fighting on
foot. A tomb was erected to his memory, by order of congress, in the
cemetery of Camden.