them; and no money in the treasury to satisfy their just and reasonable demands."

This condition which prevailed everywhere continued to grow worse till the situation was taken in hand and the life of the nation saved by Morris and his associates.

CHAPTER XX

THE WAR NEARING AN END-MR. CARROLL'S INTEREST IN THE MARYLAND LINE

Mr. Carroll continued to give his time mainly to the service of the State. The shifting of the scenes of the war from the South as well as from the North to the Chesapeake Bay made the duties in connection with State affairs all the more exacting.

Cornwallis, having moved to northern Virginia, and with indications that Washington and Rochambeau would attack him there, and thus bring the war once more to the very borders of Maryland, made matters here still more interesting.

Finances were in better shape by reason of contracts now being made in gold and silver; and people at least could tell what they owed, what was owed to them, and what they had lost.

With a French army under Gen. Rochambeau larger than the army of Washington aiding us, and being paid out of its own strong box brought over from France, our cause was in much better, but far from a satisfactory condition. It was with the utmost effort and with liberal personal contributions that money could be raised to pay the Maryland troops. Robert Morris and his bank were doing much, enough to save the day, but things had got in such a terrible condition that with all this the troops were in a pretty bad way.

News reached Annapolis of the movement against Cornwallis, who had taken a position at Yorktown. Washington and Rochambeau had found means to transport their armies to the new theatre of operations and the great fight of the war, the decisive battle

was likely to be fought. This news and much more, some reliable and a good deal groundless, was constantly reaching Annapolis.

The Maryland division numbering something of over 2,000 men, had been ordered by Washington, with the consent of Congress, to go south. They marched from Morristown, N. J., to Elk River, Maryland, where arrangements had been made for their embarkation south. Charles Carroll of Carrollton met the troops at the point which is now Elkton and spent two days with De Kalb and the regimental commanders. Just what the nature and purpose of this visit was is not known, but in some way it undoubtedly concerned the payment of the men. However, the troops were sent on ships seized by the State to North Carolina.

Much news had come of the late movements and hardships endured by the Maryland troops, and serious criticism of Gates, who had been appointed to the command of the army of the South independent of Washington. Gen. Otho Williams of Baltimore, who was adjutant on De Kalb's staff, tried to make some suggestions to Gates, but they were coldly received. Williams was a friend of Carroll and Carroll had offended him by his loyal stand for Washington and Gates had no use for Williams.

The record shows pretty clearly that if Gates had listened to Gen. Williams, he could have saved the men much suffering and himself the humiliation that followed and culminated in a disastrous campaign and the death of Baron De Kalb. The Maryline Line lost over six hundred of its two thousand men.

Washington announced the disaster of Camden and the defeat of Gates to Gov. Lee of Maryland. He also wrote Charles Carroll of Carrollton, "Maryland has made great exertions, but she can still do something more." A stirring appeal was made by the

Governor, Mr. Carroll and others, and seven hundred recruits were mustered in. By earnest efforts of private citizens a considerable amount of stores and money were also collected.

In October Congress displaced Gates and appointed Gen. Green to the command of the Army of the South. This appointment was made on the recommendation of Gen. Washington and gave great satisfaction to Mr. Carroll and others fond of Washington. It helped to relieve the anxiety in Maryland for there was a feeling, and strong assurances that the Maryland Line would get better treatment than it had received from Gates.

All these things and many more had taken place and had culminated in the condition mentioned when Corwallis, the British commander, found himself at Yorktown, Virginia, and the armies of Washington and Rochambeau seeking to give battle to him.

The news of the surrender of Cornwallis reached Annapolis almost as soon as it did Philadelphia. Colonel Tilghman had been dispatched by Washington to carry the news to the Congress. He came up on the west side of the Chesapeake Bay riding as long as a horse could go and then getting a fresh horse and still on till he reached the mouth of the Patuxent River where Franklin's púngy carried him to the Eastern Shore. As each new relay was required Tilghman called out "A horse for the Continental Congress. Cornwallis is taken" and right quickly the horse was furnished. In this way he made the trip from Yorktown to Philadelphia in four days. Reaching the Eastern Shore at 2 o'clock in the morning he could hardly be persuaded to sleep till day light. He reached Philadelphia well worn out but able to go with Congress to the old Dutch Church to