careful perusal,*
* Wheeler's History of North
Carolina, II., 175.
they are too long to be republished here; but
it may be well to present some sketches of the lives and services of those who
figured so prominently on that occasion.
From an authentic work we extract the following:*
* Correspondence of chartes,
first marquis of Cornwallis, by C. Ross in three volumes, London, 1859. An
accurate likeness of Lord Cornwallis, in my possession, shows this defect. I
have heard old men say, who had known Lord Cornwallis, "that he was blind in one
eye."
"Earl Cornwallis, (viscount Brome) was born in Governor Square, London, December 31, 1738, and died October 5, 1805.
"He was educated at Eton. While at college playing at hockey, he received a blow which produced a slight but permanent obliquity of vision. The boy who accidently caused this was Shute Barrington, afterwards Bishop of Durham. After finishing his education he chose the army as his profession. His first commission as Ensign in the Foot Guards, is dated December 8th, 1756. His first lesson in war was as aid to the Marquis of Grandby, in the contest between England and France in 1761. He had been elected a member of parliament from Eye, and upon the death of his father the following year, took his seat in the House of Lords. When in parliament he was strongly opposed to the scheme of taxing America, but when the war came, as an officer of the army, he accepted active employment against the colonists. In February 10th, 1776, he embarked for America in command of a division."
To all human sagacity this war at first would appear to prove but a holiday excursion, considering the paucity of the forces engaged. Lord Cornwallis gives the following as the force of the two armies:
| British. | Americans. | |
| August, 1776 | 24,000, | 16,000, |
| November, 1776 | 26,900, | 4,500, |
| December, 1776 | 27,700, | 3,300.* |
* Cornwallis' Correspondence,
I, 29.
He was at the battle of Brandywine, in 1777, where he displayed much coolness and bravery, and was then sent south, and there defeated General Gates at Camden, August 15, 1780.
The battle of Guilford was his last general engagement, for he was compelled by Washington, to surrender at Yorktown, October 19th, 1781.
He returned to England, and his mischances in America did not seem to lessen his reputation, for he was appointed Governor of the Tower, and in 1786, he was sent to the East Indies as Governor and as commander-in-chief. Here he was distinguished for his gallantry in the war against the Sultan of Mysore, and on his return to England, in consequence of his faithful and honorable services, he was made a privy counsellor, created a marquis, appointed master-general of ordnance, and sent as lord lieutenant to Ireland. He was made minister plenipotentiary to France, and as such signed the treaty of Amiens. In 1804, he succeeded the Marquis of Wellesly as Governor General of India; in this situation he died, to Ghazepoore, October 5th, 1805.
Colonel Banastre Tarleton, born 1754, died 1833, accompanied Lord Cornwallis in his campaign in the south, and commanded the twenty-first regiment of dragoons.
He was born in Liverpool, August 21, 1754. Studied law, but on the revolt of the colonist of America, joined the army. He was distinguished for his daring, intrepidity, indomitable energy, and sanguinary disposition. The ardor of his temper received a severe check at the Cowpens, from General Morgan. He surrendered at Yorktown, and released on parole he returned to England. He married, 1798, Priscilla, the natural daughter of the Duke of Ancaster, but he lived for some time with Perdita, (Mrs. Robinson,) the former mistress of the Prince of Wales; from whom he received considerable sums of money.
He was a member of parliament from Liverpool, from 1790 to 1806, and from 1807 to
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