Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/24

16 Volunteers. In June, 1778, Philadelphia was evacuated and a retreat effected to New York; Cornwallis commanded the rear guard, and Rawdon, who was still with him, took part in the action of Monmouth (28th June).

By this time he had been promoted Lieut.-Colonel, 15th June, and shortly afterwards he was appointed Adjutant-General to the British Forces in America. The same year (1778) Georgia had been cleared of the enemy; but it was not until the end of 1779 that the departure of the French Fleet enabled Sir H. Clinton, the Commander-in-Chief at that time, to proceed with the subjugation of the southern provinces. Clinton sailed from New York, and reaching Charleston, to which he proposed to lay siege, ordered Rawdon to join him there with a brigade of some 3,000 men. The trenches were opened before the town in April, 1780, and the place taken in May, after which three columns were sent to Camden, Ninety-Six, and Augusta, to occupy the Colony. Clinton then returned to New York, leaving Cornwallis with 4,000 regulars to hold the conquered districts and to reduce North Carolina to the King's authority. Rawdon remained in the south, and was ordered to Camden in command of the advanced troops near the frontier between the two Carolinas.

His task was a trying one, for the Americans under General Gates collected a strong force with secrecy, and were bearing down upon him; meanwhile