Revolutionary war.

CHAPTER X.

MISCELLANEOUS.

LORD CORNWALLIS.

The readers of American history, and more particularly those of the
Southern States, will doubtless be gratified to know something of _the
end_--the closing career, and "shuffling off of this mortal coil" of
Lord Cornwallis and Colonel Tarleton, the two British officers, who
remained the longest time among them; sometimes conquering all before
them, and again retrograding, until their capture and surrender at
Yorktown, in Virginia, on the 19th of October, 1781.

Charles Cornwallis, son of the first Earl of Cornwallis, was born in
Suffolk on the 31st of December, 1738. He was educated at Westminster
and St. John's College, Cambridge. He entered the army in 1759, and
succeeded to the title and estates of his father in 1761. He was the
most competent and energetic of all the British generals sent to
America during the Revolution, but the cruelties exercised by his
orders on a few occasions, have left an indelible stain upon his
character. It was in pursuance of one of his orders, issued soon after
the battle of Camden, that the unfortunate Colonel Isaac Hayne was
executed by that tyrannical British officer, Lord Rawdon.
Notwithstanding this cruel tragedy, which might have resulted
otherwise had he been present, Cornwallis possessed some fine traits
of character, had an amiable disposition, was greatly beloved by his
men, and was bitterly opposed to _house-burning_ when the fortunes of
war were in his favor. In 1770, he and three other young peers, joined
Lord Camden in protesting against the taxation of the American
colonies. Mansfield, the Chief Justice, is said to have sneeringly
remarked: "Poor Camden could only get four boys to join him." Although
opposed to the course of the British Ministry, yet, when hostilities
commenced, he did not refuse to accept active employment against
America. Soon after the war he was appointed Governor-General of the
East Indies, which position he held for six years. During that time,
he conquered the renowned Tippoo Sultan, for which service he was
created a marquis and master of the ordnance. He was Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland from 1798 to 1801, and was instrumental in restoring peace
to that country, then distracted by rebellion. He signed the treaty of
Amicus in 1802, and in 1804 was again appointed Governor General of
India. On his arrival at Calcutta, his health failed and he died at
Ghazepore on the 5th