Sumpter, with his characteristic resolution, arrested this individual, taking him single handed, in spite of the opposition of the Indians, and, at much personal risk, carrying him prisoner to Fort Prince George, on the Kehowee. Des Johnes was afterwards sent to Charleston, where he was examined, and though his guilt was not positively proved, it was deemed expedient to send him to England.

From Gen. Sumpter's letter to the State Rights Association in February last, we learn that he was in Charleston during the high excitement preceding the war of the Revolution, probably in 1774 and 1775, a time to which the let ter reverts with great satisfaction, as the period when he enjoyed, with the old Whig party of Carolina, an interchange of the same sentiments which animate the Nullifiers of the present day.

We next meet with the name of Sumpter in 1780. He had been previously a colonel of one of the continental regiments, and when in that year the British had overrun the State, he would not remain to submit, but retired with other determined patriots into North Carolina. During his absence his house was burned, and his family turned out of doors by the British. The little band of exiles in North Carolina chose him their leader, and at their head he returned to face the victorious enemy. When this gal lant incursion was made, the people of the State had for the most part abandoned the idea of resistance, and military operations had been suspended for nearly two months. His followers were in a great measure unfurnished with food, clothing and ammunition. Farming utensils were worked

up by common blacksmiths to supply them with arms. Household pewter was melted into bullets; and they sometimes engaged with not three rounds to a man. With a volunteer force thus equipped, he commenced hostilities, and broke the quiet of subjection into which Carolina seemed to be sinking.

On the 12th July, 1780, he attacked a British detachment on the Catawba, supported by a considerable force of Tories-and totally routed and dispersed the whole force, killing Capt. Hack, who commanded the British, and Col. Ferguson who commanded the Tories. Animated by this success, the inhabitants flocked to his standard; and being reinforced to the number of six hundred men, he made a spirited attack on the British post at Rocky Mount, but was repulsed. Marching immediately in quest of other detachments of the enemy, in eight days after, he attacked the post of the Hanging Rock, where he annihilated the Prince of Wales's Regiment, and put to flight a large body of Tories from North Carolina. When Sumpter's men went into this battle, not one of them had more than ten bullets, and towards the close of the fight, the arms and ammunition of the fallen British and Tories were used by the Americans.

While the American army, under the unfortunate Gates, were approaching Camden, Col. Sumpter was on the west bank of the Wateree, augmenting his forces and indulging the hope of intercepting the British on their way to Charleston, as their retreat or defeat was confidently expected. He here formed a plan for reducing a British redoubt at Wateree

was

Ferry, and intercepting a convoy on the road from Charleston to Camden, in both of which objects he fully succeeded and the news of his success reached Gates, while that officer was retreating after his defeat. Hearing of the disaster at Camden, Sumpter retreated with his prisoners and spoils up the Wateree, to Fishing Creek, where he overtaken by Tarleton on the 18th. The Americans had been four days without provision or sleep, and their videttes being exhausted, suffered them to be surprised; the consequence was their total rout and dispersion. The loss which Sumpter sustained was, however, soon repaired, for in three days he rallied his troops, and was again at the head of a respectable force. At the head of his little band, augmented from time to time by reinforcements of volunteers, he kept the field unsupported; while, for three months, there was no regular or continental army in the State. He shifted his position frequently in the vicinity of Broad, Enoree and Tiger Rivers, maintaining a continual skirmishing with the enemy, beating up their quarters, cutting off their supplies, and harassing them by incessant incursions and alarms.

On the 12th of November he was attacked at Broad River by a corps of British infantry and dragoons under Major Weyms. He utterly defeated them and took their commander prisoner. On the 20th November, he was at tacked at Black Stocks, on Tiger River, by Tarleton, whom he repulsed after a severe and obstinate action. The loss of the Americans was trifling compared to that of the British; but General Sumpter received a wound in the

shoulder, that for several months interrupted his gallant career. He was placed we are told in a raw bullock's hide, suspended between two horses, and thus carried by a guard of his men to the mountains.

On the 13th of January, 1781, the old Congress adopted a resolution of thanks to General Sumpter for his eminent services.

After the battles fought by Gen. Greene, and the departure of Cornwallis for Virginia, Gen. Sumpter, who had just recovered from his wound, collected another force, and early in February, 1781, crossed the Congaree and destroyed the magazines of Fort Granby. On the advance of Lord Rawdon from Camden, Sumpter retreated and immediately menaced another British post. Two days after, he defeated an escort of the enemy, and captured the wagons and stores which they were conveying from Charleston to Canden. He next, with two hundred and fifty horsemen, swam across the Santee, and advanced on Fort Watson, but retreated on the approach of Lord Rawdon to its relief. On his return to Black River he was attacked by Major Fraser with a very large force. Fraser lost twenty men and retreated. Having thus cheered the spirits of the people of the centre of the State, he retired to the borders of North Carolina. In March, 1781, he raised three regiments of regulars. His previous enterprises had all been executed by militia. He subsequently took part in the military movements in the lower country, until the close of the war, and co-operating with Marion, struck many successful blows at the British, and was distinguished in the several actions

which were fought between Orangeburgh and Charleston.

After the peace, Gen. Sumpter was a distinguished member of the State Convention, in which he voted with those who opposed the adoption of the Federal Constitution, on the ground that the States were not sufficiently shielded by it against federal usurpation. He was afterwards select ed one of the five members from that State in the House of Representatives of the first Congress, under the Constitution, and continued to represent South-Carolina in the national councils until 1808. He took an active part with the other members from this State, in denouncing a petition for the abolition of slavery, which was presented from the Quakers of Pennsylvania.

For many years the veteran pa

triot has lived in retirement amid the respect and affection of his neighbors. He retained his fine spirit unbroken to the end, and at the age of nearly a hundred years exhibited the cheerfulness and fire of youth. But a few weeks before his death, he vaulted into the saddle with the activity of a young man, and the faculties of the mind retained their vigor as well as those of the body.

SAMUEL WARD.

August 13th, 1832.- At New York, Samuel Ward, a distinguished officer in the revolutionary war, in the 76th year of his age.

Col. Ward was born at Westerly, R. Island, on the 17th of Nov. 1756, the son of Samuel Ward, Governor of that State, and Phobe Green, a sisterof Gen. Greene, His father, and indeed all his family connexions, were ardent

supporters of the revolution, and, from the first collision between G. Britain and her colonies, advocates of the independence of the United States, an event which his father predicted as inevitable, as early as 1766.

Col. Ward was educated at Brown University in Providence, and hostilities commencing about the time he left College, he joined the Rhode Island army of observation, of which he was appointed a captain on the 8th of May, 1775

the army being

raised in the name of his majesty George III, for the preservation of His Majesty's loyal and faithful subjects of the colony of Rhode Island.' His commission (which was given by his uncle, Henry Ward, the Secretary of R. Island, the Governor and Lieut. Gov. being Tories) authorised him in case of an invasion or assault of a common enemy to infest or disturb this or any other of his Majesty's colonies in America, to alarm and gather together the company under your command,'' and therewith to the utmost of your skill and ability, you are to resist, expel, kill and destroy them in order to preserve the interest of his majesty and his good subjects in these parts.'

Like their brethren the covenanters

Who swore at first to fight For the King's safety and his right, And after marched to find him out And charged him home with horse and

foot,'

the Whigs of the revolution found no inconsistency in availing themselves of the authority of the King as the constitutional head of the government, to preserve and maintain their constitutional rights. In the month of May, 1775, the father and son both left their home. I the one to repre

sent the colony in the continental Congress, and the other to defend her liberties in the field. He joined the army besieging Boston --burning with a vehement desire to vindicate the rights of the colonies. In one of his letters to his family, dated Prospect Hill, July 30, 1775, addressing his younger brothers, he says, 'as you grow in stature, pray take pains to be manly remember that you all may have an opportunity of standing forth to fight the battles of your country. This afternoon we expected to have had an engagement. We may have one to night. The regulars are now landing in Charlestown from Boston. I thank God we are ready to meet them.'

With such an ardent spirit, young Ward was not likely to hesitate in embracing an opportunity of advancing the cause he had espoused; nor was it long, before one was presented. In September 1775, Gen. Arnold, then one of the most enterprising of America's sons (but afterwards ' quantum mutatus abillo Hectore') was invested with the command of 1100 volunteers, destined to join Montgomery at Quebec by way of the Kennebec river. The country was then an unexplored wilderness, and they were obliged to transport their provisions and minitions for the whole distance, where they did not follow the river, without the aid of animals. Even when ascending the river, the volunteers were compelled to drag the boats over the waterfalls and portages, and after leaving the river the provis ions and munitions packed in small kegs, were placed on the backs of the soldiers and carried more than 300 miles, through thick and pathless woods, and

over lofty mountains and deep morasses. So great were the difficulties, that a part of the detachment actually abandoned the expedition and returned to Cambridge to avoid starvation. Capt. Ward and his company persevered, and after unheard of privations arrived before Quebec in Nov. 1775. A letter from him on the 26th of that month to his family, dated at Point aux Tumblers, gives a vivid account of the hardships of the expedition.

It would take too much time to tell you what we have undergone; however as a summary of the whole We have gone up one of the most rapid rivers in the world, where the water was so shoal, that, moderately speaking, we have waded 100 miles. We were 30 days in a wilderness, that none but savages ever attempted to pass. We marched 100 miles upon short three days provisions waded over three rapid rivers-marched through snow, and ice barefoot-passed over the St Lawrence, where it was guarded by the enemy's frigates, and are now about twenty four miles from the city to recruit our worn out natures. Gen. Montgomery intends to join us immediately, so that we have a winter's campaign before us, but I trust we shall have the glory of taking Quebec !'

That hope unhappily was not realized. The attack upon that city failed, and Capt. Ward, with the principal part of his company, having penetrated under the command of Arnold, through the first barrier, was surrounded by a superior force and compelled to surrender. While in captivity he received the following letter from his father, which, from the excellence of its