the coast of Georgia with his fleet for France,
determined to extend his military operations south, with a view of
completing the submission of the Southern States. Leaving the garrison
of New York under the command of General Knyphausen, he proceeded in
person on an expedition against South Carolina, and besieged Charleston,
the capital. Information had been obtained at Charleston of Sir Henry
Clinton's intention two months before the arrival of his fleet and
troops, and the city was fortified on all sides, and on its redoubts,
lines, and batteries were mounted eighty pieces of cannon and mortars.
The commander, General Lincoln, had a force of 7,000 men of all
denominations under arms, and was expecting large reinforcements. The
army of Sir Henry Clinton was increased by a reinforcement of 3,000
men--making in the whole about 9,000 men under his command.

At the commencement of the siege, the Governor of the State, by the
extraordinary powers conferred upon him by the Legislature, issued a
proclamation requiring such of the militia as were regularly drafted,
and all the inhabitants and _owners of property in the town, to repair
to the American standard and join the garrison immediately, under pain
of confiscation_.

The siege commenced the 3rd of April, and was protracted to the 11th of
May. The terms of capitulation proposed by each party in the earlier
part of the siege were mutually declined. Cannonading continued on each
side until the British opened batteries on the third parallel, played
upon the American garrison with cannon and mortars at a distance of less
than a hundred yards, advanced within twenty-five yards of the American
works, and were ready for making a general assault by land and water
when, on the 11th of May, "a great number of citizens addressed General
Lincoln in a petition, expressing their acquiescence in the terms which
Sir Henry Clinton had offered, and requested his acceptance of them. On
the reception of this petition, General Lincoln wrote to Sir Henry, and
offered to accept the terms before proposed. The royal commanders,
wishing to avoid the extremity of storming the city, and unwilling to
press to unconditional submission an enemy whose friendship they wished
to conciliate, returned a favourable answer. A capitulation was signed
on the 12th of May, and Major General Leslie took possession of the town
the next day. Upwards of 400 pieces of artillery were surrendered.[37]
By the articles