in Lord Cornwallis's official dispatch relative to the action of Camden.

On that nobleman's quitting the province of South Carolina, Lord Rawdon assumed the command of the troops, and to his staff Brigade Major Doyle was appointed. This may be considered as a fortunate event in the history of this gentleman, as it afforded him the most excellent model upon which to form his mind, either as the officer, the gentleman, or the scholar: and indeed it would appear, he did not fail to profit by the example; for it has been frequently remarked by those who are in the habits of intimacy with both, that there is a strong similarity of sentiment and manner between those distinguished officers. Thus in the wilds of America, in the midst of toils and dangers, was laid the foundation of a friendship undiminished to the present hour, originating in mutual esteem, cemented by the most implicit confidence on the one hand, and the most animated and honourable attachment on the other.

An opportunity soon after occurred of his distinguishing himself under the eye of his noble friend. It is known that after General Green's action with Lord Cornwallis in North Carolina, he by a rapid movement penetrated the upper parts of South Carolina, and presented himself before the village of Camden, where Lord Rawdon commanded a small detachment of the British troops, not exceeding nine hundred men in the whole.

The unexpected arrival of so large a force of

veteran soldiers, under the most experienced of the enemy's generals, would have appalled and overwhelmed any commander who did not possess the firmness and resources of this noble lord.

The enemy's force was not less than three thousand regulars, a fine corps of cavalry, and a numerous body of militia, strongly posted on the heights above the village in which Lord Rawdon's detachment was quartered.

This post, untenable in itself, and destitute of provisions even were it tenable, with a broad and rapid river in its rear, decided his lordship not to wait an attack, but boldly to advance against the enemy, notwithstanding his many advantages. The brilliant victory which followed this prompt decision (worthy of the great Frederick) justified its hardihood, and evinced to the world the wisdom of the measure.

The exertions of the Brigade Major on this wellfought field, were not unobserved or unrewarded by his General, as we find him mentioned in terms highly honourable to him in his Lordship's dispatches, of which he himself was to have been the bearer, had not the packet, by some unaccountable mistake, been permitted to sail without waiting for his Lordship's official account of the action.

Having, by forced marches through the desert, raised the siege of Ninety-six, Lord Rawdon found his health so much impaired by his uncommon exertions in that baleful climate, that he was under the necessity of returning to England. On his Lordship's departure, Major Doyle was preparing to join

Lord

Lord Cornwallis in Virginia, when he was stopt, in consequence of the effects of the battle of the Ewtaws, and, from his knowledge of the country and of the people, was requested to remain in the province, to fill a more prominent situation.

Here we find him acting as adjutant-general, and public secretary to General Gould, then in the chief command, in which situation he gave universal satisfaction 'to the army and inhabitants; and on General Gould's death he was honoured with the same confidence from his successors, Major General Stuart and Lieutenant-General Lesley. About this time he purchased the majority of his regiment.

The departure of those excellent partisan officers, Colonels Tarleton and Simcoe, left the field open to the exercise of talents in this line of service, so peculiarly adapted to the nature of that country; accordingly we find Major Doyle collecting a corps of light cavalry from among the back-woodsmen, most of whom had been hostile to the British interests, but were won over by his conciliatory manners, and with the infantry of his regiment formed a legion.

With this corps he rendered essential service to the army, and was himself, a second time, severely wounded. Without entering into a multitude of smaller affairs incident to this species of warfare, we have to record one of particular eclat.

An expedition having been sent against General Marion, in which Major Doyle, with his cavalry, formed the advanced guard, on perceiving a patrole of the enemy's dragoons, he immediately pur

sued,

sued, and when he had nearly overtaken them, there opened at once to his view the State Regiment of Dragoons ready to receive him. Feeling he had pursued too far to retreat, he took the resolution of immediately attacking them. After a discharge from the musquetoons of his flankers, which threw them into som confusion, he immediately charged them with such rapidity that they were totally routed, leaving their commanding officer, and a number of killed, wounded, and prisoners, exceeding the Major's force at the onset. This obtained-for him the thanks of the commander in chief.

Soon after his regiment, in consequence of its services, was placed upon the establishment, numbered the 105th in the line, and ordered to Ireland, at which time the Major was intrusted with public dispatches to the ministers.

Peace having now taken place, and a life of inactivity but ill suiting his energetic mind, we find him entering upon a new scene of action, for which his talents and education peculiarly formed him. Accordingly he was returned member for Mullingar, in the parliament of 1782.

The general outline of this gentleman's politics was, for the most part, opposed to the administration of those days; although he could not be called a blind party-man, as he appears, even at this early part of life, to have judged for himself. The first prominent feature in his parliamentary career was his bringing forward a motion which did the highest honour to his head and heart.

There

There was an establishment in Ireland for the relief of disabled and worn-out soldiers, similar to that at Chelsea, but with a strong disparity in the provision for each; those on the Irish establishment having little more than half the allowance granted those in England. This shameful inequality had been for ages lamented, but unremedied. Our youthful legislator, feeling for the honour of the country, and the comfort of the brave veterans, nobly undertook their cause. The humanity in which the measure originated, the skill with which it was conducted, and the impressive eloquence with which it was enforced, drew applause from all. There are strokes of the pathetic in his speech that would not have disgraced the pen of Sterne. of Sterne. In pleading the cause of the Irish veterans, he adduced many instances of their fidelity; amongst others, his story of the Corporal, like that of faithful Trim, drew tears of sensibility from those who heard him. The story, in itself so interesting, was worked up with all the feeling and imagination that distinguishes this speaker. We cannot better give it than in his own words, which were to this effect:

"Another brilliant example of tried fidelity flashes upon my mind: when Lord Rawdon was in South Carolina, he had to send an express of great importance through a country filled with the enemy; a corporal of the 17th dragoons, of known courage and intelligence, was selected to escort it. They had not proceeded far until they were fired upon, the express killed, and the corporal wounded in the side. Careless of his wound, he thought bat of his duty: he snatched the dispatch from the dying man, and rode on, till, from the loss of blood, he fell; when fearing the dispatch would be taken by the enemy, he thrust it into the

wound