THE HISTORY ORIGIN, PROGRESS, and TERMINATION AMERICAN WAR. By C. S r E D M A N, WHO SERTED UNDER SIR W. HOWE, SIR H. CLINTON, An» THE MARqUXS CORNWALHS. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. L DUBLIN: PRINTED FOR MESSRS. P. WOGAN, P. BYRNE, J. MOORE, O F THE O F AND W. JONES. 1794- THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF MOIRA. My LORD, The paia of recording thatfpiritof fadlion, that weaknefs, indecifion, indolence, luxury, and corruption, which difgraced our pub- lic condudl during the courfe of the American war, is relieved by the contemplation, of thofe talents and virtues that were eminently difplay- ed on the fide of Great Britain, in various im- portant, though fubordinate, ftations. Although the iflue of that war was unfortu- nate, our national charadler was not impaired, nor the conteft, while it was maintained, on the whole inglorious. Neither martial ardour was wanting among our countrymen, nor military enterprife, nor patriotic zeal. In that rank, and thofe circumftances of life which are at once a temptation and an apology for dilTipation and a love of pleafure, the military fpirit of Bri- tain DEDICATION. tain fhone forth with undiminifhed luftre ; and the nobleft families exhibited bright examples of true courage, exalted genius, and confummate wifdom. Whilft I indulge with exultation this general refleaion, permit me to acknowledge that my attention is irrefiftibly drawn towards the Earl of Moira. Accept, then, my Lord, .this humble effort to tranfmit to pofterity the glorious anions of our countrymen, as a mark- of perfonal re- fpea for your Lordihip ; for that happy union of enthufiafm in the caufe of virtue, of inven- tion, intrepidity, and decifion of charadler, with cool refleaion and patient perfeverance, which direas the public eye to your Lordfhip, as the hope and the pride of your country. That your Lordfhip may long live ftill to fuf- tain in a frivolous age, the dignity of true nobi- lity, the virtue of chivalry without its fpirit of romance, is the ardent wilh and hope of. My Lord, Your Lordihip's moft obedient. Denham, Bucks, Jan. I, 1794. And moft humble Servant, C. STEDMAN. C O N T E N T S. INTRODUCTION CHAP. I. Infurre8ion in Rhode IJland—and in New Hampjhire — Confequences of /hutting up Bof- ton HarbGur — Provincial Congrefs at Cam- bridge, in New England-^HoJiile Deftgns and military Preparations— Preparations in all the Colonies for holding a General Con- grefs— Detachment of Britijh Troops fent to defiroy military Stores at Concord— harafed hy the Americans — driven back by the way of Lexington to Boflon — Bojlon invefled by an American Artny — Meafures refpeBing the State of America taken by the Englijh Cabi- net — Reinforcement of Troops from Britain arrives at Bo/ion— Battle of Bunker's Hill, 1 25 C H A P. ir. Defgns of Congrefs on Canada—Capture of Ti- conderoga and Crown Point— Fort ChambUe --^St. VI CONTENTS. Page — St. John's — and Montreal-— Siege of Que- bec. — — — 14^ CHAP. III. Situation of Affairs in Virginia, North and: South Carolina, and at Bojlon. 1775> 1776. — — — 161 CHAP. IV. Proceedings of the Britijh government — Com' mijjioners arrive in London from Congrefs — State of Commerce — Meeting of Parliament :^Pffe& of its Rejolntions in the Colopies. , 1.7II CHAP. V. Blockade and Evacuation of Bofton-^^Siege of Quebec Defeat of Loyalijis at Mbore's Creek — Attack of Charlejlown. — 1776. 187 CHAP. VL Proceedings of Congrefs — Declaration of Inde-^ Pendence — Arrival of Lord Howe from Eng- land — Battle of Long IJland — Overtures on the part of the Britifh Contmanders for Peace. — 1776. — — — 2IZ CONTENTS. vu CHAP. VII. The Americans retreat^ and the Englijh Army takes pofejion of New York—Jhe Ameri- cans greatly dt/heartened-^Deftgn to burn New York partly executed — Various Skir- mijhing — Battle of White Bains. — ^ CHAP. VIII. TranfaBions in the Jerfies — Apparent Errors of the Britijh Commander — Defpondence of the Revolters — Vigour of Congrefs — Encou- ragement to enliji in the American Army—' Congrefs appeal with EffeB to the American People. — 1776. — 2 CHAP. IX. Proceedmgs of Congrefs-^They determine to re- nounce all Dependance on Great Britain Sketch of a new American Government. 273 CHAP. X. Situation of A fairs in Canada-— General Carle- ton Jends an Armament againfl Crown Point and Ticonderoga — Force oppojed to this by the Americans. — , CHAP. viii C O N T E N T §. CHAP. XI. Page Inevitable Necejtty of War in the general - Opinion of the Britijh Nation— Diftrefs of the Wef Indies— Capture of American Pri- I'aieers — Condti^ of France and Spain — Meeting of Parliament— Debates in both Houfes. . — — 288 CHAP. XII. Proclamation iffued by Lord and General H&zve — Debates upon it—Th^ American Laws propofed to be re-vifed by Lord John Caven- diJh—This Motion rejeaed—The Propriety of a partial Secejfwn conftdered — Seamen cuoted — Naval Affairs—Supplies for the Mi- litary and Naval Service — Recefs of Parlia- vient.—ini^' — . ^94 CHAP. XIII, Letters of Marque and Reprifal Bill— Bill for fecuring Perfons charged with High-Treafon — Debates upon it — Amendment propofed by Mr. Dunning — Agreed to — The Bill carried through both Houfes—Lxtraor dinar y unpro- vided Expences of th War voted— Motion for an Addrefs to the Throne by the Earl of Chatham— RejeBed— Prorogation of the Par- liament. — 1777* — " — CHAP. CONTENTS, CHAP. XIV. Qpening of the Campaign — "Expedition to Peek^s Hill — To D anbury — VeJJels and Provijions de/troyed at Saggy Harbour — The Command- er in Chief takes the Field — Endeavours to bring Wajhington to an A8ion^TheBriiiJh Troops relinquijh the Jerfeys — General Pref- cot carried off- — Britijh Army proceeds to Chefapeak Bay — Lands at the Head of the Elk — Proclamation ifpued — General Wajh- ington moves to the North Side of the Branr dywine River ^ in order to defend Philadel- phia — Action at the Brandy wine — General Wayne defeated^Royal Army paffes the Schuylkill — Lord Cornwallis takes Poffefjion of Philadelphia. • — • — 308 c H A P. xy. American Batteries and other Means of Dtr fence — Attacked — ABion at German Town — At Bed Bank — Mud Ifland and Red Bank taketi — American Fleet burnt — Removal of the royal Army to Whitemarjh. •— 331 CHAP. XVL Canadian Operations— -General Burgoyne in- vejled with the Command of the Northern Armv — General Carleton, offended with this Appointment i refigns his Government — Opi- nions X CONTENTS. Page nions on the Employinent of the Savages — Number of Troops under General Burgoyne — Expedition under Colonel St. Leger — Bt(r- goyne^s Manifefio — Ticonderoga and Mount Independence invefied — The Forts abandoned hy the Americans — American Galleys de- Jiroyed near Skenejborough — Americans aban- don their Works — Their Rear overtaken — General St. Clair arrives at Fort Edward — Americans repulfed by Colonel Hill — Ame- ricans abandon Fort Anne— Difficulties en- countered in the March of the Royal Army to Fort Edward'— Americans retire to Sara- toga. — . — — . CHAP. XVII. Difficulties experienced at Fort Edward — Co- lonel St. Leger s Expedition — Detachment to Bennington — Baum and Breyman defeated — Fort Stanwix invefied — Attempt to re- lieve it by General Harkemer-^St. Leger obliged to raife the Siege of Fort Stanwix ■ — General Gates takes the Command of the American Army in the North — Adion at Still Water — -Diflrefjed Situation of General Burgoyne — Defertion of the Indians — Re- treat to Saratoga — Royal Army nearly fiir- rounded — Convention with General Gates. 367 CHAP, CONTENTS. CHAP. XVIIL Expedition up the N^rth River under Sir Hen- ''^'' ry Clinton— Reduaion of the Forts Montgo- mery and Clinton.-^Burning of Mfopus. CHAP. XIX. Expedition under the Command of Lieutenant- colonel Mawhood Adion at Quintin's Bridge At Hancock's Bridge— Ingenious ^ir^tagem of an American Loyalifi— Colonel Abercromhie's Expedition againji the Ame- ricans under Lacey near Crooked Billet-^ Colonel Maitland's Expedition up the Dela- ware^Attempt on La Fayette.^i']^S, 409 C H A P. XX. Sir William Howe reftgns the Command of the Army—Fefiival called Mifchianza, in ho- nour of Sir William Howe— He is Succeed- ed in the Command of the Army by Sir Henry Clinton— Returns to England— Com- plains of Defamation, andfolicits and obtains a Parliamentary Inquiry into his Condud. H I S T O OF THE AMERICAN R Y WAR. INTRODUCTION. OO natural is the love of liberty, and fucli the mtroduc *^ averlion of mankind to reftraint, thatitfeems to be in the very nature of colonies, and all ^'-nr^ fubordmate governments, to feize every favour- able opportunity of afferting their indepen- dence ; and the external afped of nature, va- riegated and broken by mountains, favannahs, rivers, lakes and feas, confpires with that noble paffion to check the progrefs of empire, and to maintain an interefting diverfity among tribes and nations. But when the Britifh colonies, now the Thii-- teen United States of North America, took up arms, and declared themfelves free and inde- pendent, they were not encouraged by any con- jundure that could juftify that meafure in point of policy, or by any circumftances that could yield any reafonable hope of fuccefs in the ar- duous flruggle that was to enfue. On the con- trary, if we take a view of the ftrength and re- VoL. I. B fources , JIISTORYOFTHE jntroduc. IburCes of Great Britain at the commencemen'S- ^"J^ of hoftilities, and contrail thefe with the weak- nefs and almoft total inability of the revolting colonies, we fliall have reafon to conclude tliat the termination of the war in favour of the lat- ter, with their final feparation from the Britifli empire, was one of thofe extraordinary and un- expedled events, which in the courfe of human affairs rarely occur, and which bid defiance to all human forefight and calculation. A people, not exceeding two millions of fouls, widely fcat- tered over half the weftern hemifphere, in the peaceable occupations of fifhing, agricultBre, and commerce ; divided into many diflin6l go- vernments ; differing from each other in man- ners, religion, and interefts, nor entirely united in political fentiments ; this people, with very little money, proverbially called the finews of war, was yet enabled to effeft a final feparation from Great Britain, proud from fuccefsful and glorious war, flourilhing in arts and arms be- yond the example of any former period ; capa- ble of raifmg an annual revenue of fixteen mil- lions of pounds ; and, on the whole, the mofl formidable nation in the world : And all this, although the continent of North America, deep- ly indented and penetrated by navigable rivers and lakes, prefented a fit theatre for the difplay of naval power, in which chiefly the flrength of Great Britain confifted. It is the objea of the prefent Work to defcribe with fidelity the war that involved this great event— a wonder to the prefent, and an example to all future ages. But I ftiall firft run over the train of circum- fiances by which that war was produced. The colonies of New Hampfhire, MafTachu- fet's Bay, Rhode Ifland, Conneaicut, New York, Penfylvania, the three lower trouuties on the o •Dela\varc, AMERICANWAR. Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Introduc- South Carolina, and Georgia, the hiftory of whofe revolt it is propofed to relate, are fitu- ^^^''^ ated on the eaftern coaft of North America, where they are waAed by the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from north to fouth, in the order in which they have been enumerated. On the weft they are feparated from the immenfe re- gions, not fully explored, of Canada and Lou- ifiana, by the Apalachian or Allegany moun- tams. The countries fituated to the weft of that magnificent barrier, and at a vaft though unknown diftance from the Pacific Ocean, are watered by mediterranean feas, called the Lakes Qf Canada, which not only cpmnmnicate with each other, but fend forth feveral great rivers, among which the Miffiffippi, and the St. Lau- rence, by the weight of their waters, and the length of their courfe, are particularly diftiii- guiftied. The Miffilfippi, running in a winding courfe near five thoufand miles from north to fouth, and receiving in its progrefs the Illinois, the Miafures, the Ohio, and other tributary rivers, fcarcely inferior to the Rhine or the Danube, difcharges itfelf in the Gulf of Mexico. The St. Laurence, on t^e contrary, ft retching in a north-eafterly direaion from the Lakes of Ca- nada, falls into the ocean near Newfoundland, All thele, with the Hudfon, Delaware, Sufque- hannah, Chefapeak, Potowmack, and other np- ble rivers on the eaftern fide of North America, being navigable, for the moft part, to their very heads, encourage and ftimulate commerce in times of peace; but, in thofe of war, expofe the colonies to the attacks of a fuperior naval force, ' as. already mentioned . , - ■ - B 2 . The HISTORV 6F fHE The North American provinces lie betweeri the thirtieth and fiftieth degrees of northern latitude, having about twelve hundred miles ol fea-coaft. As fuch a fituation would denote a great degree of temperature, it is neceflary to bbferve, that within thofe bounds they experi- ence much vicilTitude of weather, and degrees of heat and cold than are to be found in European climated fimilarly Situated. The northern, commonly called the New Eng- land provinces, comprehending New Hampfture, MalTachufet's Bay, Rhode Hand, and Connec- ticut, are the leaft fertile in point of foil ; but their land produces excellent timber, and their feas abound with fifh. The inhabitants here, aselfewhere, led by. the hand of nature, employ themfelves in thofe occupations which are luita- ble to the produaions of their chmate. iilh- ing is the bufinefs of fome, fhip-building of others ; and the bulk of the people are more or lefs engaged in trade or navigation. ^ The foil of the New England province of Conneaicut bdng richer than that of the others, its inhabitants are occupied in agriculture and raifmcr of cattle ; of which, and alfo of gram, confiderable quantities are annually exported. The produaions of the colonies of New York, New Jerfey, Penfylvania, and the three low;er counties on the Delaware, ufually called the Middle Colonies, refemble thofe of Conneaicut ; ^nd their inhabitants are engaged m fimilar oc- cupations. Their moft common articles of e;^^ portation are wheat and flour, with furs for New ^ A^s you proceed from I'enfylvama to the fouth- ward, the heat of fummer becomes exceffive; and the African alone can endure the labour of working in the fields- Hence it is, that in AM ERICANWAR. « thefouthern colonies the number of white inha- introduc- bitants bears only a fmall proportion to that of the s^j!^^ negroes ; whereas in the middle colonies very *^ few, and in the northern fcarcely any, Africans are to be found. The provinces to the fouthward of Penfylvania have been ufually called the Southern Colonies, In thofe, almoft all the white inhabitants are pro- prietors of lands, which they keep in their own poflelTion, aad cultivate by means of flaves. Thef^ landrowners, or planters, as they have been called, lead eafy and luxurious lives, are fond of amufe- ments of all forts, and to labour and fatigue utter Grangers. The bufniefs of their plantations, and the management of the African cultivators, are committed to the care of perfons .called Overfeers; a fort of middle men, between proprietors of lands and the flaves who cultivate them. In the fouthern provinces are raifed the moft valuable articles of commerce exported from North Ame^ rica : Tobacco in Virginia, Maryland, and a great part of North Caroling ; and rice and indigo in South Carolina and Geprgia, The philofopher, in travelling through thofe regions which were all originally peopled from Great Britain, the middle colonies excepted, wiU find amufement in contemplating the effect which is produced upon the human frame and conftitution by the influence of climate, of foil, and of the courfe of employment in which the inhabitants are engaged. In the provinces of New England, where na^ ture has been lefs bountiful in the produ£lions of tl?e earth, he will find a race of men, healthy, ftrong, and vigorous ; keen, penetrating, adive, and enterpfifing, with a degree of dexterity and ma^ nagement in all the common affairs of l^fe, which approaches to cunning and artifice, and fuch as th^ habits HISTORY OF THE mtroduc habits and purfuits, not of a liberal and enlarged, but of a detailed and minute trade, are accuftomed ^""^''^'^ to form. , In the middle colonies he will lee farmers ro- buft, frugal, perfevering, and induftrious ; plain;, andhoneftin their dealings, but of rude and un- pliant maniiers ; with little penetration and lefs knowledge. , . , . • i. -n And, in moft of the fouthern colonies, he will meet with a people of pallid complexion and fwarthy hue, of form rather tall and flender, unfit and unaccuftomed to labour, with an averfion to bufinefs, and a fondnefs for pleafure and dlffipa- tion ; luxurious, ftiewy, and expenfive ; yet ien- fible, Ihrewd, and intelligent; of open and friendly difpofitions, and in their houfes hofpita- ble even to extremity. But this muft be under- ftood only of the lea-coaft and interior parts of the fouthern colonies. For the frontiers of thefe, reaching far to the weftward, extending over va- rious ridges of high mountains, and bordering upon the Indian country, are inhabited by a peo- ple unacquainted with luxury and refinement* aaive and vigorous, with minds fierce and traaable, and, in habits, bearing fome relem- blance to their favage neighbours. The inhabitants of Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina, more than any others of the colonifts, imitated, in drefs, equipage, furniture, and modes and habits of life, the manners and cuftoms of the people of England ; and thefe circumftances will account for the vaft fums due from thence to Britain, The bulk of the natives of North Carohna are hafdy and robuft. Their chief employment con- fifts in hunting and rearing cattle; and their principal amufement in ftiooting, for wagers, with rifies at a mark. T.ne A M E R I C A N W A R. ^ The natives of Georgia, from the influence of in'roduc- climate, were a poor, emaciated, debilitated, in- dolent, and death-like people ; and like the in- habitants of South Carolina, ignorant, idle, and inadlive. ^ But thefe are not the only differences that me- rit attention. There are others whidi are to be afcribed, not to climate, foil, or employment;, but to the principles and tenets, whether civil or religious, of the primary fettlers, which, being handed down from father to fon, may maintain their influence for many ages. The colony of Virginia, which is the moft an^ cient, was eftabliftied in the early part of the peaceable reign of James the Firft, about the be- ginning of the feventeenth century. And, as the colonifts by whom it was fettled removed from their native country, not from any caufe of uneafmefs or difratisfa6lion with government, but urged merely by the fpirit of adventure, propa* gated at that period from Portugal and Spain into other paits of Europe, it may reafonably be fuppofed that they carried with them the prevail- ing notions and opinions of the times, which wer^ peculiarly favourable to monarchy and high church government. So inveterate were thofe principles amongft this people, that Virginia was the laft of all the Britifli dominions that yielded to the fuccefsful arms of Cromwell, and the firft. too, that renounced obedience to his ufurped authority by proclaiming the reftoration of King pharles the Second. And fo uniform were the inhabitants in religious matters, that, until the middle of the prefent century, not a fmgle place of worftiip either for Roman Catholics or Pro- teftant Diffenters was any- where to be found within the colony. Th^ HISTORY OF THE The nortBern colonies were planted about the end of the fame reign, but not till England be- gan to be torn with internal feuds and difienfions. Thofe who planned and carried into execution the fettlement of Maffachufet's Bay, which was the firft of the New England colonies, were men ■who had either fuffered, or expeded to fuffer, perfecution during the intolerant adminiftration of archbifhop Laud ; puritans in religion, repub- licans in their notions of government, and of the fame party and principles with thofe who after- wards overturned the government of England in both church and ftate, and brought their fove- reign to the block. To thefe fettlers a charter was granted, empowering them to chufe whatever form of government fhould be moft agreeable to themfelves, with only one refervation, that their laws fhould not be repugnant to thofe of Great Britain. What motive could induce the king to grant a charter with powers fo extraordinary and extenfive to a people fo little favoured in that reign as the Puritans, it is not now eafy to difco- ver ; unlefs it was meant as an enticement to en- courage the emigration of thofe reftlefs fpirits whofe refra6lory condu6l, machinations, and plots, had begun to give fo much difturbance to government. But, whatever was the motive, the meafure produced a greater effeft than had been forefeen. Such numbers in a fhort time with- drew to New England, that government, in the following reign, was obliged to interpofe, by for- bidding all perfons to emigrate, except fuch as Avere fpecially licenfed. The fetdements at Maffachufet's Bay, rein- forced by fuch numbers from England, foon began to flourifh. But fcarcely had the new inhabitants taken entire poffelfion of the country which they were to occupy, when they fell into internal dil- fenfions A M E R I C A N W A R. i fenfions. The majority of the colony being Pu- Jntroduc, ritans, the prefbyterian mode of worfhip was de- clared to be the eftablifhed religion, to which all were required to conform. Having juft efcaped from perfecution themfelves, they, in their turn, became intolerant. A ftri6l compliance with re- ligious ordinances was rigoroufly exadled; and the perfecution that followed, at length became fo intolerable as to produce frcfh emigrations from this infantine fettlement. One clafs withdrew to New Hampfhire, another to Rhode Ifland, and a third to Connedicut, where they formed eftablifh- ments, and laid the foundations of their refpec- tive governments. The tra£l of country which contains the pro- vinces of New York, New Jerfey^ with the thre& lower counties on the Delaware, was anciently called the New Netherlands ; for the original fettlers were Dutch and Swedes, in whofe poflef- fion it remained until it was conquered by the Englilh in the reign of king Charles the Second, to whom the fovereignty of it was finally ceded, and confirmed by the treaty, of Breda in 1667. A grant of a great part of this tra£l of country, with full powers of fovereignty, was made by Charles to his brother James duke of York, who afterwards fold that diftrid fmce called New Jer- fey, to lord Berkley and fir George Carteret, re- fervingto himfelf only the province of New York; which province, on the acceflion of that princt, reverted of courfe to the crown. The remaining part of this ceded territory was graii .ed by Charles the Second, towards the end. of his reign, to William Penn, the celebrated Qiiaker, who gave it the name of Penfylvania. By Penn it was originally planted with a colony, confifting.«of perfons of his own religion, who fled from ^'England to avoid the perfecutions to whkh HI S TO KY or r HE which they, though a quiet and inoffenfive people, ia commoii with other feftaries, were fubjeded. For his new fettlement he compofed a code of laws, of fo equitable and liberal a fpirit, and in all refpedls fo well adapted to the fituation of the colonifts, that his name has , defervedly been tranhnitted to pofterity with thofe of the moft eminent legiflators ; and, under the influence of his wiCe inftitutions, the colony profpered greatly, and foon became one of the moft flourifhing of the Britifh fettlements. The counties of Newcaftle, Kent, and Suffex, ufoally called the thr^e lower counties on the De- laware, forming a feparate eftablifhment, and eledlingan aflembly for thenjfelves, are attached to the government of Penfylvania, by having the fame governor. Adjoining to Penfylvania, on the fouth, is the province of Maryland ; which, like its neighbour^ ing Hate, though at a different period, took its rife from religious perfecution. In the r^eign of Charles the Firft, Avhen, in confequence of repeated addrelTes from both houfes of parliament, the king was obliged tp en» force againft the Roman Catholics the execution of thofe penal and fanguinary laws, which a more enlightened and liberal age has thought fit to re- peal, Charles lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic, and a favourite at court, obtained a grant of that part of Virginia which has fii).ce been called Ma- ryland, as a place of refuge fpr himfelf, and his perfecuted brethren of the Roman religion. And, to the everlafting difgrace of that narrow-minded and intolerant age, it is recorded, that when he embarked for his new fettlement, he was accom- panied by no fewer than two hundred popifli fa- milies, and many of thefe of diftin^lion, who chofe to encounter the dangers of the fea, the fury, of lavages, and all the multiplied inconve- niences. AMERICAN WAR. niences, evils, and hardfhips of a new, unex- ^5™^"^ plored, and unfheltercd country, rather than s,-*nr^ longer remain expofed to the cruel oppreffibn of their unrelenting perfecutors. And in this man- ner was Maryland fettled about the year 1635. The lirft fcttlements in the provinces of North and South Carolina, originally comprifed in the fame grant, under the general name of Carolina, were begun a few years after the reftoration of king Charles the Second. A grant of them w^s made to feveral noblemen and perfons of rank, who employed the celebrated Mr. Locke to form a fyftem of government and code of laws for their new colony. But, however wife in theory thofe inftitutions might have been, it is neverthelefe certain, that the fettlement did not thrive under them, although fupported by the wealth and in- fluence of its rich and powerful proprietors : Nor did it even begin to profper until government, many years afterwards, refumed the grants, took the colony under its own immediate protection, laid alide the inftitutions of Mr. Locke, and gave the inhabitants a conftitution iimilar to that of Virginia ; and from that period its advances in improvement were as rapid as they had been be- fore flow and unpromifmg. So complicated are human affairs, and fo intricate the chain that unites the caufe with the effed, that it is very ua- fafe, in the formation of political fyftems, to go far beyond the line of experience. The more ex- alted and refined our ideas of liberty and govern- ment, the wider they are apt to lead us aftray ; if, in oppofition to fadls and circumftances, we ob- ftinately perfevere in endeavouring to reduce 1763^ them to pridice. At the ead of the war with France, which con* eluded in 1763, there was, and there had been for near a century paft, a fmall revenue coUeded in the American colonies, which was fubjed to the H I.S T O R Y OF THE the difpolitioii of parliament. This revenue arofe from the duties impofed by two afts of parlia- ment, one in the 25th year of the reign of king Charles the Second, and the other in the fixth year of the reign of king George the Second ; in the firft inftance on goods exported from, and in the fecond, on goods imported into, the colonies. By the a6l of navigation, certain enumerated goods, viz. fugar, tobacco, cottonwool, indigo, ginger, fuftic, and other dying woods, the pro- duce, of the plantations, were reftrained from be- ing carried from thence to any other place than to fome of the other Britifh plantations, or to Great Britain; and by the 25 Car. II. duties were im- pofed upon thefe articles when carried to any Other place than Great Britain, and confequendy upon lueh of them as were exported to any of the other, colonies ; and thefe duties were to be paid before, the goods were laden on board any fhip for exportation^ At the time when this a6l palled, only one of thefe articles was produced on the continent of 3^orth America, which was tobacco ; and upon Xjhe exportation of it to any of the other colonies, this duty was regularly paid and colleded from that period down to the time of the feparatjon of the colonics from the mother country ; as was alio the duty upon indigo,after it was introduced as an article of produce and exportation in the fouthern colonies. The .other enumerated articles upon which the duties were laid, were all of the pro- duce of the Weft India iflands ; and upon luch of them as the inhabitants of the North Ameri- can colonies imported into their own country, the duties were regularly paid in the Weft Indies, be^ fore they were laden on board the veffels. The duties impofed by the 6 Geo. II. arethofe %\'hicjb have been already meationed payable on_ -MERICAN WAR, tlie importation of foreign rum, fugar, and mo- introduc- laffes, into the colonies. To thofe the colonies alfo fubmitted, except fo far as they were eluded ^"^^^^ by clandeftine importation. But this illicit importation, either from the remiflhefs of the cuftom-houfe officers in the co- lonies, or their inability to prevent it, was car- ried on, in the courfeof time, to fuch an extent as not only to alarm the Weft India planters, by its tendency to leflen the demand for their pro- duce, and to lower its price, but alfo to attradl the attention of the Britifh miniftry, who, not- withftanding the extent to which this trade was carried on, found the revenue arifing from it very unprodudive ; and who were alfo given to underftand, that through the fame channel fome of the manufadures of Europe, and many of the produ6lions and manufa^lures of the Eaft Indies, were introduced into the colonies, in breach of the a6l of navigation, and to the manifeft injury of the trade of the mother-country. Smuggling was carried on, not only upon the American, but upon the Britifh and Irifh coafts alfo, to fuch an extent, that the parliament, in this year, thought fit to pafs a new a6^, for more effedlually fuppreffing it ; and the Britifh miniftry, feconding the views and intentions of the parliament, adopted a new plan for carrying the ad into execution, and for checking the evil which it was intended to remedy, by calling in the aid of the officers of the navy. For this pur- pofe a number of the fmaller fhips of war, with cutters and tenders, were put into commiflion, and ftationed in different quarters of the coafts of Great Britain and Ireland ; and to the officers who commanded them fimilar powers were dele- gated with thofe ufually granted to revenue offi- cers, and they were alfo required to take an oath for HISTORY OF f H-.£ introduc- (j^Q performance of this part of tlieir This regulation having taken place in Great Britain, it was alfo thought expedient to extend it to North America and the Weft India if- lands ; for, as the miniftcr had it in contem- plation to impofe further taxes in the colonies, it was undoubtedly a primary duty to endea- vour to make thofe taxes which had been al- ready impofed more produdlive. And if this regulation was found ufeful on the Britifh fhores, it was thought it would be ftill more ufeful on the American coaft, where opportunities for fmuggling were more abundant, by the nume- rous inlets with which that coaft abounds, fome of them unfettled, and many others but thinly inhabited ; and in confequence of the great ex- tent of their ports, and of the very limited number of cJiftom-houfe officers who were ap- pointed to do duty in thofe ports. The new plan for enforcing the laws of trade produced no murmuring or difquiet araongft the people of Great Britain. It was direded only againft the illicit trader, a chara6ler as dif- tind from the Britifti merchant as darknefs is from light. But in the northern colonies of America, many of their principal merchants were engaged in clandeftine trade, and in thofe colonies it was no difparagement to be fo: On the con- trary, whenever a feizure was made, the difplea- fure and refentment of the people were diredled againft the officer who had done his duty, and not againft the party who had offended againft the law. And hence, the cuftom-houfe officers, finding it impoffible to live happily with their neighbours, if they exerted themfelves vigo- rouily in the difcharge of their duty, became remifs. A M E :R I C A N W A R. i*emifs, and feldom made feizures, except in in««>duc- cafes of fuch palpable breaches of the law as vj!!!!^ came fo openly under their own obfervation that It was impoffible to overlook them. The reception which this regulation met with m America was fuch as might have been ex- peded, from a people habituated to thofe il- licit praaices in trade which it was intended to reprefs. In the northern colonies it produced univerfal alarm, difcontent, and dilTatisfaaion. As the navy officers were not ftationary, nor their refidence on fhore, it was fotefeen that they would not be influenced by motives of friendfliip, fellowfhip, or neighbourhood ; nei- ther could they be overawed or intimidated from doing their duty. The merchants in thofe colo- nies could, therefore, no longer depend, or, to fpeak in mercantile language, they could no longer value themfelves, as formerly, upon the profits of their illicit traffic. But thefe caufes of difcontent, however aggravating and morti- fying to themfelves, were not to be urged to ^he miniftry and parliament ; they were by no means calculated to procure that redrefs which theywifhed, becaufe, inftead of fhewing the im- propriety, they juftified the expediency, of the meafure.^ Their oftenfible complaints were found- ed on different grounds ; they complained, that the fair and the clandeftine trader were equally expofed to the operation of this indifcriminating Tegulation, inafmuch as the lliips and veffels of both were equally liable to be fearched, and -confequently to detention upon their voyages : They alfo objeaed, that the officers of the navy -were, of all others, the moft improper to be appointed to fuch a fervice, fmce, by the for- mer courfe and habits of their life, they could ^ot be fuppofed to be acquainted with the re- venue HISTORY OF THE introduc venue laws, and were of themfelves prone enough to fall into irregularities, without being put into "^'T^ fuch a flation of executive authority as to ren- ^ der thofe irregularities almoft unavoidable. It has been already obferved that this new regulation to prevent fmuggling extended not only to the colonies upon the continent of Ame- rica, but to the Weft India iflands alfo ; and there it produced an effea which probably was not forefeen, otherwife feme means would have been devifed to prevent it. Between the Bri- tilh iflands and the Spanifti fettlements in Ame- rica a confide rable clandeftine trade had been carried on for many years, which was beneficial, not only to thofe iflands, but to Great Britain alfo ; becaufe, through this channel, Britifh ma- nufadures were introduced into the Spanifti fet- tlements, and the returns were principally, though not entirely, in gold and filver ; and if any in- conveniences arofe from this commerce, they were greatly overbalanced by the profits which were derived from it. But this trade, beneficial as it was, for want of proper inftruaions to the officers of the navy, fell a facrifice, for a time, to the new regulation. The enterprifmg fpirit of the inhabitants of the northern coloaies had, notwithftanding the remotenefs of their fituation, induced them to take a ftiare in this lucrative trade ; and when they found themfelves cut off from it by the new regulation, their chagrin, vexation, and difap- pointment rofe to a pitch fcarcely to bedefcrib- cd. Neverthelefs this incidental effe6l of the •new regulation raifed up advocates for them m quarters where their complaints, heretofore, had been very little attended to. The inhabitants of the middle colonies were not themfelves engaged ia the Spanifh trade to any AMERICAN W A R. any ^reat extent ; but had an intereft in the ir^tvod. continuance of it*. The ftock of grain and other provifions, raifed in the northern colo- """^ iiies, was not fufficient for the confumption of ^ •*heir inhabitants, and the deficiency was fup- plied from fome of the fouthern and fome of the middle colonies. The rum and faked fifh of New England were received in exchange for thofe provifions, but fome part of the price w-as always paid in fpecie ; and by means of this coafting trade carried on by the people of New England, the gold and filver which they received in their traffic with the Spaniards, or at leaft part of it, was in time circulated through the other colonies. A very cciifiderable trade Was carried on from New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, to Lifoon, and the ports up the Straits, in flour, wheat, &c. The returns were moftly made in fpecie, half-johannes's, the re- mainder in port wine ; and it was not until after the late peace that the court of Lilbon forbad ^the Americans to carry away more than a certain •Him in fpecie on board each veflel, the remain- . der of the barter to be in the produce of the country ^ But another very important branch of their illicit trade was carried on through the Weft India illands, who fmuggled from the French and Spanifti iilands ; and then the Weft Indians bartered their fmuggled commodities with the Americans for provifions ; for South Carolina in particular fent great quantities of maize, or Indian corn, and^live ftock, to the BritiJh Weft Indies. The inhabitants, there- fore, of the fouthern as well as the middle co- lonies, faw with extreme concern one of the channels through which they had been fupplied with gold and filver in danger of being ftiut up> efpecially at a time when the fcarcity of fpe- VoL. I. C cie * Vide Chalmsrs'i late publication. g HISTORYOFTHE introduc. cie was felt as a general evil throughout the Britifh part of the American continent ; and ""^^^ they were the more ready to join in cenfuring ^' the meafure by which this trade was hkely to be fuppreffed, as they thought it apparent that the continuance of the trade would not only be beneficial to the colonies, but alfo to the mo- ther-country. , 1 . 1 And thus it happened, that this new regula- tion was the caule of more or lefs uneafmefs throughout the Britifh colonies, whether on the continent of America, or in the Weft Indies ; and certain it is, that it excited much more lU- humour amongft the people of the northern co- lonies than any other meafure of the Britiih miniftry or legiflature ever had produced. When their trade with the foreign iflands had been burthened by the impofition of duties, it is true, a ferment arofe; but, after the firft ebullition of refentment had fubfided, they confidered the operation of the aa of parhament as unavoid- able, and quietly fubmitted ; hoping, perhaps, to elude its effeft by clandeftine importation. But thefe hopes were now either cut oft, or ren- dered precarious, by the new regulation ; and as it operated by intervals, every feizure was ,a: frefti caufe of difcontent, and not only_ kept alive, but added to the general mafs of ill-hu- mour. Their newfpapers were, for feveral fuc- cefllve years, filled with complaints of the de- tention and feizure of their vefTels, and with abufive, contemptuous,, and provoking para- graphs againft the officers of the navy: and thefe vehicles of clamowr being circulated through the continent, excited not only a fpirit of hatred and refentment againft thofe officers, but of oppofition to the ordinances of the mother- ^ country amongft the people of the colonies in general. AMERICAN WAR. genera],^ which made a ftrong impreffion upon introduc , their minds, and prepared them for adopting more eafily thofe violent meafures which a few ^ — years afterwards ended in open revolt. The minifter, in purfuance of the plan which 1764. he had laid down for obliging the inhabitants ot the colonies to bear a fhare in the expence which might be neceffary for their future pro- teaion, introduced a bill into the houfe of commons for impofmg duties on certain kinds ot merchandize, when imported into the colo- nies, requiring the payment of thofe duties to be made in gold and filver, and containing the ulual claufe in the revenue bills for ordering them, when colleded, to be paid into the ex- ^chequer, where they were to be fet apart as a ieparate fund, together with the future pro- duce of all the former parliamentary duties and taxes which had been heretofore colleded iiy.JVmerica ; and this fund was to be applied, under the difpofition of parliament, for defray- ing the future charges of proteaing, defend- ing, and fecuiing the colonies. The bill having palled through both houfes, received the royal alfent on the 5th of April in this year. ™iiifter, by procuring the ad to be pafT- ed, had a two-fold objea in view; the firfl, to regulate the commerce of the colonies ; and 'the fecoad, to raife a revenue. So far as duties were impofed by it on the importation of foreign fu- gars, indigo and coffee, Eaft India /^vroaght fiiks and calicoes, foreign cambricks and French lawns, the intention feem.s to "have been to dif- courage the ufe and confumption of thofe arti- cles, and thereby to encourage and promote the uie and confumption of Britifli manufadures, and of Britiih Weft India produce, of the hke kinds ; but if, notwithftanding the impof.tion of C 2 the HISTORY OF THE «„od... ,he duties, thofe articles of foreign ™aMf^f«^ and produce fbould fiill continue to be imported Into America, then the aft produced Us fecon- daTy effea of raifing a revenue. The other du- desimpofed by this aft; thofe, namely, on Ma- drira Tne, on port and Spanish wmes, and on coffee and pimento of the growth of the Bri- rim Weft Inlia Wands, were for the fde purpofe of raifing a revenue; and m fixing the rates and proportion, of thefe. the miuifter feems to have been abundantly cantiousof avoiding any S imputwio-^ of dealing. h^-^dlX^y Ae cc^o- iSes On the contrary, it wo»ld appear that he wiftvedto imprefsthem moft ftrongly with th^ idel that although they were now to be called ^poAto bear fom'e part .of tt. b^'*--;^^*^ ftate ftill their proportion ftiould be far very far be ow what waVborne by the tnhab.tams of the mother-comntry. Thus the duty impof- Jd by twfaa on Britifh cofiee imported into the ;f iSies was only f^en ^^^^^^^^^-^^^ JaTfn iTwrxelfe du%^f one Sg and fix-pence npon every pound of cof- fee which they confumed, befides a farther duly •Bavable at ttie cuflom-boufe on importation. ^ In the fame feffion of parliament an aft was naffed refpeaing the paper currency ot the co- fonks, the gromds and motives for theenaaing of which it is necelfary hereto exp ain. Dunng The late war, the colonial alTembUes had been n the praaice of iffuing bills of credit to an- fwer their prefent exigencies ; and that thele bills miAt more effeaually fupply the place of money, they ^vere made a legal tender m the paymlm o/all debts, as if they ^ been^ld or filver, and were made redeemable alter a «rtaln time, either by the colleaK.n of^ «xes AMERICAN WAR. iiiipofed by the aCTemblies for their redemption, i«ti;oduc. or by the money allotted to the refpedtive colonies, y^j!^!^ by the votes of parliament, as a compenfation for their fervices. The emiffion of fo much paper money, ifEied perhaps in fome of the co- lonies with more profufion than was abfolutely necefTary, produced one effedl very injurious to the colonies, by railing the courfe of exchange between them and the mother-country ; fo that in fome of them bills of exchange on Great Bri- tain couid not be procured but at a lofs to the purchafer of between thirty and forty per cent. ; and as Britiih money, and indeed every kind of coin which was current in the colonies, pafled on- ly at certain rates fixed bylaw, whatever the courfe of exchange might be ; it happened, that when the courfe of exchange rofe above thofe rates, not only the Britifh money, but all the other current coin in the colonies, was either withheld by individuals from circulation, or remitted to themother-country in lieu of bills of exchange ; and thus in the courfe of a few years the fcarcity of fpecie was feit as a general evil in all the colonies. This fcarcity of fpecie was alfo very injurious to the Britifti mer- chants ; becaufe it happened not unfrequently that the paper bills of credit, which their agents in the colonies wei^ obliged to receive in pay- ment of their debts, for want of another medi- =um of commerce, were depreciated in value by the rife of exchange, even whil^ they remained in their poflfefTion, and before they could lay them out in the purchafe of bills of exchange, or any other commodity which would ferve as a remittance to Great Britain. This evi-l was more or lefe felt in all the colonies, but more efpecially m Virgiaia, where, from the mifcondudl of the treafurer. 22 HISTORY OF THE introduc- treafurer, the bills of credit received by him from the colle£lors of the taxes were lent out 1764. by him to individuals for his own benefit, and thrown back into circulation, inftead of being locked up and fecurcd until they were burnt by order of the affembly. A repreientaiion on this fubjea had been made to the Britifh minifter by the merchants trading to Virginia, in which the evils arifmg from a fuperabundance of paper money had been more feverely fek than in any of the other colonies. But as ihe evil was more or lefs felt in all the colonies, it was neceffary that the remedy to be provided fcould be as ex- tenfive; and thus the a6l of parliament above mentioned was paffed, whereby the colonial af- femblies were reftrained from making their bills of credit a lawful tender in payment of money. The aft for impofmg duties on merchandize ^vas only a part of the plan which the minifter had in contemplation. At the time when the reiblutions upon which this aft was founded were moved in the houfe of commons, he alfo moved another, of the following import : " That towards further defraying the^expences of proteding and fecuring the colonies, it may be proper to charge certain ftamp duties ^ in " the colonics." But he did not think fit during this fefiion to introduce any bill for carrying this laft refolution into effeft ; leaving it thus open, V that if the inhabitants of the colonies Ihould dif- like fuch a mode of levying money upoii them, they might have an opportunity of fuggefting fome other which would be more agreeable; and undoubtedly this manner of proceeding was not only a proof of the minifter's candour, but of his' inclination to accommodate himfelf to the wifhcs and defires of the colonies, as far as the neceifities of the ft ate would permit. The re- foliitioi> A M E R rc A N W A R. 23 folutioii which was moved, was a notice to the Intr«duc - colonial afTemblies that the Britifh treafury flood in need of a fupply ; and it alfo pointed out to ^"TT^ them the manner in which this fupply was pro- pofed to be raifed; but as the minifter declined bringing in a bill to carry the refolution into ef- fe£t until the next feflion of parliament, it was an evidence that he did not chufe to take the co- lonies by furprife, or to levy money upon them in a mode to which they had not yet been ac- cuftomed, without giving them previous and timely notice. But however tenderly the minifter had dealt with the colonies in the duties already impofed, and whatever appearance of accommodation he affumed in the impofition of thofe which he dif- played in palTing the previous refolution concern- ing ftamp duties, without following it up the fame feflion of parliament with a bill he medi- tated ; his general policy with refped to America, which in confequence of the regulation of laft year had produced fevere ftriaures in fome and given umbrage in all the colonies, was neverthe- lefs become the theme of general clamour. • The inhabitants of New England, rendered uneafy by the regulation of the laft year, and ftill fmarting under its effeds, were nqtin a fit temper of mind to fubmit quietly to any farther impofi- tions on their ipommerce ; and the lefs fo, becaufe they law that in confequence of the vigilance and aftivity of the officers of the navy in the exercife of their new authority, fuch impofitions would m future be more productive, and lefs eafily evaded, than in times paft. They thought too, that they faw in the minifter's proceedings the appearance of a fettled plan gradually unfolding itfelf, but not yet fully difclofed, which in detail and in extent might even go beyond their prefent apprc- i4 H I S T O It y O r THE irttroduc. apprelienfions : And, inftead of waiting to com* bat particular parts of this plan, as they ftiould """T^ appear, they boldly refolved to controvert at once ' ^ ^' the general principle upon which the whole was founded, by queftioningthe right and authority of parliament to levy duties or taxes upon the colonies in any form or fhape whatever; and by maintaining that the exercife of fuch an authority by parliament was aainfraftion, not only of the privilege$;<5f thj^^. a diftance, and deftitute of equal means of in* formation, may be eafily excufed for adopting them : But certain it is, that they prevailed very much about this time amongft the leading men in all the colonies, and were, through them, in- Hilled into the minds of the people at large. And from thence it happened, that every aft of the Britiih government refpedling America was viewed with more than common jealoufy. ^7^5' Such was the ftate of public opinion and fen- timent in the North American colonies towards the end of the year 1764, and the beginniqig of the year 1765. But, notwithftanding the threat- ening fymptoms of difcontent, uneafmefs, and jealoufy, which had begun to appear, the mi- niller was not deterred from profccuting the de- fign which he had fo long meditated, of raifmg a revenue in the colonies by means of ftamp du- ties. Having previoufly inquired of the agents for the colonies, whether they had any inftruc- tions from their conftituents to propofe any other . method of railing money in the colonies than that of which he had given intimation the pre- ceding year ; or whether they had authority to offer a compenfation for the revenue which was propofed to be raifed ; and receiving for an- fvver, that they had no authority for either of thele purpofes ; he now refolved to lay his plan before the houfe of commons, and, on the 29th of January, in a committee of that houfe, moved fifty-five refolutions for impofing ftamp duties on certain papers and documents ufed in the colonies. Thefe refolutions having been agreed to, a bill grounded upon them was foon after- wards * Mr. Pitt's fpcech on the repeal of the ftamp ait. . A M E R I C A N VV A 3, wards introduced, which, although it met with infoduc- vehement oppofition, particularly from that par- ty which has fmce diftinguifhed itfelf by the ^TTaT^ name of the Whig party, , and at the head of which was the marquis of Rockingham, was neverthelefs carried through both houles of par- liament by a confiderable majority, and received the royal aflent on the zzd of March. ^ By this aa, which was to take effed in Ame- rica on the I ft of November following, ftamp duties were impofed on fuch papers and docu- ments as are ufed as evidence in the common dealings and tranfaaions of life between man and man ; or on fuch as are ufed in legal pro- ceedings, in appointments to offices, in admif- fions to profelTions, and in the entry and clear- ance of vefTels at the cuftom-houfe ; and had the authority of parliament to pafs it been free from all objedion, it muft be confefTed that the fcheme of taxation propofed by this aft, was perhaps one of the beft which could have been devifed for raifmg a revenue from a people fpread over fuch an extent of the continent, and par- celled out into fo many different governments, mafmuch as . it was not only fmiple and pradi- cable, but equitable in its operation, equally well adapted to all the colonies, and, in its na- ture, efficacious. It excluded all jealoufy and envy, becaufe it extended to all the colonies, and was to be raifed on papers and documents which ^ were common to them all. It muft be efficacious, becaufe thefe papers and documents were declared to be invalid, unlefs they were ftamped; and the ftamps could not be obtained without the payment of the duty. And it was alfo equitable, as the weight of it would fall chiefly upon thofe clafTes of people who were beft able to bear it : and as it w^ould be moft produdlive HISTOHY Of THE intrtduc. produatve in thofe colonies which were the ^ ^0"^ moft flourifhing, and in which the tranfaaions ^■^^ between man and man were the moft frequent. ^'^^ The refolutions on which the bill were found- ed, together with the debates which it had pro- duced in its paflage through the houfe of com- mons, were, without lofs of time, tranfmitted to America by the agents for the colonies ; fo that the leading men in that quarter of the world had full time to deliberate on the confequences of the ad, with all its attendant circumftances, ■before it look effea, and to prepare the minds of the great body of the people for yielding to thofe imprefTions which they wiftied them to re- <:eive. Prepoffeffed as they were with fufpicions of the arbitrary defigns of the Britifh court, they now thought that thofe fupicions were con- verted into certainties ; and that America, thus taxed without her confent, was deftined to be the iirft viaim to arbitrary power : and they refolved not to fubmit to fuch a melancholy fate without the moft ftrenuous refiftance. A gleam of hope arofe from feeing the powerful oppofi- tion which had been made to the aa in its paf- fage through the houfe of commons. ^ They were thereby encouraged to purfue the line of con- dua marked out by their prefent feelings ; and they determined to exert themfelves with vigour in ftirring up fuch a ferment as might diftrefs, if not overturn, the adminiftration, who were the authors of this meafure, and as would cer- tainly defeat the effea of the aa for a time, and perhaps eventually produce its repeal : And this refolution feems to have been adopted by the leading men in all the colonies, without any apparent concert except what arofe from a gene- ral knowledge of one another's fentiments, in confequenc€ A M E R I C A N W A R.- 3. confequence of the tranfadlions of the preced- ing year. ' - - With this view the argument^r which had been 1764. ufed by the members of oppoiiti'on in the Bri- tifn parliameut' were retraced,, enforced, and enlarged ; and in this form- pubiiihed in' pam- phlets or circulated in newfpapers. Thefe pub- lications were adapted to all capacities. It was contended with great ftrength and force of rea- foning, that as the inhabitants of the colonies were Britiih fubjeas as much as the inhabitants of Great Britain, fo were they entitled to the fame conftitutional rights and privileges : That it was the birth-right of every Britifh fubje'ato give and grant his own money for the fupport of government, and not to be taxed but by his oWn confent or that of his reprefentative : And as the people of the colonies were not repre- fented in the Britifh parliament, fo the Britilli parliament could not conftitutionally impofe taxes upon them. And to fuch arguments other topics were added, not perhaps more convincing, but better calculated to draw the attention, and im~ prcfs the feelings of the American colonifl:. The acl was reprefented to be oppreffive in its operation, by converting the plainnefs and fmir^ phcity of their former proceedings, whether le- gal or commercial, into labyrinths of doubt, dif- ficulty, and perplexity. It was faid that the aa v/as peculiarly inapplicable to a country fo ex- tenfively fettled, and fo thinly inhabited, as America'; for it might, and frequently woulci happen (to give one example inftcad of many), that the planter or farmer, upon fo common 3 tranfaaion as the purchafe of a horfe, might be obliged to ride many miles to procure a piece of ftamped paper, on which he could write a bill of falcj and even when he had performed his Vol. I. D journey. HISTORY OF 1?HE journey, he might be in doubt what kind of ftamp was proper for his purpofe. In this man- ner the fuppofed evils and inconveniencies at- tending its operation were magnified and heigh- tened in language fuited lo the apprehenfions of the mafs of the people : d defign in the Britiih miniflry to enflave America was fuppofed to be difcovered ; and the Itamp aft, it was pretended, was only to be regarded as the forerunner of in- tiumerable other opprelfions which were to fol- low. And thus the people were taught to con^ iider the period when the aft was to take ef- fea as the commencement of their llavery, un- lefs they manfully refilled its execution. Independent of all the previous means which were ufed to bring about an oppofition, it was father to be expeaed, that an aa which im-^ pofed new burdens, and at the fame time ren- dered the tfanfaaions between man and man in the common affairs of life fdmewhat lefs plain and eafy, and, above all, which was fo open and liable to objeaion on conftitutional grounds, would not be well received amongft fome of the colonies at leaft, nor acquiefced in without re^ haance ; but it excited no fmall lhafe of fur- prife when it was known that the firft legiflative oppofition which it met with, took place in the ancient colony of Virginia, famed beyond all the rel\ for loyalty to the fovereign, and attachment to the mother-country. ire Thofe to whom this event was the caule or furprife, did not reflea, that during the preced- ing war the impfortance of the colonies m the general fcale of the Britifh empire had been bla- zoned forth and magnified in various debates in both houfes of parliament, as if the exiftence of Great Britain as a commercial nation had de^ pended upon her trade with the colonies ; that AMERICAN WAR. -'35 It had been made a favourite theme of decia- iriation with minifters whenever they preffed for fupplies to fupport the war; and that the colo- nies would at leaa eftimate their confequence equal to what it had been reprefented. Neither did they reflect, that heretofore the colonies had been kept in fear by the vicinity of the French and Spaniards, whilft the former were in polTef- fion of Canada, and the latter of the two Flo- ndas; but that now, fince the ceffion of thefe provinces to Great Britain, they were relieved from all future appreheufions on account of fuch formidable neighbours, and faw themfelves plac- ed m a ftate of fecurity which they had never before experienced. Neither did they refled, that in proportion as the protedion of Great Britain had become lefs neceffary, fo it would be lefs valued ; and that the treaty of Paris, which gave lecurity to the colonies, did, at the fame time, weaken their dependence on the- mother- country. _ And this proceeding in the legiflature of Vir- ginia will mil lefs be thecaufe of furprife, if to thefe confiderations we add, that foon after the commencement of the prefent reign, a bold and daring fpirit of oppofition to government had broken forth and fpread itfeif amongft the peo- pie of England ; and that u muft neceffarily hap- pen that fome portion of this predominant fpi- rit would be imparted to the inhabitants of the colonies in the profecution of that dole and con- ftant mtercourfe which fubfifled between them and the mother-country. Indeed fuch had been the violence of fadion in England, and fo bold and daring its partifans, that even the fplendour of the crown could not fhield the head which it adorned againft the invenomed ihafts of ilan- ^er: And fuch was the pecverfenefs of the peo- D 2, pie. HISTORY OF THE introdu. pie, tbat punilhrnents inmaed by the courts of fuftice for the moft heinous offences againft go- '-"^ vernment were in fome inftances converted into -Dublic rewards *. . . r l ^^ ^ That the colony of Virginia fet the example in this oppofition to the ftamp ad, was per- haps, after all, chiefly owing to accident. It happened that the general affembly of that pro- vince was fitting at the time when a copy of the aa arrived in that country, together with certain intelligence that it had pafTed through both houfes of parliament and received the royal affent. The aa, it is true, was not to ha^e any effea till the month of November, but they knew not whether they would have another op- portunity of deliberating upon it as an aHem- blv, until after that event had taken place. The leading men too were anxious to (hew to their conftituents, that in their legiflative capacity they were not backward in avowing thofe fentimems which, as individuals, ^^^^7 ^^^/JJ ^^"^f ble to promulgate. The people had been already prepared by reiterated publications in the newl- papers, and it remained only for the affembly, by fome exprelfion of their will, to g/ve ^ tion to the intended oppofition. Indeed, with- out this fanaion, the refiftance which they me- ditated would have been incomplete. The con- fent of the governor and council was not to be expeaed ; whatever therefore could be done mult be the aa of the lower houfe of affembly only | * The author of the North Briton, and of the Effay on Woman is a living example of the truth of this remark. Ta valuable appoin^ Unwed Xt^,Vtl7.t ration of London, he quietly enjoys the fruits of .t^ole l^n ders which filled his fivereign's breaft with anguifh, whilft every good man muft execratlfo nefarious a pubhcatior,, and fo diabolical an author. AMERICAN WAR. 37 and the fubje6l was there introduced without lofs in'^duc- of time, and gave occafion to one oF the moft v^^^^X- violent and intemperate debates which had ever 1765. been known in that country. Some idea may be formed of the manner in which this debate was conduced, by the following paflage, extraded from a fpeech of one * of the members, who af- terwards made a confpicuous figure in the be- ginning of the rebellion. After declaiming with bitternefs againft the fuppofed arbitrary meafures of the prefent reign, he added, " Caefar had his " Brutus, Charles the Firft an Oliver Cromwell " and George the Third— " But before he could proceed further, a cry of, Treafon ! was heard from one quarter of the houfe, and the fpeaker foon afterwards rifing up, called him to order, and declared that he would quit the chair, unlefs he was fupported by the houfe in reftraining fuch intemperate fpeeches. This debate was concluded by propofing four refolutions of the following effedi, which were agreed to by the houfe, and entered upon their journals on the 29th day of May. The firft de- ^ clared, that their anceftors brought with them from England, and tranfmitted to their pofterity, all the rights, privileges, and immunities, en- joyed by Britilh fubjefts : The fecond, that thefe were confirmed and declared by two royal char- ters, granted by king James the Firft : The third, that they have ever fmce enjoyed the right of be- ing governed by their own affembly in the arti- cles of taxes f and internal police ; which right has * Mr. Patrick Henry. t That thefe refolutions may be fully underllood, it is ne- eeflary to obferve, that in Virginia, and indeed in all the co- lonies of North Anierica, a diftinftion was made between taxes, and duties oa the importation or exportation of merchandize ; fo that the former of thefe terms was not fuppofed to compre- hend the latter. 38 HISTORY OF THE introduc- has not been forfeited or yielded up, but has been recognized by the king and people of Great Bri- ^"^"TT"^ tain : And the fourth, that the general affembly of Virginia, with his majefty or his iubftitute, have, in their reprefentative capacity, the only exclufive right and power to lay taxes and impo- litions upon the inhabitants of that colony ; And that every attempt to inveft iuch a power in any perfon or perfons whatfoever, other than the general affembly aforefaid, is illegal, unconftituti- onal, and unjuft, and has a manifeft tendency to deftroy Britiih as well as American freedom. Two other refolutions were offered by the committee to whom this matter was referred, which were rejecled by the houfe : But as they ferve to charadlerize the kind of fpirit which had begun to gain ground, and which poffeffed feme of the members of that affembly, the fubftance of them is here inferted. The firft amounted to a declaration that the inhabitants of Virginia are not bound to yield obedience to any law impo- fmg taxes apon them, other than the laws of the general affembly ; and the fecond denounced thofe to be enemies to the colony who fhould maintain, by fpeaking or writing, that any per- fon or perfons, other than the general affembly, had a right to impofe taxes upon them. But however intemperate the debate had been, which preceded thefe refolutions, and w'hatevei: heat and violence were difcoverable in individual members of this affembly, there was neverthelels a manifeft and ftriking difference between the re- folutions of the Maffachufets affembly of the pre- ceding year, and thofe which were now paffed by the lower houfe of affembly in Virginia ; a differ- ence defcriptive both of the particular views and of the general political chara6ler which diftinguifh- ed the inhabitants of thefe refpeclive colonies^ ■ ■ - The; AMERICAN WAR. The former, as if they had been already inde- pendent, refort at once to their rights as men as a ground to exempt them from taxation by the 3ritilh parliament: The latter, venerating the Britifh conftitution, fenfible of its benefits, and happy in their connexion with the mother-coun- try, found their claims wholly upon their rights as Britifh fubjeas, which had been declared aud corifirmed by their charters. The former claim an unhmited exemption from duties as well as taxes, thereby undern^ining the whole fabric of the colonial fyftem : The latter, avowing the rela- tion in \yhich they ftand to the mother^country, confine their claim of legillative jurifdidion to taxes and internal poHce, thereby tacitly con- ceding to the Britifh parliament the impofition of duties on merchandize, and the ordering and rcr gulation of their commerce, The affembly of Virginia having entered into theie refolutions, was diffolved as foon as the go- vernor was made acquainted with them. But it was now too late to ftop the progrefs of the flame which had burft forth : Indeed' the mifchief was already done, becaufe the refolves of the affem- bly were fuppofed to fapdion whatever irregula. rities might enfue, in oppofingthe execution of an aa which, by thefe refolves, was pronounced to be illegal, unconftitutional, and unjuft ; and the conflagration, which had been kindled was now deftuied to fpread through the colony at large, by the return of tl^e members to their refpedive counties. The affemblies of the other colonies, in the courfe of the year, entered into refolutions, fi- milar to thofe of the affembly of Virginia ; and whatever differences there might be between them in other refpeds, there was but one opi- nion on the fubjea of the ftamp ad. They aU concurred 39 1765. HISTORY OF THE concurred in voting it to be an a6l that was unconftitutional, and an infringement of their rights. We have feen that the aflembly of Maflachu- fets Bay had in the preceding year entered into refolutions, and tranfmitted a petition to the king and parliament, complaining of a variety of grievances, and amongft the reft, of the relolu- tion of parliament which announced an intention to impofe ftamp duties in the colonies. The fame aflembly now brought forward another meafure of much more importance in its nature and con- fequences, as it was the firft leading ftep towards that confederation amongft the colonies which ul- timately feparated them from the mother-country. It was no part of the chara£ler of the people of New England to be remifs in any thing which concerned their intereft. They had not been in- attentive obfervers of che dilcontent which pre- vailed in the other colonic? pn account of the ftamp acl, and they feized upon the prefent as the critical moment for reconciling the interefts, con- folidating the grievances, and uniting the com- plaints, of all the colonies ; a defign which we have feen they had in contemplation the pre- ceding year. In profecution of this intention the affembly of Maflachufets Bay, on the fixth day of June, en- tered into a relblution, fetting forth the expedi- ence of holding a general congrefs, which ftiould eonfift of deputies from all the lower houfcs of alfembly on the American continent, to conlult together, and take into coniideration the com- mon grievances under which the colonies la- boured, in confequence of the late acls of parli- ament for impofmg duties and taxes, and to frame and prepare a general petition and addrefs to the king and parliament, in behalf of all the colonies^, AMERICAN WAR. 4^ colonies, fetting forth thefe grievances and pray- introduc- ing- for redrefs. They alfo refolved, that letters v,j!^lX*/ figned by their fpeaker, by order of the houfe, j^g^^ fhould be lent to the aflfemblies of the other colo- nies, communicating this refolution, and requeft- ing fuch other aflemblies, if they approved of the propofal, to appoint deputies to meet with thofe which fhould be appointed by the affembly of Maflachufets Bay, in a general congrefs to be held at New York, on the firft day of 0£lober following; and they afterwards proceeded to nominate their own deputies, and to vote the fum of four hundred and fifty pounds for de- fraying their expences. In confequence of thefe refolution s letters were prepared and tranf- mitted ; and fuch of the other colonial affem- blies as were permitted to meet before the month of Oftober, very readily acceded to the meafure recommended by the affembly of Maffa- chufets Bay, and nominated deputies for the pro- pofed congrefs. Although the leading men ia Ibme of the colonies had not the molt fa- vourable opinion, either of the candour, fince- rity, and plain dealing of the people of New England, or of the general courfe and tendency of their politics ; yet fuch is the effedl of a com- mon grievance in reconciling differences of opi- nion and allayingjealoufies, that this proceeding of the affembly of Maffachufets Bay, which cer- tainly had fome appearance of dilating to the reft of the colonies, neverthelefs met with gene- ral approbation. Whilft fuch meafures were purfued in America, an event took place in England which, more than all their own efforts, ferved the caufe of the colonifts, and promoted the fuccefs of their de- ligns. This was a change of the miniftry. On the loth of July, Mr. Greuville and his adhe- rents 4? HISTORY OF TPE 1765- jntroduc- rciits wcrc difiTiifled from their offices, to give ^ , place to the whig party, under the n^arquis of ' l^ockingham, a party which we have feen had. exerted themfelves ftrenuoufly in oppofing the ftamp ad. The vehement declamations of this party agairift the niinifter within the houfe of parliament, and the adlive exertions of their friends and partifans amongft the people without ; the threats of the Americans to difcontinue the ufe of Britifh manufa6lures until the ftamp adl Ihould be repealed, and the confequent alarm fpre^d amongft the merchants, manufa6lurers^ and fhip owners ; the murmurs and difcontents of the lower orders of the people, from the fear- city of bread and th^ high price of provifions, calamities to which they were expofed during the •whole of this year ; all thefc caufes combined had excited fuch a clamour in the nation as greatly weakened apd diftrefled the late adminiftration, and probably conduced to th^ir removal. But the immediate caufe of their dilmiffion is faid to. have been an affront given to the princefs dowa- ger of Wale§, and through her to the king, by negle6ling to infert her name in a bill introduced, by the miniflry into the houfe of lords, towards the clofe of the laft feflion of parliament, for ap- pointing a regency in cafe of the death of the king, during the niinority of the prince of Wales ; anomilTion which was redlified after the bill was fent to the houfe of commons. But, whatever was the caufe, the change which enfued, by placing the whig party in power, gave to the inhabitants of the colonies a well-grounded hope, that the a6l for impofing ftamp duties would be Repealed in the next feflion of parliament. In America, however threatening the appear- ances had been, no adual difturbances took place until the month of Auguft, but in that month, abouJ^ AMERICAN WAR, 43 about the time when intelligence arrived of the introduc- change of the miniftry, the fpirit which had been v^^^!^ fo long tumultuoufly gathering, broke forth into VtST^ open violence, firft at Bofton in Maffachufets Bay, ^ and afterwards in feveral of the other colonies. At Bofton, the fury of the populace was direfted againft the chief juftice of the province, who was fuppofed to favour the minifterial plan for taxing the colonies; againft the officer appointed to diftribute the ftamps, the comptroller of the cuf- toms, and the regifter of the court of admiralty. Previous inteUigence of what was in agitation having been conveyed to them by their friends, they were fortunate enough to be able to fave their peribns from infult, but their houfes were pillaged, their furniture was burnt or deftroyed, and the records of th^ admiralty, not lefs odious in that province than the ftamp a6i itfelf, were committed to the flames. The council of the province were alTembled by the governor, but they fhewed no inclination to be ad^ive in fup- preifing the riots. The governor attempted to mufter forae companies of militia to alfift the civil magiftrate in the prefervation of the peace, but they refufed to obey his orders ; and the ftamp of- ficer, feeing no profpeft of proteaion, foon afi ter wards refigned his office. In the other colonies the tumults were not fo violent and outrageous as thofe at Bofton ; but in all of them they were fufficiently alarming to frighten the perfons who were appointed to diftri- bute the ftamps into a refignation of their of- fices. A confiderable interval having been required for preparing the ftamped papers in England, none of them had yet arrived in America; and the officers to whom they were to have been de- livered, having been obliged to refign their ap-] pointments. ^ H I S T O R Y O F T H E introduce pointments, the general care of thefe papers, \J^X^ upon their arrival in the months of September f76-. and Oaober, devolved upon the governors of ^ the refpe61ive provinces. In fome of the co- lonies the ftamped papers were feized and de- ftroyed by the populace ; in moft of them, through the prudent management of the governors, they were lodged in places of fecurity on fhore, or put on board the fhips of war ; but in none of the thirteen colonies, after fuch riots, was any one found hardy enough to undertake the dif- tribution of them. In the month of Oftober deputies from mne out of the thirteen colonies met at New York, to hold a general congrefs. The four colonies not reprefented in this congrefs were. New Hamplhire, Virginia, North Carolina, and Geor- gia. From the three laft of thefe deputies were not fent, becaufe the letters from Maflachufets Bay arrived during the recefs of their aflemblies, which were not afterwards permitted to meet till the firft of Oaober had palfed. And in New Hamplhire, the affembly did not think fit to appoint deputies, although they approved of the holding of a general congrefs, and fignified an inclination to join in any petition that Ihould be agreed upon by the deputies of the other co- lonies. The firft feffion of thefe deputies was held on the feventh day of Oaober ; and twelve days having been fpent in debates and deliberations, on the nineteenth they entered into thirteen re- folutions, comprehending a declaration as well of the rights as of the grievances of all the colo- lites. In thefe refolations they fet forth, that the inhabitants of the colonies owe the fame al- legiance to the king as the people of Great Bri- ta,in, and all due fubordination to parliament. That AMERICAN WAR. That they are entitled to the fame rights, pri- introduc- vileges, and immunities, as the people of Great ^^^,.^!!^ Britain. That no taxes can be impofed on a j^^^. free people but by their own confent, or that of their reprefentatives. That the inhabitants of the colonies are not, and cannot, be reprefented inthehoufeof commons of Great Britain. That the only reprefentatives of the inhabitants of the colonies are thofe chofen by themfelves ; and that no taxes have been or can be impofed upon them but by thofe reprefentatives. That all fupplics to the crown are free gifts from the people ; and that therefore it is unreafonable in the parliament of Great Britain to grant the pro- perty of the inhabitants of the colonies. That trial by jury is the right of a Britilh fubjedl. That the ftamp a£l, by impofmg taxes, and extend- ing the jurifdidion of the courts of admiralty beyond their ancient limits, has a tendency to fubvert the rights and liberties of the colonifts. That the duties impofed by the late adls of par- liament are grievous, and the payment of them impraaicable. That, by the Britifh manufac- tures which they purchafe, they contribute to the fupplies granted to the crown. That the reftriftions on trade, impofed by the late a£ls of parliament, will render them unable to pur- chafe Britilh manufadlures. That the increafe and profperity of the colonies depends on the free enjoyment of their rights and liberties- And laftly, that they have a right to petition th^ king, or either houfe of parhament. Thefe refolutions having been entered into, and an addrefs and petitition to the king, a me- morial and petition to the houfe of lords, and a petition to the houfe of commons, fetting forth, more at large, the grievances mentioned in their refolutions, having been prepared and agre^ to; 4^ HISTORY OFTkfe Introduc- to ; the congrcfs diflblved their meeting on the tion. twenty-fifth of Oftober, having fat about eigh- ^"T'*''^ teen days. ^' From comparing the refolutions of congrefs with thofe of the aflembly of MalTachufets Bay, it is evident that the leading men in the other co- lonies were not yet prepared to go the full length which the people of New England wifhed. It is true, the congrefs difavow the authority of parliament to impofe taxes upon the inhabitants of the colonies, and to abridge the trial by jury ; but they complain of the other a6ls of parlia- ment, for impoiing duties on merchandize, and reftridling their trade, rather as grievances arifmg from an indifcreet and impolitic exercife of a power which they did not call in queftion, than as a6lual infradions of their conftitutional rights. Thefe were all the proceedings of this con- grefs which were made public. The great tem- per and moderation manifefted in the papers ■which were to be tranfmitted to England, were probably intended to counteradl the effect of the riots and tumults which had preceded the meeting of the congrefs. The members of this body were aware that all appearance of defiance was carefully to be fuppreffed. Profeihng loy- alty to the king, and all due fubordination to par- liament, they endeavoured to exhibit themfelves as patient fulferers, and as dutiful, although op- preffed, fubje6ls, rather foliciting the compaffi- on than braving the power of the Britifii nation. By the meeting of fo many deputies at New York, a communication was opened, an acquain- tance was formed, and a correfpondence efta- blilhed, between the leading men of all the co- lonies ; and a foundation was thus laid for unit- ing their common efforts, whenever future cir^ cumftances, and the attempts of future adrnini- ftrations, AMiBRlCAlSr WAj^. ftrations, fhould render it neceffary. One ef- fe£l of the mutual underftanding which took place amongft thefe leading men was indeed im- mediately difcoverable ; for, as foon as they re- turned to their refpeaive homes, affociations were fet on foot in all the colonies againft the importation of Britifh manufadures, fuch im- portation to ceafe after the firft of Janiiary fol- lowing, until the ftamp ad fhould be repealed ; a meafure which was probably concerted before *iey left New York. When the firft of Novembei' arrived, the day on which the ft amp aft was to take effeft, nei- ther ftamps were to be had nor officers to diftri- bute them. The former had been lodged in j^laces of feciirity, to fave them from deftruai- on by the populace • and the latter had been ei- ther terrified into refignation, or driven away by ill ufage. The courts of law were unable to proceed for want of thofe papers which the aa had rendered neceffary; and a total flop was put to the adminiftration of juftice, except in criminal cafes, in which ftamps were not requir- ed. Commerce too was at a ftand, becaufe ftamps were made neceffary in the entry and clear- ance of veffels at the cuftom-houfes. Some of the merchants ventured to fend their ftiips to fea tvith certificates from the governors that ftamps could not be procured ; and in the province of Mallachufets Bay the council and affembly were darmg enough to enter into a formal refolution, declarmg it to be lawful to tranfaa bufmefs, as formerly, without the ufe of ftamps. Such were the meafures purfued and the fteps taken in America, during the year 1765, for op- pofmg the ftamp ad and procuring its repeal ; and the inhabitants of the colonies were not more aaive and ftrenuous in refifting, than the new 47 1765. ^8 HISTORYOFTHE introduc- new mimftry were remifs and backward in ifTu- ing, orders for enforcing its execution. Altho' ""T^^ the refolutions of the aflembly of Virginia were laid before them not long after they came into office, and although, upon the twenty-fe- venth of Auguft, the board of trade reported thefe refolutions to contain a daring attack upon the conftitution of Great Britain, and to require immediate attention; and aUhough that board recommended orders to be forthwith fent to the executive power, and to all the officers of go- vernment in Virginia, to exert themfelves vigo- roufly in fupport of the authority of parliament, and to exaa a due obedience to all the laws of the land ; yet this report of the board of trade, fo urgent in its nature, was not taken into con- fideration by the privy council until the third of Oaober. On that day indeed, in a very full council, at which lord chancellor Camden af- filled, it was determined, that the fubjeft of the report from the board of trade was of too high a nature for the decifion of the king in coun- cil, and that it was proper only for the confide- ration of parliament : As if it had not been the duty of the executive power to require a prompt obedience to all the acls of the legiflature, and as if that power had a right to deliberate whe- ther an aa of parliament fliould be carried into execution or not. ^ Such was the indecifion of the new miniltry refpeaing American affairs ; and fo indefinite, and even inexplicable *, was the nature of their difpatches to the American governors, that the laft blow was now given to the little energy which remained in the executive part of the colonial go- vernnients. * See Secretary Conway's letters to Governor Fauquier, of Virginia, dated Sept. 14, 1765. AMERICAN WAR. 49 verriments. Thofe governors undoubtedly thought introduc that it was their duty to exa6l obedience to an v^jlj!!^ a6l of parliament which extended to America; ^^^^^ but being informed in their government difpatch- es tha.t this was a fubjedl * under the conlidera- tion of the privy council, a doubt might arife where there was none before ; and with fuch in- formation before them, they could not be certain whether a ftrenuous exertion in compelling fub- .miffion to the ftamp a6l might not expofe them to the difpleafure of thofe who now conduced the affairs of government. In the party writings publifhed about this time, and in certain parliamentary fpeeches of a later date, which, from their brilliancy, gave the tone to public opinion, the ftamp adl has been conli- dered as the introdudlion of a new fyflem in the government of the colonies. But whoever will take the trouble of examining the proceedings of former parliaments, and the various a6ls which they pafTed, without confulting the inhabitants of the colonies, for confining and reftricling their trade fo as to make it ferviceable to the mother- / country ; for regulating even their domeftic con- cerns and purfuits, and for fubjecting both their exports and imports, in certain cafes, to the pay- ment of duties and taxes, which, when colled- ed, were a part of the revenue of the kingdom, and applicable to fuch purpofes as the parliament thought fit to dired f ; will fee that the ftamp Vol. I. E ^ aa * Secretary Conway's letter to Lieutenant Governor Fau- quier, dated i4tli S-ept. 1765. t See the following llatutes : — 12 Car. II. c. 18. 9 Ann. c. 17. 15 Car. II. c. 7. 8 Geo. I. c. 15. 25 Car. 11. c. 7. 5 Geo. II. c. 15. 7 and 8 W. Ill; c. 22. 5 Geo. 11. c. 22. ,3 and 4 Ann, c. 5. 6 Geo. II. c. 13. 4 Ann, c. 30. 23 Geo. II. c. 29. H I S T O k Y O F T H E introduc aa was Hot the introduaion of a new but the continuation and extenfion of the old fyftem un- '■^T^der which they had always been governed. It '7^^' was an apphcation, not of a new, but of the old, principle upon which former parhaments had aaed to the new and improved ftate of the colo- nies which enabled them to contribute more largely than formerly towards raifmg a revenue for their own fupport, defence, and proteaion. ,,66 But whatever force there may be in thefe re- marks, a clamour had been now raifed in Grea Britain as well as America ; the mercantile and ^manufaauring interefts were alarmed ; petitions againft the ftamp aa, faid to be encouraged by the miniftry *, were tranfmitted from lome ot the principal fea-port and manufaauring towns ; and in the next feflion of parhament as had ^been forefeen, a bill was introduced and fupport- edby the whole weight and influence of the new adminiftration for repealing the ftamp aa. The difturbances in America were by them^ fpoken ot with fome degree of tendernefs. The inhabitants of the colonies were reprefented as ^ii injured people; and the aas of violence which had been committed, were fuppofed to proceed from their defpalr. Mr. Grenville and his party ftrongly oppofed the bill, and charged the prefent minif- 'trv with creating the difobedience and refiftance which had arifen in America, by their intempe- rate and inconfiderate fpeeches whilft they were in oppofition ; but it was at length earned and paffed through the houfe by a confiderable ma- fority. The miniftry feemed to have wifhed to iive fatisfaaion to all parties, as well thofe who favoured, as thofe who oppofed, the ftamp aa, by introducing at the fame time a declaratory * Mr. GrenviUe'sfpeecli on 'the repeal of tKe Hamp AMERICAN WAR. bill, which cenfured and condemDcd the refolu- introduc- tions of the American affemblies, and contained ^ formal declaration, that the Britifh parliament ^^^^^ had authority to make laws for binding the cole nies in all cafes whatfoever. Thefe two bills ac- companied each other through the two houfes of parliament, and received the royal affent on the eighteenth of March. In the bill for repealing the ftamp aft, that ad was declared to be repealed ; not becaufe it was illegal, unconftitutional, or unjuft ; nor be- caufe it was arbitrary or oppreffive ; but fimply becaufe it was inexpedient : And it was repeal, ed abfolutelj/, and free from all terms or condi- tions. The principle of the repeal, and the policy ot the miniftry in proceeding thus haftily upon it, have been much queftioned, and not without ft Itrong appearance of reafon. If the objedions pt the colonial affemblies were deemed of no ioYce or validity, it was the duty of the Britifh parliament, for the prefervation of their own authority inftead of repealing, to have takea mealurcs for mforcing the execution of the ftamp ad: On the other hand, if thefe objedions were unanAverable and irrefiftible, it would have been wile, It would have been magnanimous and wor- thy of the reprefentatives of a great nation, not only to have repealed the ftamp ad, but by an open declaration to have renounced for ever the exercife of luch an unconftitutional authority : and at the fame time to have devifed fome other expedient for accompliftiing the end propofed by the ftamp ad by lefs exceptionable means, buch a dedaration would have quieted the minds ot the colonifts, and removed all future appre- iienfions. But the Britifti parliament purfued iieither of thefe courfes. It is true they repealed E 2 the HISTORY OF THE introduc the ftamp aa, but they at the fame time paffed the declaratory aft, more arbitrary and more alarming than the other ; and by this prepofte- rous policy kept alive the jealoufy which the ftamp aa had excited, whilft they abandoned all the benefits which it was defigned to pro- The inhabitants of the American colonics had refilled the execution of the llamp aa, becaule thev thought it unconftitutional : The inexpe- dience of it made no part of their legiflatiye complaints. They denied the right of parha- menf to impofe taxes upon them : but they ne- ver pretended that the taxes impofed by the llamp aawere greater than they were able to ^^Here then a favourable occafion prefented it- felf for the exercife of minifterial wifdom, which could not be better employed than m moderating thepretenfions of the colonial affemblies, fettling the mode of their future contributions, and de- vifmefome permanent fyftem or arrangement tor reconciling fuch of their claims as were admiHi- ble, with that general and fupenntendmg autho- rity which the parliament ought to polieis tor prcferving an union of councils and of intereits amongft all the members of an extenfiye empire. For fuch a purpofe no interval could be more proper than that which paffed between the time when the execution of the ftamp aa was refifted in America, and the time of its repeal; whilit the inhabitants of the colonies remained under the apprehenfion incident to a confciouineis ot havin/for the firft time refufed obedience to an aa of the fupreme power of the mother-country —but this opportunity was negkaed. It was now become neceffary for the miniftry, by re- moving the caufe, to allay, as fpeedily as polii. AMERICANWAR. ^. i)ie, the ftorm Avhich they themfelves, when in introduc- oppofition, had affifted to raife. Their credit as a party depended upon it : For after the oppofi- '"'^^'^ tion which they had made to the ftamp a6l, had they proceeded to enforce the execution of it by the power of the mother-country, which was now in their hands, the battery which they had raifed againft the former adminiftration might have been turned with double effe6l againft them- felves. The ft amp adl was therefore to be re- pealed at all events ; and by this premature and unqualified repeal it has been thought that the intereft of the mother-country and the future tranquillity of the colonies were both facrificed to the convenience of party. If, in the opinion of the miniftry, the ftamp a6l was accounted to be a bold, daring, and rafti meafure, their opponents thought themfelves entitled to fay that the ad which repealed it was not lefs marked with the oppolite qualities. It is not wife wantonly to provoke a quarrel : yBut when once a quarrel is begun, from whate- ver caufe of difference it might have originated, the grounds of difference on both fides fhould be inquired into, and fuch a fettlement fhould be made as might prevent future jealoufies and dif- agreements. To end it in fuch a manner as to leave the pretenlions on both fides open, is weak and daftardly policy ; — it is a temporary expe- dient pregnant with future mifchief. The repeal of the ftamp a6l occaiioned very general rejoicings in America. The mafs of the people are in all countries led by the few : Looking only at the outiide of things, they ea- fily take the impreffion which is meant to be given : They had been taught to confider the ftamp a6i; as the greateft of all evils, and upon rieceiving intelligence of its repeal, gave themr felves 54 HISTORY OF THE jntroduc, felves up to uubQundcd joy. In this fenfaiion, even the leading" men very cordially joined ; they ij^^, faw in the repeal of the ftamp adt, a viilory gained by the colonies over the mother-country, and in that vid^iory the firft dawn of future in- dependence. They had experienced the bene- fits refulting from an union of councils, and a general co-operation in the fame caufe ; and con- lidered the declaratory a£l, however formidable and ofleniive in appearance, as a meafure which •was calculated to do them more fervice than harm. They viewed it as a weak and impolitic bravado on the part of the Britifh parliament, which wotild defeat its own purpofe, by continue ing the alarm which had been excited, and by cementing the union which had taken place ^mongft the colonies. The courts of juflice now refumed their func- tions ; the affemblies in the different provinces Mvere called ; and mutual congratulations paffed between them and their governors. Their late ill-humour gave a poignancy to their prcfent en» joyments ; and ail paft animofities teemed for a time to be forgotten. But even during this feafon of feftivity, there •were not wanting ibme, who by publications in the newfpapcrs cautioned their countrymen againft giving way to intemperate joy ; they reminded them, that although the ftamp a£i was repealed, its principle had not been given up ; That the Brif tifh parliament perfevered in maintaining their right of taxation, and by palfmg the declaratory a6l affeded to pofTefs a ftill higher and more arbitrary power than the authors of the ftamp a6l had ventured to exercife ; That the repeal pf the ftamp adl had rather been extorted than freely granted, and that for this boon they were jnore indebted to their own wiidpm and firmnefs, than A M E R I C A N W A R. ^, than to the generofity of the Britifh nation : That introduo future adminiftrations and future parliaments v-!l!!^ might again attempt to impofe taxes upon them ; ,-^5^ and that it was therefore incumbent upon the in- habitants of the colonies to be vigilant and atten- tive, and not fuffer themfelves to be lulled into a ftate of thoughtlefs fecurity : That it was their duty, whilft it was in their power, to provide againft the worft that might happen : That with this view they ought to encourage the breeding of Iheep, for the purpofe of acquiring a ftock of wool, the culture of flax, hemp, and cotton, and' the fabrication of fuch of the coarfer Britifh ma- nufadlures as are mofl effentially neceffary for the common purpofes of life ; by which means they might with lefs inconvenience to themfelve^ ■y/hen future occafions fhould require it, enter ;nto non-importation agreements, and abflaiii from the ufe and confumption of Britifh manu^ fadures, which they faw was Hkely to be the moft jpffe£lual mode of oppofition to the illegal exerti- ons of power on the part of the mother-country. By fuch publications, attempts were made to keep alive and nourifh that fpirit of jealoufy and dil^- truft, which the declaratory adl was fo well calcu- lated to infpire. The fecretary of ftate, in the difpatches fent to the American governors upon the repeal of the ftamp a6l, took occafion to fet forth the grace ani condefcenfion of the king and parliament in liften- ing to the complaints of the inhabitants of the co- lonies ; and their lenity, tendernefs, moderation, and forbearance, manifefted in the repeal of that aft, notwithftanding the provocation which they had received by the forcible refiftance that had been made to the execution of it ; and intimated that fuitable returns of gratitude, duty, affeftion, and iubmifTion, would be expeded on the part of the colonies. 56 H T S T O R Y OF THE colonies. Thefe were held forth as themes for the governors to enlarge upon in their fpeeches i„6(5 to the affemblies. And it muft be confefled that * thofe aflemblies were not backward in voting ad- dreffes of thanks, nor did they fall fhort of the fecretary's expedations in profeflions of loyalty, duty, and affeaion to the king; but in what re- garded the parliament they were far from bemg explicit : And it very foon appeared that fome of them, inftead of being eager to give fubftantial proofs of fubordination to the Bridih parhament, were ftudious to avoid even the appearance of it. '. At the dme of repealing the ftamp aft, the par- liament alfo voted an addrefs to be prefented to iiis majefty, requefting that he would be pleaied to inftru£l the governors in America to make re- quifitions to the colonial alTemblies for granting compenfation to fuch individuals as had fuifered in their private property in confequence of the tu- mults. Thefe requifitions were accordingly made in fuch of the colonies where any lofs of private property had been fuftained, and particularly in the province of Malfachufets Bay, where the tu- mults had been the moft outrageous. But the aflem- iDly of that province, inflead of laying hold of this ppportunity to ftiew their refpeft to the Britifh parliament, and at the fame time to do an ad of juf- tice, quarrelled with their governor, under a pre- tence that he had fet forth a requifition in ftronger and more peremptory terms than he was warranted todo by the fecreiary ol ftate's letter ; and in an ad- drefs prefented to him on this occ^fion, after cen- faring the manner in which he had communicated the requifition, they coldly tell him, " That they f will embrace the firfl convenient opportunity *' to confider and aft upon fecretary Conway's f recommendation," without taking the leaft no- tice of the refolution of parliament. The gover- ' nor AMERICA N WAR. 57 nor made repeated applications to them, but from introduc- various pretences they delayed paffing an a6l to compenfate the fufferers for more than fix months ; ^"^"gg*' nor was it done until the inhabitants of the town of Eofton inftru<5led their reprefentatives to vote for it, and informed them that the lords of the treafury in England had refufed to pay the colony the money voted by parliament in the year 1 763, until compenfation was firft made to thefe fuffer- ers : And when the aft was at laft palTed, it con- tained a claufe of indemnity to the offenders in the riots, which (hewed that thefe were not lefs the objefts of that affembly's care and attention, than the unfortunate fufferers. A fimilar back- wardnefs appeared in the colonies of Rhode Ifland and New York ; but in the province of Maryland the alfembly were eager to teftify their refpe6l for the recommendation of parliament, and without delay voted compenfation to the only individual who had fuffered in that provioce : And in the other colonies no loiGTes were fuf- tained. In the fame feffion of parliament in which the ftamp a6l had been repeakd, an adl waa pafTed for amending the annual mutiny a6l, which it had been ufual to pafs, for the government of the troops in America. The intention of the amend- ment was to provide for the more comfortable fubfiftence of thofe troops by fupplying them with fait, vinegar, and beer or cyder ; and the aft direfted that the expence incurred by the fupply of thefe articles Ihould be raifed by the afTemblics of the refpeftive colonies in which the troops were quartered. It fo happened, by the accidental march of fome troops into the province of New York, that the governor of that province had occafion, on the day after he had communicated t^ the alfembly the repeal of the ftamp aft, to apply 58 HISTORY OF T H; E ifttrod«c- apply to tkem for quarters for thefe troops, and in his meflage he fpecified the additional articles ^^"^^ of fait, vinegar, beer or cyder, which were re- ' quired to be furnifhed under the amended mutii.y ad of the laft felTion of parliament. He alfo in- formed them that thetroops wereupon their march, and were daily expeded at ISew York. The af- fembly however was in no hafte to take his mef- fage into confideration, nor did they prefent an ad- drefs in anfwer to it until after the arrival of the troops, who in the mean time were put to fome inconvenience for want of quarters. In their ad- drefs, the alTembly avoided noticing the aft of parliament : They a{fe6led to confider the requi- fition as coming lolely from the king ; and agreed to furnifh quarters for the troops with fuch ne- eeffaries only as they had been formerly acpuf- tomed to furnifti. This anfwer not proving fatif- faflory to the governor, another meflage was fent ; and after various meflages and addrefles, the af- fembly atlaftpolitively refufed tofupply thetroops with tlie addidonal ardcles required by the amend- ment made to the mutiny ad, feeming to confi- der it as not differing in principle from the ftamp ad, fo far as it impofed a new burthen upon them. A difmclination to comply with this ad of parli- ament appeared in feveral of the other colonies where troops were ftationed ; and in no one of them was the ad fpecifically carried into execu- tion. Means, it is true, were fallen upon to fa- tisfy the troops : But the Britifh parliament wa$ not to be gratified, even at the fmall expeice of furnifhing the inconfiderable articles of fait, vi- negar, and fmall beer. Such were the returns made in America to the grace and condefcenfion of the king and parlia- ment in repealing the ftamp ad. But the Rock- Ingham adminiftration did not continue long enough AM EKICAN WAR. eaa\igh in power to receive official accounts of intv the effed of their meafures for reftoring peace ' and tranquillity to the colonies. In the month of July of the prefent year, they were difmiffed ^ from their employments, and a new adminiftra- tion was formed, at the head of which was the duke of Grafton, aided by the fplendid talents, the popular virtues, and energetic powers of Mr! Pitt, now created earl of Chatham, who accepted the office of lord privy feal, and with whofe ad- vice the new arrangements were faid to have been made. The firft ad of this new adminiftration which i' xelated to America ferves to ihew, that although ' many of the members of it had voted for the re- peal of the ftamp ad, yet in reality they differed not much in principle from thofe who were the authors of it. In the debates which that ad had occafioned in parliament, in fome of the poli- tical pamphlets publilhed in America, and in the refolutions of fome of the colonial afTemblies, a diftinaion had been taken between external an4 internal taxation, that is, between raifingmon^y from the colonies by the impofitjon of duties oq the miportation or exportation of merchandize, and raifnig it internally in the way propofed by" the ftamp aa: And . on thefe occafions it ha4 been faid, that although the colonies never would agree to the latter, they had already fubmitted to the former, which was neceflary for the regulV . tion of trade ; and that the Britifti parli^men^ ought to be contented with the e^rercife of this acknowledged right, leaving to the colonial af- femblies the powers of internal taxation, and of regulating the domeftic policy of the refpeaive provinces, which feemed to be the objeas for which fuch affemblies were originally inftituted, ^nd of the due exercife of which powers, their local Jo HISTORYOFTHE introduc- local information enabled them to be more com- petent judges than the Britifh parliament could ^"''y*'^ pretend to be. The new miniftry laying hold of this diftmc- tion, and availing themfelves of the fuppo^^d concelTion, procured an aft of parliament to be paired for impofmg certain duties on glafs, paper, pafteboard, white and red lead, painter's colours, and tea, payable upon the importation of thefe articles into the American colonies ; which du- ties, when colleded, were made applicable, in the firft place, to making provifion for the admi- niftration of juftice, and the fupport of civil go- vernment, in fuch of the colonies where it fhould be neceffary, and the refidue to be paid into the exchequer in England, and to be applicable to the fame ufes as the former duties impoled m the year 1764. The ad alfo contained a claufe for difcontimiing the drawback payable on the ex- portation of china-ware to America, and made fomenew provifions for preventing the clandeftme running of goods in the colonies. And at the fame time another aa was pafTed for putting thefe, and all the other cuftoms and duties payable in America by any former aa of parliament, under the management of commiiTioners, who were to be refident in that country. In the fame feifion too, the difpatches of the governor of New York, which have announced the refufal of the affembly of that province to comply with the mutiny aa, were laid before the parliament : And timidly indulgent as the mem- bers of this parliament had heretofore Ihewed themfelves, in overlooking the rebellious out- rages which had been committed, and the caring infurreaions which had appeared in America,, in oppofition to the ftamp a6l, they now feemcd de- ' termiued that the affembly of New York fio»uld feel AMERICAN WAR. §1 feel the weight of their difpleafure for this recent 1"^^^^';'=' a6l of difobedience ; and an a£l was accordingly ^-ol]^ pafled for fufpending them from the exercife of 1^67. all their legiflative fundlions, until they fhould yield obedience to the adl of parliament for quar- tering the troops. The Rockingham party, now out of office, could not in decency oppofe this coercive meafure, the objedl of which was to en- force obedience to an adl of parliament which they, when in power, had procured to be paffed. Thefe adls were all introduced and fupported by the influence of the new miniftry. They, like the miniftry which had patronized the ftamp aft, were confcious that the mother-country, bending under the weight and preflure of accumulated taxes, with the fniews of her ftrength ftretched to the utmoft poffible extent, flood in need of every alTillance. Like them too they were con- vinced that the American colonies were the leaft burthened of all the Britilh dominions ; and that it was the duty of thofe who were entrufted with the adminiftration of government to require them to furnifh a due proportion towards the general expence. It was alfo thought highly probable, that as the colonies had been fo lately gratified with the repeal of the obnoxious ftamp a6l, they would the more readily fubmit to a!i adl which required their contribution in a fhape and form accommo- dated in fome degree to the political fpeculations of the times, and to the ideas of fome of thofe friends of the colonies who had efpoufed their caufe in the Britifh parliament. Perhaps too it was thought that the colonies would have been more ealily induced to yield to this mode of tax- ation, as this would tend to refute the afperfions of their enemies, who charged them with ingra* titude, and reproached them with an inclination to 62 HISTORY OF THE introduc- to avail themfelves of the protedlion of the no- ^J!^^ ther-country, and of all the benefits which tky '■'JT^ enjoyed under the Britifh government, withcut contributing towards its fupport. Such, it nay befuppofed, were fome of the motives which n- fluenced the Britifh miniftry about this period. But the leading men in the colonies, and their political writers, thought very differently. In the GOUrle of their fpeculations on the fubjedof the ftamp acS, they had been led into a train of thought and confequent reafoning that were ap- plicable not only to the ad which was the imne- diate objcd of their fpeculation, but to all the other ads of the Britifti parliament which ex- tended to America. Some of thefe had exiftetf for more than a century, and had been fandioned by time and by conflant and uninterrupted acqni- efcence. To have queftioned their validity would have been offering violence to public opinion. Thefe writers therefore were prudent enough for the prefent to avoid pufhing their arguments to fuch a length ; but they were not the lefs anxious to guard their countrymen againft fubmitting to any farther extenfion of the like authority. For this purpofe, the paffmg of the ftamp ad was to be held out as a new ^ra in their pohtical hiftory, and as the commencement of a new fyftem on the part of Great Britain. That ad had been con- demned as illegal and unconftitutional. Thofe which preceded it, although upon other grounds of argument not lefs liable to objedion, yet hav- ing been confecrated by time, were to be thrown into the back ground, and the ftamp ad alone was to be put forward as the prominent figure, by a comparifon with which the legality or illegality of every fubfequent ad of parliament for laying duties or taxes on America was to be eftimated. It AMERICAN WAR. It required no great reach of thought to per- intioduc- ceive that the late a6l which impofed duties on certain articles of merchandize imported from ^^I^^ Great Britain into the colonies, differed not in ^ ' ^' principle from the ftamp a6l. The objeft of both was to raife a revenue from the colonies ; in the raiiing of which, and in the difpofal of it when raifed, the colonial affemblies were to have no concern : The articles upon which the duties were impofed, were become fo neceffary that they could not be difpenfed with without great incon- venience to the inhabitants of the colonies ; and they were fuch as either could not be raifed in 'America, or in the raifmg and manufadure of which it was not the intereft of the colonics to be employed. On this ground their political writers fet to work. They maintained that the new adl was a branch of the fame fyftem which had been intro- duced in Mr. Grenville's adminiftration for en- flaving America : That it was in every refpedl as unconftitutional as the ftamp a6l : That the mo- ther-country, guided by fuch councils and pur- suing fuch arbitrary meafures, was rather to be confidered as a malignant ftep-mother than an in- dulgent parent : That fhe envied the profperity of the colonies, and feemed determined to crufh and keep them down : And that it was therefore a duty which the inhabitants of the colonies owed •not only to themfelvcs but to their pofterity, to withftand fuch illegal exadions ; becaufe, if they -fubmitted to one, it would afford a precedent for -another, and that to a third ; until, by the con- tinued renewal and extenfion of fuch impofitions, they would be drained of the little wealth they poflelTed, and be at laft reduced to poverty and diftrefs. Such were the arguments ufed to excite an oppofition to the new a<5l of parliament amongft ^ - HISTORYOFTHE introduc amongft the people of the colonies ; and meet- ing with no contradiaion, the effea which tiey "^^^ would have upon the public mind may be eaily conceived. The inattention of government to thele pub- lications was one great caufe of haftening the American revolution. For whilft the coloDial newfpapers were filled with inflammatory pib- lications, tending to excite jealoufy and promote difcoutent, to throw fufpicions on every ad of the Britilh government extending to America, and by degrees to leffen that veneration for che mother-country with which the inhabitants of, at leaft a part of, the Britifh colonies were oace imprefied ; only one or two writers were em- ployed on the other fide to counteraa the effeas of fuch feditious publications, to fupport the caufe of the mother-country, and for a time to j keep the courfe of public opinion fufpended, I until the- matters in difpute could be fairly and difpalfionately confidered. It is to the province of MalTachufcts Bay that we are henceforward to look for thofe caufes which had a more immediate influence in acce- lerating the American revolution. The foun- dation of this revolution was indeed laid in the meeting of the firft congrefs ; not perhaps by any aaual agreement to reflft the power of the mother-country, but by incorporating and unit- ing the grievances of all the colonies, and mak- ing them the fubjea of common complaint. Whence it followed, that whenever afterwards any Angle colony brought upon itfelf the difplea- fure of the mother-country, the caufe of that colony was efpoufed by all the reft ; and the re- fraaory ungovernable fpirit of the inhabitants of Malfacbufets Bay, for ever running into ex- cefTes, and breaking forth into outrages agamft lawful AMERICAN WAR., 65 lawful authority, and thereby bringing down ^^^[^^^ upon the province the confequent animadverli- v,.^^-v->. ens and chaftifements of the mother-country, j^^S. furnifhed to the afTemblies of the other colonies a never-failing fource of difquiet, uneafinefs, re- f monllrance and complaint ; until, by fucceffive altercations with government, their palTions be- came inflamed, refentment was kindled, and all refpedl for the mother-country being in time thrown afide, the bonds of union which con- nedled her with the colonies were at laft violent- ly reat afundcr. The tranfadions in this pro- vince will therefore occupy a principal part in the following pages, down to the year 1774. There had been no good agreement between the governor* and the inhabitants of Maffachu- I fets Bay from the time of the ftamp adl. He had on that, and indeed on every other occaiion, fhewn. ^ himfelf adlive and zealous in maintaining the • I authority of the mother-country, as far as it was in his power ; and this condudl of itfelf was fuf- ficient to make him unpopular. He had lived I long enough in the province to be fully acquaint- ed with the charader of the people over whom he prefided, and by his knowledge and experi- ence was enabled to penetrate into their defigns, which he did not fail to lay open to the Britifh miniftry. The animadverfions on their condud contained in fome of the government difpatches, which it was neceflary to lay before the aflembly, difcovered to them the nature of their gover- nor's communications ; and they, on their part, charged him with mifreprefentation. In the pre- ceding year he had exercifed the prerogative of putting a negative on fome of the violent men of the patriotic party, whom the aflembly had * Sir Francis Bernard. Vol. I. F eleaed k HI S T O R Y O F T H E introduc- elected as coiinfellors. The excluded members Cj^^^ felt this as a grofs affront, and became his inve- 1768. terate enemies. Their influence with the people was great, and they fcrupled not to ufe it in flir- ring them up to thwart the governor, gratifying their private refentment at the expence of the public tranquillity: And to the efforts of thefe 3-eftlefs and difcontented men may, in part, be afcribed the perturbed and unquiet fl:ate of this province during the whole of the enfuing year. The firfl fymptoms of a determined oppofition to the aa of the lafi feffion of parliament for impofmg duties in America appeared at Bofton in the month of Oaober of the preceding year ; where the inhabitants, at a meeting held in their town-hall, agreed to enter into afTociations to encourage manufaftures amongfl themfelves, to difcountenance luxuries of all forts, and to dii- continue the importation from Great Britain of all fuch fupeHluous articles of drefs and clothmg ^s neceffity did not abfolutely require. But the aa which gave them mofl uneafmefs was that which eilsblifhedaboard of cufloms in America. tJnder the infpeaion and fuperintendence of of that board they dreaded a more rigorous exe- cution of the laws of trade than they had been • yet accuftomed to. Their apprehenfions were the greater becaufe the refidence of this board was fixed to be at Bofton: and their chagrin was the more diftreifmg, from a conviaion that this, of all the aas which had been palTedj was the leaft liable to be affailed by objeaions of any confiderable weight or importance. When the afTembly of that province met in month of January of the prefent year, they en- tered upon a general confideration of griev- ances. A petition was prepared, to be prefent- ed to the king, ' complaining not only of the aas AMERICANWAR. c^ of the laft feffion of parliament, but of every introdup, other aa which had been paffed for impofing du- ties in America fmce the year 1763. A very ^TtST' long letter was written to their agent in England, inftruding him how to controvert thefe ads upon grounds of natural right, and upon general prin- ciples of equity, policy, and commerce; and letters were alfo tranfmitted to the lords of the treafury, the fecretaries of ftate, the marquis of Rockingham, the earl of Chatham, and lord Camden, pleading the caufe of America, and mtreating the exertion of their influence and abilities in furthering the objed of the petition. I Thefe fteps having been taken for inducing a ' favourable hearing of their complaints in Eng- land, they now had recourfe to the fame kind of policy which had before been fuccefsfuUy prac- tifed in oppofing the ftamp ad ; thinking the prefent a favourable opportunity for renewing their correfpondence with the other colonial af- femblies, and for ftimulating them to prefer ft. milar complaints. With this view a circular let- ter was addreffed to the affemblies of all the other colonies, communicating the deliberations of the aflembly of MalTachufets Bay, on the late ads of parHament for impofing duties in Ame- rica ; giving a full detail of the grounds of ar* gument which they had ufed to expofe the evil tendency of thefe ads, in their petition to the king, in the inftruaions to their agent, and in their letters to the great officers of ftaie in Eng- land ; exprelfmg a hope that meafures of a fimi- lar nature would be adopted by all the affemblies upon the continent ; and intimating a readinefs and a wiih to receive from thefe affemblies a com- munication of fuch other meafures as might to them appear neceffary to be purfued for the general intereft of the whole. ^ 2 Thii 68 HISTORY OF T HE introduc- This letter bore date the i ith of February. A copy of it was without delay fent to England by the governor, and gave much difpleafure to the Britifh adminift ration. They viewed it as a wicked attempt in the affembly of Maffachufets Bay to light up again the flames of difcord in the colonies, and as the commencement of a plan of regular oppolition to the authority of the mo- ther-country. And in order to counterafl its ef- feds, the fecretary of ftate for American affairs *, on the 22d of April, wrote an admonitory letter to the governors of the colonies, to be by them laid before their affemblies, in which the circular letter of the affembly of Maffachufets Bay was condemned as a meafure of a mofl dangerous and fadlious tendency, calculated to inflame the minds of his majefly's good fubjedls in the colo- nies, to promote an unwarrantable combination, to excite an oppofition to the authority of par- liament, and to fubvert the true principles of the conflitution : And the colonial affemblies were admonifhed not to fuffer themfelves to be led away from their duty, nor to give any counte- nance to this mifchievous effort of the Mafla- chufets Bay affembly for exciting difcord ; but rather to treat it with the contempt it dc- ferved. But this adminHlration did not accord with the fentiments of the leading men in the colo- nies. They maintained that the colonial affem- blies had a right to confult together and freely to communicate their obfervations to each other, on the fubjer^ and the employing of fuch a force to aid the exe- cution of laws to which they had not given their confent, an intolerable grievance. And as the governor had declared himfelf unable to call a general alferably for the redrefs of grievances, they refolved it to be expedient that a conven- tion of the people fhould be held. They ap- pointed four perfons to reprefent them in this convention, one of whom was the owner of the Hoop, the feizure of which had occalioned the tumult. They direded the feled men to write to the feled men of the other towns in the pro- vince, to inform them of thefe proceedings at the town meeting of Bolton, and to propofe a convention to be held on the 22d of the fame month. They refolved that the inhabitants of Bofton Ihould be requefted to provide themfelves with arms, purfuant to a law of the province which had been too much negleded, alTigning as a reafon for this vote, a prevailing apprehen- lion of an approaching war with France ; and laftly, they requefted that the minifters of the town would fet apart the following Tuefday as a day of fafting and prayer. In purfuance of thefe votes, letters were writ- ten by the feled men ; and deputies were ap- pointed to meet in the propofed convention by all the townfhips in the province, that of Hat- field alone excepted ; the inhabitants of which not only refufed to appoint deputies for the coa- vention, but wrote an expoftulatory letter to the fele6l men of Bofton, upbraiding the inhabitants of that town with their riotous behaviour, charg- ing them with being the caufe, by their mifcon- du6l, why troops were to be fent into the pro- vince -J admoniftiing them that their future or- 3 derly 74 HISTORY OF THE introduc- derly betaviour was the only way to procure a removal of the troops, and protefting againft the 176$, propofed convention as a meafure that was m- conftitutional, illegal, and unjuftifiable, fubver- five of government, and deftru6live of the peace of fociety. The convention met on the twenty-fecond of September, and confifted of deputies from nine- ty-eight towns and eight diftrioo 1769- — .— — — — ■ illSTORY O ^ THE intiodue- tJemaiid for fuch articles would be transfenred ro foreign countries ; and from them they beg;aL to 1770. be fmuggled into America, in confiderable 'quan- tities- And thus, in confequence of the afiTccia- tions, the a6t of parliament, which was the prin- cipal ground of complaint, operated in the; colo- nies as a prohibition on Britifh manufadu res and as a bounty and encouragement, not only to* tiiofe of America but thofe too of foreign coumtries. The merchants trading to America werte alio alamied, and prefented a petition to parliaiment, praying for a repeal of the adl which had giwea fo much offence in that country, fetting fortth the lofs which the mother-country had alread y fuf- tained in the declenfion of the colonial trade, and ftating the more ruinous confequences wiiich they ftill apprehended if the repeal was Longer delayed. Influenced byfome or allof thefe confiderations, lord North, now firft lord of the treafury /*, as well as chancellor of the exchequer, on the 5th of March moved fundry refolutions in the houfe of commons for difcontinuing all the duties p ayable in America under the aft of parliament of the year 1767, the duty on tea only excepted. The minifter, in moving thefe refolutions, did niot he-- iitate to condemn the a£l by which thefe duties had been impofed, as a meafure that was at leaft impolitic, becaufe the articles on which the duties were payable, being chiefly Britifh manufailures, the exportation of them to the colonies^ inftead of * Early in January of this year lord cliancellor Camden was difmiffed from his office, and many others of the jninillry leligned. On the 28th of that month the duke of Orafton refignedhfs officeof firft lord of the treafury, but continued to vote with the miniftry. The earl of Chatham, from ill health, had refigned the office of lord privy ftal in I^ovember' 1768. AMERICANWAR. 8| on tea was referved for the fole purpofe of faving j the national honour, and maintaining the autho- rity of parliament : A duty which was too infignifi- cant cannot be noticed by the inhabitants of the colonies, unlels they were at all events deter- mined to quarrel with the mother-country, the whple produce of it being eftimated at no more than lixteen thoufand pounds per annum. The members of oppofition, on the other hand, contended that the duty on tea ought to be taken olf with the reft ; alleging that, unlefs this was done, the difcontinuing of the other dur ties would be ufelefs, fnice the Americans qu«fti- oned not fo much the amount of the duties as the right to impoie them. To this the minifter replied, that the Americans could have no reafon to com- plain, becaufe, at the time when the duty of three-pence per pound payable in America was impofed, other duties upon tea payable in Eng- land, and amounting to near one fhilling per pound, were taken off upon its exportation to America ; fo that the inhabitants of the colo- nies, inftead of lofmg, aduaily faved by this im- pofition nearly nine-pence per pound on all the 1 tea which they ufed. The refokitions were car- ; ried as they had been at firft moved by the mini- ! fter ; and a bill which was introduced in purfu- ance of them paffed through both houfes of par- . iiament, and received the royal affent on the zzd I of April. j Whilft the minifter was thus taking meafures I for giving fatisfaftion to the colonies, an unfor- tunate incident happened at Bofton in Maffachu- fets Bay, which fo exafperated the turbulent and difcomented inhabitants of that proyioce, as to G 2, HISTORY OF THE introduc- banifh from amongft them all prefent thoughts of a: cordial reconciliation with the Briiifh government. So long as the miUtary force which w^e hive feen was fent to Bofton in the autumn of the y^ar 1768, continued refpeftable in point of nunnber, fo long the town remained tolerably quiet ; bui as foon as that was weakened by the departure of two out of the four regiments which had been ftationed there, the former ill-humour of th e in- habitants returned. The troops were vilified aid lampooned in the newfpapers ; the foldiers, wten met fmgly in the ftreets, were infulted ; and evsry method was taken to degrade them in the opini3ny and expofe them to the hatred and contem pt of the populace. Daily fcuffles now happened be- tween the lower claffes of the people in the town,' and the foldiers when not on duty : And fo much animofity had been excited by the virulent pub- lications in the newfpapers, that a defign is faid to have been formed of drivitig the troops from Bofton by force, in which the people from the country were to have afiifted. But if fuch a de- fign was formed, the execution of it became un- neceffary in confequence of the incident which we are nOw to relate. Gn the evening of the fifth of March, the fame day on which the Britifh minifter moved his refo- lutions in the houfe of commons for difcont inning the American duties, a qtiarrcl arofe at Bofton be- tween two or three young men of the town, and as many foldiers, at or near their barracks. From words they proceeded to blows : And the foldiers having vanquiftied their opponents were feen purfuing them through the ftreets. The' alarm to the populace was given by ringing the bells of the churches : And the people of the town afl'embling in great numbers at the cuftom- houfe, began to crowd round the fentinel who^ was pofted there, and not only infulted him but threatened AM ERICAN WAR. threatened his life. Captain Prefton, the officer introduc- on duty for the day, who had by this time re- ceived- information of the tumuh, proceeded im- ^ mediately to the main guard ; and hearing that ' the fentinel placed at the cuftom-houfe had been threatened, fearing too that the cuftom-houfe might be in danger, he fent a party, under the command of a ferjeant, to prote6l the one and fecure the other ; and from greater precaution \ foon afterwards followed and took the command ^ of the party himfelf. He endeavoured to pre- vail upon the people to difperfe, but in vain. The mob now became more riotous, not only re- viling the foldiers with abufive language, but I throwing ftones at them, and whatever elfe came [ in their way. One of the foldiers received a blow from fomething that was thrown, and levelled his mufket : The officer ftretching out his arm to pre- vent the foldier from firing, was ftruck with a club, and the mulket was difcharged, The at- tack from the mob became more violent, and the reft of the foldiers following the example of their comrades, difcharged their pieces fingly and in a fcattered manner, by which four of the populace \ were killed, and feveral others wounded. They j were intimidated, and for a moment fled \ but foon afterwards colleding, took their ftation in an adjoining ftreet. The drums beat to arms, the reft of the troops were affembled, and the whole I town was in the utmoft confuiion ; — a town meet- ing was held, and a deputation was fent to the governor, requefting him to remove the troops, from the town. The governor called together the council, and the council giving it as their opinion, that the removal of the troops from the town would be for his majefty's fervice, the com- manding officer promifed to comply with their ||idvice. Captain Prefton furrende red himfelf for I trial i HISTORY 0?THE introduc- trial ; and the foldiers under his command at the cuftom-houfe were taken into cuftody ; the nob j^yo, difperfed, and the following day the troops were removed to Caftle William. Some days afterwards the bodies of thofe vho had been killed in the riot were carried in pro- celTion through the town, attended by an ini- menfe concourfe of people, and interred vith much funeral pomp. In this proceiTion flags we]-e expofed to view with emblematical devices, calculated to inflame the pafliOD.s of the multi- tude, and infpire them with deadly revenge ; and in the newfpapers the tranfaftions of the fifth of March were reprefented as a deliberate murder on the part of the troops, and as an atrocious maffacre of the unoffending inhabitants. Whilft fuchunjuftifiable means were ufed to pre- judice and poifon the minds of the people, fort^a- nate it was for the officers and foldiers now in cuf- tody that their trials were delayed till the month of 06lober. By that time the ferment Vv'hich had been ftirred up had in fomc meafure fubncled, md the rancorous hatred of the populace againft the troops was in part abated. Wiien the trials came on, the officer, after a moft rigorous inquiry into his conduct and the examination of near fifty witnelfes, was moft honourably acquitted. The four judges who attended the trial were unani- mous in their opinions upon the facls which were given in evidence ; and the lafl: * who delivered his fentiments concluded his charge in a :evv em- phatical words which did honour to his indepen- dence and love of juftice, and at the fame time furnifhed the beft comment on the whole tranfac- ;ion. " Happy I am," faid he, " that after fuch <' a ftri6l examinarion the conduft of the pri- " loner * Judge Lyndex. AMERICAN WAR. 87 " foner appears in fo fair a light ; yet I feel my- intioduc- " felf at the fame time deeply affeaed, that this " affair turns out fo much to the difgrace of every perfon concerned againft him, and fo much to *' the lhame of the town in general." Six of the foldiers were alfo acquitted, and two Qi^ly convifted of manflaughter. The intelligence of the a6l of parliament for I difcontinuing the American duties having reach- ' ed Bofton whilft the minds of the inhabitants were yet agitated with the recent recolleaion of the melancholy events of the fifth of March, made no impreffion as a ftep towards reconcilia- tion, but when viewed as a conceffion forced and extorted from the mother-country, yielded the moft pleafmg fatisfadion. In all the colonies, and in MafTachufets Bay as well as the reft, the embarralTments and incon- veniences arifmg from the affociations had by this time become irkfome to the inhabitants : Thie Avant of fome things which could not ftri6lly be called neceffaries, but which from long ufe an4 habit were become almoft indifpenfable, had bee^ feverely felt. And the people had become fo weary^ of the engagements which they had en- tered into, that upon receiving the intelligence of even a partial repeal of the adl of parliament which had been the caufe of their complaints, they held the affociations to be no longer bind- ing, except for the fmgle article of tea, on which I the duty was ftill payable. In reality, thofe af» I fociations, from the tenor of them, ought to have I fubfifted in full force until the ad for impofmg ' { the duties had been wholly repealed ; and at- ; tempts were made in all the colonies to induce the people to conftrue them thus ftridlly. But the inconveniences already experienced were fo great, that all the influence of the patriots was inlufficient HISTORYOFTHE jniroduc- infufficient to prevail upon the people to fubnit ^^^.^ to a farther continuance of them. The int^r-^ courfe with the mother-country was now there- fore again opened for every thmg but the impor-r tation of tea : And during the remainder of tiis year and the whole of the next, commerce flow- ed into the American colonies in a tide unufiually full. ?77i. By the afl of the lall: feffion of parliament for repealing the American duties, introduced hy the iBritifh minlfter, and carried through by his in- fluence, it muft be confefTed that he went a great way to meet the wiihes of the colonial inbabi- tants : But if entire reconciliaiion was his objtcl, he did not go far enough. The refervation of thfe inlignificant duty on tea was fufFicient to give a fair pretence to the patriotic party ^ in the co- lonies to urge, that although the Britifh parlia- ment had now been twice foiled in its attempts to tax the colonies, it ftill made pretenfions to the right, and only waited for a more convenient opportunity to accomplifh this favourite objed, the duty on tea being referved for the fole pur- pofe of eftablifhing a precedent for the exercife of that right. In both thefe unfuccefsful attempts at taxation the colonial patriots faw, or aifeded to fee, that the Briiifh parliament had reluftantly given way, and that the people of the colonies, by refinance and clamour, had worked out their own falvation ; and they now renewed their ef- forts, by frefh publications;, to preferve and keep alive amongft the people that jealoufy and diftruft of the Britifh government which they had here- tofore been fo fuccefsful in exciting, and the con- tinuance of which they confidered as the beft ftcurity * Perhaps hy tliis time it might be called the republican Tpart/. ■ AMERICAN WAR. fecurity for the future maintenance of their introduc- ' tit\n But notwithftanding thefe endeavours to keep up the ball of contention, a general calm now lucceeded to their late agitations amongft the bulli of t|ie people in the middle and fouthern colonies, more efpecially in the latter. If the Britifh parliament had not given entire fatisfac- tion, nor removed all ground of apprehenfion, the inhabitant? of thefe colonies were at leaft wil- ling to give it credit for fo much as had been done, and feemed difpofed to forget their remaining caufes of complaint, provided no new attempt fhould be made to increafe them. In the New England provinces a very diffe^ rent difpofition of mind prevailed. The a6t which impofed the duties formed only an incon- fiderable part of their complaints. The reftric- tions upon their commerce, the powers granted to the officers .of the navy to check their con- traband p radices, the eftablifhment of an Ame- pcan board of cuftoms, and the more fteady ex- ecution of the laws of trade, were to them fub- jeds of as much real concern as taxation. The total repeal of the a6l of parliament of the year 1767 would not have given them fatisfadion ; and the partial repeal of it they received not as a favour conferred, but as a forced and ungra- cious compliance with only a part of what they had a right to demand. Far from meeting the mother-country in reciprocal a£ls of reconcilia- tion, they .now affumed a higher tone in confe- quence of her concelTions, and difcovered an in- clination to extend their clamour and demands beyond the limits which they had hitherto fet to, ihemfelves. The affembly of MafTachufets Bay, in an addrefs prefented to their governor on the •fifth of July in the prefent year, declared " that rights. tion. th,ey fo HISTORYOFTHE fntroduc- " they knew of no commiflioners of the cuiftoms, tion. I'll* 'nil ' s^,,^-^^-^ iior any revenue which his majelty had a right 1771. " to eftablifti m North America;" and ini an in- dignant ftrain fubjoined, " that they knew and " feh a tribute levied and extorted from thole who, if they were allowed to have property, " had alfo a right to the abfolute difpofal of it." In this province too the fame difpofltion to ob- ftru6l the execution of the revenue laws mani- fefted itfelf amongft the populace as on former occafions. From the time of the removal of the troops in the preceding year, the officers of the cuftoms were left without protedlion ; and the populace, not fatisfied witli oppoling them in the execution of their duty, proceeded in va- rious inftances to much greater lengths, and in* Aided upon their perfons the moft degrading pu-r niihments. 1772. Nor was this impatience under the controul of the laws of trade confined to Maffachufets Bay. It was perceivable in all the New England pro- vinces, and was this year the caufe of a moft outrageous infult offered to government in the deftru6lion of the Gafpee fchooner, a ve(Iel in his majefty's fervice, ftationed in Providence ri- ver, in the colony of Rhode Ifland, to prevent fmuggling, and commanded by aii officer * Vu gilant and a6live in the execution of his duty. The Gafpee was boarded at npiidnight of tlie tenth of June by two hundred armed men in boats, who, after wounding and abuling her com- mander, and forcibly carrying him and his pc'O- ple on ffiore, fet hex on fire. The caufes of difference between the mothe r- country and the province of Maffachufets Bay had now fo long fubfiftcd, and a perverfe fpirit HISTORY OF THE introduc- moft extent. They openly denied the aatho.nty of parliament, not only to iinpofe taxes, but to ^37""'^ legiflate for them in any refpecl whatfoever : id- ding, " that if there had been in any of the ate *' inftances a fubmiffion to a ticn. ^g^g thought neceflary to give fatisfadlion to the '"^"^'^'^^'^ inhabitants of the interior province of Canada, ^'^'^^ by paifnig an a6l for the fettlenient of their go- vernmcut. The obje^ls of this a£l were, to fe- ture to the inhabitants of that province the free e.xercife of their religion ; and to the Roman Ca- tholic ekrgy their rights, agreeably to the arti- cles of capitulation at the time of the furrender t>f the province; to reftore their ancient laws in civil cafes without a trial by jury, as being more acceptable to the French Canadians than the Englidi laws with the trial by jury ; and to eftabliih a council, holding their commiffions from and at the pleafure of the king, who were to exercife all the powers of legiflation, that of impohng taxes only excepted. Such a council, eompofed principally of the Canadian nobleffe, it was fuppofed would be more agreeable to the bulk of the people than a houfe of reprefen- tatives. And the lall objeft of the a6l was to extend the limits of the province, which, reach- ing far to the fouthward behind the other colo- nies, might be made to ferve as a check upon them if neceflfary. The fir ft of thefe afts, the Bofton port bill, paffed through the two houfes of parliament ■without much dilhculty, as the condudl of the people of Bofton, in deftroying the tea, was generally difapproved of in England, and the caufe of their lofnig many friends. The bill was introduced into the houfe of commons on the four- teenth of March, and received the royal affent on the thirty-firft of the fame month. But the other three ads, although finally -pafTed by a great majority, were not carried through their intermediate ilages without much oppofidon*. la Tl^ey received ihe king's alTent on the twentieth of May. AMERICAN WAR. la everything that refpeded America, the mem- introduc- bers of oppofition, and particularly the Rock- ingham party, huftg upon the minifter, and if """^T^ they did not prevent, certainly impeded his mea* ' fures and leffened their effed j and, by their ill* timed prophetic forebodings, fpirited up the Americans to ad: what they foretold. Whilft the Britifh parliament were thus palT- ing ads for maintaining the authority of the mother-country over the colonies, and for pU" iliftiing paft and preventing future tranfgrefilons againft it in the province of MafTachufets Bdy ; the affembly of that province, when they met in the beginning of the year, far from taking any fteps for averting punilhment, on the con- trary, employed themfelves in purfuing fucfa meafures as had a tendency to provoke ftill more the Britifh miriiftry and parliament. The cla^ mour raifed in MafTachufets Bay in the year 1772, in confequence of the regulation for alTigninf falaries to the judges by grants from the crown, lias been already noticed ; and this year it Wa« revived by the affembly, who fent a meffage to the judges, requiring them to declare whether they meant to receive their falaries from the af* fembly as nfual, or from the crown, by virtue of the new grants. All the judges, except the chief-juftice, confented to receive their falaries as ufual from the affembly. He alone declared his refolution to receive his falary from the crown j and him the affembly refolved to impeach for thisfuppofedunconftitutional proceeding. Charg- es drawn up in the form of an impeachment weftf accordingly voted, and carried to the governor and counbilir whom the affembly judged to be as competent to the trial of an impeachment in Maffachufets Bay, as the houfe of lords is id Great Britain. The impeachment was however fent back with a meffage from the governor, im- porting. HISTORY OF THE ^"tioJ"*^' po^t^'^g' ^^^^ governor and council had no authority to try impeachments. The aflfembly i>7-74. now changed the mode of their accufation, con- verting the charges contained in the impeach- nient into a petition of complaint to be prefent- ed to the governor, which concluded with a pr ay- er for the removal of the chief-jaftice. The governor refufed to comply with the prayer of the petition ; and finding the affembly deter- mined to profecute their complaint againft the chief-juflice in fome form or other, he at laft diflblved them about the end of March. But the attention of the people of that pro- vince was foon to be engrofled by a fubjedi of higher importance, than a difpute with their go- vernor or chief-juftice ; and the inhabitants of Bofton were at laft to feel the weight of the dif- pleafure of that power which they had fo long provoked with impunity. In the month of May intelligence arrived, that the adl for {hutting up the port of Bofton had been paffed by the Bri- tifh parliament ; and this intelligence, together with a copy of the aft, was immediately publifh- ed upon a paper with a black border, fymbolical of mourning, and hawked about the ftreets, as a barbarous, cruel, bloody, and inhuman mur- der. The former and riotous proceedings of the town of Bofton had been fo often overlooked, that fuch an adl of feverity as the Bofton port bill, was totally unexpefted ; and upon the firft publication of the intelligence, nothing was to be heard but frantic exprcflions of rage and re- fentment againft the tyranny and inhumanity of the Britifti miniftry and parliament ; and ven- geance was loudly called for and threatened. But unfortunately for the inhabitants of Bofton, the operation of this aft of parliament, as a pu- piftiment, unlike, in this refpeft> thofe which ' <" had AMERICAN WAR. had preceded it, could not in their prefent cir- introduc- cumftances be either refifted or eluded. It was doubtful whether the other fea-port towns in the province might not take advantage of the prefent moment, to raife their own commerce upon the ruins of that of Bofton ; and it was alfo uncertain whether the other colonies would cordially intereft themfelves in their behalf. Such confiderations had undoubtedly an influ- ence, as foon as they began coolly to refledl up- on their lituation ; and to the firft effervefcence of refentment, a ftate of mind feems to have fucceeded, bordering upon defpondence. A town meeting was held, at which a vote was pafTed, addrefled to the inhabitants of the other colo- nies, importing, that if they would come into a joint refolution to give up all intercourfe with the mother-country in the way of trade, until the Bofton port bill ftiould be repealed, it would prove the falvation of America and her liberties ; but if they did not, there was too much reafon to fear that fraud, power, and the moft odious oppreffion, would rife triumphant over right, juftice, focial happinefs, and freedom. Copies of this vote were ordered to be fent to all the other colonies, and the meeting was diffolved, every one being bulled in arranging his affairs, for the firft of June, the day on which the port of Bofton was to be deprived of its commerce. In this ftate of doubt and anxiety the people of Bofton did not long remain without receiv- ing fome confolation. The inhabitants of the neighbouring towns, inftead of attempting, to profit by their diftrefs, offered them the ufe of their wharfs and warehoufes for the purpofe of (parrying on their trade : and from the other co- lonies they foon received the moft flattering tef- timonies of condolence and commiferaiion. In HISTORY OF THE In all the colonies the landing of tea had been refifted, and therefore they all ftiared in the cri- minality for which the town of Bofton was about to fuifer ; and on fuch an occalion to have deferted their brethren in diftrefs would have been unman- ly and ungenerous. The alTcmbly of Virginia, which was fitting at this time, fet the example of making the fufferings of the inhabitants of Bofton a common caufe of complaint in all the colonies. In that affembly a refolution was paffed for ap- pointing the firft of June, the day on which the Bofton port bill was to take effed, to be fet apart as a day of falling, prayer, and humiliation, " to *' implore the divine interpofition, to avert the " heavy calamity which threatened deftru^ion to their civil rights with the evils of a civil ** war ; and to give one heart and one mind to the " people firmly to oppofe every injury to the " American rights." This refolution, the gene- ral tendency of which to excite oppofition to the mother-country, was fufficiently obvious, and which at the fame time encroached on the royal prerogative by enjoining a faft, occalioned thedif- iblution of the affembly : But, before the mem- bers Separated, a private meeting was held, at which a declaration was drawn up and fubfcribed by a majority of the affembly, fetting forth that the punifhment about to be infli£ied on the inha- bitants of Bofton, in order to compel them to fubmit to the payment of unconftirational taxes, was in truth an attack upon all the colonies, and would ultimately prove deftruclivc to the rights and liberties of all, unkfs the united Vv^ifdom of the whole was applied to prevent it. They there- fore recommeRcled to the committee of correfpon- dence to propoie to the committees of the other colonics, that an annual congrefs Ihould be held for all the colonies, to deliberate oq fuch general pieafures as the united interefts of America iiiight from AMERICAN WAR. from time to time require. And they concluded introduo- with an intimation that a regard for their fellow- s,.J^I^!!^ fubje6ls, the merchants and manufafturers of ^^^^ Great Britain, prevented them from going fur- ther at that time. The example fet by the aflembly of Virginia was followed in the other colonies. Provincial, county, or town meetings were every where held, at which refolutions of a fimilar tendency were paffed : And the firft day of June was very gene- rally obferved in America as a day of fafting, hu- miliation, and prayer. General Gage arrived at Boflon not many days i3tli May- after the intelligence was received of the a6l for ftiutting up its harbour, and whilft the inhabi- tants, aflembled at a town meeting, were yet de- liberating on the melancholy profpedl before them. Notwithftanding this inaufpicious entry into his government, he was received with the ufual ho- nours. He had been many years commander in chief in America, was perfonally knovv U at Bof- ton, and univerfally refpeded for his amiable character and manners. But the animofity which had been kindled in the province of MalTachu- fcts Bay againft the Britifh government had rifeft to too great a height to be checked by any per- fonal conhderaiions for a governor, however amiable or relpedable. The alTembly met ac- cording to cuftom, foon aficr his arrival ; and in the fpcech delivered at the opening oi" the felfion, he gave them notice that they v/ere to remove to Salem on the firft of June, Avhich from that time was to be coniidered as the leat of government. This information was far from being pleafmg to the affembly, and they prefented a petition to the governor, intreating him to appoint a day of ge- neral fafting and prayer. The governor declined complying with the petition, and foon afterward* adjourned io8 HISTORY OF THE introduc- adiourned the felTion to the feventh of TunC:, then tion. 01 ,,.^„..~.,~^ meet at balem. lyy^. In the' interval of this adjournment, letters were received from moft of the other colonies ; and it was perceived thai the caufe of the inha- bitants of Bofton was every- where warmly ef- poufed. The leading men in MafTachufets Bay, cheered by this intelligence, laid afide their de- fpondency, and refolved to aft with more vigour •than ever in refifting the claims of the mother- country. When the aflembly met at Salem, a refolution was pafTed declaring the expediency of a general congrefs to be held for all the colo- nics, and fetting forth at large their reafons for recommending fuch a meafure. Five of their own members were appointed to reprefent them, all of them zealoufly attached to the American eaufe, and violently hoftile to the pretenfions of the Britifh parliament ; and a fum of money was voted to defray their expences. They were fen- fible that after this proceeding their diflblution would foon follow, and they haftened to prepare another refolution, declarative of their fentiments on the prefent ftate of affairs, and recommend- • ing to their confiituents fuch meafures as they wilhed them to purfue. In this refolution they lamented their prefent fituation, which obliged them to ftruggle againft the heavy hand of pow- er; they complained that their petitions to the king and parliament had been difregarded ; they fet forth that it was apparently the defign of the Britifh government to deftroy the free conftitu- tions of the American colonies, and to erecl in their ftead the fyflems of tyranny and arbitrary fuay, incompatible with liberty, and totally fub- verfive of their confututional rights : They called upon the people of the province to obftruft as far as was in their power the execution of fuch evil AMERICAN W A Rr evil defigns ; and for this purpofe recommended imroduc. to them to give up as much as poffible every kind of intercourfe with the mother-country, until their grievances ihould be completely redreffed. This declaratory refolution had fcarcely been pafled, when the governor, receiving informa- 17th June tion of their proceedings, put an end to the fef- lion by diffolving the affembly ; which was the laft that was held under the charter of MalTachu- fets Bay. An attempt was now made by fome inhabi- tants of Bofton who weref riendly to government, to procure refolutions to be palTed at one of their town meetings for paying to the EafI: India com- pany the value of their tea, and for diffolving the committee of correfpondence ; but in this attempt they were defeated by a very great ma- jority. Rough draughts of the two bills already men- tioned for altering the conftitution, and for the impartial adminiftration of juftice in MafTachu- fets Bay, having arrived foon afterwards, the clamours of the leading men in all the colopies became louder and more vehement than ever ; The calm ftill voice of the friends of govern- ment who remained in any of them was no long- er to be heard amidft the noife and uproar of tumultuous fervour : And the caufe of the in- habitants of Bofton grew more popular, contri- butions being raifed for their relief in feveral of the colonies. If thofe who direded the councils of the peo- ple in MafTachulets Bay were before refolved on refiftance and oppofition, they now determined ;t,o carry that refolution to the utmoft extremity. As a previous ftep, the recommendation of the alTembly was immediately aded upon, and an aflfociation was fet on foot, whereby the fubfcri- bers JIO HISTORY Of THE Jntroduc- ^ff, bound themfclves, under the moft fdtemn \,,„J~j^^ obligation^ to break off all commercial intercourfe 1774. with Great Britain from the laft day of the month of Auguft, until the Bofton port bill and the other obnoxious afts of parliament fhould be repealed, and the colony reftored to the exercife of its chartered rights ; and to renounce all deal- ings whh thole who fhould refufe to enter into this agreement, or who, engaging, fhould after- wards break through it ; and the whole was fanc- tioned by an agreement that the names of delin- quents fhould be publifhed iji the newfpapers as enemies to their country, a penalty, in the pre- fent lawlefs and perturbed ftate of the province, of the moft dangerous tendency. In order to recommend the affociAtion more powerfully to the attention of the populace, it was handed to them under the antiquated but imprelTive title of a folemn league and covenant, a term of the laft century affixed to an engagement entered into by the Puritans, which was flill held in great ve- neration by their defcendants in Maffachufets Bay. To counteraft this affociation, a procla- 29th Tune mation was iffued by the governor, ifl which it was ftyled an illegal and traiterous combination, contrary to the allegiance due to the king and fabverfive of the authority of parliament ; and the people were cautioned againft giving any countenance to it, under the penalties annexed to fuch heinous offences. But the proclamation was difregarded, and the folemn league and co- venant was generally fubfcribed throughout New England. General Gage, foon after he took poffeffion of his government, forefeeing the ftorm which was gathering, ordered fome regiments of foot, with a detachm.ent of artillery, to be fent to Bofton : And thefe, upon their arrival, were encamped upon AMERICAN WAR. Ill upon tbe common lying between the town and introduce the narrow neck of land called Bofton Neck, which joins it with the continent. When troops ''^^'^^'^ were formerly ftationed at Bofton, defertion was nmeh encouraged by the inhabitants ; and the fame pra6lice being again revived, a guard was ;i5laced upon Bofton Neck to prevent it. This was magnified into an attempt to cut off the com- munication between the town and the country, and^ to compel the inhabitants of the former, by famine, to fubmit to fuch terms as might be im- pofed upon ^hem ; and a falfe repoit to this ef- fed being fpread about in the country, the inha- bitants of the county of Worcefter aflembled in great numbers, and fent melTengers to inquire July, into the truth of the report. Thele were charged to give an affarance to the people of Bofton that feveral thoufand armed men were ready to come to their affiftance, Ihould it be necefTary ; but at the fame time to acquaint them, that if they ftiould lofe their fortitude, fo far as to furrend'er their liberties, the people of the country would not hold themfelves bound by their fubmiffioii. About this time an authentic copy of -the a£t Augull, of parliament for altering the conftitution, and regulating the government of MafTachufets Bay, arrived at Bofton, together with commiffions from the king to thofe who were to conftitute the new council, in the room of that eleaed by the af~ fembly. This council was intended to confift of thirty-fix members, but twenty-four only accept- ed their commiffions • and thefe having qualiiied, writs were iifued by the governor, with their ad- vice, for the meeting of a new affembly in th'e ' beginning of Oaober. But the rage of the po- pulace now again burfl forth, and was direaed agaiiift thofe who had accepted feats hi the new coimcil ; and the greateft number of them', to fave 112^ H I S T O R Y O F THE introduc- fave tlicir perfons from being torn to pieces by the mob, and their property from being deftroy- ed, were obliged to refign their appointments ; ^'''^'^ a few only who refided in Bofton, and were pro- tefted by the troops, retained their fituations. When the fuperior court fat for the adminiftra- tion of juftice, the juries refufed to be fworn, and the inferior officers of the court, frightened by the threats which were denounced againft them, declined a6ting under the new regulati- ons ; and fo many obftru6lions were met with in every department, that from this time civil go- vernment in Maffachufets Bay was entirely dif- folved. Bofton was the only place of fecurity in the province ; and that in confequence of the military force encamped in its neighbourhood. By means of this force alone was protection af- forded to fuch as differed in fentiment from the popular party. Whofoever rendered himfelf obnoxious, by difcovering his attachment to the mother-countr}^, and a wifh to fubmit to her laws, was infulted by the populace ; and many were hunted from their dwellings in the country, and obliged to take refuge in Bofton. Arms were provided for thofe who were without them : Ammunition and warlike ftores began to be col- le6led:,.And the young men were employed in training- themfelves to military difcipline. Under fuch an appearance of hoftile intention, and fuch preparations going forward, general Gage could no longer refrain from providing for the fecurity of the troops which he commanded, by fortifying Bofton Neck ; and with the like intent, he removed to Bofton the powder and other military ftores depofited in the magazines at Charleftown, Cambridge, and the Medford powder-houfe, left the people fhould have been ftirred tip to feize on them. Thefe proceedings of AMERICAN W Ak. in of the governor, which, in his fituation, were introdut, apparently neceffary, gave fo much offence, and created fo great an alarm, that the people, whofe j^^^, minds had been w^orked up to a degree of phren- zy by the machinations of the violent party amongft them, alTembled again from all quarters, and were with difficulty reftrained from march- ing to Bofton and attacking the troops. About the fame time a falfe report was fpread in Con- nedicut, that an attack was begun upon the in- habitants of Bofton by the Ihips in the harbour and the troops from the common, when feveral thoufands of the militia of that province affem- bled in arms, and marched a conliderable dif- tance to the fuppofed relief of their brethren at Bofton, before they were undeceived, and difco- vered that the report was falfe. Thefe rumours were probably circulated by the contrivance of the leading men, to try the temper of the peo- ple. But their affairs were not yet ripe for opea hoftilities ; and in this ftate of tumult and com- motion it was thought fit to appoint a meeting of delegates from all the towns in the county of Suffolk, of which Bofton is the capital, to advife fuch a plan of condudl to be obierved by the people as the prefent pofture of affairs might re- quire. This meeting was accordingly held, and the compledlion of its deliberations was fuch as no longer left it doubtful to what lengths the leading men of this province were determined to go, pro- vided they met with fupport from the other colo- nies, and that the difpute between the mother-coun- try and the colonies was faft approaching to that crifis, when an appeal muft be made to the fword. In the refolutions paffed on this occafion, they refufed all fubmiffion to the late a61s of parlia- tnent, and engaged to indemnify fuch as ftiould Vol. I. I be HISTORY OF THE [ntroduc- be profecuted for difobedience to them. Tliey tion. accufed thofe who had accepted feats in the new ^ — ' council, of violating the duty which they owed ^'774- to their country, and threatened them with being treated as public enemies, unlefs they refigned their appointment. They recommended the holding of a provincial congrefs. They exhorted the people to perfe£l themfelves in the ufe of arms, and for that purpofe to affemble once every week. ' They warned them to be upon their guard againft the defigns of their enemies, who had determined to feize upon fome of thofe amongft them, who had deferved well of their country by a ftrenuous oppofition to the arbitrary meafures of the Britifh miniftry ; and if fuch an attempt fhould be made, they were exhorted to oppofe it ; and fliould their oppofition be ineffeaual, they were direded to / retaliate, by feizing upon every Britifh officer they could find : And laftly, they recommended to the receivers of the public revenue to keep it in their own hands until the conftitution of the province was reftored, or until it fhould be other- scpt. 9. wife difpofed of by a provincial convention. They alfo prefented a remonftrance to the gover- nor, complaining of the fortifications carrymg on at Bofton Neck, and of the feizure of the pubhc magazines ; and they tell him, that although they have no inclination to commence hoftihties agamft his majefly's troops, they are yet determined never to fubmit to the late ads of parliament. This was the moft open affumption of power on the part of the people, and the moft dired and daring interference with the _ executive au- thority, that had yet taken place in any of the colonies. September. gut the attention of all America w^as now di- refied to the general congrefs, which had met at Philadelphia on the fifth of this month. During AMERICAN WAR. ' the courfe of the fummer, preparatory nieafures i"t'-oduc- had been taken in all the colonies, Georgia ex- cepted, for holding this grand affembly of coIo- nial reprefentation ; and Philadelphia, from its ^ centrical fituation, was fixed upon for the place of meeting. In thofe colonies in which their af- lemblies met, delegates to the congrefs were ap- pointed by them, and refolutions were paffed for their government and diredion; and in the others the people eleded reprefentatives, as if it had t>cen^ for an affembly ; and thefe reprefentatives meeting together, chofe delegates to congrefs, and gave them inftrudions. . In thofe inftruaions there was a confiderable variety, according to the different tempers of the leadmg men in the delegated affemblies. From fome of the colonies the inflrudions were mode- rate, and from others more violent ; but they all agreed in condemning the Bofton port bill, and the other ads of the lafl feffion of parliament re- latmg to MafTachufets Bay, and in denyin s the right of the Britifh parliament to tax the colonies. But the mofl material of all their inflruaious, and what in a great meafure fuperfeded the ufe of all others, was a power given to their delegates to agree to whatever meafures fl^.ould meet with the concurrence of a majority of the congrefs. This congrefs confiited of fifty-one delegates, reprefeuting twelve of the colonies lying along the fliore of the Atlantic, from New Hampiliire to South Carolina incluilve ; the greateft number of delegates from any one colony being feven, and the fmalleft two. But this difparity in the number of delegates did not affeft the votes, as it was agreed that each colony fhould have but one vote, whatever was the number of its deleg-ates. The congrefs fat with their doors locked ^no one was permitted to be prefent at their deliberations, and I « all HISTORY OF TH£ mtroduc all their proceedings, except thofe which they thought fit to publifh, were kept profoundly fe- "■^"^ cret. Affembled in the caufe of freedom, they Ee- verthelefs thought fit to obferve a formpradifed only in the moft defpotic governments. Their proceedings being wrapped up in myftery, and all the intermediate fteps, leading to a conclufion, be- ing hid from the public eye, their decrees, when promulgated, were received like the oracles of an- cient times, as the didates of profound wifdom. The only proceedings which they publilhed, ^ere, a declaration on the ftatc of affairs in Maf- fachufets Bay ; a letter to general Gage, a decla- ration of rights and grievances, accompanied ^ith an aflociation ; a petition to the king ; an addrefs to the people of Great Britain ; another to the inhabitants of the colonies ; and a third to the people of Canada; all of them mafterly com- |)ofitions, and well adapted for the purpofes for which they were intended. In their declaratory refolutions on the ftate ot affairs in MalTachufets Bay, which was the firft of their public ads, and bore date the feventeenth of September, they approved of the plan of con- dua which had been hitherto purfued by the peo- ple of that province, and of the refolutions palled, and meafures propofed, by the delegates of the towns in the county of Suffolk, and advifed a perfeverance in the fame line of condud ; and for the relief of the inhabitants of Bofton, whoie diftreffes were every day increafmg, they recom- mended that contributions ftiould be railed tor them in all the other colonies, to continue fo long as thfeir occafions might require ; and if at laft it Ihould be found neceffary to remove the Boitom- ans into the country, that their lolTes mthat cale ftiould be compenfated at the charge of all the co» lonies. , With AMERICAN WAR. 117 With this firft public a£l of the congrefs, which introduc- was confidered as decifive of the opinions that v^„„^^!^ they held, and the meafures they meant to purfue, j^;^^ the friends of government (for fuch a party, and a very confiderable one, there was in all the colo- nies), and even fome of the more moderate of the patriotic party, were much chagrined and difap- pointed. They had hoped that the congrefs would have adopted only pacific means for obtaining a redrefs of grievances ; but in the unqualified ap- probation given to the very irregular condudt of the people of Maffachufets Bay, and particu- larly to the refolutions of the delegates of the county of Suffolk, they thought that they faw an evident determination in the congrefs to oppofe the authority of the mother-country by force and arms. And their apprehenfions were rather in-, creafed than allayed by the letter from the con- grefs to general Gage, in which they declared it to be the fixed and unalterable refolution of all the colonies to unite for the prefervation of their common rights, in oppofition to the late a6ts of parliament, and in fupport of their brethren of Maffachufets Bay. The declaration of rights contained a fummary of all the rights appertaining to Britiili fubjeds, to the free exercife of which they maintained that they were entitled by the immutable laws of na- ture, by the Britilh conftitution, and by their fe- veral charters. All former diftindions between legiflation and taxation, between external and ifi* ternal taxes, were now laid afide. They claimed, in behalf of the colonies, the fole and exclufive power of legiflating for themfelves in all cafes whatfoever : But from the mere necelTity of the cafe, were willing to fubmit to fuch a6ls of par- liament as were bomjide intended to regulate their foreign commerce, excluding however every idea ii8 HISTORY OF THE "^thn'^' taxation, internal or external, for raifing a re- venue from the people of the colonies without lyy^. their confent. Their grievances, they laid, were occafionedby eleven ads of parliament paffed in the prefent reign, moft of which have been al- ready mentioned in the courfe of this hiftory ; and in the enumerated life they included the three acls of the lafi: leifion of parliament, relating to the. co- lony of Maffachufets Bay, and the a6l for extend- ing the limits of Canada. The repeal of all thefe ads, they infilled, was neceffary to give them fa- tisfadion ; and as the mofl: elfedual meafure which they could devife for obliging the mother-coun- try to do them juftice in thefe reipeds, they re- commended an afTociation to be entered into by the inhabitants of the colonies for difcontinuing all importations from Creat Britain, Ireland, and the Britifh iflands in the Weft Indies, after the firft of December following, and all exportation from the colonies to thofe countries, after the tenth of September 1775, and for giving up the ufe of tea entirely, from the firft of March in that year, until the ads of parliament which con- flituted their grievances fhould be repealed. A formal inftrument of writing to this eifed, and containing various other regulations for enforcing the execution of it, having been prepared, Was immediately fubfcribed by all the members of congrefs ; and printed copies of it were forthwith diftributed through all the colonies for the fub- icription of the inhabitants. In their petition to the king, they fet forth all the grievances recited in the afTociation, and to thefe added many more of lefs importance ; but at the fame time gave an alTurance that if they were relieved from the firft, the harmony between Great Britain and the colonies, with the ufual jiV.ercourfes, would be immediately reftored, and AMERICAN WAR. 119 in tliat cafe they would truft in the magnanimity introduc- and juftice of his majefty and the parliament to grant redrefs in the reft. The objedl of their addrefs to the people of Great Britain was to render the American caufe in that country more popular than of late it had been ; and to apologize for the fufpenlion of com- merce, a meafure which, they infifted, neceffity alone, and a regard to felf-prefervation, obliged them to adopt. Their addrefs to the inhabitants of the colonies was deligned to explain to them in what manner they were all interefted in the fate of the people of Bofton, and to urge them to a compliance with thofe meafures which the congrefs had recom- mended, until a general redrefs of grievances ftiould be obtained. But the ableft of their compoiitions, although the moft malignant in its intention, was their ad- drefs to the people of Canada ; the objeft of which was to render the inhabitants of that pro- vince difcontented and uneafy under their new form of government, to fow the feeds of difcord between them and the mother-country, and to induce them to join with the other colonies in the general confederacy. Such were the public proceedings of this con- grefs, which, after fitting fifty-two days, diffolved itfelf on the twenty- fixth of Oftober, having firft recommended that another fhould be held in the month of May : And its decrees, although pub- lifhed only in the ftyle of recommendations, commanded greater refpe6t, and were more im- plicitly obeyed in all the colonies, than the laws of their own governments. But we muft now return to the province of MafTachufets Bay, in whofe fate, in confequence of the determination of congrefs, all the colonies felt 120 HISTORY OF THE introduc- felt thcmfelves deeply interefted, and upon the tranfadions in which depended more immediately the doubtful iflue of peace or war. As the win- ter feafon approached, general Gage thought it neceffary that barracks fhould be ere£led, as well for the greater eafe of the inhabitants of Bofton, as for the better accommodation of the troops : But in this neceffary arrangement he met with many obftrudions, not only from the general dif- inclination of the inhabitants to afford any affift- ance to government, but alfo from the particular interpofition of the fele6l men, by whofe influ- ence and perfuafion the artificers who had been employed were induced to defift from carrying en the work. !Nor were the barracks finifhed till other artificers were procured from New Hamp- Jhire and New York, the two colonies which had hitherto conduced themfelves with the greateft moderation. Throughout the whole province of Maffachufets Bay every poffible impediment was thrown in the way of gove^-nment, and every method taken to prevent the troops from being fupplied with fuch things as were neceffary for their accommodation : The people had even pro- ceeded fo far as to burn a quantity of llraw, and fink a number of boats loaded with bricks com- ing to Bofton for their yfe. But notwithftanding thefe provocations no offenfive meafures were un- dertaken, the general having determined to aft with the utmoft caution and circumfpedion ; fo that, if the fword muft at laft be unftieathed, it might appear to be owing to no fault in him. That this muft foon happen there was now indeed the greateft probability, as the violence of the people was daily increafing and breaking out into the moft criminal exceffes againft fuch as were fuppoied to be unfriendly to the American caule. In confequence of this violence, the commiffi- • . oners AMERICAN WAR. 121 oners of the cuftoms and all the officers of go- introduc. vvernment had been obliged to quit Salem, and fly to Bofton for protedlion ; which, inftead of '^ '^^ bei ng, as formerly, the feat of tumult and difor- der, was now the only place of fafety within the province of Maflachufets Bay. It may be remembered that foon after the new council had qualified under the a6l for regulating the government of Maflachufets Bay, writs were iflued by the governor for the eledlion of a new af- fenably to fit in the beginning of Odober ; but the violence of the patriotic party in the province had increafed to fuch a degree, and fo many of the new council, either from threats or from violence actu- ally committed, had been obliged to refign their appointments, that a fufficient number did not re- main to meet the aflfembly as a feparate houfe. Un- der fuch circumftances the governor thought fit by proclamation to countermand the execution of the writs of ele6lion. But this proclamation was held ' by the leading men of the province to be illegal, and the ele£lions were made in purfuance of the writs. The reprefentatives who were chofen met at Salem at the time appointed for the return of the writs, and having waited a day for the go- vernor without his appearing, they voted them- felves into a provincial congrefs, and chofe Mr. Hancock for their prefident. This was the fame perfon, the feizurc^ of whofe floop for contraband pradiices had occafioned an inlurreflion at Bofton in the year 1768, and the confequences of which infurredion are fappofed by many to have pre- cipitated the difpute between the mother-country and her colonies towards its prefent alarming cri- fis. So dangerous is it to provoke a popular cha- ra6ler in a republican government ! This felf-conftituted congrefs having chofen ;heir prefident, adjourned themfelves to Concord, a tov^ 122 'history of the Introduc- a towii about twenty miles from Bofton. One of their earlieft proceedings was a remonftrance which ^^^^ they prefented to the governor on the fubjedl of the fortifications at Bofton Neck, and on the alarm occafioned in the province by the military force colle6ling at Bofton, which they alleged was now daily increafing by the arrival of troops from all parts of the continent in fuch numbers as tended to endanger the lives, liberties, and property, not only of the people of Bofton but of the province in general. To this remonftrance the governor, however averfe to holding any correfpondence with an illegal affembly, thought it neceflary, in the prefent ftate of the province, to give an an- fwer : And in his anfwer he indignantly told the provincial congrefs that the lives, liberties, and property of none but avowed enemies could be in danger from Britifti foldiers, who, notwith- ftanding the enmity which had been fhewn to them in withholding from them every thing ne- ceflary for their prefervation, had not difcovered that refentment which might have been expedled from fuch hoftile treatment. He put them in mind that, whilft they were complaining of al- terations made in their charter, they were them- felves fubverting it by their prefent illegal meet- ings ; and he admonifh^d them to defift from fuch unconftitutional proceedings. But notwithftanding thefe admonitions from the governor, the provincial congrefs continued to fit, and the fituation of the town of Bofton, pofTefied as it was by the king's troops, engaged much of their attention. The neck of land which joins it with the continent being now fortified, the people of the town might be kept as hoftages for the behaviour of the inhal^itants of the coun- try ; and whilft the inhabitants remained in the town, whom, diftrefled as, thev were, it would ' have AMERICAN WAR. have been cruel to prevent from obtaining fuch introduce things from the country as they flood in need of, it was not polTible entirely to withhold fupplies """^^ from the troops, an objed which the provincial congrefs had much at heart. Boftontoo was ca- pable of being made ftill ftronger ; and a garrifqn placed in it, if things were brought to extremity, would prove a great annoyance to the reft of the province. Thefe confideratious gave them great uneafmefs ; but it was difhcult to devife a proper remedy for the evils which they apprehended. Frequent expreffes pafTed between them and the general congrels which was then httins, and va- rious plans and fchemes were propofed ; but all of them were liable to fuch infurmountable objec- tions, that, after much time fpent upon this fub- jed, nothing was finally determined upon. In other matters they neither felt any fcruples, nor met with any difficulties : They pafTed refoluti- ons, under the ftyle of recommendations, for regu- lating and exercifmg the militia, for colleding and difpofmg of the pubHc revenue, and for providing arms and military ftores. Thefe were fuch daring affumptions of the powers of government, under the malk of adn vice, that the governor thought it neceffary to inue a proclamation warning the inhabitants of Nov: the province againft fuffering themfelves to be en- Inared by the provincial congrefs, or led by their mflueuce to incur the penakies of fedition, trea- fon, and rebellion ; and ftriaiy prohibiting all his majefty's liege fubjeds from paying any obedi- ence to the recommendations or refolves of fuch an unlawful afifbmbly. But the governor's pro- clamation, as on former occafions, was treated with_ contempt ; and the requifitions of the pro- vnicial congrefs were obeyed as laws. That af- lenibly appointed another congrefs to be held in the HISTORYOF THE jntroduc, the month of February, and diffolved itfelf to- tion. wards the end of November. Previous to the meeting of the general congrefs no hoftile preparations had been made either in the middle or fouthern colonies : But after the breaking up of the congrefs, and upon the return of its mcjmbers to their refpedive colonies, the fame fpirit which aftuated the people of the New England colonies feems to have pervaded the whole continent. The miUtia officers alTembled their companies more frequently than had been cuftomary, and were affiduous in training them. Arms were provided by thofe who were without them; and refiftance to the power of the mother- country by open force was made the fubjedl of common converfation. Soon afterwards a copy of the proclamation arrived, which had been if- fued in England, in the month of Oaober, to prevent the exportation of warlike llores ; and this prohibition ferved to make the inhabitants of the colonies more eager to procure fupplies. Mills for making gunpowder, and m.anufadories for arms, were fet up in feveral of the colonies ; and great encouragement was offered for makmg faltpetre. AMERICAN WAR. 125 CHAP. I. JnfurreBion in Rhode IJland — and in New Hamp- Jhire — Confequences of Jhutting up Bojlon Har- l)our — Provincial Congrefs at Cambridge y in New England — Hoftile Dejtgns and military Prepa- rations — Preparations in all the Colonies for holding a General Congrefs — Detachment of Bri- tijh Troops fent to dejlroy military Stores at Concord — harajfed by the Americans — driven back by the way of Lexington to Boflon — Boflon invejied by an Afnerican Army—-Meafures re- fpeding the State of America taken by the Eng- lijh Cabinet — Reinforcement of Troops from Bri- tain arrives at Bojlon — Battle of Bunker's Hill. AS foon as the news of the proclamation reach- c H A P. ed Rhode Ifland, forty pieces of cannon i. of different fizes, belonging to the crown, which ^-'t^ had been mounted on batteries for the defence 1774- of the harbour, were feized by the populace, , , and removed mto the country. Ihey aid not in Rhode hefitate to own that this was done to prevent the cannon from falling into the hands of the king's troops, and that they meant to ufe them againft any power that ihould offer to moleft them. By the affembly of this province refolutions were alfo palTed for procuring at the pubUc expence arms and military ftores wherever they could be obtained, and for training the militia in military exercifes. In the province of New Hamp^.ire too, which had been hitherto moderate, the news of this proclamation 126 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. proclamation caufed an infurredion. A number I. of armed men affembled, and furprifed a fmall ' — 8-^ fort called William and Mary, garrifoned only And^New ^" offi^cr and five men. They took poffel- HampfhirT ^lon of the ordnance, gunpowder, and other military ftores that were found in it ; and thefe being removed, the fort was abandoned, and the officer, M'ith his men, releafed. Of all the colonies, that of New York fhewed the greateft averfion to giving up an intetcourfe with the mother-country in the way of trade. Such of the alTemblies of the other colonies as had been called together fince the breaking up of the general congrefs, had approved of its pro- ceedings and confirmed its refolutions ; but the aflembly of New York, which met in the month of January of this year, refufed to accede to them. That affembly neverthelefs agreed with the other colonial aflemblies in all the material points of their grievances ; and, to obtain re- drefs of thefe, tranfmitted, during their prefent feffion,^ a petition to be prefented to the king, a memorial to the houfe of lords, and a reprefen- tation and a remonftrance to the houfe of com- mons. Confequfn- In the mean time the difficulties which the ces of ihut- inhabitants of Bolton had to contend with were ting up Bol- , . p . ton harbour, cvcry day uicrealing m confequence of the in- clemency of the winter feafon. Contributions had beeii raifed, and fupplies of provifions fent to them from the other colonies ; but thefe were precarious, and not equal to their wants. In a large trading town, fuch as Bofton, where fo many of the inhabitants were entirely fupported by commerce and its dependencies, fcarcely any thing could befal them fo ruinous as fhutting up ther harbour. No one was exempt from feeling its efiedts in ioivx ftiape or other, and many were plunged AMERICAN WAR. plunged in the deepeft diftrefs. Their fufFerings CHAP, they imputed to the Britifh miniftry and paHia- ^^ meni, and they felt all the refentment that the "^-nr^ ills under which they fmarted were calculated to ^774- infpire. But the military force now colle6led at Bofton was fufficiently refpedlable to prevent them from breaking out into thofe violences which their former refradlory condu6l gave rea- fon to expedi:, and which their prefent feelings probably didated, Thefe feelings were the more grievous for being repreffed ; and the only con- folation which they received was in knowing that, throughont America, the inhabitants of Bofton were confidered as martyrs to the American caufe. When the new provincial congrefs met at Cam- Provincial bridge, in the month of February, they publifh- cambridgl ed an addrefs to the people calculated to alarm them with frelh apprehenfions ; and in conciu- fion told them that, from the information which they had received, they had reafon to apprehend that the Britifh miniftry meant to devote to fud- den deftruftion that province in particular, for .having refufed, with the other colonies, tamely to fubmit to the moft ignominious flavery. , Hav- ing thus awakened their fears, they, in the moft perfuafive terms, exhorted the militia in general, and the minute-men * in particular, to perfe6l themfelves without delay in military difcipline. They afterwards pafled refolutions for the pro- Their hof- viding and making of arms ; and forbad, in theli;dS"aJy ftriaeft manner, the inhabitants of the province preparati- frora fupplying the king's troops with anything®"'' requifite for military fervice. Such * Volunteer corps from the militia, who engaged to hold themfelves in readinefs for fervice af a minute's notice. 128 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. Such hoftile intentions being manifefted by the ^' provincial congrefs, whofe edicts were obeyed ^"'^'ir^ as laws ; it became necefTary for the governor to '774- difable them, as far as was in his power, from a<^- ing in a hoftile manner, by feizing on inch of their military ft ores as came within his reach. With this view, on the twenty-fixth of February, he ordered a fmall detachment of troops, under the command of a field officer, to proceed to Salem, and take poffeffion of fome brafs cannon and field-pieces, which had been brought there for the ufe of the provincial congrefs. The troops fent on this fervice were embarked on board a tranfport at Bofton, in the morning, and carried by water to Marble Head. Having landed there, they marched to Salem : But the cannon were removed before their arrival, and, according to the beft information they could receive, only that morning. The officer, hoping to overtake them upon the road, marched on into the coun- try until he was flopped by a fmall river, over which there had been a draw-bridge. Upon his approach, the bridge was taken up by a number of people affembled upon the oppofite fhore, who peremptorily refufed to let it down, alleging that the road was not a public one, and the bridge pri- vate property, over which he had no right to pafs without' the owner's confent. The officer, feeing a boat in the river, was about to make ufe of it for tranfporting his men ; but fome country people, who were near, perceiving his intention, jumped into the boat, and with axes began to cut holes in her bottom. Thefe people were interrupted by the foldiers, and a kind of fcuffle now enfued which of them ftiould keep poffeffion of the boat ; when a clergyman, who hadbeena witnefs of the whole tranfadion, fee- ing the officer determined to force his paffage, ^ aa,d A M E R I C A N W A R.- and fearing the confequenccs that might happen CHA P, if he met with further refiftance, prudently inter- I- pofed, and by his influence prevailed upon the **"*nr^ people on the oppofite fide to let down the bridge. * 775- Th is was accordingly done ; and the detachment paiTcd over. But the day was now fo far fpent, in confequence of this interruption, that any fur- ther attempt to overtake the cannon, it was thought, would be fruitiefs. The officer marched back his men to Marble Head unmolefted, reim- barked with them on board the tranfport, and returned to Bofton. This incident is of little confequence, except to fhow on the one hand the ftria difcipline and cautious condua of the troops, and on the other, the boldnefs with which fuch condudl infpired the people of the province to thwart their operati- ons, and obftrud their movements. The object of the detachment was defeated by previous in- telligence conveyed from Bofton. Although fome of the moft violent of its inhabitants had removed into the country, a great majority of thole who remained were not lefs hoftile to ali the meafures of government. By them every adion of the governor and every movement of the troops were narrowly watched : Intelligence was conveyed by exprefles ; and the people in the country were previoufly prepared for inter- rupting, if not defeating, every military opera- tion that was attempted. Preparations were now making in all the co- Preparat;- loniesfor holding the general. congrefs, which was 2" to meet at Philadelphia, in the month of May. It hSnf hasbeenbefbre obferved, that the inhabitants of the J^f^'fj^ middle and fouthern colanies:began to arm them- ** felves individually, towards the etd of the pre- ceding year : But the bnfinefs of arming and putting th$ country ia a Hate of defence was now Vol. I. K taken H 1 S T O R Y OF THE C H A P. taken up by the provincial conventions, wliicK ^' met for the purpofe of appointing delegates to ^-^'T^ congrefs. By them refolutions were pafled for ^775- difciplining the militia, and for inftituting corps of volunteers and minute-men, after the example of the New England provinces: And contributions were dire£led to be raifed from the people, to be employed in the purchafe of arms and ammuni- tion. Still however the objea of thefe prepara- tions was not openly avowed in the public pro- ceedings and journals of thofe conventions; and ftill they profeffed loyalty to the king, and at- tachment to the mother-country. But the time was faft approaching, when the maikwastobe thrown off, and when the fubjedls of the fame fovereign, marfhalled in oppofmg armies, were to imbrue their hands in each other's blood. In the provinee of Maffachufets Bay the autho- rity of the Britifh parliament had beeniirft called in queftion ; in the fame province the firft adlual oppofition to that authority was made ; and there it was deftined that hoftilities fhould firft com- mence between the mother-country and her co- lonies. ^ . • • Detachment Information having been brought to Bofton, tlo^pfffnt that a confiderable quantity of militaiy ftores pur- to deitroy cliafcd by the agcuts for the provincial congrefs, fiores'at • wcrc dcpofitcd at Concord, a town which, as we r-concord. jj^yg already had occafion to mention, was about twenty miles from Bofton ; general Gage, in the night between the eighteenth and nineteenth of April, detached the grenadiers and light-infantry , of his army, under the command of lieutenant- colonel Smith of the tenth regiment of foot, and " ' major Pitcairne of the marines, wiih orders to .proceed to Cqncord, and deftroy thofe ftores And the following morning another detachment, xcHilifting of flxteen companies of foot, with fonire marines. AMERICAN WAR. marines, was ordered to march, under the com- A P. mand of earl Percy, to fuftain the firft. The de- tachment under lieutenant-colonel Smith, having "-""^^^ embarked in boats, was conveyed up Charles Ri- yer, as far as a place called Phipps's Farm. Be- ing landed there in the night, the troops pro- ceeded on their march to Concord ; every pre- caution being taken, by fecuring fuch perfons as they met with, to prevent the people of the coun- try from obtaining any intelligence of their march. But, notwithftanding this precaution, they had advanced only a few miles, when it was perceiv- ed, by the firing of guns and the ringing of bells, that the country was alarmed. Upon this difcovery lieutenant-colonel Smith detached fix companies of light-infantry, to march on in all hafte, and fecure two bridges on different roads, leading from Concord, and on the other fide of it. Thefe companies reached Lexington, a town fifteen miles from Bofton^ about five in the morning ; and as they advanced, law a body of men aflembled under arms on a green adjoining to the road. Upon the near ap- proach of the Britifh troops, who qtieftioned them as to the caufe of their being fo alTembled, and ordered them to difperfe, they retired in Ibme confufion : But as they went off, feveral guns, were fired upon the king's troops from be- hind a ftone wall, and from fome adjoining hou- fes, which wounded one man, and fhot major Pitcairne's horfe in two places. The Briiifh troops now returned the fire, by which fome of the people undet arms were killed, and others wounded, and the reft difperfed. The light-in- fantry having been dela}/ed by this unexpedled rencounter, were now joined by the grenadiers, and the whole detachment marched on unmo- lefted to Concord. K 2 Upon HISTORY OF THE CHAP. Upon its approach to that place, another bo- > dy of armed men, or militia, was feen aflembled "-T^ upon a hill, near the entrance of the town ; and *775- the light-infantry were ordered to difperfe them, • whilft the grenadiers marched on by the direa road to Concord. As the light-infantry afcend- ed the hill, the militia retreated towards Con- cord, and paffed over one of the bridges on the other fide of it, which was immediately taken poffelTion of by the light-infantry. In the mean time the grenadiers were executing the purpofe of the expedition, by deftroyingv the military ftores found at Concord. Whilft this was doing, the militia, who had retreated over the bridge^ appeared again, to the number of three or four hundred, and advancing up to it, as if they meant to pafs, were fired upon by the Britifh troops. The fire was returned, and a fharp adlion enfued acrofs the river, in which feveral on both fides were killed and wounded. But the purpofe of the expedition being now accomplilhed, the light- iufantry, pofted at the bridge, received orders to retire, and the whole detachment now began their march back to Bofton. The whole country was by this time alarmed: The minute-men, volunteers, and militia, aflen> bled from all quarters, and pofted therafelves amongft trees, in houfes*, and behind walls, along the road through which the Britifti troops were to pafs ; whilft the militia, who had beea engaged at the bridge, reinforced with others hourly coming in from the country, Werie ready to prefs upon their rear. ■ - Such * An officer, .on the march of the' fecond datachnent t6 Concord, obferved to the commandant, lord P^rcy, that, in his opinion, the oppofitiori to the king's troops would be. vep ry little, for that all the wiadoWS -were fhut, and th? houfe* feeriiingly deferted. " So much the worfe," lord Percy plied ; " for w« ftiall be fired at^rom thofe Very houfcs.'* AMERICAN WAR* 133 Such was the route by which the Britifh troops CHAP, had to pafs, fatigued and exhaufted as they were, by coiiftant exertion from the preceding evening. '^■*np**' And as foon as they began their retreat, an in- ceflant though irregular fire commenced, which was kept up during the whole of their march back to Lexington", in which they were driven o^.^^^ ^^^^^ before the Americans like fheep. At that place by the w»y they were met by the detachment under lord B^^ft"f,'*'" Percy,, with two pieces of cannon. The two ° detachments refted on their arms, and received fome refrelhment. Lord Percy now formed his detachment into a fquare, in which he inclofed colonel Smith's party, who were fo much exhaufted with fatigue^ that they were obliged to lie down for reft on the ground, their tongues hanging out of their mouths, like thofe of dogs after a chafe. Lord Percy,, after refreftiing the troops, moved on towards Bofton, haraffed the whole of the way by the Americans, who, from behind ftone walls and other places of ftielter, kept up on our men an incefiant fire, on either flank, as well as in front and rear. This fire it would not have ferv- ed any purpofe to return ; as the Americans were concealed, and kept running from front to flank, and from flank to rear, loading their pieces at one place, and difcharging them at another. When the united detachments arrived at Bof- ton river, lord Percy aflced information of the country people concerning the moft proper place for crofung it. But, had he followed the ad- vice he received, his troops, in pafling the river, muft have been cut to pieces. Having a gene- ral knowledge of the country, he was led to fuf- pedl their intelligence, and pafTed the troops at a different place, where the Americans could not with fafety follow him. la 3 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. In war there is nothing that fo much avails as I- fecrefy of defign and celerity of execution : !Nor, on the contrary, fo hurtful as unneceffary open- ^775- nefs and procraftinaiion. General Gage on the evening of the eighteenth of April told lord Per- ry, that he intended to fend a detachment to feize the ftores at Concord, and to give the command to colonel Smith, " who knew that he " was to go, but not where." He meant it to be afecret expedition, and begged of lord Per- ry to keep it a profound fecret. As this noble- man was palTing from the general's quarters home to his own, perceiving eight or ten men con- evrfing together on the common, he made up to them ; when one of the men faid — " The Bri- " tifh troops have marched, but they will mifs their aim." " What aim ?" faid lord Percy. Why," the man replied, " the cannon at Con- cord." Lord Percy immediately returned on his fteps, and acquainted General Gage, not with- out marks of furprife and difapprobation, of what he hadjuft heard. The general faid that his con- fidence had been betrayed, for that he had com- municated his defign to one perfon only befides hislordfhip. As foon as the two detachments, after their junction, refumed their march, they were again annoyed by the provincials, pofted as before, who kept Up a continued firing until the Britifh troops reached Bofton, about fun-fet, quite fpent J 9th April, and worn dow^ with fatigue. The detachments, together, amounted to fomewhat more than eigh- teen hundred men ; and the whole lofs fuftained, during this Iqng and haralfmg march, on the part of the Brltifh, was fixty-five killed, one hundred and thirty-fix wounded, and forty-nine niifling. Several of Smith's party were fcalped by the Americans. AMERICAN WAR. ^35 Artierikans. Thelofs of the provincials, as efti-CHA P. mated! by themfelves, amounted to lixty men^ two thirds of whom were killed. v-nr^ The condu6l of colonel Smith in this unfor- ^775- • tunate expedition was generally cenfured ; but lord Percy gained, on this occafion, what he after- wards uniformly fuftained, great reputation as an a6live, brave, and intelligent officer. Such were the events of the day on which blood was firll. ftied in the cbnteft between Great Britain and her colonies : Events which ferved to fhew, that , if the Americans were yet unacquainted with mi- [ litary difciphne, they were not deftitute of either courage or condu6l, but knew well, and dared . to avail themfelves of, fuch advantages as they poffeffed. The people of the colonies are ac- cuftomed to the ufe of fire-arms from their ear- lieft youth, and are, in general, good markfmen. . Such men, placed in a houfe, behind a wall, or amongft trees, are capable of doing as much ex- ecution as regular foldiers : And to thefe advan- tages, which they poffeffed during the greatefl part of the nineteenth of April, we may yet at- tribute the inconliderable lofs fuftained by them, compared with that of our detachments. The retreat of the Britifh troops to Bofton, which Was always intended as foon as they had, accomplifhed the purpofe of their march, was reprefented in the province of Maffachufets Bay as a defeat ; and fo much were the people of the province elated with their fuppofed vic- tory, that nothing now was talked of but driving the king's troops out of Bofton. They were ir- rita.ed tOD, by the fpreading of a report, that one objed of the expedition to Caiicord was to feize on John Hancock and Samuel Adams, two very popular and leading charaders in the pro- vincial congrefs. The militia from all the diftant parts HISTORY OF THE parts of the province, on hearing what had pall- ed, poured infofaft, that an army was foon 'af- fembled, amounting to tv/enty thoufand men, under the command of colonels Ward, Pribble, Heath, Prelcott, and Thomas ; officers who had ferved in the provincial regiments during the ""late v/ar, and who now a£ted as generals. With this army they formed a line of eiicanipment of thirty miles in extent, reaching from the river Myftic on the left to Roxburgh on their right, and inclofing Bofton in the center. I'hey fixed their head quarters at Cambridge, and were foon afterwards joined by a large detachment of troops from Conocdicut, under colonel Putnam*, an old provincial officer of approved experience and reputation, who had ferved in the two laft wars, and now took fuch a pofition with his de- tachment as to be able readily to fuccour fu^ih parts of the line of encampment as were neareft to Bofton. By this force, formidable certainly in point of numbers, was Bofton blockaded : But the works ereded on the neck of land which joins that town to the continent, were now lb well ftrengthened and covered with cannon, that the provincials, numerous as they were, durfl not attack them. An army being already in the field, the pro- vincial congrefs, which now removed to Water- town, a place about ten miles from Bofton, paff- ed regulations for arraying it, and for fixing the pay of the officers and foldiers. Rules and or^ ders for the government of the army were alfo publifhed, and a vote pafTed for iifuing a large i\im in paper currency to defray its expeneesj for * Colonel, afterv/ards general, Putnam, at the corclufiori of the u-ar in 176.3, retired to a fmail farm, to which he an- nexed a tavern) an o^conomy not uncommon in America, par- ticularly in the province of New England. AMERICAN WAR. 137 for the redemption of which the faith of ^heCH AP. province was pledged. By the fame congrefs a I. refolution was paffed on the fifth day of May, ^-nr*-' declaring that general Gage, by the late tranfac- ^775- tions, had utterly difqualified himfelf from ad- ing iu the province as governor, or in any other capacity, and that no obedience was due to him ; but, on the contrary, that he was to be conlider- ed as an inveterate enemy. But it is now necelTary to recur to fuch mea- Jff^"'^!?/'^ lures as had been taken in t-ngland, during the cabinet winter, for reducing the colonies to obedience. Notwithfianding the union which appeared a- rnongfl. them, and their fixed determination not to fubmit to the authority of parliament in the impofition of taxes, the Britifh miniftry deter- mined to perfevere in their coercive plan, but with fome difcrimina.tion according to the de- merits of the refpedive colonies. The New En- gland provinces were confidered as the moft deeply reprehenfible ; and as thefe had, early in the preceding year, entered into an affociation for giving up all commerce with the mother-coun- try ; fo it was thought reafonable by the Britifh miniftry to interdift them on the other hand from all commerce with any other country; and, a? a farther punifhment, to prohibit them from fifh- ing on the Banks of Newfoundland. An aift of parliament for thefe purpofes was accordingly palTed. But as it foon afterwards appeared that moft of the other colonies were ueading faft in theftepsof the people of New England, it was thought neceflary to include them in the fame prohibition ; and another a£l of parliament was paffed for this purpofe, extending to all the other colonies except New-York, North Carolina, and Georgia. An addition to the land and fea forces was voted by the houle of commons, and a large reinfoFcement HIST "O R Y O F THE reinforcement ordered to Bofton, under the com- mand of the generals Howe, Clinton, and Bur- goyne ; all of them officers of reputation. Biit whilft the minifter was thus preparing to enforce his coercive meafures, he did not altoge- ther lay afide the hope of reconciliation. With a view to this he moved a refolution in the houfe of commons as the bafis of a future agreement between the mother-country and the colonies, which, after fome debate and oppofitioh was car- ried. The purport of this refolution was, that when any of the colonies fhould propofe, accord- ing to their abilities, to raife their due proportion towards the common defence ; fuch proportion to be raifed under the authority of the affembly of fuch province, and to be difpofable by parlia- ment ; and when fuch colony Ihould alfo engage to provide for the fupport of the civil government and the adminiftration of juftice within fuch pro- vince; it would be proper, if fuchpropofal ihould be approved of by his majefty in parliament, to forbear, in refpedl of fuch colony, to levy any duties or taxes, or to impofe any further duties or taxes, except fuch as ftiould be necefTaryfor the regulation of trade. It was hoped, that the offer of accommodation held out by this refoluti- on, would be readily accepted by the colonies, in order to avert the calamities impending over them in confequence of the prohibitory ads of the pre- fent feffibn of parliament already mentioned : And had fuch an offer been made by the Rockingham adminiftration previous to the repeal of the ftamp adl, there is fcarcely any doubt that it would have been then gladly accepted by at leaft a majority of the colonies, and prevented that union amongft them fo fatal to the authority of the mother-coun- try. But it was now too late. The feafon for re- conciliation was pail. The minds of the colonial inhabitants AMERICAN WAR. 139 inhabitants had become foured in the profecution G H A P. of the difpute ; and every propofition now made I- by theBritifh miniftry was viewed withjealoufy ^-nr*-^ and received with diftruft. A kind of military ^775- furor, too, had by this time feized the inhabitants of the colonies, and rather than make any fort of conceflion to the Britifh parliament, they were willing to rifque the confequences of oppofing in the field their juvenile ardour to the matured ftrength of the parent ftate ; and in this refolution • they were encouraged to perfift by recolledling the events of the nineteenth of April, by which it appeared, according to their manner of reafon- ing, that in fuch a country as America, abounding with dangerous pafles and woody defiles, the Britilh troops, with all their valour, difcipHne, and military Ikill, were not, Avhen oppofed to the Americans, fo formidable as had been generally apprehended. • Copies of this conciliatory proportion were tranfmhted by the miniftry to America ; and as foon as thefe arrived, the different aflemblies were convened, before whom they were laid for their confideration. But this parliamentary refolution was accepted by none of them as a ground for reconciliation. By fome it was viewed only as a minifterial fcheme for dividing and dif- uniting the colonies : By others it was heid not to be fatisfadory, becaufe the amount of the con- tribution was not left to the difcretion of the co- 'lonial alTemblies, but was to be determined by the king in parliament : And by all the afremblies it was agreed to be referred to the general cougrefs, which, they held, was alone competent to decide upon it. A reference to the general congrefs was the fame thing as a rejedion ; for it vi^as well known that the Britifh miniftry would hold no commu- nication with the general congrefs on that or any HISTORY OF THE any other fubjed, Such was the fate of the mi- nifter's conciliatory propofition for terminating the difpute between the mother-country and the colonies. Towards the end of May, and in the beginning of June, the expedled reinforcements arrived at Bofton, with the generals appointed to command them. From the time of the expedition to Con- cord the Britifh troops had continued blockaded in Bofton, the force then under general Gage be- ing too fmall for any other purpofe than defence. But this force, now increafed by the troops lately arrived, was become refpe6lable, not fo much in- deed for its numbers, as the excellence of the troops of which it confifted. > As a ftep preparatory to offenfive meafures, general Gage on the twelfth of June iffued a pro- clamation, offering, in his majefty's name, a free pardon to all thofe who fhould forthwith lay down their arms, John Hancock and Samuel Adams only excepted, and threatening with punifliment all fach as fhould delay to avail themfelves of the proffered mercy. By the fame proclamation alfo, martial law was declared to be in force in the pro- vince, until peace and oirder fhould be fo far re- ftored that juftice might be again adminiftered in the civil courts. But this proclamation, like others which had been iffued before, produced no beneficial effed, and was as much difregarded as they had been. Adjacent to the peninfula of Boflon, on the north, is another of fimilar form, called the pen- infula of , Charleflown. They are feparated from one another by Charles River^ which is naviga- ble, and nearly the breadth of the Thanies at London bridge : And on the northern bank of this river, over-againfl Bofton, lies Charlefown, a fpacious -^tell-built town, which gives name to AMERICAN WAR. t"he pemnfula. The peninfula of Charleflown, CHAP, being bounded on the north by the river Medford ^• or Myftic, and on the eaft by Bofton harbour, is ''-nn*-' entirely furrounded by navigable water, except where it is joined to the main land by an ifthmus, foniewhat wider, and more acceffible than Bofton Neck. In the centre of the peninfula rifes an eminence, called Bunker's Hill, with an eafy af- cent from the ifthmus, but fteep on every other fide ; and at the bottom of this hill towards Bof- ton ftands Charleftown. Bunker's' Hill was fuffi^ ciently high to overlook any part of Bofton, and near enough to be within cannon-ftiot. Why a fituation; from which the town of Bofton was fo liable to be annoyed, was fo long negleded, it is not eafy to alfign a reafon *. But, about this time, the provincials receiviiig information that general Gage had at laft come to a determination to fortify it, were refolved to defeat his intention if polfible, by being the firft to occupy it ; and their refolution was executed without delay. About nine in the evening of the fixteenth of June, a ftrong detachment of provincials moved from Cambridge, and pafling filently over Charleftown Neck, reach- ed the top of Bunker's Hill unobferved. Having Battict>f previoufly pro"vided themfelves with intrenching HaL^*'* tools, they immediately fet to work, and threw up an intrenchment, reaching from the river Myftic on the left, to a redoubt on their right, both of which they had nearly completed by the morning ; their works being in many places can- non-proof. Although the peninfula was almoft furrounded with ftiips of war and tranfports, the provincials worked fo lilently that they were not difcovered till the morning; v/hen, at break of day, * Itis faid that general Gage was repeatedi/ advifed OCCV57 and fortify ttSs commanding poft. 142 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, day, the alarm was given at Boflon, by a cannor" i- ade begun upon the provincial works, from the ^•^'nr^ Lively fhip of war. A battery of fix guns was foon '775- afterwards opened upon them from Cop's Hill, in Boflon ; and, about noon, a detachment from the army was landed upon the peninfula of Charlef- town, under the command of major-general How^e and brigadier-general Pigot, with orders to drive the provincials from their works. The troops were formed without oppofition as foon as they landed ; but the generals perceiving that the pro- vincials v/ere ftrongly pofted upon the heights, that they were already in great force, and that large columns were every moment coming in to their alTiflance, they thought it necelTary to apply for a reinforcement. When the reinforcement ar- rived, the whole detachment confifting now of more than two thoufand men, formed in two lines, moved on towards the enemy, with the light-in- fantry on the right wing, commanded by general Howe, and the grenadiers on the left by briga- dier-general Pigot ; the former to attack the pro- vincial lines, and the latter the redoubt. The attack was begun by a fliarp cannonade from fome field-pieces and howitzers, the troops advancing flowly, and halting at intervals to give time for the artillery to produce fome elfed. The left wing, in advancing, had to contend with a body of provincials, pofted in the houfes in Charlei- town, and in this confli6l the town was fet on fire and burnt to' the ground. The provincials upon the hill, fecure behind their intrenchments, re- ferved their fire for the near approach of the Bri- tifh troops, when a clofe and unremitting dif- charge of mufketry took place, the provincials in the works, as foon as they difcharged their pieces, being furniftied with other* ready loaded. So , inceifant and fo deftru^live was this continued blaze of mulketry, that the Britifti line . recoiled A M E R I C A N W A R. knd gave way in feveral parts. General Howe, it C H A P. is faid, was, for a few feconds, left nearly alone ; ^• moft of the officers who were about him, being ^"^T^ either killed or wounded : And it required the ^'^'7^' utmoft exertion in all the officers, from the gene- rals down to the fubalterns, to repair the diforder which this hot and unexpedled fire had pro- duced. At this jundure, general Clinton, who had ar- rived from Bofton during the engagement, was moft eminently ferviceable in rallying the troops ; and by a happy manoeuvre almoft inftantaneoufly brought them back to the charge. The Britifh I foldiers, ftung with the refledion of having given way before an enemy whom they defpifed, now returned with irreliftible impetuofity, forced the intrenchments with fixed bayonets, and drove the provincials from their works. The latter, thus driven, fled with precipitation ; but as no ' purfuit was ordered, they were fuffered to retire unmolefted, except in paffing Charleftown Neck, which was enfiladed by the guns of the Glafgow floop of war, and fome floating batteries; and here the pi-ovincials fufl:ained their greatefl: lofs. This deftrudive, although fuccefsful attack, cofl^ the Britifti, in killed and wounded, nearly one-half of the whole detachment. The total lofs amounted to one thoufand and fifty-four, of which two hun- dred and twenty-fix were killed, and eight hun- dred and twenty-eight wounded, nineteen com- milfioned officers being amongft the former, and feventy amongft the latter. The lofs on the fide of the provincials, as eftimated by themfelves, was four hundred and forty-niae of thefe one hundred and forty-five being killed or miffing, . and three hundred and four wounded. Amongfl: . the flain on the fide of the Britiih, were lieute- nant-colonel AbercrQnibie, and majors Pitcairne and 344 HISTORY OFTHE CHAP, and Williams; all of them officers of experienced I. bravery and diftiuguiftied merit, who had figna- ^^'^-r^ lized themfelves on this fatal day, in an eminent ^775- degree ; as alio did major Spendlove, who died of his wounds fome days after. Amongft the provincials, fome officers of rank were alfo killed, but the lofs of dodor Warren, who commanded ' in the redoubt, was moft lamented. If any thing had been wanting to fhow the bra- very and difcipUne of the Britilh troops, the ac- tion at Bunker's Hill furnilhed an ample proof of both. Tvv^ice they were flopped, and twice re- turned to the charge. In the middle of a hot fummer's day, incumbered with three days pro- vifions, their knapfacks on their backs, which, together with cartouche-box, ammunition, and firelock, maybe eftimated at one hundred and twenty-five pounds weight, with a fteep hill to afcend, covered with grafs reaching to their knees, and interfered with the walls and fences of vari- ous inclofures, and in the face of a hot and well- diredled fire, they gained a complete viftbry over three times their own number (for fuch was the Britifh general's eftimate) of provincials ftrongly pofted behind a breaft-worir, and defended by a redoubt. But, v/hatever credit may be due to the valour of the troops, the plan of the attack has been feverely cenfured. Had the Symmetry tranfport, which drew lit- tle water, and mounted eighteen nine-pounders, been towed up Myftic channel, and been brought to, within mufket-fhot of the left flank, which was quite naked ; or one of our covered boats, mufket-proof, carrying a heavy piece of cannon, been towed clofe in ; one charge on their uncovered flank, it was faid, might have difiodged them in a moment. It has been alfo faid, that the Britifh troops might have been landed in the rear of the provincial AMERICAN WAR. provincial intrenchment,, and thereby havcGHAP, avoided thofe difficulties and impediments which ^• they had to encounter in marching up in front. — By fuch a difpofition, too, the breaft-work of the Americans v/ould have been rendered ufelefs, and their whole detachment, being inclofed in the ^ peninfula, muft have either furrendered at difcre- tion, or attempted, in order to get back to the main land, to cot their way through the Britifli line. Further ftill, it has been faid, that the fuc- cefs of the day was the lefs brilliant, from no purfuit being ordered, after the provmcials had begun to take to flight. Few engagements are free from unfortunate accidents and miftakes : And fome which occur- red in the adion at Bunker's: Hill, are fuppofed to have rendered that day more difaftrous than it would have otherwife been to the Britifh. During the engagement, a lupply of ball for the artillery, fent from the ordnance department in Bofton' was found to be of larger dimenfions than fitted the calibres of the field-pieces that accompanied the detachment — ^an overfight which prevented the further ufeof the artillery : But a difad van- tage, perhaps, ftill greater, was the unnecefTary load already mentioned, under which the Britifh troops marched to the attack ; and by which they Avere greatly exhaufted before they came to the fcene of adion. This circumftance was univer- fally cenfured as umnilitary and abfurd . Another error certainly was, that, inftead of confining our attack to the enemy's left wing only, the aSault was made on the whole front. Their left was co- vered with nothing more than a breaft-work of rails and hay, eafy to be fcrambled over; and behmd it, was an open hill which commanded their redoubt and lines. I' L CHAP. HISTORY OF T H E CHAP. II. Deftgns of Congrefs on Canada— Capture of Ticon- deroga and Crown Point— Fort ChamhheSt. Johns—andMontreal^Siegeof Quebec. •A' LL the colonies, now united, vied with a. ^ each other in profeffions of invincible at- tachment to the common caufe ; and the congrefs beheld their power acknowledged, in a very '^^^* great degree, from Nova Scotia to Georgia. And as it was now evident that the mother-coun- try was as refolutely determined to maintain, as Defignsof they Were to refift, her authority, they began to congrefs on concert mcafurcs for fupporting a war, and, m the firft place, to confider where that authority was moft vulnerable. With thefe fentimenis they call their eyes on the province of Canada. Canada, furrounded by rivers and lakes, and ftretching from Nova Scotia, in an oblong direc- tion, almoft to the fouthern extremity of Peniyl- vania, was conveniently fituated for hoftde mva- fion, and would, if reduced, prove a moft im- portant acquifition r Nor were various moral cir- Gumftances wanting to encourage the Americans- to commence hoftilities by an attack on that ex- tenfive region. They were not unacquainted with that general odium that attended the Que- bec aa among the Canadians, who faw that it intended, by eftablilhing the French' laws, to introduce arbitrary power. Neither were they ignorant that the rejeaion of the petition pre- fented againft that offenfive law, had weakened • the A M E R I C A N W A R. 147 the attachment of the inhabitants to the mother- CHAP, country ; by which country they conceived that they had been treated with injuftice and opprefli- ^•'nr^ on; inafmuch as, though fubjed to her power, they were deprived of the chief bleflings refult- ing from her conftitution. The fupporters of the American caufe failed not to place thofe ar- guments in as forcible a light as poiTible : Nor were their reprefentations without effe<5l. The congfefs however did not wait for the full refult of thofe difcontents and reafoniugs to which they gave birth, but came to a relblution to at- tack our province while they might do it with ad- vantage. Ticonderoga and Crown Point, the former fi- tuated at the north end of Lake George, and the latter near the Ibuthern extremity of Lake Cham- plain, form the gates on that quarter of Canada. Theie pofts had already been fecured in the fol- lowing manner: A. volunteer, of the name of 3d May. Ethan Allen, alTembled, of his own accord, about fifty men, and proceeded immediately to the environs of the firft-mentioned fortrefs, com- manded by captain De la Place of the twenty- « fixth regiment, who had under his command about fixty men. Allen, who had often been at Ticonderoga, obferved a complete want of dif- cipline in the garrifon, and that they even car- ried their fupine negligence to the length of ne- ver {hutting the gates. Having difpofed his fmall force in the woods, he went to captain De la Place, with whom he was well acquainted, and prevailed on him to lend him twenty men, for the pretended purpofe of affifting him in tranf- porting goods acrofs the lake. Thefe men he contrived to make drunk ; and, on the approach of night, drawing his own people from their ambufcade, he advanced to the garrifon, of which L 2 jberega. HISTORYOFTriE CHAP, he immediately made himfelf mafter*. As there n. was not one perfon awake, though there was a — ' fentry at the gate, they were all taken prifoners. '775- On the commander's afking Allen, by what ati- thority he required him to furrender the fort, he anfwered, " I demand it in the name of the " Great Jehovah, and the continental congrefs." and of r^Yic redudlion of Crown Point, which had nei- pS" ther guard nor garrifon, became a matter of courfe. Allen alfo furprifed Skenefb6T0ugh, be- longing to major Skene, who with his fon and negroes, were taken prifoners. Ab6ut the fame time, an American officer, afterwards highly dif- tinguifhed, feized the only Ihip of the royal navy on the Lake Champlain. Benedia Arnold, at the commencement of the difference between Great Britain and America, was placed at the head of a company of voltmteers by the inha- bitants of Newhaven. As foon as he received intelligence of the affair at Lexington, he allem- bled his company, and declared his intention of proceeding to Bofton. Having obtained their confent, he applied to a committee, to which ge- neral Woofter belonged, for ammiiniti'on. After fome demur they fupplied him, and he marched off with his company to the American head-quar- ters, which he reached on the twenty-ninth of April. ^ The * The ftores tak'en at 'Ticonderoga were between 112 and 1 20 iron cannon, from 6 to 24 pounders ; 50 fv.ivels of dif- ferent fizes, 2 ten inch mortars, i howitzer, i cohorn, 10 tons of mufket balls, 3 cart loads of flints, 30 new carriages, a confiderable quantity of ftiells, a ware-houfe full of mate- lialsto carry on boat-building, roo ftand of ftnall arm^, 10 cafks of very indifFerent powder, 2 brafs cannons, 30 bar- rels of flour, and 1 8 barrels of pork. The prifoners were I captain, i gunner, 2 ferjeants, arid 44 rank and file, be- lides women and children. Captain die la Place, notwithltarid- ing his lhameful condu(51:, was not brought to a tourt-manial, but was fufFered to fell out. AMERICAN WAR. H9 r The whole military force of Canada, at this CHAP, period, did not exceed two regiments, the fe- venth and the twenty-lixth, containing together ' about eight hundred men : For fo much did ge- neral Garleton rely on his influence with the Ca- nadians, and the reprefentations of the clergy, that in the preceding year affurances were fent to general Gage at Bofton, that a corporal's com- mand was fufficient for the defence of the pro- vince. Immediately however on the redu6lion of Crown Point, Ticonderoga, and the king's fhip on the Lake Champlain, the two regiments were ordered to St. John's, a fort about twelve miles from Montreal, which was ftrengthened by two redoubts, that were ordered to be conftruded on their arrival. No fooner was inteUigence of the fuccefs of the Americans received at Bofton, than gene- ral Gage difpatched brigadier-general Prefcott, and two officers of inferior rank) with two fhips to Montreal, where they arrived in July? About July, the fame time alfo colonel Guy Johnftone arrived at that place with feven hundred of the warriors of the Five Nations, who propofed to general Carletou to retake Crown Point and Ticonderoga, alleging that thefe places were but weakly garri- foned by the Americans. This proje(5l was not; adopted by the general. In purfuance of the refolutions of congrefs to attack Canada, the generals Schuyler and Mopt- gomery were difpatched with three thoufapd meil to Lake Champlain, acrofs which flat-bottomed boats were to convey them down the Sorrel. And, in order that their pafTage might not be ob- ftru6led, they took poffeffion of an ifle called the Ifle aux Noix, commanding the entrance into the lake. Hence they marched to St. John's, where they arrived on the fixth of September. The September. moment HISTORY OF THE CHAP, moment they landed they were attacked by a II' party of Indians, who obliged them to retreat to '"'^nr^ their boats, and to return to Ifle aux Noix. 1775' General Schuyler having fallen into an indifpo- fition of body, the command of the detachment devolved of courfe on general Montgomery, who being joined byfeveral parties of Indians, offended at their reje£lion by general Carleton, and the re- mainder of the troops deftined for this expedi- tion, refolved to advance immediately and lay liege to St. John's. The whole military force of Canadabeingthus concentered in one point, colonel AUen, the fame Allen to whom the Americans were indebted for the redu6iion of Crown Point and Ticonderoga, and who knew the weak Hate of Montreal, re- folved to add, if polTible, this important place to |iis other conquefts. With a party of about one hundred and fifty men, compofed of Americans and Indians, he . marched to the banks of the river St. Laurence, which he croffed in the night, about three miles below Montreal. Intelligence however by this time had been received of their approach ; and the town's-people, with about thirty-fix of the twenty-fixth regiment, being embodied under the command of major Campbell, attacked and beat back colonel Allen's detachment, and took the co'lonel himfelf prifoner. On this an order was difpatched to colonel Ma- clean, a "brave, indefatigable, and experienced officer, then at Quebec, to procure as many re- cruits as he could, and haften to that part where the river Sorrel difcharges itfelf into the Gulph of St. Laurence. The colonel, by unwearied di- ligence, raifed a force of three hundred and fe- venty Canadians, with whom he marched to the pqfl to which he ^yas ordered, where he was re- inforced A M E R I C A N W A R. inforced by about two hundred more of the natives, C H A P. Here he remained waiting for orders, and expedl- II- ing to be joined by general Carleton, who intend- '"-"T^ edto crofs the river at Montreal, and march to ^^^^^ the relief of St, John's, But it unfortunately happened that at the place where the general attempted to land, his boats could not be brought nearer than within a mufket ihot of the Ihore, where, too, the enemy had planted two pieces of cannon, which annoyed them feverely. It was a fubje6l of general animad- verfion, that he had attempted to land at the only place where oppofition might be expe6led, and contrary to the advice of the moft experienced inhabitants. There were other places where he might have landed in fafety. Several of our men were killed : The few who landed were inftantly taken prifoners ; and the general, with the fmall remainder of his detachment, was forced to re^ turn to Montreal, In the mean time, gener^ Montgomery had ^^p^^''^^^^ taken Fort Chamblee, a fmall fortrefs, five miles bi^L above St. John's, and commanded by major Stop- ford, of the feventh regiment, at the head of about one hundred and fixty men, with a few artillery. The whole of the detachment headed by Mont- gomery did not exceed, when greateft, two thoufand five hundred men ; nor the force fent againft Chamblee, under a lieutenant-colonel, three hundred. For at leaft fifteen days there was no breach made in the Avail, nor at any time any imprelTion made that deferved that name ; for the enemy, who had only two fix-pounders, a4d next to no ammunition, had never formed a regular battery*. The garrifon did not want powder * A fmall hole was made in the wall, but not witkin lefs than twenty-five feet from the ground. HISTORY OF H>E C H A P. powder and other ammunition but they were li- poorly clothed, and otherwife ill-provided. Ocl ''-^^r^ the third of November they furrendered to the ,^.775- Americans, on the condition of being allovv-ed to ^' go out with the honours of war. It was gene- rally and deeply regretted that this fort was not timeoufly reinforced, as it might have been, and alfo that the ammunition was not deftroyed ; as there was a fally-port through which it might have been thrown, even in day-light, and w ith- "otit the knowledge of the enem)^ into the river. The ammunition found in Chamblee * enabled the American general to purfue the iiege of St. John's, which, for waait of provifions and am- munition, was under the neceflity of furreiider- captureof ing Unconditionally on the thirteenth of Novem- St. johji's. ];)er f. The works of St. John's had been luffered to * A^nounting to So liarrels of flour, ii of rice, 7 of peafe, 6 firkins of butter, 134 barrels of pork, 124 barrels of gunpowder, 300 fuivel fliot, i box of mufket fhot, 6564 mqfket cartridges, 150 ftand of French arms, 3 royal mor- tars, 61 ibells, 500 hand grenades, 83 royal fufdeer's mufkets, 83 accoutrements, and rigeing for 3 veffels. As the affail- ants were reduced to their iall round of fhot, if it had not been for the furrender of Ghamblee, they muft have aban- doned their attempt on Canada. t In this fort we^-e found 17 brafs ordnance, from 2 to 2 4 pounders, 2 eight-inch howitzers, 7 mortars, 2 2 iron ordnance from 3 to 9 pounders, 'a confiderable quantity of iaot and ikells, and about Boo Hand of fmali arms, with a few naval Itores. The capture of St. John's muft undoubtedly be at- pibuted to the fhameful furrender of Chamblee by major Jjtppford, and to the reprehenfible neghgence of the com- inahding oflicers at Montreal and Quebec. It was well known that St. John's' polleffed neither a fufiicient quantity 6f ftores nor provifions ; yet noaflillance was alfoi'ded them ia either of thefe articles, though both of tliem could have been procured with fufiicient eafe from Chamblet; and Mon- treal, from the former place even by land carriage. The fort how^ever, 'notwithftanding thefe diladvantages, v.'as moft gal- lantly defended, and was furrendered only on account of the •V'aBt of , provifions and ammunition. AM E R I C A N WAR, -'53 tQ remain in bad order, and without fufficient CHAP, ftores, although the governor had long been in- In- formed that a defcent on Canada was in contem- """^"^r^^ plation. Ammunition might, in good time, have ^775* been thrown in from Chamblee, only twelve miles diftant. It is but juftice here to mention that the garrifon, conlifting of upwards of five hundred regulars, and above one hundred Canadian vo- lunteers, behaved with great fortitude and per- feverance, though, from the difadvantages juft mentioned, they were forced to furrender. Im- mediately on the furrender of St. John's, general Carleton quitted Montreal, ^s it was incapable Montreal, of making any defence, It fell o,f courfe inio the hands of the American general. Apprehenfions were now entertained for the fafety of Quebec, and not without reafon ; for at this period it was ill provided with men, and its fortifications were in a ruinous condition. The garrifon contained but one captain, two fubal- terns, and fifty men of the feventh regiment, one lieutenant-colonel, fix captains, twelve fubalternS;, and three hundred and fifty of colonel Ma- clean's corps then railing, five companies of Bri- tifh militia, containing each about forty men, fix companies of Canadian militia, about fifty men each, a battalion of feamen, under the command of captain Hamilton of the Lizard frigate, mounting to two hundred and fifty men, and a few of the artillery. There were no other work^ than a wall, lijrrounding the town ; the parapets were broken down in feveral places, and there was neither glacis nor covered-way. The majo- rity of its inhabitants were but ill affe£ied to the Britifh caufe ; and the Qjiebec ad, with the re- jeftion of their petition againft it, had in a man- ner alienated their affeftions from the mother- t;ountry, as already obferved. At this period I HISTORY OF THE CHAP, general Carleton was mt very popular ; for when II- the Qiiebec aft xv^s in contemplation, he had taken ^'^nr^ an adive part in the framing of it, and, on his exar '775- mination before the houfe of commons, had caft fome refledions on the condti^ of the Britifti- merchants of that province.' His manners, be- fides, were not conciliating, and • he had always attached himfelf to the Canadian ndbleffe.^ The Americans wer6 not ignorant of theie circum- {lances, which, with good reafon, they flattered themfelves would operate in their favour. Colonel Maclean, in the meantime, with his detachment, which decreafed daily by defertion, xlill remained in cxpedation of receiving orders at Sorrel; which place, however,' he was at length, without waiting for orders from fir Guy Carleton, determined to quit on the following account : On the fifth of November, an exprefs was tranfmit-- ted to him, acquainting him that colonel Arnold had unexpedledly arrived at a place called Point X^evy, oppofite Quebec, and that- the city was in the moft imminent danger. At the time when the provincial army was en-- camped before Bofton, colonel Arnold laid be- fore general Wafhington ■ the following planv^ About^'one hundred and thirty miles to the north,- ward of Bofton, a river called the Kennebeck, ftretches from the fea as far northward as the lake fet. Pierre, which is at no great diftance from the city ofGUiebec. The colonel propofed to fail up the ^-iver with a detachment of one thoufand five hun- dred men, aud penetrating through the fwamps, forefts, and hilly land that fep^rate New England from Canada, beyond the Iburces of the Kenne- beck, to fcrprife Quebec ; which being unpre- pared for fuch an attempt, would fall an eafy prey. General Wafhington having teftified his appro- bation of the.propofal,^the cOlonel fet out on his expedition. AMERICANWAR. e^xpedition. Extreme were the difficulties and CHAP. d{angers he encountered and fyrmounted with the H- mioft aftoniftiing fortitude and perfeverance. The '^-^'^r^ Kenn check is full of rocks and ihoals, which of- ^^75- ten obliged this gallant detachment to carry their b«oats and rafts on their backs for miles along the Ihiore . Nor when they had traverfed the length o)f the Kennebeck were their difficulties dimi- niiffied. The fwampy grounds, added to the fa- tijgue already endured, produced a variety of diiforders ; provifions began to fail, and a third p>art of the detachment, on fome trivial pretence, dleferted with a colonel at their he^d. Difficulties h(owever feemed only to invigorate Arnold : Meither difpiriied by the defertion of a part of hiis army, nor by the difeafes under which many oif the remainder laboured, the colonel left the flick behind him, and marched pn. Six weeks aifter his departure from Boftpn he arrived pn the pilams of Canada, and immediately encamped oippofite to Quebec, atafpot called Point Levy. The confternation occafioned by his unexpea- etd arrival, and by the intrepidity of the atchieve- mient, was univerfal ; and had not the fmall- ciraft and boats been fortunately removed before hiis approach, he would doubtlefs, in the general cconfternation, have made himfelf matter of the; cnty. The removal pf thefe produced a delay of fcome days, to which Quebec owed her fafety ; f(or colonel Maclean, with his fmall detachment, hiavmg quitted Sorrel, after having infprnied fir Guy garletpn by letter pf his intention, advanced by forced marches to Quebec, where he arrived im the evening of the thirteenth of November. On the fqcceeding day, Arnold, by the help of a dark night, having landed his men on the other fiide of the river, and being totally ignorant of C(olpnel Maclean's arrival, attacked the city at the gate HISTORY OFTHE .CHx\P. gate of St. Louis, but was repulfed with flaugSi, II. ter ; the city being ftrengthened by fome pieces of "-^ir^ cannon that were landed from a frigate in the J775- river. Arnold receiving intelligence from feveral Canadians refiding in Quebec, that it was pro- pofed to attack him early in the morning of the nineteenth, removed his men to Point au Trem- ble, twenty miles diftant frorp Quebec. On the twentieth, general Carleton, who had made his efcape through the enemy's craft in a whale-boat, arrived in the city, and immediately began to make vigorous preparations for its de- fence. At the fame time he exprelfed his entire approbation of colonel Maclean's condud, aod publicly thanked him for his very judicious and gallant condp(5l. Arnold, who had brought no artillery with him, and who now difcovered the impoffibility of taking the city without that advantage, contented himfelf with returning to the fpot he had formerly occupied, where he could intercept all fupplies and communications, and where he refolved to wait the arrival of Montgomery. Montgomery, after the capture of Montreal, employed himfelf in conftruaing flat boats to attack the BritiHi ar- maments, which, coiififting of eleven armed vef- lels, qn board of which were general Preicot, and fome other oificers of rank, together with a large quantity of military ilores, was o)pliged to iur- lender to his viaorious arms. Proceeding imnie- diately to Quebec, he arrived there on the fifth of December, and fuimmoned the city to furren- der. The fummons was treated with contempt, and general Carleton refufed all correfpondence with him. Batteries were then immediately open- ^ ed, which did little damage, and were demoliflied almoft as foon ;as they were ereded. The whole artillery and fortifications of the city were corn- er : milled A M E R I C A U- W A R; '57 initted to the management of cok nel Maclean CHAP, (whofe indefatigable diligence and intrepid de- H. meanour during the whole of the fiege acquired ^•^nn*-' him infinite honour), and every poffible prepa- *775- ration was made to defend the cit j to the kft ex- tremity. Montgomery and Arnold were now in a moft critical htuation from the want of proper artil- lery, for they had none heavier than twelve pounders. They faw themfelves unable to make any imprelTion on the fortifications of Quebec ; and from the malcontents they had nothing now to exped, becaufe each had thought it moft pru- dent to join the common caufe for the preferva- tion of his own private property. Winter was approaching faft, and to conlume it on the plain's of Canada was a profpe6l moft dreary and uit- promifing ; yet, on the other hand, it was effen^. tially neceffary that the firft campaign fliould be clofed with a brilliancy that fhould prevent the public ardour from experiencing any diminu- tion. Thus fituated, it was refolved to ftorm the city. Forlorn indeed were the hopes of fuccefs ; but for- lorn, at any rate, was the profped before them ; .and the refolution was not abandoned. It was fuppofed that Montgomery was averfe to this mea- fuYe, but he was under the necelfity of giving his affent, becaufe a large number of his men, whofe time of fervice had nearly expired, threat- ened to leave him immediately if the attempt were not made. The neceffary difpolition for ftorming the town was accordingly put in execu- tion, and Montgomery refolved to lead the for- lorn hope. Four attacks were to be made at the fame time — two falfe ones, by Cape Diamond and St. John's gate, and two real, under Cape Diamond, by Drummond's Wharf and the Potafti^ Th§ atuack» 158 HISTOXY or THE CHAP, attacks were to be begun at break of day on the II. thirty-firft of December 1775, and the firing of ^-nr^ rockets was to be the fignal. By fome miftake ^775- however, the attacks on Cape Diamond and St. John's Gate were begun firft, and the Englifti difcovering them to be merely feints, polled only a flight force to defend thofe points, and con- veyed the greater part of their ftrength to the lower town, where with good reafon they ima- gined the real attacks were to be made. Mont- gomery headed one of thefe attacks, Arnold the other. Montgomery, with nine hundred men, had to pafs a dangerous part, where he was be- tween two fires. He led his men however to the attack with that coolnefs and intrepidity which never forfook him. Captain Bairnsfeather, the niafter of a tranfport, who defended this poft, Xuffered the enemy's detachment to advance within fifty yards before a gun was fired. A dreadful difcharge of cannon was then poured upon them, and almoft the firft who fell was Montgomery. The Americans, deprived thus of their gallant leader, paufed a moment, but did not retreat. They marched on to the attack with firmnefs, and for half an hour fuftained a moft galling difcharge of cannon and mufquetry. Find- ing then that their attempts could not be attended with fuco^fs, they withdrew from the attack, and retreated. Arnold, who at the head of feven hundred men attacked the city at the Saut des Matelots, was rather more fuccefsful. The Canadian guard, ■appointed to defend it, ran away after the firft fire ; and of the feamen who managed the guns, all were either killed or wiunded. Arnold hav- ing the misfortune to receive a wound in the leg early in the engagement, was obliged to retire; but the next in command continued the attack with A M E R I C A N :.W A R. tvith unabated vigour. The firft and the fecond CHa P. barriers were taken, after an obftinate refiftance, H- and againft the third a ladder was already placed "^-nr^ to convey the enemy into the town, whenade- ^775- tachment of colonel Maclean's regiment under captain Nairn, and a party with colonel Caldwell at their head, fortunately arrived. Captain Nairn immediately feized the ladder, and by his refolute condu6l drove the enemy from the houfe againft which they had fixed it. They were then driven from the barrier, after a moft defperate attack, and purfued to fome xiiftance. In thefe attacks the lofs on the part of the Englilh was but trifling, nor did the Americans lofe above fif- ty men. Colonel Arnold, though thus difappointed In his endeavours againft Quebec, refolved not to withdraw from the province. He ft ill remained encamped on the heights of Abraharo, whence he could intercept diiy fupplies that might be at- tempted to be convey H into the city, and where he hoped to increase his fmall detachment by ingratiating himfelf with the Canadians. Such was the iffue of the expedition againft Canada, and fuch the termination of the firft campaign, in which the Americans had acquired great milkary diftindion ; yet brilliantly (though certamly uufuccefsfully) as the firft campaign was concluded, the Americans thought their mihtary glory dearly purchafed with the lofs of the gal- lant Montgomery. Montgomery, at the conclufion of the laft war, retired to America, where he married. Here his charader was fo univerfally refpeaed, that at the commencement of the difturbances he was invited by congrefs to defend their caufe, and honoured with the rank of brigadier-gene- ral. His manners were eafy and conciliating, I and I5 lieutenant-colonel Archibald Campbell, with feven hundred men, ran right into Bofton harbour, not knowing but that place was ftill in our hands. He was treated in a cruel and favage manner*. Communication between the forces that * Cdpy of a letter ftom the late fir Archibald Campbell to lit William Howe. e c r x> " Concord Gaoly * ^ i ^> <« i^h February 1 7 77- " ScARdi; eight days had elapfed after the period of my ** firft addrefs, -when I found myfelf ftripped of half my " property, the very neceffaries of life ; and I have been " lately informed that the fide-arms of my officers have ac- *^ tually been difpofed of, notwithftanding they were honouf- " ably reftored to them by the captors I was, however, fent ** upon my parole of honour to Reading, vsthete I refided till " the firft of this month, during which time it was even be- ** yond the power of malevolent afperfion to charge my con- " AnB. juftly with impropriety. " On the firft of February I was committed, by an order " of congrefs, through the council of Bofton, to the com- " moil gaol of Concord, intimating for a reafon, that your '* excellency had refufed to exchange general Lee for fix ** field officers (of whom I happened to be one), and that " your excellency had put that officer under cuftody of the " provoftr How far it may be confiftcnt to ill-treat an offi- " cer A M E R I C A N W A R. 191 that lay on each fide of the river' was thus pre- C H A P. vented, and Arnold found it impoflible to put V. his intentions of the day before into execution, ""■"nr^ Onthelixth of May 1776, the reinforcement ''77<^ being landed, general Carleton fallied out upou the provincials, who fled with the utmoft fpeed, leaving " cer becaufe his commatider does not chufe to accept o£ " proffered barter of that nature, is left to reafon and future " confequences to decide, efpecially when it is confidered, " that there is no perfonal charge againft that officer, and " the public faith and honour of America was pledged for his being treated as a gentleman, " With refped to your excellency's treatment of general " Lee, I can fcarcely think it limilar to mine ; but that yoii may be able with more precifion to decide on that point, I. " fhall briefly ftate my prefent unmerited condition. " I am lodged in a dungeon of twelve or thirteen feet " fquare, whofe fides are black with the greafe and litter of " fucceffive criminals ; two doors, with double locks and > " bolts, ihut me up from the yard, with an exprefs prohibi* " tioh to enter it, either for my health or the neceffary calls " of nature: Two fmall windov/s, ftrongly grated with iron, " introduce a gloomy light to the apartment, and thefe are at " this time without a fingle pane of glafs, although the fea- " fon of the froft and fnow is aftually in the extreme. lit the corner of the cell, boxed up with the partition, ftands " a neceflary-houfe, which does not feem to have been " emptied fince its firll appropriation to this convenience of " malefactors. A loathlbms black-hole, decorated with z " pair of fixed chains, is gra.nted mefor my inner apartmeiltj *' from whence a felon was but the moment before removed, " to make way for your humble fervant, and in which hi* " litter and excrement remain to this moment. The attend- *' ance of a fingle fervant is alfo denied me, and every vifit " from a friend pofitively refufed : In fhort, fir, was a. fire to happen in any chamber of the gaol, which is all of wood, " the cliimney-ftacks excepted, I might perifti in the flames " before the gaoler could go through the cerfemony of ui»- bglting the doors ; although, to do him juftice in his fia* " tion, I really think him a man of humanity ; his houfe i» *' fo remote, that any call from within, efpecially if the " wiad is high, might be long of reaching him effe* embarked his troops, and landed at ten o'clock V. at night at Point an Diable, a place about fix miles nr^ from the Cedars. A party was immediately dif- ^^T^* patched to reconnoitre the fituation of the enemy. On the eighteenth captain Forfter proceeded, un- der cover of a thick wood, within a mile of the fort, where he made the following difpofition : One company of privates, the volunteers, and one hundred Indians, were ordered to take pof- fefiion of the wood, and to penetrate it as near as pofTible to the enemy. Another body of one hundred Indians was at the fame time difpatched to the Falls at the entrance of the Cafcade, in or- der to cut off all communication with the ifland of Montreal. This body on their march fell in with a detachment of the garrifon, who were re- turning with provifions from the Cafcade. At fight of the Britifh troops they fled to the fort, with the lofs of one man. This was the firft cer- tain intelligence received by the enemy of the approach of captain Forfter. A flag of truce was then fent to the fort, order- ing the enemy to furrender themfelves prifoners of war. Major Butterfield, who commanded it, requefled four hours confideration- Conceiving that this requifition originated only in a wifti to gain time, and being informed that a colonel Biddel had been fent to obtain a reinforcement from Montreal, captain Forfter fent a fecond flag, faying that the Indians w^re at prefent petfeftly under his command, and that if the garrifon fyr- rendered immediately, he had no doubt but that they would agree to any thing he wiflied ; but if the fort did not furrender, and any of the Indians fliould be killed, captain Forfter could not anfwer for the confequences. In reply to this requifi- tion, the commanding officer of the garrifon. ; Vol. I. O agrec4 194 H I S T O R Y O F THE CHAP, agreed to a furrender, on coiidition of beinig al- V. lowed to retire to Montreal. To this, captain ^^nr^ Forfter would not confent. In the evening of the »77^' eighteenth a redoubt was thrown up at the edge of the wood, within five hundred yards of the fort. In the morning of the nineteenth captain Forfter advanced within one hundred and twenty yards of the fort, and commenced a heavy fire of mufketry, which continued till twelve o'clock, when the fort was furrendered, on condition of the lives of the enemy being preferved, and their baggage prevented from being plundered. In this attack one Indian was killed on the part of the Englilh. The number of prifoners taken amounted, officers included, to three hundred and ninety*. On the twentieth of May, captain Forfter * Articles of Capitulation for furrendering the Cedars, " After the matureft deliberation on the cuftoms and man- ners of the favages in war, -which I find fo oppofite' and " contrary to the humane difpofition of the Britifh governv " ment, and to all civilized nations, and to avoid the inevi- " table confequence of the fayage cuftom in former wars ^' (which by their threats and menaces I find is not changed), " that of putting their prifoners to death, to difencuraber them- " felves in cafe of their being attacked by their enemy ; I " have therefore, in compliance with the above difpofitican " in government and the diftates of humanity, thought fit ito " enter into the following articles of agreement with briga- " dier-general Ar»old, in the name of the power he is eim- " ployed by, and of the officers and foldiers who fhall be re- % leafed by this agreement, whofe rank and number lhall be " endorfed on this cartel. " I ft. That there fhall be an exchange of prifoners faitHi- •". fully made, returning an equal number of his majefly '3 troops of the fame rankof thofe releafed by this agreememt, *' as foon as poffible, within thefpace of two months, allow- " ing a moderate time for cafualties that may render the por- " fprmance of this article impracticable. " 2d, That the prifoners fhall be conduced with fafety, " and all poffible convenience and difpatch that circumilancteS : . " wiiii AMERICAN WAR. 195 Porfter being informed that a party of the enemy CHAP, were advancing from Montreal to the fort, or- V. dered one hundred Indians to take poffefTion of ^-'^'^r^ the woods on both fides of the road through ^77^* O 2 which " will permit, to the fouth fliore of the river St. LauTente,' " from which they are to repair to St. John, and return to. their " own countries immediately, without committing any wafte " br fpoii oti their march thitlher, allowing ten or twelve to " go to Montreal, to tranfadl their privEite aflFairs. 3d, That the prifoners fo returned fhall not, under any " pretext whaifoever, either in words, M'riting, or figns, " give the leall information to government enemies, or to their adherents now in arms, in the leaft prejudice to his *' majefiy's fervice. *' 4th, That the batteauz, oir other conveniencles made ufe " of to tranfport the prifoners to the fouth ftiore of the faid " river, or the neceflary people to condudl them, fhall return *' unmolefted. 5th, That hoftages be delivered, for the performance of ar- " tides to the full, according to the fenfe and Ipirit of the *' agreement, without any equivocation whaifoever. " 6th, That the fecurity of the lubfcribers be given to the " inhabitants for all the wafte and fpoil committed by the de- " tachment under colonel Biddel, on fair account attefted and " figned being delivered, for which the hoftages are not to be " anfwerable. "It being ourfuU intention to fulfil the above articles, we " mutually fign and interchange them as aflurances oi per- " formance. " Given under our hands this 2;7thday of May, A. D. 1776. (Signed) GEORGE FOUSTER, '* Captain, commanding the king's troops." " At Vaudreuil. *' Article 2d, The prifoners fhall be fent to the fouth /hore " of St. Laurence, within one league of Caughnawaga, and " from thence to St. John's to their own country, except " twelve who have liberty to go to Montreal, for which pur- " pofe lix days fhall be allowed, and hoftilities to ceafe on " both fides. , , . jt , . , '. 4th, Four captains fliall be fent to Quebec as hoftages, " and remain there until prifoners are exchanged. " 6th, The continental troopjs, from principle, have ever **. avoided plundering. Upon pn-gof being made of any wafte " committed j^^' HISTORY OF THE CH AP, which they were under the neceffity of pafling. V. This detachment foon fell in with a party of the ^^ir*^ enemy, which, after a ihort conflidt, in which * 776- one Indian was killed and three wounded, furren- dered at difcretion. The Indians immediately returned with their prifoners to the fort. On their arrival at the outfide of the works they halted, for the purpofe of putting them to death. Captain Forfter however, by his fpirited conduct, prevented them from putting this inhuman deter- mination into execution, and, rifking the fafety of his own men, depofited the prifoners in the fort, having fatisfied his Indians by making them fome prefents. On the fucceeding day he ad- vanced to Vaudreuil, lituated about fix miles to the northward of the Cedars. On the twenty- fourth of May, having received intelligence that the enemy, under colonel Arnold, had polled themfelves at Lalhine, nine miles from Montreal, captain Forfter marched to attempt to diflodge him from it. He had advanced within three miles of Laftiine, when he was informed that the l^umber of the enemy amounted to fix hundred, which would be increafed to near treble that num- ber on the fucceeding day. On this account he thought it prudent to retire to Vaudreuil. On the twenty-fixth of May colonel Arnold advanced up the river, with feven hundred men, to attack him. Captain Forfter immediately formed his men into three divifions, which were placed on three points of land that ftretched a little way into the river. The left point was occupied by the fa- vages. " committed by colonel Biddel's detachment, reparation ^hall " be made. " Given under our hands this 27th day of May 1776. (Signed) B. ARNOLD, it e AN, ^ " Brigadier-general of the continental 5t. Ann s. «c troops." AMERICAN WAR. 197 vagcs. The ground in that point was rather CHAP, fwampy, and covered with wood almoft to the ^• water's edge. The central point, which was open ^"^^^TT^ ground, was poffefled by captain Forfter; and '77 • the right point, fituated at the head of a danger- bus rapid, was defended by a body of Canadians : Another body of Canadians was alfo fituated on the ifle of Perrault, oppofiteto the right point. The enemy firft made an attempt on the left point, but were repulfed. They next endea- voured to land in the central point, but were pre- vented. An attempt againft the third point was attended with the fame fuccefs. The enemy therefore relinquifhed their intentions, and re- turned to St. Ann's, on the ifland of Montreal. Captain Forfter finding himfelf now much encum- bered by the number of his prifoners, and having received no intelligence of general Carleton*s ar- rival at Trois Rivieres, judged it expedient to enter into an exchange of prifoners with colonel Arnold. This cartel was afterwards broken by congrefs, on a pretence that captain Forfter had condudled himfelf towards the prifoners taken at the Cedars in a cruel and inhuman manner. This pretence however, it fliould be mentioned in juftice to captain Forfter, had not the fmalleft foundation. And in confirmation of the afTer- tion, and of captain Forfter's humanity, captain Sullivan, who had been taken prifoner, in a let- ' ter to his brother general Sullivan, exprefled his furprife at hearing that congrefs, inftead of re- deeming him and the other hoftages, according to the cartel, had demanded captain Forfter to be delivered up. At the fame time he declared, in the moft folemn manner, that no man could be- have with more humanity than that gentleman HISTORY O F T H E CHAP, did after the furrender of the party to which he ^ V. belonged*. ^-OP*^ General 1776. * tetter from E; Sullivan to major-general John Sullivan, " member oi congrefs. " pKAR Sir, Montreal, Jug. 4, 1776. " " I AM permitted by his excellency, which is a favour I " did not expeft to obtain, to inform you 1 am well, as " aire the holtages that are with me. I am much fyrpriled to " hear that the congrefs, inftead of redeeming us according *' to the cartel, have not only refufed to do it, "but have de- " manded captain Forfter to be delivered up to arifwer his " conduft for what they are pleafed to term the malTacres at '< the Cedars. I would fain flatter myfelf that the congrefs *' would never have thought of luch unheard-of proceedings, " had they not had a falfe reprefentation of the matter. I do " hot think that I am under any reitraint when T fay, and *' call that God who muft judge of all things to witnefs, that " not a man living could haveuied more humanity than cap- '* tain Forfter did after the furrender of the party I belonged "to; and whoever fays to the contrary, let his ftation in " life be what it will, he is an enemy to peace, and a falla- " clous difturber of mankind. What reafon they can give " for not redeeming us I cannot conceive •, if they are wrongly *' informed that the affair of the Cedars was a maflacre, w^hy do not they rather fulfil the cartel than let their holtages *' remain in the hands of a merciiefs enemy; or do they re- " gard their troops only while the heavens make iheqa vi(5tQ- rious? Were we in the hands of a rigorous power, as they v;ould " intimate, have they not every colour of jultice, after fo " enormous a breach of faith, laden with chains, to caft " us into fome horrid place, and tell us to languiih out our " days under a fentence paffed by our own people? If they " fay that there is fome hidden reafon far beyond the reach of " policy to find out, for could they fuppqfe it policy to dif- " trefs his majefty's troops by retaining fuch a number of *' men from them, it would not only be the breach of <1 :ir *' faith that would threaten them; for confider the number *' of prifoners already in the hands of the Britilh army, and " alfo confider the chance of war that may yet throv; greater " numlaers into their hands. Will people reft content when they find their own rulers willing to let them remain pri- " foners A M E R I G A N W A R. 199 General Carleton, now reinforced by an addi- G H A P. tional number of troops from England, haliened to Trois Rivieres, fituated half-way between ^"''^C*' Montreal and (ot^iebec. That place, however, ^"^^ ' the Americans had deferted, and retreated as far as the river Sorrel, a diftance of one hun- dred and fifty miles. Here they halted, and were joined by reinforcements fent by congrefs. On the ftrength of thefe they refolved to make an attempt on Trois Rivieres. On this expedi- The Ameria tion two thoufand men were difpatched under the ""ois^'^u*^ command of general Thomfon. Coafting thevUres. lake St. Peter's on the fouth fide, they proceeded to " foner» in the hands of what they themfelves term (though " unjullly)' a ttiercilefi! pebple • or will they not, fired with " refentment for iuch inhuman treatment, take arms to fup- " prefs the power that regards them no longer than while " their blood is fpilling in their fervice ? If this, which ap- " pears too probable, ftiould happen, con fider whether thole *' perfons will not be followed by a number of their friends, v/hich muft naturally make a great divifion in the colonies. '« Then t^ike a; view of Great Britain and her allies pouring " on you, and let the moft fanguine expedter in America " there judge how long the colonies, thus divided, can Hand the fury of the combat. I know your influence has beeti . " great, and for that reafon have written, that you may, if i. poffible, yet prevent America from being branded with the " name of injuftice. If you fufpedl I write this for the " fake of getting my own liberty, your fufpicions wrong me; " it is not my confinement, but the breach of a treaty, which " even favages have ever held facred, that caufes me to ■ write. *' You will be fo hind as to convey the inclofed to my wife, " and if ever T had fo much of your love as to demand any " favour of you, let this be the time 1 may implore your af- " fiftance for my dillreffed wife and helplefs orphans. May -" God grant that I may once more fee them ; till when, " I am (A true copy.) " Your a ffeftionate brother, " EBEN. SULLIVAN/' • <' "Po the hon. general John Sullivan, - , " in Durham county, in New Hamp- " Ihire, near Portfmouth." aoo H I S T O R y 0 F XH .Z> • • tlip CHAP. to the river Nicollet, which comiieaices atr V. extremity of the lake, and difcharjes itfelf iiito ^-*nr^ the river St. Laurence. The bank; of the N ico- let are covered with a thick wood If ere they remained all day. ; At night they c^offe d over to a place called Point du Lac, wher< they landed, and immediately proceeded to T^ois Rivieres. A Canadian peafant, however, as fq>oi^, as they had landed, haft ened before them p general Fra- zer at Trois Riviere^, to inform hiir; of their ope- rations. General : Frazer immediitely landed a body of troops and fome field pitees, and pre- . pared to receive them. General Nelbit, at the fame time, pofted his detachment ii the enemy's rear, and effe^lually cut pif a retreit by the com- mon road, while major Grant, taiiug^ pofTelTion of the bridge, rendered their efcapp over the ri- ver De Loup impra6ticable. Repuifed On the arrival of the enemy at Trois Rivieres, w^th great ^ furious attack was commenced, which proved unfuccefsful. , General Frazer repuifed them with great lofs ; and their commander, general Thom- ., foil, wi|h about two hundred pf Ijis men, were taken prifoners. A large body, under , t ie command of colonel Allen, Ayho afterwards con.manded a pro- , •^iftcial regirrie.nt in his raajefty's fervice, knowing th^t'thei,r retreat by the common road had been cut off, retired into a wood on their left, which was full of deep fwamps. Here they remained in great diftrefs till next day, when fir Guy Carleton, who had arrived from Quebec, ordering major Grant to relinquifh the pofleflion of the bridge over the river De Loup, they fortunately effeded their efcape. The enemy, l^owever, were purfued ,, by. water, but for fome unknown reafon the purfuit . was difcontinued on the arrival of the Britjfh - troops at Sorrel. It was generally believed that if, infteadof coming to anchor, general Carletoi^ h^d A M E R I C A N W A R. 201 ■1>ad continued the purfuit, whicli he might have ^ ^ done, as the wind was as favourable as it could ^' poffibly be, he would undoubtedly have arrived at Chamblee ten or twelve hours before general Sullivan, who was encumbered with heavy can- non and baggage. In this cafe Sullivan would have been compelled to lay down his arms ; ge- neral Arnold would have been intercepted at Montreal, where he remained till the fixteenth of June ; and Ticondcroga, alfo, would have been taken, as no troops had beeu ftationed there for its defence. General Burgoyne, who had arrived with the June, laft reinforcements from England, now proceed- ed, in purfuit of the continental army, up the river to St. John's, but under orcJers from general fir Guy Carleton, not to rifk an engagement, un- til he fliould be fuftained by another column on liis right, direded to proceed to Montreal. This great precaution of the commander in chief gave the Americans an opportunity of makicg their efcape. The Americans had now entirely quitted Ca- The Ameriy nada, having in their retreat from Montreal and^^"^ St. John's, croffed the lake Cham plain, and fta-dr."' tioned themfelves at Crown Point ; which poll it i-was not judged expedient by the Britifh com- manders, at prelent, to attack. It has already been mentioned that Mr. Mar- Efforts oti ^^dn, governor of North Carolina, had been ob- f^" BhtSh 'tiged to flee for fhelter, like the governors of government ■ r O R Y O 'jpvH E CHAP, of theffe parties was given to the colonels Mkcdo* ^' nald and' Macleod, whoj-^by the govern 0^'i^ €Hr "-pr^ region, erefted the king's ftandard," to which he '77^' fummoned all per fSns to repair. 'This force was intended 46 a6V in conjundion with 'a body of troops expeded i^arly' in the fpring, which, how- ever> 4id not arrive in time for ' c6-operalion. The Highlanders were to mafrch down the north- ernmoft branch of Cape Fear to Wilniingtori, a town about: twe^ty-foiir miles fi^om the Forki where they were to metr tiy and fueh veffels unlefs im- pelled HISTORY OF THE CHAPpelled to it by neqeffity; or otherwife the infe- V. cure and unfoldierly pofition that the rebels had "-"^ir^ taken, which was with a deep morafs and fwamp on their left, the north-weft river on their right, and the deep creek of Rock-Filh in their rear, added to the dread that at that period they enter- tained of the broad-fword, as well as of the ufc the Highlanders had on former occafions made of it, were circumftances too inviting to be neg- lefted by any who were in the leaft acquainted with military operations. The loyalifts had certainly nothing clfe in view but to fmuggle themfelves down to Wilmington, legardlefs of what force they left in the rear, provided they met none in front to oppofe their progrefs; and, with this view, after wafting their time in fruitlefs intercourfe with the rebel party at Rock-Fifti, they crofled the north-weft river at Cambleton and Gibfon's ferries, intending to proceed to Wilmington, through a neck of land thinly inhabited, which is called Black-River Road, and feparated by that river and the north- weft, and which leads to a place, fituated on the conflux of the north-eaft and north branches of Cape Fear, within half a mile of Wilmington, ^nd called Negro-Head Point. In the mean time, the embodying of the loy- alifts hadfpread abroad through the province; and asfoon as colonel Moore's party had marched from Wilmington, a colonel Cafwell, who commanded one of the continental regiments in the neigh- bourliood of Newburn, coUeded about four or five hundred men, and with one two-pounder and two fwiveis marched to the -north-weft of pape Fear, to a6l as occafion might require, polonel Cafwell, who was a fcnfible difcerning man, and was reckoned one of the beft woodfmen in the province, readily forefaw that, if an en- gagement AMERICAN WAR. 20S gagement had taken place between the loyalifls c H A P. and the rebel party on the north-weft fide of Cape V. Fear, that their route would be by the Black Ri- ''-'nr^ ver Road ; and for that purpofe he marched to ^77<5* the road leading to Negro-Head Point, and crofled Moore's Creek, which is about twelve miles from thence. In order to arreft theprogrefs of the loyalifts, at the fame time, colonel Moore, finding that the loyalifts had taken the other fide of the river, re- turned with his troops the fame way he went up, and crofting at the lower ferries, on the north- weft, effe6led a junftion with colonel CafwelJ, who was at that time encamped on the north fide of Moore's Creek bridge. The loyalifts had pro- ceeded without interruption within half a mile of the rebel camp ; and the night before they in- tended to attack it, they fent a flag of truce, by way of getting intelligence of their fituation, and which was nearly as hazardous a one, as that which colonel Moore had placed himfelf in at Rock-Fifli ; but the infecurity of their pofitioa did not efcape the vigilance of Mr. Cafwell ; for as foon as night came on, he lighted up all his fires, which he left burning, in order to deceive the loyalifts, retreated over Moore's Creek, took the planks off the bridge, and greafed the fleepers, which are only pafTable by one man at a time, and placed his men about fifty yards from the banks of the creek, behind trees, and fuch little in- trenchments as in the courfe of the night they ^vere able to throw up. The loyalifts, on the other hand, fiuftied with the accounts that their flag of truce brought them, determined to attack the rebels in their camp the next morning ; and accordingly colonel Macleod, who commanded the attack, feeing the fires in the rebel camp burning, and nobody there, concluded that 2o5 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, that the rebels had evacuated it through fear, and. V. with about twenty-two of the Highlanders he got over the bridge, intending to attack them fword 1776- in hand. But he had no fooner reached the top of the bank than he received two or three bullets, and almofl inftantly expired ; the remainder of the advanced party were all killed and wounded, except colonel Thomas Rutherford and captain Fraier, who efcaped unhurt. The loyalifts, dif- niayed at feeing a leader fall in whom they had fo much confidence, after firing off fome of their firelocks (which were levelled too high to do any execution), broke and difperfed, every one taking the nearefl way he could through the woods to his own home. Thofe from the back country were more luccefsful in their retreat, as being bet- ter woodfmen than the Highlanders, the leaders of whom were almofl all taken, together with ge- neral Macdonald, and fent off under a guard to different prifons at the northward, The rebels had one or two flightly wounded ; the loyalifts, about eight killed and fourteen wounded, of whom the greater part died. And thus unfortunately ended the firfi enterprife in the Carolinas in fup- port of his majefly's government. i*^,;Colonel Moore was afterwards a major-general in the rebel fervice, and colonel Cafwell was one of their governors ; and both behaved with great lenity and moderation towards the loyalifts while they continued in power. The army of the loy- ^lifls confifted of about eighteen hundred. The governors of the feveral colonies, in their reprefentations to the government of Great Bri- tain, had adduced many reafons on which they founded the following fuppofitions : That on ac- count of the infufhciency of ftrength in the dif- ferent provinces, thofe who were well affedled to Great Britain were reftraiued from taking an acr live A M E R I C A N VV A R. 207 tive part agatnft the Americans ; bl3t thaty if the G.H AP. 11)01 her-coiiutly would provide a refpedable force V- to countenance and co-operate with them, they "^""T"^ would immediately attach thenifelves to her caufe. ^77*^- In coufequence of thefe reprefentatioris, - th^if fif- teenth, twenty-eighth, thirty-third, thirty-fe^ venth, fifty-fourth, and fifty-levefith regiments, with feven companies of the fortj^-fixth regiment, embarked from Cork on the twelfth of February 1 776, under the Command of lord Cornwallis, in feveral tranfports under the convoy of fir Peter Parker. This is the force above alluded to, in- tended to co-operate with .the loyalifis iii Norlh Carolina. After a long voyage of near thtee months, occaiioned by the improper latenefs of their departure from Great Britain, all the fleet, except fome few ftiips, arrived at Cape Fear, id INonh Carolina, on the third of May. General Chnton, who had quitted Bofton in December^ immediately took the command of the troops, and ifTued a proclamation, in which he invited the inhabitants of the feveral colonies to return to their allegiance, and to place ihetnlelves under the protedion of the Britilh government. The eifed produced by this proclamation was trifling, and the caufe of Great Britain acquired by it but a fmall addition of adherents. The remainder of the fleet being not yet arr rived, general Clinton refolved to make a fmall diverfion, the principal obje— That it was their " opinion that lord Howe*s comraiflion did not " contain any other powers than thofe of gr^nt- " ingpardons, and of receiving all, or any Pne, , | of the colonies into the prote^):ion of theBri- " tifh goverment, upon fubmiiflion. With regard " to treating with congrefs, the commiiUoner? " were totally lilent, on account of their bein^ " forbidden to acknowledge the authority of thai " affembly, and empowiered only to treat with " the members of it in their private charadters, as men of abilities, weight, or iiriportance." <3L2 The 22S H I S TORY O F T H IS CHAP. The commiflioners beiijg therefore thus limitted VI. in their powers, no firm reliance could be placed ^"■^nr^ on any terms they might propofe or accede to *. 17Y6. Though lord Howe had been thi^s unfuccefsful in Ms propolitions to the congrefs committee, he thought it neceffary to publifh a declaration to the people of America, wherein, after glancing at the anfwer returned by that committee to his offers of reconcihation, he acquainted them that the parent-ftate vvas willing to receive into its bo- fom and protedion all who might be willing to fetiirn to their former fubmiflion and obedience. His lordfhip was certainly induced to adopt this meafure from the convidion that a majority of the inhabitants of America were decidedly in favour of entering into an accommodation of the differ- ences betxveen the two powers ; and this convic- tion was by no means ill-founded. This declara- tion however produced btit little effed, for thofe who refolved to accede to nothing fhort of an ac- knowledgment of the independence of America had acquired the fole matiagement of affairs, and had concentered in themfelves all the powers and refources of the country. CHAR ' * It was confidently aflerted at Philadelr-liia that Mr. Rutledge, upon his return, declared that the whole of what had paff'ed between lord Howe and the committee had no* been made public, .'. e, the whole of v;hat had been offered by lord Howe. AMERICAN W A R. CHAP. vn. . The Amer icans retreat, and the Englip Army takes pojfejfwn of New York — Jhe Americans greatly : dtJheartened^Deftgn Jo burn New York partly executed — Various Skirmijhing — Battle of White . Plains, CONVINCED now that all pacific meafures C H A P, would be ineffedlual, lord Howe refolved to adopt other meafures. It has been before faid that when the provincial forces retreated frorri ^776- Long Ifland they took fhelter in New York. Here they employed themfelves in eredling bat- teries, and throwing up intrenchments, in ordei: to annoy the Britifh fhipping. Both armies were divided by the Eatl River, thebreadtli of which, at this part, was about thirteen hundred yards. After a long and fevere cannonade it was refolved to make a defcent on the ifland on which Ne\y York Hands. To prevent their intentions from being discovered by the enemy, five fhips of war moved higher up the Eaft River, while, on th^ fifteenth of September, feveral flat-bottomed boats were employed in landing the troops,. The firft diviiion, confifting of fpur thoufand men under general Clinton, landed on New Yort ifland, at a place called Kipp's Bay, about three miles from the town, and took pofl: on a height call- ed the Inclenberg. The enemy were at this time in poffeflion of very advantageous ground and powerful intrenchments : Neverthelefs, they not only refraiaedfromoppofingthe'Englin^, butabaur doned HISTORY OF THE CHAP, doned their works on account of the furious can- VII. nonade of the five men of war appointed to cover *-nr^ the difembarkation of the troops. As the diffe- '776* rent divifions landed, they pofted tliemfelves on the high grounds that ftretch in anafcending di- tedion from the fea-fhore. At the fame time a detachment of Heffian troops advanced to N^w York, and in their way fell in with a party of the enemy retreating by the pafs at Blooming Dale. TheAmfiri- A Ikirmifh enfued, in which the Britifh were and the 'victorious, ^nd the Americans loft a brigadier- armftakes general and feveral other officers. About the poflemonoffame time another detachment pf the Briiifti htw York, troops made a movement to the right, in order to attack a large body of the enemy, who^, how- ever, on the "approach of the Englifti, retreated to the main body of the American army ported Oil Morris's Heights. No attempt being made to defend New York, it was taken pofleSion of bythe Ehglift. General Wafhington's army, at this period, amounted to twenty-three thoufand men, but moft of thefe, raw, undifciplined, and ill provided with neceffaries. New York is fituated in an ifland about fifteen miles in length, but not more than two in breadth ; on which account the Englifh' were enabled to extend their camp quite acrofs the ifland, on the part fartheft from the town. The enemy were pofted oppofite to them, and in liich an advan- tageous manner that any attack upon them would have been dangerous and imprudent. General Wafhington had ftationed four thoufand five hun- dred men in New York, which he withdrew on the approach of the Britifli army ; fix thoufand five hundred at Haerleni ; and twelve thoufand at a place called King's Bridge, which he had fortified in order to fecure a retreat, in cafe he Ihpuld be under the neceffitj of relinquifhing his preient AMERICAN WAR. prefent fituation, to the continent. And indeedCHA?. it was peculiarly fortunate tor the enemy that ^^^r they were thus, in a manner, fecure from attack, ^"^"^^^ fts their ardour had vifibly declined line e their defeat on Long Ifland. A paufe was neceffary , in order to enable them to recover their former fpirit. ' The check at Long Illand, and the expulfion The Ame. from New York, difpirited ^he Atnericati troops ^'g^jiyXl greatly. They apprehended every thing, and heartened, ^ere in great defpair. The militia were impa^ tientto return, and totally difobedient to orders. They went off by Mlf, arid in fome inftances by whole, regiments. What was called their flying camp was literally fo. Ravages were committed not only by privates, but, among the New Eng- landers, by officers. Almoft every villany and " rafcality," a gentleman of the army * wrote to his friend, " was daily pradifed with impu* ** nity. Unlefs fome fpeedy and efFedlual means ^* of reform are adopted by congrefs, our caufe wil-lbc loft. As the war muft be carried on " fyftematically, you muft eftablifli your army ** upon a permanent footing, and give your pffi- cers good pay, that they may be, and fup- " port the charader of, gentlemen, and not he " driven, by a fcanty allowance, to the low and " dirty arts which many of them pradife, to ^* filch the public of more money th^n all the " amoxmt of the difference of pay. It is not f* ftrange that there ftiould be a number of bad " officers in the continental fervice, when you confider that many of them were chpfen by their own men, who elcded them, not from a " regard to merit, but from the knowledge they had * General Read, in a letter to a nriember of congrefs, datr ed July 4th, 1 776. H I S T 0 R Y O F THE CHAP." had of their being ready to affociate with them VII. " on the footing of equality. It was fometimes ^""nr^ the cafe, that, when a company was forming, '776- <*the men would chufe thofe for officers who; " confented to throw their pay into a joint ftocb " with the privates, from which captains, lieu-> " tenants, enfigns, ferjeants, corporals, drum^ mers, and privates, drew equal lhafes. Can " it then be wondered at, that a captain fhould be tried and broken for ftealing his foldiers f* blankets ? or that another officer fhould be found fhaving his men in the face of charac- ters of diftin6lion ? With an army of force " before, and a fecri^t one behind, we fland on ^ a point of land with fix thoufand old troops, with which they were obliged to quit it, had rendered it impoffible for them to put their defignsinto execution : Neverthelefs, feveral per- fons having purpofely fecreted themfelves in the defcrted houfes, cpnt rived to fet fire to the town, on the morning of the twenty-firft of September, in feveral places. One-third of the town was thus deftroyed ; and had not the military exerted themfelves in a moft extraordinary manner, the whole would have been levelled with the ground. I he flames firft broke out at fome wooden ftore- houfes, at the fouthernmoft or windward part of New- York, near the Whitehall-flairs, jufl: by the battery, and foon became general up the Broad- way, :A; :M E R I C A N W A R. 135 w^y^ &c. by the violence of the wind blotving C H A P, burnt ftiingles from the houfes on fire to others, and fetting them on fire in rapid fucceflion. The ^'"'^T^ wind was fo ftrong, that it was aim oft impoifible "'^^ to face it, for fmoke and flakes of fire. The next day (Saturday) a great many cart-loads of bundles of pine flicks, dipped at each end for five or fix inches in brimftone and other combuf- tible matters, were found concealed in cellars of houfes to which the incendiaries had not had time to fet fire. Between one and two hundred nien and old women were taken up during the night, and fent to gaol on fufpicion, and three or four men deteded with matches and combuf- tibles were killed by the enraged foldiers. Moft, if not. all the men and women put into gaol, were releafed in a few days, after having their names X^ken and examined by a committee. The old Englifh church, and a German church, near it, with about eleven hundred houfes, were burnt; The rebels at Paulus Hook gave three cheers when the fteeple of the old Englifli church fell down, which, when burning, looked awfully grand. , The American army, with ftrong ground ia tiieir front, and extenfive fortifications in their rear towards King's Bridge, feemed to think themfelves perfedlly fecure, and almoft invulne- rable. ThJ Britilh troops knew the ftrepgth of fituation which the enemy poffelTed, and there- fore employed themfelves in throwing up a chain, of redoubts on Macgowan's Hill to cover New York, and render it capable of a vigorous de- fence, even after the bulk of the army fliould be engaged in more remote operations. As foon as the redoubts were completed it was determined to attempt the enemy's rear, by the New England road, from which they received moft of their fupplies. HISTORY OF THE C H AP.fupplies. This arrangement would either force them to hazard a battle, or reduce them to the ""•"^T^ necefiity of fulfering themfelves to be furrounded and confined in York Ifland. It has been alTerted that as foon as the Englifh had taken poflefTion of New York, they fhould have attacked the Americans, as the different pohtions which they had taken between the city and Fort Wafhing- ton, afterwards called Fort Knyphaufen, might have been forced without great difficulty or dan- ger. In confequence of the determination juft mentioned, three brigades of Britifh and one of Heflians being left to guard New York, the reft of the troops embarked on the twelfth of Oflo- ber in fl^t-bottomed boats and batteaux, and paf- fmg through, an intricate and dangerous pamge, called Hell Gate, to the Sound, landed the fame morning at Frog's Neck, ijot far from Weft Chef- ter, on the continent towards Connedicut. This was thought to be an error on the part of the commander in chief : Frog's Neck being really an ifland connedled with the main by a bridge, eafy to be bi-oken down (as happened in fa(5l) by the enemy. The miftake, when difcovered, ftiould have been remedied iqftantly, bypuftiing along fome other route to King's Bridge, which would undoubtedly have reduced the enemy to the neceffity either of defending the ifland or of forcing their way through the Englifti army, in order to gain the territory of New England. All poiTibility of their retiring to the Jerfeys was cut off by the Britifti fliips, which had now, with incredible difficulty and danger, pafTed Fort Waftiington, and taken their ftations in the North River. Thus it is fufficiently apparent that the Americans could not poffibly have effeded a re- treat without hazarding a battle, unlefs, indeed, they were to be pernytted to retire to the conti- nent AMERICAN WAR. 237 tient in fecure and uninterrupted a manner as CHAP, they did from Longlfland to New York. The VII. Americans themfelves. began to entertain ferious '"^"''^ alarms for their fafety ; for on' the day the Eng- ^77^* lifti landed, their main body moved off, in order to avoid being blockaded in the ifland. This movement originated with general Lee, who had recently arrived from South Garolina, and whofe abilities and faccefs had. rendered his opinion of great weight and importance. But this meafure, to which the American army undoubtedly owed its fafety, was adopted contrary to the original plan of general Wafliington. The circumflances of it are as follow : — When the Britilh army land- ed at Frog's Neck^ Wafhington harangued his officers, and told them, that they muft retreat no farther, but decide the fate of America on that ground. The ground on which they were then entrenched, extended in front of King's Bridge. General Lee came up foon after, and having learnt what had pafTed, remonftrated againft fo abfurd a determination. He reprefented that the Britifh would infallibly hem Wafhington's army round with fuch a chain of works^ as would re- duce him to the necelTity of furrendering through famine, without expoflng tHem to the hazard of a battle. ^ Lee's reprefentations fucceeded ; and ' ' the American army immediately refolved to quit fo dangerous a polition. On the eighteenth of Odlober, the Britifh troops re-embarking proceeded along the coafl to Pell's Point, where they ought to have landed origi- nally ; and difembarked there without difficulty. Soon after their landing a ffiarp fkirmiffi hap- pened in an attempt to diflodge the eneniy from a narrow jDafs, at which they had taken poft with a ftrong corps. Notwithftanding their advanta-, geous firamion, ■ the Americans retii'ed with confi* derable 238 K I S T O R Y O F X H Z C H A P, fiderable Ms. Thirty-two were killed and wound- ^J!~^ on the fide of the Englifti. 1776. twenty-firfl of Oaober the main divi^ fion of the Britifh army moved to New Rochelle, fituated on the found that divides Long Ifland from the continent. Here they were joined by thefecond divifionof foreign troops that had ar- rived from England, under the command of ge- neral Knyphaufen. The American army was now in a difagreeable fituation. The foldiers were very poorly clothed, and afcarcity of provifions among them had been followed by much illnefs. Nor, amidft thefe difad vantages, was their pofi- tion either fecure or eligible in other refped^s. Their fole refource was to avoid adion: For which reafon it was determined in a council of war that they fhould extend thenifelves into a long line behind the Brunx, well fecu red by works thrown up in front, to command every ford. The provincial army, in confequenee of this determination, ftretched along the ground parallel to that on which the Britifh' troops were marching ; from King's Bridge on the right, to White Plains on the left. The two armies were feparated by a deep river called the Brunx, al- ready mentioned. The rear of the Britifti was . covered by the Sound, not far diftant. With this relative arrangement the armies moved flowly towards the White Plains, where, on the eaftern fide of the Brunx, a detachment had been forti- fyiug a camp for the Americans, which camp they occupied with their whole army on the twcnty- fixth. oa.zz. The royal army, in two columns, marched from its encampment near Ward's Houfe, oti the banks of the Brunx; fir William Howe accom- mtotieofpanied the left column, fir Henry Clinton com- Plains, manded the right. As they approached the White Plains A M E R I CAN W A R. Plains the right column fell in with feveral bodies C HAP. of the enemy : And thofe bodies, fharply driven baci{, propagated a confiderable alarm in the ene^ "x-nr^ my's camp. When our troops arrived within about three quarters of a mile of the Americans, they had a .diftin<^ view of their whole pofition. They were encamped on a long ridge of hiil, the: brow of which was covered with lines haftily thrown up. A bend of the Brunx prote£led their right flank, and by another turning in its coprfe enveloped alfo the rear of their right wing. Farther ftill^ the point of the hill on the enemy's right, exceedingly fteep and rocky, \va^ covered by a ft'rong abbatis in front of the entfenchment. The left of the enemy Was rather refufed to the line in which the Britifti troops approached them, fo that they could not judge of it with great ac- curacy j but it; appeared to be polled in very . broken ground, difficult to be afl'ailed, and fur* nifliing a fecyre retreat. .The weakeft part was the centre, i The flope of the hill was very gra- dual in the dlirediion of the road by the- Court Houfe* Th^ lines were by no means formidable, not being JEraized ; and the rpckinefs of the foil prevented the ditch, from being made of any troublefome depth.] The B^tifti had in the field thirteen thoi^fand effedliy^ jneni The enemy's force was faid to exceed twenty thoufand, but Was not probably above feyenteen or eighteen thoufand: Nor was a great part of this force any Other than a loofe mihtia j nor had the conti- nental regiments yet acquir^ the chara6ler which they afterwards aitained from continued and more fuccefsful fervic^. Had an Jiffault been made on the , centre of the enemy's works, defeat would have been deftru^ion to the Americans. The ... whole of their, right wing muft have fallen into the power! of the Britifti army ; for the Brunx* not H I S T O R Y O.F THE G HAP. not being paffable in that part, cut off their te- VII. treat, and vidory was to be reafonably expe6led, ^-"^nr^ not only from the valour of our troops, but from ^ ^'7^* the confufion of the enemy. This indeed was obvious beyond example. When our army came in fight their tents were ftanding. The hurry of ftriking them, and of loading the waggons with the baggage, together with the movement of troops backward and forward, in evident uncer- tainty of purpofe, gave an extraordinary pi^ure of alarm. During this time the Americans kept up a cannonade on our army, who returned it, "|3ut the diftance was fo great that there was little effedl on either fide. Part of the Britifti columns formed behind fome riling ground, nearly pa- rallel to the enemy's front ; bat the right wing of the Britilh did not extend beyond the centre of the American array. That part of the enemy's pofition did not feem to be coahdered ; all the attention of the Britilh commander being fixed on another part of the field. Fourthoufand of the enemy were pofted on a hill in a line with the right of their camp, but feparated from it by the Brunx. The reafon of their occupying this pof- ture is inexplicable, unlefs it be that they could not be contained within the works of their camp. The poiTelhon of that hill would not enable the royalifts to annoy their camp, forit rofe fo gra- dually from the Brunx thatits cceft was not within random cannon fhot ; as was proved by many of our battalions lying upon it on their arms the whole evening after thip aftion : Nor had the enemy to apprehend that, from that quarter, an attack might be made on their rear, fmce the Brunx, deep and impradlicable, would have been ftill between the two armies. It feems to have been a blunder of general Wafhington's to have placed fo confiderable a corps entirely out of the capability -A ME R t C A N WAR. 241 q^pability of fupporting the reft of the army; CHAP, fpr twQ battaliQns and two pieces of cannon could effedlually prevent them from crofling either a ^-'T^ ford or a , bridge near their right flank, for the ^77<5' purpofe of annoying our troops, while they af- failfd their camp, PolTibly this error might lead fir William Howe to imagine this hill to be of more importancetlian it immediately appeared to be from its fituation. However, againft this hill all the efforts of the Britifh army were direded. A part of our left wing palTed the ford, which was entirely under command of our cannon. They then mounted the hillj and very gallantly drove the enemy from the ftrong heights on which they were polled. It was an attack little lefs rough than what an alTault on the enemy's lines might be conceived to be : And vidory, being obtained, was not followed by a fmgle advan- tage. The Americans remained tranquil in their entrenchments;. On the part of the Britilh, It became necelTary to fuftain the troops which had taken polfeiTion of the hill ; and as this occafioned a difficulty of co-operatior^ between the left and right wing cff our army, it was obvious that the latter could no .longer expediently attempt any thing againft the eneniy's main body. When, three days after, preparations were made for attacking the enemy's camp, doubts were entertained, concerning the wifdom of carrying the meafure into execution ; as the Americans had recovered their fpirits, and had affiduoufly ftrengthened their 'works. A rain of uncommon violence,, during the whole night, made the ground fo flippery that it was thought it could not be poffible to mount the face of the hill : And;, for that profeffed reafon, the intended aflault -was l^id alide. , iVoL. I. R On HtSTORY OF THk CHAP. On the night of the twenty -eighth of O(^ot>er VII. the Britilh troops lay on their arms, and en- cartiped next day with the left wing in the field 17^6. Qf battle, and the right extending from the othetf fide of the Brunx ; which pofition enabled them to make a front parallel to a certain extent with that of the enemy. In the mean time the Ame- ricans, who ftudiouily avoided being reduced to the neceffity of a pitched battle, employed them- felves in flrengthening their lines. On the thir- tieth, fOui" battalions f'rom Tork Ifland, and two from the Maroneck Poft, having reinforced the BritiCh army, a difpofition was made for the at- tack of the enemy's lines on the fucceeding morn- ing. This refolution, however, was abandoned, Onac^fount of rainy ^nd tempeftuous weather, as already m'fentioned. On the thirty-firft, the wea- ther proved fin& about noon, btit the commanded in chief did not think proper to put his former in- tentions in execution. The enemy had rendered tlieir lines fufficiently flrong to refill an attack, but being informed by a deferter that the Britifh . army would march againft them the next morn- ing, they evacuated their lines on the morning of the firft of September, and retired acrofs the Crotton river to North Caftle, fetting fire, in their retreat, to all the houfes on White Plains; Their pofition was now fo advantageous, that any at- tack on them milft have proved unfuccefsful, fot the river Crotton ftretched along their front, and their rear was defended by woods and heights. Convinced that it was part of the enemy's fyftem ftudioufly to avoid an aftion, and their kno\v- ledge of the coil ntry enabled them to execute this fyftem with advantage, general Howe refolved to ceafe an incfFcftual purfuit, and employ him- felf in the reduaion of King's Bridge and Fort V/afhington. This laft poft was of the utmoft importance. AMERICAN WAR. 243 importance, inafmuch as it fecured an immediate CHAP, intercourfe with the Jerfey fhore, to Fort Lee, Vll. and efFedtually obftruded the navigation of the '*-nr*-' North River. It was lituated on the weftern fide ^776. of New York Illand, at a fmall diftancc from King's Bridge, and almoft oppofite to Fort Lee. The fortifications were in good order, but its principal ftrength confifted in its fituation ; for it could not be approached without expofing the be- fiegers to a heavy fire from the garrifon, and the works and lines by which it was furrounded* j. Senfible of the importance of this pofi, the Ame- l ricans had garrifoned it with three thoufand men, f under the command of colonel Magaw, a gen- ; tleman peculiarly fitted for the truft repofed in I him. He was brave, generous, and humane ; his manners engaging, and his education liberal. He was a native of Penfylvania ; and the former part of his life had been fpentin the profefTion of the law. As foon, however, as the difturbances commenced, he offered his fervices to congrefs ; whom he ferved with zeal and fidelity, that could 1 refult only from a convidion that the caufe for { which he fought was the caufe of liberty and in^ dependence. On the fifteenth of November, the Englilh batteries being completed, a fummons was fent to the garrifon to furrender, on pain of I being put to the fword. Before this fummons I was fent, it was objected to the general by an f Englifh officer of rank, that, this menace would I determine Wafhington to withdraw the garrifon or reinforce it, which latter he did ; and returned for anfwer, that he would defend it to the laft extremity. It was determined therefore to com- mence a vigorous attack upon it next morning. The army was divided into four parts. The firft, on the fide of King's Bridge, under general Knyp- haufen, confifted of five thoufand Heflians. The R 2 fecond H I S T O R. Y 0 F T H £ CHAP.fecond contained the guards and light infantry^ VII. under'general Matthews, together with two batta- ^-nr^ lion's of grenadiers and the thirty-third regirnent, ^776. commanded by lord Cornwallis : This divifion was to land at Haerlem Creek, in thirty flat-bot- tomed boats, which, for that purpofe, had paffed up the North River in the night. The third di- vifion, comprifing the forty-fecond regiment, was intended to make a feint in batteaux upon the left, between the enemy's lines, towards New York. The fourth divifion, under the command of lord Percy, was to attack in front of the lines above Haerlem Plain. Lord Howe attended the operations of the laft body. Soon after day-break, on the fifteenth, the cannonading began, and continued with great fury on both fides till noon. The HelTians, under the command of general Knyphaufen, then filed off ill two columns ; one of which, led by colonel Ralle, afcended a hill circuitoufly, not without much toil. They gained however the fummit of it, and penetrating through the advanced works of the enemy, formed within a hundred yards of the covered way of the front. The fecond column, commanded by general Knyphaufen, climbed the hill in a dived line. They had to pafs an almoft impervious wood, which was rendered more dangerous by an abba- tis of brulh-wood and felled timber, covering both fides of the declivity : Neverthelefs, after great labour, they penetrated through the wood, and fixed themfelves on the top of the afcent. The fecond divifion was equally fuccefsful : The light-infantry made good their landing, and forced the enemy from their rocks and trees up a Heep and rugged mountain. The third divifion was much galled in crofling the lower part of Haerlem Creek. Colonel Sterling, the commander of the forty-fecond, had to encounter a heavy fire be- AMERICAN WAR. 245 fore he landed, and lie had then to afcend a woody ^ ? promontory, the ground of whieh was very une.r .^^.^^ ven : ISIeverthelefs he fucceeded in his attempt, ^^^^^ and, though the poft was obftinately defended, he carried it, making two hundred of the enemj prifoners. The laft divifion was not lefs fortu- nate in the advances they made through the enemy's lines. Lord Percy, with his ufual gaU lantry and good condudl, having furmounted in- credible difficulties, carried the advanced works of the enemy. The garrifon, finding that it was not poffible to defend the fort longer, furrendered prifoners of war. The lofs of the royal army in killed and wounded, amounted to about eight hundred : That of the garrifon, including killed, M^ounded, and prifoners, about three thoufand three hundred. It was a great error in colonel Magaw, that he fulfered his troops to crowd into the fort, after quitting their lines : For had they been polled on the brow of the hill, facing the north and fouth, the conteft would have been prolonged, and the affailants have fuftained a heavier lofs : But the grand error was on the part of the American general; who, as if he had enter- tained a predile6lion for a poft, no longer ufeful, did not withdraw the garrifon on the evening pre- ceding the aflault. On the morning of the attack, general Wafh* ington had been at the fort, in order to give di- re6lions to colonel Magaw: He had, however, repaired over to the Jerley fhore long before the heat of the adion. On the other fide of North River, oppofite to Fort Wafhington, lay Fort Lee, which occupied next the attention of the com- mander in chief ; inafmuch as its redudion would fecure the command of , the river, and open a communication with the Jerfeys. HISTORY OF THE CHAP. On the eighteenth of November, lord Corn-> VII. wallis landed on the Jerfey Ihore^ eight miles ^-nr>^ above Fort Lee, with two battalions of Britifti ^776- and three of Heffian grenadiers, two of light-in- A fprce un- fantrv, the guards, the chafTeurs, the royal High- dcr lord , , < 1 - 1 • i • 1 • 1 1 °i comwailis landers, the thirty-third regiment, and a detach- •mo\h?" ipent of the queen's light dragoons. The failors jerfeys! of the fleet were employed in dragging the artil- lery up a rocky road to the fummit of the river's bank, which ftretches, in an almoft perpendicu- lar diredlion, half a mile from the river. As foon as the detachment had landed, lord Cornwallis began his march with great fecrefy and difpatch. In all probability he would have furprifed the fort and made the enemy prifoners of war, had not a deferter informed them of his approach. In confequence of this information the garrifon retreated in the utmoft confufion, leaving their tents ftanding, and all their provifions and mili- tary ftores. The next day major-general Vaugh- an, with the dragoons, grenadiers, and light-in- fantry, was detached to New Bridge, on the Ha- kenfack river, which runs into New York Bay. The enemy retreated before them with evident confufion, leaving behind them, on the roads, a great quantity of ftores and artillery. Lord Cornwallis now penetrated into the re- moteft parts of Eaft and Weft Jerfey without op- pofition. On the twenty-fourth of November^ being reinforced by two brigades of Britifh troops - and a battalion of Highlanders, his lordfhip pro- ceeded to New Bridge, thence to Hakenlack, Newark, Elizabeth Town, and Brunfwick : At this laft town he was commanded to remain ; an order, which faved the panic-ftxuck and fleeing army of the Americans from utter ruin. The Rariton is fordable at that place in every recefs ©f the tide ; and had the noble general beer, left to AMERICAN WAR. to a6l at his own difcretion, if we may form a CHAP. conje6lure from that a6livity and good fenfe. VII. which diftinguifh his ufual condudl, he would "^^v^ have purfued the weakened and alarmed enemy ^776- to the Delaware, over which, without falling into his hands, they never could have palled. At Brunfwick the Britifh army halted near a week ; the Americans, to the number of three thoufand, with all their heavy cannon and baggage, at Prince Town, feventeen, and at Trenton, on the Delaware, twenty-nine niiles diftant. On the feventeenth of December, our army marched from Brunfwick at four o'clock in the mornings and about the fame hour in the afternoon arrived at Prince Town. This place general Walhijig- ton, in perfon, with Stirling's brigade, left not one hour before the Britilh arri^ved.^ At Prince Town the BritilH general waited feventeen hours, marched at nine o'clock in the morijing of the . eighth," and arrived at Trenton at four o'clock in the afternoon ; juft when the laft boat of ge- neral Waftiington's embarkation croHed the ri- ver, as if h^ had calculated, it is obferved, with great accuracy, th^ exadt time n^ceffary for his enemy to make his efcape. The winter now beginning to fet in, the army went into winter-quarters, The Britilh troops were placed between the Delaware and the Ha- kenfack, the latter of which runs near New York. Trenton, the raoft important poll and the barrier, was occupied by a brigade of Hef- lians, under the command of colonel Ralle ; and Bordenton, which formed the angle neareft the enemy, was placed under the command of count Donop and four battalions of Heffians. The ene- my, in the mean time, were fuffered to make good their retreat acrofs the Delaware. While . 248 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. While lord Cornwallis was thus fuccefsful in VII. the Jerfeys, an expedition was undertaken againft Rhode Ifland by General Clinton and fir Peter *776- Parker. At their approach the provincials aban- doned the ifland, and the Englilh took peaceable pofieffion of it : An unlucky meafure, as it had no ufe but to keep a great body of troops unem- ployed during three years. On account of the fuccefs of this expedition, the American fquadron, commanded by commo- dore Hopkins, was under the necelTity of retiring up the river Providence, where it remained blocked up and ina6live. When the expedition was difpatched to Rhode Ifland, fir Henry Clin- ton ftrongly urged that he might rather be per- mitted to condudl it to the Delaware. PolTibly, had that counfel been adopted, the blow might have been irrecoverable to the Americans : But it is faid Lord Howe infifted on the pofTeirion of Rhode Ifland for the fleet. CHAP, I \ A M E R I C A N W A R. 249 CHAP. VIII. TranfaSIions in the Jerftes — Apparent Errors of the Britijh Commander — Defpondence of the Re- qjolters— Vigour of Congrejs — Encouragement to enlifl in the American Army — Co7igrefs appeal uuith EffeSt to the American People. — 177^- FROM the fuccefs that had attended theBri-^^j^^ tifh army, very beneficial confequences were ^^^^^..^1^ expecled to refult. And indeed, when we con- j^^^^ lider the comparative fituation and ftrength of both armies at this period, fuch expedlations will neither appear too fanguine nor unreafona- ble. The American army had been raifed and em- bodied on the following principle : — Each man. cnlifted only for a twelvemonth ; after which period, he was at liberty to quit the fervice. Con- grefs began now to be convinced that this prin- ciple was erroneous ; for the fhortnefs of the term induced many to inlift at firft, but it was now become neceflafy to form a fettled and per- manent military eftablifhment : Such an eftab- lifhmetit, however, could not at prefent be ac- complifhed. Thofe who had fulfilled the term of their engagement retired from the fervice, alleging, as a reafon for their condu6t, that it was incumbent on their fellow-countrymen to bear an equal (hare in the defence of the com- mon caufe. Thus the places of thofe who had acquired a degree of military experience, were ♦illed by perfons who were totally ignorant of the duties. 250 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, duties of their new fituation, and who were very ^^11- inadequate to icfift the attacks of the veterans, ''"^^r^ of ^vhich the Britifti army was cornpofed. In ^776. confequence of the fuccefs of the royalifls, fup. plies pf men were acquired by coi^grefs but flow- ly. On the other hand, prodigious numbers re- tired from the fervice, and the a6lual ftrength was reduced from thirty thoufand, of which it Blunders of confifted when general Howe landed on Staten iommandir to fcarccly three thoufand. The Bri- 'tifh army, at this period, amounted from twenty to thirty thoufand. The men were all healthy and in good fpirits ; fuccefs had increafed their military ardour, and they pofTelTed every thing that could contribute either to their comfort or their convenience. The greateft expe^ations were accordingly formed, from fo great a degree of health, animation, and courage, heightened by fuccefs : Advantages which, if rightly im- proved, would naturally lead the way to ftill farther fuccefs and glory. The redudion of Forts Wafhington and Lee opened to the Britifh gene- ral a free ingrefs into the Jerfeys. The enemy, panic-ftruck, flew before him, and yet he would not fuifer them to be purfued ; ordering lord Cornwallis to proceed no further than Brunf- wick. By this tendernefs of operation, the ene- my were enabled to make good their retreat, and to crofs the Delaware in fafety. He thus neglefl-r ed the opportunity of making the remnant of the American army prifoners of war : Yet, even fub- fequent to this period, his conduct was equally inexplicable. The Americans, though they had- thus croffed the Delaware, were far from feeling themfelves in fecurity ; and had the commander in chief palTed over the river after them (which he might have done a little above Correll's Fer- ry), the confequences would have certainly been ' fatal * AMERICAN WAR. fatal to the Americaa caufe. The panic ftruck CHAP, by the feveral defeats of the Americans at Long VIII. liland, New York, and the White Plains, with ""^"r^ the progrefs of the army through New Jerfey, *77^- had extended itfelf from the military to all the civil departments of the new ftates, and particu- larly in the middle colonies. The governor, council, affembly, and magiftracy of New Jer- fey had deferted that province. The felf-created ftate in Philadelphia had difperfed, and the con- grefs itfelf, giving up all as loft, had fled with great precipitation into Maryland. Repeated attempts were made to raife the militia of Pen- fylvania in vain. Three of the principal citizens of Philadelphia, in behalf of the reft, waited on congrefs before their flight, and boldly informed them, that they intended to meet fir William Howe, and throw themfelves on his protedlion. The principal city of North America, and at that time the feat of the new government, only wait- ed for the arrival of the Britifh army, to fubmit to the mother-country. Other parts, which had, from the commencement of the difturbances, fol- lowed the example of Philadelphia, would have purfued the fame condu6l. In this manner ad- vantages, which, in all probability, would have put a period to the war, were negle£led : Nor were thefe the only errors of which the com- mander in chief was guilty. The great and prin- cipal error in fir William's Howe's conduct at this period, was, his dividing his army into fmall detachments ; and thofe at fuch a diftance from each other, as, in cafe of attack, not to be capa- ble of receiving immediate afliftance from the main army : And it was owing to this injudicious arrangement, that the Britifti army, when in the Jerfeys, were, as we fliall fee hereafter, cut up in detail. The manner in which he difpofed the army 352 H I S T O R Y O P T H E C HAP. army into winter cantonments, was particularly VIII. blameable. In the firft place, the chain of coni- ^-'"T^ municatioii which the Britifh troops occupied '776- from the Delaware to the Hakenfack was too ex- tenfive, and the cantonments too remote from each other ; for the fpace between the two rivers was not iefs than eighty miles. In the next place, foreign troops ought not to have been Rationed either at Trenton or Bordenton ; for they were the barriers to the Jerfeys, and lay neareft to the enemy. The light-infantry fhould have occupied thefe pofts, for the Helfian troops, underftand- ing nothing of the language of the country, were unable to obtain proper intelligence, and, inftead of conciliating the affe6lions, made themfelves particularly difagreeable to the natives, by pil- laging them, and taking from them the neceffa- ries of life, without making them an adequate compenfation. It was farther obferved, that the four frontier cantonments at Trenton, Borden- ton, White Horfe, and Burlington, were the weakeft, in refpedl of number of troops, in the whole line of cantonment. The poft at Tren- ton, oppolite to which W afhington lay with the main body of his army, and with boats prepared to crofs the Delaware at his pleafure, was de- fended only by twelve hundred Heffians; and thofe of Bordenton, White Horfe, and Burling- ton, by no more than two thoufand. In this weak ftate, the frontier pofts, the pofts of mofl danger, were left by the commander in chief ; while the other pofts were made ftronger and ftronger, in proportion to the decreaie of their diftance from the enemy, and their confequent danger ; nor were thefe frontier cantonments fe- cured from the attacks of the enemy by any works of art, but left without a fingle redoubt or in- trenchment, to \v'hich, in cafe of a furprife, the troops. AMERICAN WAR. 255 troops, until they fhould be relieved from theCH AP. other pofts, might retreat. _ The affairs of congrefs, in the mean time, con- ^^^T' tinned to droop daily. As foon as the Britifh ^'^'^ troops had been difperfed into winter-quarters, ^J^^^p^"^"^^^ the commander in chief iffued a proclamation inrevoiters, the name of his brother and himfelf, in which pardon was offered to all perfons, who, within the fpace of Tixty days, fhould take the oath of allegiance, and fubmit to the authority of the Britifh government. The good effedls of this proclamation were foon apparent. People from all quarters crowded to take the benefit of it. Whole diftrids threw down their arms : Nor was this all the diftrefs that congrefs fuffered. In addition to their misfortunes, they incurred the following unfortunate lofs : — General Lee, to whom, on the departure of General Wafh- ington, the command of the troops at Croton'$ Ferry had devolved, receiving information of the perilous fituation of general Wafhington, and the defencelefs condition of the banks of the Delaware on the fide of Philadelphia, refolved, notwithftanding the defertion of his army, occa- fioned by thofe whofe terms of fervice Avere ex- pired, to crofs the North River, and form a jundlion with him. Accordingly, on the hxth of December, he croiTed the North River at King's Ferry, with three thoufand men and fome pieces of cannon. He continued his route thro' Morris County, intending to crofs the Delaware to the northward of Trenton. On the thirteenth capture of of December, while his army was encamped in ^^"'"^^^ Morris County, he quitted the camp, in order to reconnoitre. In the courfe of this employ- ment he proceeded to the diftance of three miles from his army, where he flopped at a houfe to breakfafl. In HISTORY OF THIE HAP. In order to obtain information of the move- ^I^I- ments of the army under general Lee, colonel Harcourt had been difpatched with a detach- • ment of light- horfe : CoUedling information, as he advanced into the country, the colonel was injduced to proceed farther. In his progrefs he intercepted a countryman, charged with a letter from general Lee, by which he underftood where he was, and how flightly he was guarded. He immediately formed a refolution of carrying him off ; and for that pur pofe made the proper dif^ pofitions to prevent his efcape. He then gallop- ed up to the hoiife where the general was at breakfaft, furprifed the centinels placed to guard it, forced open the door, and made him a pri- foner, as well as a French lieutenant-colonel, •who had accompanied him. The general was immediately mounted, and, notwithftanding the ejitent of country through which he was to be carried, conveyed in fafety to NewYork, where the commander in chief then refided. The lofs of general Lee was a fevere blow to the American caufe. His military knowledge was great, and he had been a foldier from his in- fancy t He had formerly pofllfled the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Britilh fervice, and had ferved all the laft war in America and Portugal with reputation. His abilities were extenfive, and his knowledge improved by an intimate ac- quaintance with every nation in Europe. His difpofition was reftlefs and romantic, and the pofleffion of an eafy fortune enabled him to in- dulge it. Having received fome affront from the individuals who compofed the Britifh adminiftra- -tion, he emigrated to America on the commence- ment of the prefent difturbances, and offered his Services to congrefs. His abilities and his pro- feffional reputation being well known, his offers were A k E R I C A N W A R. 255 We^e accepted with joy, and he was honoured C H A P. Vith the rank of major-general. He had been VIII. eminently ufeful in difciplining the American "^-nr^ troops, and by his adiivity and ikill had greatly ^77^- contributed to the fuccefs of the common caufe. To thefe qualifications, however, the imparna- lity of hiftory Requires us to add, that he was a man of moft abandoned principles ; il aj; he laughed at every attribute of the Divinity, and turned into ridicule every tenet of religion. No prifoner of equal rank with general Lee being in the hands of the provincials, general Wafh- ington offered in exchangee for -him fix field offi- cers : General Howe, however, replied, that general Lee, having deferted from the fervice of Great Britain, could not be confidered as a pri- foner of war. To this general Waihington re- joined, that, having on the commencement of the troubles refigned his conimilfion as a Britifti oflBcer, general Lee could not' be fuppofed to be a deferter. The commander in chief, however, refuted to releafe him ; which occafioned the Americans to treat feveral of their prifoners with an unufuaL degree of feverity and rigour. Notwithftanding the perilous fituation of their vigour of ^Ifairs, congrefs were not dilpirited. They pro- ^* ceeded with the utmofi: vigour and activity to re- pair their lolfes, and to remedy the defedl in their military fyftem. They ordered a new army to be raifed, the foldiers of which, infiead of ferving one year, fhould be bound for three, or during the continuance of the prefent diftur- bances. This army was to confift of eighty- eight battalions, to be furnifhed and maintained by the refpedlive colonies, according to the fol- lowing proportion : Virginia and Mafifachufet Werj to furnifh fifteen battalions each ; Penfyl- Vania, twelve — North Carohna, nine — South Ca- rolina, 2^6 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, rolina, fix — Connedicut, eight — Maryland, flight VIII. — Rhode Iflaiid, two— Delaware, one ^New ^"*nr^ Hampihire, three — and Georgia, one. New York '776' and J erfey being partly in the enemy's poffeflion, were only aflefled at four battalions each. Encourage- As an inducement to men to enlift, the follow- En^thr* liberal offers were made : Each foldier was to American have a bouuty of twenty dollars, befides an al- army. lotmcnt of lauds at the end of the war to all who furvived, or to the families of thofe who fhould fall in the fervice. The allotment of a common foldier was to be one hundred acres — of anen- iign, one hundred and fifty — of a lieutenant, two hundred — a captain, three hundred — a major, four hundred — a lieutenant-colonel, four hun- dred and fifty — and a colonel, five hundred. This allotment, however, was not to extend to thofe who enlifted only for three years. In ad- dition tp thefe offers, congrefs forbad any one to purchafe the allotment of lands belonging to another, in order that by this prohibition each foldier might procure for himfelf a decent main- tenance when the public fhould no longer want his profeffional affiflance. In order to provide for the fupport of fuch a large body as was pro- pofed to be raifed, congrefs borrowed a loan of five millions of dollars at four per cent, interefl. The Britifh troops at this period were mailers of the Jerfeys, and feparated from Penfylvauia, and the capital Philadelphia, only by the Dela- congrefs Ware. In this critical fituation, congrefs thought appeal with it advifable to publifh an appeal to the inhabi- Amtncan tants of the fcveral colonies, in order to remind people, them of their affu ranees of prote6tion and fup- port. In this appeal they were entreated not to forget that a6livity and unanimity Vv^ere abfolutely neceffary to enfure welfare and fuccefs to the common caufe. They travelled over the fame grounds AMERICAN WAR. 257 grounds they had formerly done, with refpe<9: to C H A P. a recapitulation of the grievances they had fuf- VIII. fered, and the manner in which they had been """"s"^ treated by the mother-country. They infifted ^^7^° that nothing Ihort of an abfolute fubmiffion would fatisfy the demands of their enemies, and they defired an anfwer to this queftion : Which of the two alternatives was preferable — refiftance or fla- very ? The appeal next adverted to recent tranf- aftions, and contended that the fuccefs of the' Britilh arms had been greatly exaggerated, and dearly pur chafed. In conclufion, congrefs afiiir- ed them of the alTiftance of foreign powers, and exhorted them to prepare for a vigorous defence of thofe obje6ls which muft be dear to every man. This appeal produced the defired elFed. The people of America determined to contribute every polfible alTiftance to the common caufe ; and for that purpofe exerted themfelves with aftonifhing adivity in procuring reinforcements of men for the army under the command of general Wafh- ington. Winter was now approaching faft. The Dela- ware was expe6led to be foon frozen, and it was not doubted but that the Britilh troops only waited for this event in order to crofs it and at- tack Philadelphia. The friends of congrefs, therefore, with good reafon, began to entertain apprehenfions for the fafety of that body, which on this account retired to Bakimorein Maryland. The city of Philadelphia by their departure was thrown into confufion. As long as congrefs re- fided there, thofe who were attached to Great Britain were under the necelTity of fubmitting to a power which they could not refift. The opera- tion of this caufe had no fooner ceafed than they avowed their attachment openly, and ufed every endeavour to acquire frefli adherents to the Bri- VoL. I. S tilh HISTORY OF THE CHAP, tifh caufe. Their attempts were not unfuccef?" ful. Many of the inhabitants quitted Philadel- phia, and claimed the benefit of the proclama- ^^-^ * tion recently made by the commifTioners. Others, who, though well affedled to Great Britain, did not think proper to leave the city, made ufe of every artifice to prevent its being put into a pro- per ftate of defence, according to the diredlions of congrefs before their departure. Thefe at- tempts occafioned violent animofities and dif- turbances j to put an end to which, general Wafhington was reduced to the neceflity of dif- patching a confiderable detachment of the tri- vial force which now remained under his com- mand/ The fituation 6f the Americans was now almofl: defperate. General Wafhington, though rein- forced by the jun6lion of general Lee's army, had not five thoufand men under his command ; many of whom were raw and inexperienced, and all were difpirited by difappointment and defeat. An hoftile army, fluihed with conqueft and fuccefs, lay on the oppofite fide of the De- laware, within twenty miles of him. Winter was approaching fall. The Delaware would be frozen ; and the only obftacle that prevented the enemy from attacking him would then be remov- ed. Thus fituated, he refolved to adopt a def- perate expedient ; and indeed the neceflity of the cafe left him only the alternative of adopting fuch a meafure, or of fubmitting to the enemy. He knew the manner in which the Britifh army was difpofed ; that it was Rationed in extenfive cantonments ; and therefore could not eafily be condenfed, in a fhort period, into one body ca- pable of refilling the attack of the men under liis command. Befides; he wifhed to obtain for Philadelphia, AMERICAN WAR. the enemy to quit the vicinity of the Delaware. ^^^^ It has been already faid that the barriers at ^""^ Trenton and Bordenton were defended by Hef- ^'^'^ lian troops under the command of colonel Rhalle and count Donop. Thefe pofts general Wafh- ington determined to attack. But in order to General draw colonel Donop from his poft at Bordenton, i^rpdSl and to prevent him from affording any fupport Britifh to Colonel Rhalle, at the time of the intended So?, affault, he fent a corps of four hundred and fifty militia, many of whom were boys picked up in Philadelphia, and the counties of Gloucefter and Salem, to Mount Holly, with orders not to fight, but to take to flight the moment when the effedl of the manoeuvre fhould take place. The plan fucceeded. Colonel Donop marched againfl this inlignificant detachment of the American force, with the whole of his party, to the number of two thoufand men, with the exception of eighty, left at Bordenton, down to Mount Holly, twelve miles from his own ftation, and eighteen from Trenton, the pofl he ought to have been near, for the purpofe of fupporting it in cafe of dan- ger. The fmall American party, on his approach, immediately fled and difperfed ; and yet Donop, inflead of returning flraight to fupport colonel Rhalle, loitered two days in the neighbourhood of Burlington, without the fmalleft femblance of neceflity. Wafhington difcerned the fit moment for enterprife, and embraced it. He divided his troops into three parts, which were to affem- ble on the banks of the Delaware on the night of the twenty-fifth of December. Two of thefe divifions were led by generals Irwing and Cad- ivallader. The third, which was the principal divifion, was commanded by himfelf \r\ perfon. It confifled of two thoufand five hundred men. S 2 and V3c> H I S T O R Y O 5* T H E CHAP, and Was furnifhed with a few field-pieces. Genera! VIII. Wafhington was attended by generals Sullivan and Green. The firft divifion was ordered to ^77^- pais the river at Trenton Ferry, a mile below the town— the fecond near Bordenton — and the third at Mackenzie's Ferry, nine miles above Trenton. The Delaware had already begun to be frozen, and the boats that carried this laft divifion found it difficult to make their way through the ice. Other incOnveniencies which the men encoun- tered after they landed delayed their march fo long, that they did not arrive at the deftined place before eight o'clock on the morning of the twenty-fixth of December. As foon as general Wafhington had landed he divided his men into two detachments, which were ordered to pro- ceed to Trenton by the two roads that led to it ; the upper, or Pennington road ; and the lower, or River road. The Heffians, fince they had been quartered at Trenton, had given way to a laxity of difci- pline, and an inattention that proceeded from a knowledge of the enervated fituation of the ene- my, and of the improbability of their adopting any offenfive meafures againft them. It is not therefore w^onderful that they negleded the ineans of fecuring themfelves from a furprile, nor that the Americans were fuffered to proceed on their march without moleftation. The firft in- telligence that the Heffians received of their ap- proach was from an advanced poft in the upper road, and the out-guards on the lower road, both of which were under the neceffity of retreating into the town with the utmoft celerity. Rhaile, with all poflible fpeed, endeavoured to colledl his troops during the night ; but many of his men were abfent on pillaging parties, and thofe who were on the fpot were more bufily employed AMERICAN WAR. 261 in fecunng. their plunder in waggons than in jP'^^:- yj^^ ting the town in a proper ftate of defence. The enemy took advantage of this confufion, and ^^^g^ poffefled themfelves of the different avenues, where they placed their field-pieces, and thence •began to pour a heavy fire upon the difinayed and ^aftonifhed Heffians. By adivity and diligence Khalle aiTembled the beft part of his three regi- ments, with which he charged the enemy with great courage, but receiving a mortal wound in the commencement of the engagement, his troops refufed to continue it, and endeavoured to re- treat to Prince Town. Being difappointed, how- ever, in this attempt, they were under the necef- fity of furrendering prifoners of w^ar. The num- ber of killed and wounded on both fides was in- confiderable. The number of prifoners amounted to near one thoufand. The two other divifions of general Wafhington's army were not fo fuccefsfu^. The quantity of ice in the Delaware was fo great, where they attempted to crols it, that they found the tafe impradlicable. Had this not been the cafe, their fuccefs would have been complete ; Xor thefe divifions would have prevented the chaf- -ieurs ^nd hght-horfe from efcaping to Bordenton, and alfo have made themfelves mafiers of all the .cantonments on the fide of the river. General Wafiiington, in confequence of this failure in the other divifions, judged it improper to profecute his intentions further. He therefore repaffed tJje Delaware on the evening of the twenty-fixtjii, .carrying with him his prifoners, and all the ar- tillery of which he had made himfelf mafter tkt Trenton. The Americans had hitherto beheld the Hefii- answith fear and difmay. They knew that thej were veterans, and in the highefi ftate of difc:- pline. This yiftory, however, gained over thofe llrangers, animatecl them to a furp:iling degree, *nd 262 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, and revived that fpirit which had for fome time "^I^I- been decreafmg. The Hcffians were difpatched ^"^^X^ Philadelphia, and carried through the different ^^"^ ' ftreets of that city, in order to convince the inha- bitants that the fuccefs of the American arms was not, as many induftrioufly fuggefted, pretended or fictitious. The lofs of Trenton was very ge- nerally imputed to the mifconducl of the com- mander in chief It was alleged that the principal barrier Ihould not have been committed to the care of foreigners ; that it was extremely reprehenfible to negled throwing up fome defenfible works in order to prevent a furprife ; and that the extent of the cantonments was fo enlarged, as already obferved, as to render every idea of conveying affiftance from one cantonment to another totally impradicable. Rhalle, though brave, was totally unfit for the ftation he held. He was obftinate, paffionate, and inceflantly intoxicated with ftrong liquors. The commander in chief affeded to throw the blame of the appointment of Rhalle to the command at Trenton on general de Heif> ter. Sir William Howe has been very feverely cen- fured for having given the command of this poft to a foreigner, unacquainted with the language, cuftoms, or manners, of the people. He was liable to be impofed ori by the country people in any information he might want ; and little could be expeded from colonel Rhalle in the way of conciliation accompanying that of armed force, the only way in which final fuccefs was to be ex- peded. For whoever calls his eye on the map of the vaft continent of America muft readily perceive that force of arms alone, unaccompanied by conciliatory meafures, muft be wild and chi- pierical. When the enemy had arrived in the town the troops in the Britifti fervice were foleiy occupied AMERICAN WAR. occupied in fecuring their plunder in waggons, CHAP, and many of them were a6lually made prifoners while engaged in this fhameful avocation. v-'-g-'^ Though the fuccefs of general Wafhington, in ^77^- his attack on Trenton, had furpaffed his moll fan-^ guine expedations, he yet dreaded every moment the approach of the troops under general Leflie, from Prince Town, and of colonel Donop from Mount Holly, and fled with the utmoft precipita- tion to his winter quarters on the weft fide of the Delaware. Of taking up quarters in New Jerfey he never entertained a thought : Not doubting but the Britilh commander, with a force fo greatly fuperior to his own, would re-occupy the impor- tant pofts on the Delaware, and fortify them fo itrongly as to put it out of his power to retake them. Nor was Wafhington, as yet, fufficiently ac- quainted with the charadler of iir William Howe, to fuppofe it poflible that this commander might i purfue a different line of condud. To recover J and fortify his chain of pofts on the Delaware was neceffary, in order to keep alive the panic already diffufed throughout all the colonies, and fupport the fpirits of the well-affedled to govern- ment. It was neceffary to the prefervation of Weft New Jerfey, juft conquered : It was ne- ceffary, in order to convince the enemy that the Britifh troops, although they might be furprifed, were not to be intimidated or difcouraged from adlion : And, finally, it was practicable without danger, as thofe troops were, at that crifis, fix times more in number, as well as fuperior in point of military difcipline and experience, to the feeble force that oppofed them. But inflead of an im- mediate movement of the two neareft corps, to regain what had been fo ftrangely loft, colonel Donop abandoned his poft, and haftened to join I general Leflie at Prince Town. Thefe officers, I unitedj 264 HISTORY OF THE C H A P.i-^nited, were much fuperior in force to general VIII. Wafhington: Yet, though there was no enemy ^^-•nr^ ill New jerfey to difturb them, they were per- 1776- mitted to remain for fomc time wholly inadive. The two main barriers of the Britifh power on the Delaware being left unguarded and defence- lefs, and the condu6l of the Britifh commander betraying manifeft irrefolution, if not infatuation, S^eneral Wafhington, after an interval of eight days, was encouraged again to crofs the Dela- ware, and march to Trenton at the head of four thoufand men. The Britifh commander in chief v;as now fe- rioufly alarmed. The Britifh and auxihary troops, with the forces at Brunfwick under general Grant, advanced to Prince Town ; and lord Corn- wallis, who was on the point of failing for England, was immediately ordered to leave New York, and take the command of the Jerfey army. As foon as his lordfhip joined general Grant, he marched to attack the enemy at Tren- ton. General Wafhington, on his approach, re- tired from the town, and croffing a rivulet at the back of it, pofted himfelf on fome high grounds, feemingly with a determination of defending them. Both armies immediately commenced a fevere cannonade, which continued till night. Lord Cornwallis determined to renew the attack January ^^^^^ moming, but general Wafhington refolved J777- not to hazard a battle. About two in the morning of the third of January he retreated with pro- found filence, leaving his fires burning, his pickets advanced, and feveral fmall parties for the pur- pofe of guarding the paffage of the rivulet. Quit- ting the main road, he took a large circuit through Allenflown, and proceeded to Prince Town, V. hich place he intended to furprife. When lord Coi'iiwaiiis quitted Prince Town, he left lieute- nants A ME R I C A N WAR. 265 nant-colonel Mawhood to defend it with the fe-CHAP. venteenth, fortieth, and fifty-fifth regiments. On the third of January however, orders were tranf- ''"^^'^^^ mitted to him to march with the feventeenth and fifty-fifth regiments to Maidenhead, a village midway between Prince Town and Trenton. General VVafhington had ufed fuch expedition in his march, that at fun-rife his van came up with colonel Mawhood's detachment, which had juft begun its march. The morning was fo foggy, that the enemy were at firft fuppofed to be Hef- fians : Colonel Mawhood foon difcovering that it was part of the American army, immediately conjedured that general Wafhington had re- treated from lord Cornwallis, and was on his march to Prince Town. A brook feparated the two armies. By cutting away a bridge over it, the detachment might have avoided an engage- ment, and fecured their pafTage to Maiden- head. The commanding officer however, con- ceiving that fome advantage might refult from de- laying the enemy, refolved to hazard an aftion. The fogginefs of the morning, and the woods, prevented him from difcovering at firft the number of the enemy. Poffefling himfelf of fome high ground that led to Prince Town, he ordered the waggons to return to that place, and directed the fortieth regiment to come to his affiftance. When the enemy advanped he poured a heavy difcharge of artillery upon them, which did confiderable execution, on account of their not having yet formed in a regular line. For a fhort fpace of time a hnik cannonade was carried on on both fides. The van of the enemy begin- ning then to be in fome diiorder, the feventeenth regiment rufhed forward with fixed bayonets, and drove them back to a ravine which feparated them from their rear. Great flaughier enfaed in the endeavour of the enemy to repais this line. It 266 HISTORY O F T H E CHAP. It was faid that, had the fifty-fifth regiment flip- ported the feventeenth with a proper degree of ^""^'^r^ Ipirit, and had the fortieth regiment obeyed the 1777- orders tranfmitted them to march to the afliftance of the other two regiments, the enemy would have totally failed in their defigns. But tliefe feem to have been only the excufes with which it was attempted to cover the want of a regular com- bined difpoiition for the attack : A negle6l natu- rally imputable to the unexpe6lednefs of fuch a meeting with the American army. The feven- teenth regiment, fevered by their ardour from the reft of the Britifh detachment, cut their way through the enemy, and purfued their march to Maidenhead. This was one of the moft gallant exploits during the whole war. Captain Scot, who led that regiment, received very deferved applaufe for his conduft on that occafion. The Englifh fuffered confiderably in killed and wound- ed, and the Americans much more. Among the killed, on the part of the latter, was a general Mercer, whofe lofs was extremely lamented. The fortieth and fifty-fifth regiments being unable to make good their way to Maidenhead, eife6led a retreat to Brunfwick, with the lofs of near one- half their number. The Americans at the fame time took pofl'effion of Prince Town. As foon as day-light appeared, on the third of Janaary, lord Cornwallis difcovered the retreat of the American army, and entertaining apprehenfions for the fafety of Brunfwick, which was in a de- fencelefs fituation, refolved to march inftantly to its relief. On the approach of his lordfhip, ge- neral Wafhington retreated from Prince Town, and proceeded to Brunfwick. Brigadier Mat- thews, the commanding officer of the garrifon, being informed of his approach, took the pre- caution to fend away the immenfe quantity of ftores AMERICAN WAR. 267 {lores that had been placed there for the ufe of C H A P, the army, and with his fmall detachment ported VIII. himfelf on fome high grounds commanding the ^^"r^ town, intending to check the progrefs of the ^'777- enemy, in order to cover the retreat of the florcr waggons, which were hurrying along the Rariton to a bridge about two miles diftant from the town. The captive general Lee, who was confined in Brunfwick, was at the fame time difpatched acrofs the Rariton in company with thefe waggons. Notwdthftanding the expedition that general Wafhington ufed in his march to Brunfwick, yet his rear was hard prefled by the van of the Eng- lifli army. He therefore refolved to relinquifh his defigns on Brunfwick, and croffed the Millftone river, breaking down the bridge at King's Town to evade a purfuit. The army under lord Cornwallis, haraffed and fatigued, declined purfuing the enemy, and pro- ceeded to Brunfwick. Whilfl: Cornwallis, for the neceflary refrefliment of his troops, remained in this town, general Wafhington over-ran both Eaft and Weft Jerfey, fpreading his army over the Rariton, and penetrating into EfTex County, where he made himfelf mafter of the coaft oppofite to Staten Ifland, by feizing Newark, Elizabeth Town, and Woodbridge. His head-quarters he fixed at Morris Town. This place is fituated amongft hills which are difficult of accefs. A fine country was in his rear, whence he could draw fupplies, and through which he could at any time fecure an eafy paffage over the Delaware. By fuch judicious movem.ents did general Waftiington not only fave Philadelphia and Pen- fylvania, but recover the greateft piil of the Jer- feys, in defiance of an army infinitely fuperior to his, in difcipline, refources, and numbers. Of all their recent extenfive poiieffipns in the Jerfey s. 268 HISTORY OF THE G H A P. the Englifli retained now only the polls of Brunf- VIII. y^'ick and Amboy ; the firft fituated on the banks ''"^^'''"^ of the Rariton ; the fecond on a point of land at ^ its mouth. Both places have an open communi- cation with New York by fea. Jnaftivity In all thefe tranfa6lions there was fomething: tifha^^"' inexplicable, to the rational part of mankind, imy. ^j^^^ could not, by any well-founded arguments, defend the manner in which the troops were can- toned. They could not account for lb (lender an eflablifhment being left on the two barriers of Trenton and Bordenton. At the firfl: place Rhalle had only twelve hundred Heffians ; at the fecond, count Donop's force exceeded not two thoufand. The neglecling to fortify thefe polls nearefl the enemy, and moft in danger, feemed to them unpardonable : The placing the Britifh in the greateft numbers fartheft from the enemy ; the not retaking the pofts on the banks of the Delaware, which pofts covered the whole province of Jeriey : All thefe circumftances were generally animadverted on with much feverity. Men of plain fenfe could not underftand why the commander in chief, at the head of thirty thoufand veteran troops, fhould fulTer an undif- ciplined army, not amounting to a frxth part of his own numbers, to remain in a province fo lately in his firm poffelfion ; and not only to remain there, but to compel him to abandon that pro- vince. When the adherents of admin iftration refledled on the dreadful confequenees that muft arife from this erroneous condud, they were re- duced to a fituation of grief and defpair. General Waftiington, with bis ufual fagacity, perceived that, during the winter of 1776, his fituation required enterprife and daring expedi- ents ; which, while they haraffed the Britifh army, would keep his little force in adion, and prevent AMERICAN WAR. prevent tlie minds of his men from yielding to c H A P. the fatal effefts of defpondence. Small as his VIJI. force was, he always ported himfelf near the Bri- '^--nr^ ti{h army. He was inceflantly infulting, furpri- i777' fmg, and cutting off their pickets and advanced guards ; firm and undaunted amidft want, in- clemency of weather, and difficulty and danger of every kind. Aniboy and Brunfwick were in a manner belieged. In this unfavourable and in- decifive w^arfare it is fuppofed that more of the [ Britifh were facriiiced than would have been loft in an attack on general V/alhington's whole force, which, at this period, was lefs than four thoufand men, moft of them undifciplined and inexperi- enced, and fuch as might have been defeated and difperfed by a fifth part of the Britifh army. Sir William Howe fulfered fuch an enemy, fo greatly inferior to his own, as thenoppofed him, to remain for fix months within twenty-five miles of his head-quarters, without moleftation, and without taking any means to revenge the infalts that were offered daily to the army under his command. It has been alleged in defence of fir William Howe's inadivity and paflive demeanour, that, he j had to attack an enemy, ported in a country con- I taining numberlefs inacceffible ports, and ftrong natural barriers formed by the various com- binations of woods, mountains, rivers, lakes, and marfhes ; and that thefe circumrtances might be faid to fight the battles of the inhabitants of fuch countries in a defenfive war. Allowing the validity of this argument, ftill it will neither ac- quit the com.mander in chief of the charge of impolicy, in not croiTing the Delaware after the capture of Forts Lee and Wafhington, nor in the feveral other inftances already mentioned. Thefe 270 HISTORY OF THE ^^J^P- Thefe fuccefsful operations on the part of the Americans were immediately followed by a pro- ^■^3^ clamation, in the name of general Wafliington, WeJl-timed abfolving all thofe who had been induced to take prociamati- the oaths of allegiance tendered by the B-ritilh raiwa£"^'cc>mmiffioners, and promifmg them prote6lion on ington. condition of their fubfcribing to a form of oath prefcribed by congrefs. The effeas of this pro- clamation were alraofl inflantaneous. The inha- bitants of the Jerfeys, who had conceived a vio- lent hatred to the Britifh army, on account of their unchecked courfe of plundering, inftantly renounced their allegiance to Great Britain, and attached themfelves to the caufe of America. Se- veral who were refolved to avenge their wrongs, joined the army under general Wafhington, while others rendered equal fervice to the fide to which they attached themfelves, by fupplying the Ame- rican army with provifions and fuel, and by con- veying intelligence of the operations of the Bri- tifh army at Brunfwick and Amboy. In confequence of their alTiftance, general Wailiington was enabled to harafs the Engliih greatly. The excurfions which the garrifon of Brunfwick made for forage, were often attended with fatal confequences ; and as the American army had extended their line of cantonments from Morris Town to Woodbridge, within three miles of Amboy, the provifions that were forced to be conveyed by land to Brunfwick were often cut off by parties of the enemy, who were always on the watch, and to whom intelligence was re- gularly conveyed by thofe perfons who inhabited thefpaceof ground between Amboy and Brunf- Howe's wick. General Howe too, as has been obferved, ^ontrafted if^ued proclamations, calling upon the inha- withthat ofbitants to join him, in fupporting his majeffy's wn^'^^' goveniment, and promifing them protedlion in botlh AMERICAN \V A R> 271 both perfon and property. But no fooner had C HA P. the army entered the Jerfeys, than the bufmefs (we fay bufinefs, for it was a perfe6t trade) of'**'"^"^ plunder began. The friend and the foe, from the hand of rapine, fhared alike. The people's property was taken, without being paid for, or even a receipt given, which would have been, evidence that fuch property was taken ; leaving the payment or non-payment to be determined by the ifFue of the war, and the political merit of the parties. The Britifh army foraged indifcrimi- nately, procuring confiderable fupplies of hay, oats, Indian corn, cattle, and horfes ; which were never or but very feldom paid for. Neverthelefs the expences of. the extraordinaries of the army were rapidly increaling, and ultimately fwelled to a mofl unparalleled and alarming amount. Before the difafier at Trenton, the people of the Jerfeys were well affeded to his majefty's go* vernment. Numbers joined the royal army ; and two brigades of provincials were raifed for the Britifh fervice, who, on many fubfequent occafi- ons, difcharged their duty with all the zeal of good fubjeds, and the bravery of veteran foldi- ers. But when the people found that the pro- mifed protedlion was not afforded them ; that their property was feized, and moft wantonly de- ftroyed ; that, in many inftances, their families were infulted, ftripped of their beds, with other furniture — nay, even of their very wearing ap- I parel ; they then determined to try the other fide, trufting that they would at leaft, at one period or other, receive compenfation for the fupplies taken from them for the ufe of the American army. And it is but juftice to fay that the Americans ne- ver took any thing from their friends, but in cafes of neceffity, in which cafes they uniformly gave receipts for what they did take, always livmg, as - long 2^2 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, long as they could, upon their enemies ; and ne- VIII. ver fufFe ring their troops to plunder their friends '^'^nr^ with impunity. But at the fame time it is to bfe ^^'77- noticed, that the American troops were fuffered to plunder the loyalifts, and to exercife with im- punity every a6l of barbarity on that unfortunate clafs of people ; frequently inflidling on them even fcourges and ftripes. In this manner ended the campaign of 177-6 ; in the courfe of which it has been fufficiently feen, how advantages were negle^led on the one part, and trivial occurrences rendered highly be- neficial on the other ; and, what adlivity and per- feverance can effed, even with inferiority of flrength, when oppofed to negligence and inert- nefs. CHAP. AMERICAN WAR. 273 CHAP. IX. Proceedings of Congrefs — They determine to re* nounce all Dependance on Great Britain — Sketch of a new American Governments IN the midft of thefe operations in the Jerfeys, CHAP, congrefs were not idle. Though they could not afford at prefent much aififtance to general ^"^'^^^ Walhihgton, they refolved to ftrengthen the band ^'^'^ * of union between the thirteen colonies, by put- ting the laft hand to the famous fyftem of confe- deracy. Hitherto their fyftem of condu6l had proceeded upon certain fuppofitions of a reconciliation with the parent flate. Thofe fuppofitions, however, American were now fuperfeded by the determination that termilJt?" had been made to renounce all dependence upon renounce aii Great Britain, and to ere6t the colonies into fo- on^'creat" vereign ftates. In confequence of this determi- nation, a permanent form of government, relin- quifhing every idea of a fubordinate conne6lion with the parent flate, was a bfolutely neceffary to be fettled. A committee appointed to prepare a new form of government, in the outfet of their compofition, made the following alteration in the appellation of the colonies : Whereas they had hitherto ftyled themfelves the United Colonies ; they now alTumed the name of the United States of America. The conftitution propofed by this committee, was in fubftance as follow : I. That each colony fhould bind itfelf to affifr sketch of a the reft, and to repel the attacks that might be Jl^^n^^,!' made upon them on any pretence whatever. vernment. Vol. I. T 2. That HISTORYOFTHE CHAP. 2. That each ftate fhould poflefs the power of IX. regulating its own internal government, and of ^-^TT^ making laws in all cafes ; provided they did not '77<5' interfere with the general fafety and welfare of the common caufe. 3. That all negotiations, alliances, and treaties, Ihould be iubmitted to the confideration of the United States alTembled in general congrefs ; and that no ftate in particular was to infringe the pro- vifions of this article on any pretence whatever. 4. That it fhould be criminal in any perfon, poffelfing authority under the United States, to accept prefents, gratuities, employments, or ti- tles, from any foreign povv'er.^ 5. That no titles of nobility fhould be con- ferred by the general affembly of the United States, or the affembly of any particular ftates. ^ 6. That none of the flates were to form alli- ances or private treaties among themfelves, with- out the confent of the United States. 7. That no duties or impofts were to be eflab- lifhed in any ftate, which might tend to infringe the provifions of any treaty which the general affembly might think proper to enter into with any foreign power. 8. That no particular ftate was to increafe its naval eftablifhment beyond the number prefcribed for each ftate by the general affembly. That the military eftablifhment fhould be governed by the fame regulation. That a well-difciplined militia was to be kept up in every ftate, adequately arm- ed and equipped ; and that the public magazines fhould always contain a fufficient number of field- pieces, tents, and other neceffary implements of war. 9. That all officers of the rank of colonel, and under, fhould be appointed by the legiflative body of each ftate. ' 10. That A M E R 1 C A N W A R. 10. That theexpences of war fliould be de-CHAP. frayed out of the general treafury of the United IX. States. ""^nr^ 11. That in order to conftitute a public fund, ^77^' adequate to any particular exigencies, each of the ftates fliould contribute a certain fum, in proportion to the number of its inhabitants (In- dians excepted). That this number might be now precifely determined, it was provided that the inhabitants of each ftate fhould be numbered every three years. This enumeration was then to be fent to the general affembly of the United States. 12. The afTeffment determined on by this enu- meration v/as to be paid by taxes levied by the authority of the legiilative body of each ftate. 13. When any queftion was fubmitted to the decifion of the general alTembly, by any parti- cular ftate, that decifion was to be binding. 14. War was not to be commenced without the confent of the general affembly, except in cafes of invafion, or where it was known that an inva- fion was intended, and the danger was too prefT- ing to obtain the confent of the general aftem- bly. 15. CommiiTions to velTels or letters of marque and reprifal were not to be granted by any parti- cular ftate, till after a declaration of war by the general affembly. 16. For the general intereft of the United States, each ftate was to nominate a certain num- ber of delegates, who were to meet at Philadelphia on the firft Monday in November of each year. 17. To each ftate was to be attached the power of recalling their delegates, at any part of the year, and of appointing others in their room. The delegates of each ftate wer0 to be maintained T 2 at HISTORY OFTHE CHAP, at the expence of that ftate, during the fitting of IX. the general alTembly, and alfo as long as they ^-*ns — ' were members of the council of ftate. ^ 1776. jS. Each Hate was to have a vote for the deci- fion of queftions in the general affembly. 19. To the general affembly alone was to be- long the right of deciding on peace and war ; to determine in all cafes of capture, whether by fea or land ; to conftitute tribunals for the trial of piracies ; to appoint and receive anibaffadors ; to negotiate treaties ; to decide the differences be- tween each ftate; to coin money; to regulate commerce ; to treat in all matters concerning the Indians ; to appoint general officers of the land and naval forces ; and to dired. the operations of both in time of war. 20. A council of ftate was to be appointed by the general affembly ; and alfo luch committees and civil officers as fhould be neceffary to difpatch the public bufinefs during their fitting. ^ The pub- lic affairs were to be under the diredion of the council of flate, after the rifmg of the general affembly. 21. The prefident. and other officers were^ to be appointed by the general affembly, to_ which were to belong the right and power of fixing the fums neceffary to be raifed for the public defence, and of determining the application of thofe fums ; of borrowing money and of creating bills' ; of building and fitting out fleets ; of deciding on the number of troops neceffary to be raifed ; df calling upon each flate for its proportion of mi- litary Wift an ce, and of requiring it to arm and equip the forces raifed in obedience to this re- quifition, in a proper manner. 22. The general affembly was to be allowed the power of demanding of any particular ftate more than its juil proportion ; and compUarice with AMERICAN WAR. 277 with this power was not to be refufed, unlefs the CHAP, le^iflative body of the ftate fliould deem luch IX. compliance to be injurious to its fecurity and iafety. . . -r ' 23. The general affembly was not to exercile «ny of the powers contained in the twenty-firft article, unlefs nine of the thirteen ftates fhould confent to it. On every point whatever, a deci- fion fhould be made by the majority of the Uni- ted States. 24. No delegate was to be chofen for more than three years out of fix. 25. No perfon poflefTed of any employment, or receiving a falary, or wages, was eligible to the office of a delegate. 26. The general affembly was to publifh, monthly, a journal of their proceedings, except what might relate to treaties, alliances, or mili- tary operations, which it fhould be deemed ncr ceflary to keep fecret. 27. The council of flate wastoconfifl of one delegate of each flate, chofen by the other dele- gates of the faid flate. Article 28th related to the powers of the coun- cil of flate, which, during the adjournment of the general affembly, were fmiilar to thofe al- lowed to the general affembly. 29. If Canada fhould be willing to accede to the prefent fyflem of confederation, it was to be allowed all the benefits of it, and to be admitted into the union. No other colony, however, was to be admitted but by the confent of nine of the United States. The foregoing articles were to be fubmitted to the legiflative bodies of each flate. _ If they ap- proved of them, they were to authorife their de- legates to ratify them in the general affembly : Thus ratified, the provifions of them were to b^ 278 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. be implicitly obeyed by all, and an eternal union IX. was thus to be eftablKlied. Sucb were the con- ^■'"^"'r^ ditions of this celebrated treaty of union. After 1776- they had been prepared by the committee, they were fubniitted to congrefs, and iolemnly difcul- fed. Having received the approbation of con- grefs, they were tranfmitted to the different co- lonies, and then ratified by all the delegates, oflober. who figned them on the fourth of Odlober 1776. Such cool, deliberate, and refolute condudl was the more remarkable, that congrefs had now to contend with an additional enemy. This ene- my was the Indians. — It has been fhewn how mifuccefsful every attempt had hitherto proved to detach the fouthern colonies from the fupport of the common caufe to their own immediate defence, by involving them in civil war through the means of the Regulators and Highland emi- grants in the Carolinas, or of the negroes in Virginia. It has alfo been fhewn that the pro- vincials adduced thefe attempts as charges againfl their feveral governors, Unfuccefsful, however, as thefe endeavours had hitherto been, the con- fequences that would refult from fuch a plan of operations were too important to be neglefted. Britifh agents were again employed in engaging the Indians to make a diverhon, and to enter the fouthern colonies on their back and defencelefs parts. Accuftomed to their difpofitions and ha- bits of mind, the agents found but little difficulty in bringing them over to their purpofe by dint of prefents, and hopes of fpoil and plunder The plan of adion that was to be adopted in con- fequence of this confent, on the part of the In- dians, was as follows : A large body of men was to be fent to Weft Florida, in order to penetrate through the territories of the Creeks, Cherokees, and AMERICAN WAR. 27 and Checkefaw Indians. The warriors of thefe C H A P. nations were to join the body, and the Carolinas ^X. and Virginia were immediately to be invaded. """"^T^ At the fame time the attention of the colonifts *77e- was to be diverted by another formidable naval and military force, which was to make an im- preffion on the fea-coafts. But this undertaking was not to depend folely on the Britifti army and the Indians. It was intended to engage the alTiftance of the white inhabitants of the back fettlements, who were known to be well affeded to the Britifh caufe. Circular letters were accordingly fent to thofe perfons by Mr. Stuart, the principal agent for Indian affairs, requiring not only the well-affe6l- ed, but alfo thofe who wifhed to preferve their properties from the miferies of civil war, to re- pair to the royal ftandard, as foon as it Ihould be erefted in the Cherokee country, with all their horfes, cattle, and provilions, for which they fhould be liberally paid. They were Hke- wife required, in order to infure their fafety, and to diftinguifh them from the king's enemies, to fubfcribe a written declaration of their allegi- ance. Thefe operations were condudied with fuch plaufibility, that confiderable hopes were entertained of their fuccefs. Already had a large number of the Indians declared in favour of the Englifh ; and even the Six >^ations, who had fworn to the obfervance of a ftri^l neutrality, violated their oaths, and committed feveralafts of hoftility. Matters were not yet ripe for ex- ecution, when the Creeks, a bloody and cruel race, eager to partake of the expe6led plunder, refolved not to await the arrival of the Britifh troops, but to commence the infurre£lion imme- diately. They proceeded in the execution of their intentions with incredible barbarity ; but finding . 28o HISTORY OF THE CHAP. finding that they were not fupported, and be- ginning to confider that they fhould be overpow- ^""^y^ ered if they aded fingly, they paufed in their ■ career, and, in a confukation among the chi^s, it was determined to defift from hoflilities, and to fue for a peace with the colonifts. In the prefcnt fituation of affairs their requeft was eali- ly complied with, and they returned to their na- tive polTeflions. The Cherokees, ignorant of the determina- tion of the Creek Indians, fent them word, as foon as they had completed their preparations, that they were going to march againft the ene- my, and intreated their alTiftance. The Creeks, however, returned for anfwer, " that the Che- " rokees had plucked the thorn out of their foot, " and v/ere welcome to keep it.'' The Chero- Jiees, notwithftanding this repulfe, proceeded to invade the back fettlements of Virginia and the CaroHnas with inconceivable fury and barbarity ; but their career was foon checked. The inhabi- tants of the provinces of Carolina and Virginia immediately affembled a large militia, which jnarched with great expedition to the relief of the back fettlers. The Cherokees were foon dri- ven from the places of which they had pofTeffed themfelves, and purfued into their own country, where their towns, their habitations, and their fields were laid wafte, and a prodigious number of their warriors deftroyed. In this dreadful dilemma they were glad to accept of any terms the conquerors chofe to impofe on them. The Checkefaws, who, fortunately for them, had not completed their preparations, as foon as they heard of the ill fuccefs that had attended their neighbours, the Creeks and the Cherokees, deter- mined to remain quietly within their own con- fines. Thus, for the prefent, ended the defigns of AMERICAN W A "R. of the Englifli on the back fettlements of Ame-CHAP. rica. The event was peculiarly fortunate for 1^- congrefs ; for it made thern formidable to the ^'^"'^T^ Indians, and attached feveral of the back fet- * tiers to their caufe, convincing them that they had now nothing to hope from a continuance of their attachment to the government of Great Bri- tain. The congrefs, relieved from any apprehen- fions of an invafion on their frontier fettlements, and the grand fyftem of confederation being now ratified, were enabled to concentrate their atten- tion upon general Walhington, whofe army they laboured with uncommon a6livity and dihgence to fupply with the necelTaries it wanted, and with new levies of men, in order that the enfuing campaign might be commenced with a propel" degree of vigour. CHAP. HISTORY OF THE CHAP. X. Situation of Affairs in Canada — General Carlefon fends an Armament agairijl Crown Point and Ticonderoga— Force oppojed to this hy the Ame- ricans. *HE 'Americans, though they were under the neceffity of relinquifhing their defigns on Canada, ftill pofifefled Crown Point and Ticon- 1776. deroga, and were mafters of Lake Champlain. Skton difpoirefs them of thefe pofts was an arduous equips an and a difficult tafk, inafmuch as the Britifli had ^ment ^ vefTcl on Lake Champlain to oppofe the Crown American fleet. Difficult however as it was, ge- Tkonderl)- Carlctou rcfolvcd to ufe every effort to pro- ga- cure a naval force adequate to the importance of the objedt in view. Thirty vefTels were necef- fary to acquire a fuperiority of force on the Lake. The largeft were fent from England ; but it was found necelTary to take them to pieces. It was alfo requifite to tranfport over land, and drag up the rapid currents of St. Therefe and St. John's, with thirty long boats, a number of flat boats of"* great burthen, a gondola, weighing thirty tons, and above four hundred batteaux. In fpite of the fatigue of the undertaking, and the complexity of difficulty that attended it, the talk was completed in about three months. Dif- patch indeed was rendered abfolutely neceflfary ; for the winter feafon Mas approaching, and it was wiflied that the objeft ftiould be attained before the feverities of the feafon lliould render any AMERICAN WAR. any attempts of the kind impracticable. TheCHAP. difficulty of the fcheme may be conceived from the following relation : The Englifli had to pafs ^""^-^^-^ two inland feas, to fubdue an unknown force on each, and to make themfelves mailers of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. In addition to thefe impediments, the commu- nication between Lakes George and Champlain would not admit the pafTage of thofe veffels of I force, which, a:^ter being fuccefsful on one lake^ might be wanted on the other. Should, howe- ver, all thefe difficulties be overcome, then the I army would ftill have to march through intricate I forefls, deep morafTes, fwamps, and a country ftill in a ftate of nature, before they could arrive t at Albany, the firft poft fouthward. But the I magnitude of the objeft rendered all thefe diffi- culties and dangers light : For general Carleton, in difpoffeffing the enemy of Crown Point and i Ticonderoga, and in fecuring the poffeflion of : Lakes George and Champlain, had not only in j view the clearing the frontiers of Canada, but of I opening a communication with the northern and j middle colonies, which he conceived he could then invade at will. Befides, by polTeffing Hud- fon's River, he knew that he Ihould be able to co-operaie with general Howe, and to affiDrd him affiftance in cafe of emergency. Added to thefe advantages, fhould fucceis attend the prefent un- - dertaking, the fouthern would be feparated from the northern provinces. The latter would, of courfe, be under the neceflity of fuftaining the ; attacks of two armies, or of yielding to fuch terms as fhould be impofed upon them, leaving the fou- thern colonies to continue the war alone. Nor could general Walhington then hold the poflef- fion of the Jerfeys, unlefs he chofe to expofe Jiimfelf to the difadvantageous predicament of encounteriujj 284 HTSTOKY OF THE CH A P. ciicountering a fuperior army in front, and the X. Canadian forces in his rear. ^-^-"^ About the beginning of 06lober the Englifh ^n^' fleet was ready to oppofe the enemy on Lake Champlain. It confifted of the following veffels :. The Inflexible, mounting eighteen twelve-poun- ders ; which veffel had been re-conftru£led at St. John's iii twenty-eight days after her keel had been laid down ; one fchooner, mounting four- teen, and another twelve, lix-pounders ; a flat- bottomed batteau, carrying fix twenty-four, and the fame number of twelve-pounders, befides howitzers ; and a gondola, with feven nine-poun- ders. Twenty fmaller veffels, called gun-boats, carried either brafs lield-pieces, or howitzers. Some long-boats were furnifhed in the fame man- ner. An equal number of large boats ferved as tranfports for the troops, baggage, warlike fiores, provifions, and- all the other neceffaries for the army, that, under convoy of the Ihipping, was to be conveyed acrols the lakes. This fleet was commanded by captain Pringle, an a6tive and brave officer, who had under his command feven hundred feamen. The army embarked in the batteaux, which were ordered to keep in the rear as foon as they had entered Lake Champlain, in order that the fleet might reconnoitre the fituatiou of the enemy. The force The forcc which the Americans had to oppofe ^h^s armament was in every refpedl unequal to armament it. Their veflTcls wcrc neither ib well confl;ruded Ss.^""''!^^^ furniflied with neceffaries as thofe of the Eng- lifli ; bendes, they were inferior in point of num- ber, the fleet amounting only to fifteen veffels of different kinds, confifling of two fchooners, one floop, one cutter, three gallies, and eight gondo- las. Colonel Arnold, who had acquired fuch fame before G^ebec, was honoured with the com- mand AMERICAN WAR. mand of it. On the eleventli of 061ober theCHA: Britifh fleet difcovered that of the enemy, very advantageouHy pofied off the Ifland Valicour, with an intention of defending the pafTage be- tween that ifland and the weflern main. A fchooner and fome gun-boats, being confiderably a-head of the reft of the fleet, began the engage- ment, which was con tinned for fome hours on both fides with great intrepidity. Unfortunately the Inflexible, and the other fliips of force, could not advance near enough to take a part in the en- gagement, on account of the unfavourablenefs of the wind : For this reafon captain Pringle, ! having confulted general Carleton, thought it ad- vifable to order thofe that were engaged to ftieer off, and, for the prefent, difcontinue the adion. I In this attack the largeft of the enemy's fhips was defeated, forced a-ftiore, and one of their gondolas funk. , Night coming on, the enemy retired into Cum- I berland Bay, and captain Pringle, in order to prevent their retreat, formed the Britifli fleet ■ into a line as near the entrance of the bay as pof- fible. Arnold, who was fufly fenfible of the infuffi- ciency of his ftrength, determined to take advan- tage of the darknefs of the night, and retreat to Crown Point. This determination, notwithftand- ing the proximity of the BritiRi fleet, he was en- abled to execute in part. He retired out of the bay undifcovered, and on the morning of the tVv^elfth of Odlober was out of fight. The Bri- tiffi fleet immediately followed liim, and the wind proving favourable on the thirteenih,^ he was overtaken a few leagues from Crown Point. Un- able to avoid an engagement, Arnold refolved to ' conduit it with his wonted intrepidity and reio- lution. About noon the engagement commenced I on both fides, and continued with great fury for two 2«6 HISTORY OF THE I A P. two hours. Several of Arnold's fleet then left him, and retreated with great fpeed to Ticonde- 7^ roga. Arnold, however, refufed to follow their ' pufillanimous example, and, with the remnant of his fleet, ftill continued to reflft the attack of the Biitifli with unabated intrepidity. At length vidory decided againft him. His fecond largeft galley, called the Wafliington, commanded by brigadier-general \V aterby^ after a defperate re- fiftance, was at length forced to ftrike her colours. Finding then, that all his efforts would be inef- fedlual, he refolved to retreat. But even in this fituation he difplayed a magnanimity of courage that was aftonifliing. Though reduced to the neceflity of bending under iuperior power, he refolved that neither his men nor his veflTels Ihould be taken. The Congrefs galley, which he commanded, and five other gondolas, were run a-ground by his orders, and as foon as the men were landed, burnt down to the water's edge.^ He remained himfelf on board his own Ihip till flie was fet fire to in feveral places, iu order that his flag might not be flruck by the Englifh. This vidory on the Lakes was obtained with- out much lofs on the fide of the Englifli, two gun-boats only being lofl:, and not more than fifty men killed and wounded. On the fifteenth of Odober the Britifli fleet anchored off Crown Point, which the enemy immediately evacuated, retiring to their main body at Ticonderoga. Ge-,, neral Carleton difenibarking the army at Crown Point, remained there till the third of Novem- ber. As the winter was advancing fafl:, he did not think it advifable to attempt the reduftion of Ticonderoga. His opinion, however, did not coincide with that of other officers. Ticonde- roga is but fifteen miles from Crown Point. It was AMERICAN WAR. was well known, that the fortifications were in C H no condition to withftand an attack ; and indeed, ^ general Gates, convinced of this faft, was pre- pared to evacuate it, as foon as any meafure fhould be adopted for the inveftiture of it. With re- fpe6l to the advanced ftate of the feafon, they thought that to be not a very ftrong argument, becaufe eight days would have been fully fuffi- cient for the attainment of the defired dbjedl. I The redu6lion of it would certainly have for- warded the operations of the enfuing campaign, and would have increafed the number of loyal- ills, a body of perfons from Albany, well affedled to Great Britain, having prepared themfelves to join the commander in chief as foon as he fhould arrive at Ticonderoga. General Carleton remain- ed not long at Crown Point, but returned to St. John's, and placed the army in winter-quarters, Ifle aux Noix, being the frontier poft, and the cantonments extending through different parts of the country. t CHAP. 38S HISTORY OF THE CHAP. XL Inevitalle NeceJJity of War in the general Opinion of the Britijh Nation — Dijirefs of the Wejl In- dies — Capture of American Privateers — ConduB of France and Spain — Meeting of Parliame7it — Debates in both Houjes. CH AP. "^TTAR, in the opiuion of a great majority of XT. Y V the people of Great Britain, was now ^"""^^^ inevitable. There was, indeed, a kind of paf- ^'^'^ ' fion for it that pervaded the whole nation; nor n"clmty of could the depredations of the American cruizers, war. the capture of many richly-laden Weft India veflels, and the confet^uent failure of feveral large houfes in the city, retard its operation, or arreft its elfed. Such a diipofition could not but be extremely agreeable to adminiftration, becaufe it procured them a degree of liability that feem- cd to defy the attacks of an oppofition ill con- neded, and proceeding on no regular or given line of condu£l. In both houfes of parliament the force of government was fully adequate to every defire that adminiftration could entertain neverthelefs, a few days before the recefs, the May 14, upper houfe received an addition of ten new peers. In every preceding debate on the Ame-r rican war, thofe v/ho oppofed it had always pre- dided that it would involve the Britilh Weft India iilands in great calamity and diftrefs. Such predidions were then treated as chime- rical. la AMERICAN WAR. 289 in July, accounts were received of a fcarcityCHAP. in the iflands of the neceffaries of life, which, on that account, had, within a Ihort period, ri- ^""^JI^ fen to four times their ufual price. Other wants . ' began to multiply ; but as they did not immedi- JJf BritiS! atcly relate to a fcarcity of neceffary fuftenance, weft India they were felt lefs feufibly than otherwife they' *" would have been. In addition to thefe diftref- fes, the negroes in Jamaica had meditated an infurredion, which, however, was happily crulh- ed before it had attained any dangerous height. Our military ftrength in Jamaica was but weak, on account of the drafts that had been made for the American fervice. The naval force was on the point of being employed in convoying home a large fleet of merchantmen, which had com- pleted their homeward-bound inveftments. Their departure was to be the period at which the in- furredion was to commence. By feme fortunate event the plan was difcovered. The naval force, , jo£ courfe, was detained, and the merchantmen remained a month beyond the time fixed for their departure. After the mutinous fpirit of the ne- groes had been fufficiently quelled, the merchant- men were fuffered to depart ; but the delay pro- duced the moft ruinous confequences. The Ame- ricans thereby gained time to equip their priva- teers, and bad weather feparating the fleet, many of our merchantmen, whofe cargoes were ex- tremely valuable, fell into their hands. The Bri- tifh nation, by thcfe captures alone, during the year 1776, loft property to the amount of above a million fterling. It was about the middle of this year that France p^"^"^*^^"^ and Spain began to manifeft a hoftile difpofition spam. towards Great Britain. Their ports in Europe were open to the American privateers, and Eng- lifh prizes were fold without any attempts to make Vol. I. U fuch HISTORY OF THE CHAP, fuch fales fecret. Government remonftrated XL againft fuch proceedings ; but their remonflrances '*^nr^ were attended but with little effect : For though the '776 open difpofal of prizes was checked, yet the prac- tice ftill continued in fecret. In the French Weft India Iflands, the countenance given to the Ame- ricans was much more avowed. French veffels accepted American commiffions, arid carried on hoftilities againft the commerce of Great Britain, even without any American feamen on board. Thefe doings were not unknown to the admini- ftration of Great Britain ; but it was judged ne- neflary that, for a time, the affertion of the na- tional dignity and charader fhould be fufpended. In confequence of thefe captures by the Ame- rican cruizers and the French vefTels with Ame- rican commiffions, the price of infurance was confiderably increafed ; but that upon veffels bound from the Weft Indies amounted to the enormous fum of twenty-three pounds per cent. It was now apparent to all, that Great Britain would not have only one enemy to contend with. Spain and France were bufily employed in making warlike preparations ; the objeft of which, it was reafonably fuppofed, w^as to co-operate with Ame- rica. Befides, the hoftile difpofition of each of thetw^o powers was fufficiently difcernible from their treatment of the ally of Great Britain, Por- tugal. Thefe circumftances were fufficient to in- fufe into the mind of adminiftration a confidera- ble degree of difquiet and alarm : Neverthelefs they prepared to meet the impending ftorm with refolution, in which, it has been faid, and gene- rally believed, they were encouraged and con- firmed from a very high quarter. Nor, indeed, is there any thing more natural than that the auguft perfonage, now alluded to, coufcious of a juft caufe, breaihing the courage of his royal ancef- try. AMEkicAN wAr. try, and animated by the general vows of his CHAP* people, Ihould be willing to call forth all the re- fources, in order to maintain the glory, with the ""-""ir^ individuality, of the empire ; refources which, in fpite of all our enemies, would have ultimately led to fafety and triumph, if they had been as prudently employed as they were liberally opened. About the middle of 06lober fixteen additional fliips were put into commiiTion, and feamen were invited to enter into the fervice, by a bounty of five pounds per man. A proclamation was iffued, commanding all Britilh feamen, who were em^ ployed in any foreign fervice, to return to Eng-- land : A fecond and a third were ilTued, laying an embargo on the exportation of provifions from Great Britain and Ireland ; and the fourth com- manded the obfervance of a fafli Off the thirty-firft of Odobef 1776, both'^eeting of lioufes of parliament alTembled, and the folio wing-^''"^'"' is the fubftance of the fpeech delivered to them from the throne : It began by affuring them, that it would have afforded his majefty much fatisfac-' tion to have been able to inform them, that the difturbances in the revolted colonies were at an end,.^and that the people of America, recovering from their delufion, had returned to their duty • but fo mutinous and determined was the fpirit of thofe who led them, that they had openly abjured and renounced all connexion and communica- tion with the mother-country, and had rejeded, I with the utmoft contempt-, every conciliatory pro- 1 pofition that had been fubmitted to them. After alluding to the late* declaration of congrefsj in I which they had erefled the colonies into fove- i reign and independent ftates, it was contended that much mifchief would accrue, not only to the , commerce of Great Britain, but to the general I fyiltem of Europe, if this rebellion and revolt V z ' were 292 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, were fuffered to take root. NevertheleCs it was XI. afferted, that this benefit would refuk from the ''"'^T^ open declaration of the rebellious colonies — that *V7^* their intentions being now clearly underflood, would produce unanimity at home, becaufe every one muft be convinced of the neceflity of the meafures propofed to be adopted. The fuccefs of the Britifh arms iti Canada, and on the fide of New York, was adduced as a good reafon for fuppofmg that the moft beneficial confequences would arife iiora it. Another campaign, how- ever, muft be prepared for, and the fupplies ne- ceffary for carrying it on, procured as foon as poflible. The condu6l of Spain towards the Britifh ally, Portugal, was next adverted; to ; and it was ftated that, though a continuance of the general tran- quillity in Europe was hoped, yet it was thought moft advifeable to increafe the defenfive refources at home. The difpofition of other European pow- ers was declared to be pacific. After exprelTing a convidion of the cheerfulnefs with which the necefifary fupplies would be granted, the fpeech in conclufion affured both houfes that his majefty bad no other end in view, by his prefent fyftem of condu6l, than to reftore the revolted colonies to their former fituation of profperity aUjd ffecu- rity under the dominion of Great Britain. The addreffes in aniwer to this fpeech were couched in the ufual form : Amendments, however, were propofed in both houfes. J In the houfe of commons lord John Cavendifti moved an amendment to the following effe6l : It included an enlarged view of the condu6l of ad- miniftraiion with refpeft to America, and ex- prefTed great regret at beholding the hearts of a large, and hitherto loyal, portion of his majefty's fubje^ls alienated from his governmen,t. This event. AMERICAN WAR. «verit. It was contended, could not have been c H A P. produced without great mifconduil on the part XL of thofe who pofleffed the diredion of the af- nr^ fairs of government ; the particulars of which ^11^- mifcondud were dated, at great length, and with much animation, in the houfe of lords. A fimi- lar amendment, propofed by the marquis of Rockingham, was defended by fmniar arguments. The minifter, however, as ufuai, was fupported by a large majority. In the houfe of commons the amendment propofed by lord John Cavendifh was rejeded by two hundred and forty-two, and fupported by only eighty-feven. The original - addrefs was then put and carried. In the upper houfe the friends of the minifter were equally nu- merous. The marquis of Rockingham's motion was negatived by ninety-one lords to twenty-fix- The propofed amendment, however, was entered in the Journals of the houfe, in form of a pro- teft, and figned by fourteen peers. Yet was not the minifter fupported by a large majority in par- liament: The obftinate and unvarying oppofi- tion which the Americans had ftiewn towards the mother-country, and the arguments that had been adduced by the adherents of adminiftration, had, in a great manner, eftranged the hearts of the people from their brethren in the colonies. ^ Per- haps, too, from national pride, which it is not my intention to condemn, they were induced to fupport the war, from a wifh that the mother- country might convince the world that ftie pol- feffed the means of fubduing all who were hardy enough to oppofe her. CHAP. 2p4 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. XIL Proclamation ijpued by Lord and General Howe-^ Debates upon it — The American Laws propofed to be revifed by Lord John Cavendi/h — This Mo-, tion rejeded — The Propriety of a partial Secejfion conjidered — Seamen voted — Naval Affairs—^ Supplies for the Military and Naval Service — Recefs of Pariiqme^it,—i']'^6^ CHAP. OGARCELY had the addreffes of both houfes XII. O been prefented to his majefty, when the pror *---^r^ clamation iffued by lord Howe and his brother, 776- fubfequent|y to the capture of New York, wag publifhed in one of the morning papers. This was conceived to be extraordinary, becaufe, al- though two gazettes had been pubhfhed the prcr ceding day, no notice had been taken of fuch a proclamation in either of them, On the day on which the proclamation appeared in the morning paper, lord John Cavendifli fubniitted it to the confideration of the houfe of commons, though he affeded not to confider it in any other light than as a forgery, and an inipolition on the peo- ple, which required exemplary punifhment. In reply to this fpeech, the minifter acknow- ledged that fuch a proclamation had been made, and that the paper now produced contained an authentic copy of it. Lord John Cavendifh, on receiving this information, immediately rofe with great warmth and indignation. He reprobated the condud of admin ift ration, contending that they h^d ^rofsly infulted the houfe by withholding fuc^ Nov, 6. A M E 4 I C A N W A R. 295 fuch an important ^lece' of intelligence, ^i^^^Sj^^* by fuffering- it to come to the knowledge of the public through the medium of a common pa- ^ per. But this treatment was not different from that which the minifter had thought proper to fhew to parliament from the commencement of the American difturbances ; a treatment that;, whilft the fhadow of a conftitution remained, and minifters continued to be refponfible for their condu^l, could not be defended on any grounds or by any arguments whatever. A dminift ration, on the other hand, and their adherents, con- tended that the promife held out in the proclama- tion by the commilTioners was not novel. It was only purfuing that mode of condu6l which had been adopted by parliament at the commence* ment of the difturbances, viz. the reftoration of peace to America. With regard to the infulting treatment with which adminiftration had been charged in not publifhing the proclamation in the gazette, it was faid, that it feemed not to be of fufficient importance, becaufe it was neither a treaty, nor part of one ; it only formed a preli- minary, which might eventually lead to one. If, therefore, this preliminary were even important enough to be laid before parliament, miniflers were jufttfied in not purfuing fuch a meafure by precedent. The negotiation between Mr. Pitt and M. De Bufly w^s not laid before the houfe of commons during its pendency. The motion for a committee was oppofed in the moft firenuous manner. It was contended that it would tend rather to impede than accelerate the negotiations of the commilTioners, and to infufe into the minds of the Americans improper jealoufies and appre^ henfions. Befides, it would be impolitic to feem too fond of conceding ; for the Americans would then demand more tlian tJiey might originally in- tend- 29^ HISTORY O f T K E CHAP. tend. Another, and moll forcible, objeaiott to XII. the motion was, that it would be abfurd to confi- ''-nr^ der the revifal or repeal of laws, the authority of 1776. which was denied in the moft unqualified man- ner. America had declared herfelf indepen- dent. The firft point therefore to be fettled, preliminary to any negotiation, was the queftion of independence. As long as Ihe perfifted in this independence, no treaty could be begun, and all conceffions would be difhonourable. If {he con- fented to give it up, and to acknowledge the authority of the mother-country, then would be the proper feafon to revife and repeal obnoxious laws, and to eftablifli regulations confonant with the rights of thofe who were to be bound by them. From the approaching campaign much was to be expeded. The tyranny of the congrefs would operate in favour of the Britifh caufe, and the acknowledged fuperiority of the Britifh troops, both in number and in difcipline, would produce confequences favourable to the mother- country, and likely to put a fpeedy termination to the war. After a very long and interefting de- bate, the motion was put, and the houfe divided : Forty-feven fupported the motion, and one hun- dred and nine voted againft it. Sersof Therejeaion of this motion produced an ex- th. houfe oftraordinary effea. Several members of the mi- nority withdrew themfelves whenever any quef- tions relative to America were difcuffed. They did not wholly refrain from attending the houfe ; but as fOon as the private bufmefs of the day was difpatched, they made their ufuai obeifance to the fpeaker, and retired. Thus, for fome time, all debates upon important fubjeas were avoided, and vaft fupplies were granted without a fnigle obfervation with refpea to their tendency, or the purpofes to which they were to be applied. The members commons. AMERICAN WAR. 297 members who feceded adduced the following rea- CH AP. fons in juftifi cation of their condud : As af- XII. fairs were at prefent fituated, all oppofition to — the propofitions of government, with refpea to 1776. American affairs, was not only fruitleis, but con- temptible, on account of the numbers that fup- ported the minifter on every queftion. They were tired with oppofmg realbn and^ argument to fuperior power and numbers. This conduct, however, of the feceding members, did not re- ceive the approbation of the oppofition in ge- neral. Several contended that a partial fecelfion was inconfiftent with the duties attached to the fituation of a member of parHamcnt. A collec- tive feceflion had been fandioned by a precedent in the reign of the firft Charles, but it ought al- ways to be general. The difunion occafioned by this difference of opinion, added gready to the flrength of admi- niflration, and contributed not a httle to increafe the number of thole who fupported the conti- nuance of the war. When the minifter, in aExtraordi. committee of fupply, propofed that forty.five ""^g^ thoufand feamen fhould be voted for the fervice of the enfuing year, Mr. Luttrell, a member in oppofnion, feized the opportunity of reprobating, in very fevere terms, the conduA of the peer wh6 poiTeffed the rank of firil lord of the admiralty. He charged him with wilfully impofuig on the parUament and the nation by a fallacious account of the navy both with refped to the fhips and the feamen. The minifter, in reply to thele obferva- tions, vindicated the condu6l of the peer alluded to, and contended that it was improper to attack a perfon who, from his ftation, could not defend himfelf in that houfe. He alio alleged, that the introduaion of the accufaiion, wiihout any pre- vioust HISTORY OF THE CHAP, vious notice, was diforderly, and inconfiftent with XII. the rule of parliament, ^-nr^ Mr. Luttrell, however, infifted that, as a mem- ^776. ber of parliament, he had a right to make fuch obfervations on the condu6l of minifters as ap- peared to him to be well-founded. With refpedl to the want of a formal accufation, he ^vould remove all objedions on that head when the houfe fhould be refumed. Accordingly he took the earlieft opportunity of moving for leveral re- turns of the navy. Thefe, he contended, would eftabliih the charges he had adduced againft the noble lord, and convince the houfe what was the real (late of the naval reiburces of the coun- try. Thefe returns, however, were refufed "by adminiftration, and their refufal was fupported on the following grounds : It was contended that a difclofure of the naval flrength or weaknefs of the country would be attended with injuria ous confequences, inafmuch as, if Great Britain were fuperior to other powers, they would be induced to be more circumfpe6l in their defigns, and if fhe were weaker than them, they would thereby be encouraged to take advantage of our defencelefs lituation. The fupplies for the navy, granted this year, amounted to three millions two hundred and five thoufand five hundred and five pounds ; including the ordinary, at four hundred thou- fand pounds ; and the expences of building and repairing fhips, at four hundred and fixty- two thoufand five hundred pounds. In this account, however, neither the fum voted to Greenwich hofpital, nor the million granted at the clofe of the feflion for the difcharge of the navy debt, were included. The fupplies for the military eftablifliment amounted to a fum little lefs than the fupplies foi- the navy — the amount wa$ AMERICA-N WAR. was three millions. The extraordinaries, how-cHAP. ever, of the preceding year, amounting to one XII. million two hundred thoufand pounds, with ^-nr^ frefh contrads for German forces, expences of 1776. half-pay and Chelfea hofpital, were not includ- ed in the grofs fum. All the neceffary public Adjourn- bufmefs being difpatched on the thirteenth of j^emofpar, December, both houfes adjourned to the twen- ty-firft of January, CHAP. 300 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. XIII. Letters of Marque and Reprifal Bill — Bill for fir- curing Perfons charged with High- Treafon — De- bates upon it — Amendment propofed by Mr, Dunning — Agreed to — The Bill carried through both Hoiifes — Extroardifiary unprovided Expences of the War voted — Motion for an Addrefs to the Throne by the Earl of Chatham — Rejeded — Prorogation of the Parliament. — 1777. CHAP A ^ ^^^^ parliament met after the re- -^lll, ' -lIl^ cefs, a bill was paflTed, authoriling any own-. v.„^-jj-^ ers or captains of private merchant-fhips to make '777- prizes of all veflels belonging to the thirteen. "^'"^"^l^and ■^"^^ri^^^^ colonies. I^prifai bSi. On the fixth of February, the minifter moved in the houfe of commons for leave to bring in curing pe?- a bill, to fecure and detain perfons charged with, fons charged or fufpcdlcd of, the crimc of high-treafon, com- trelfon?'" mitted in America or on the high feas, or the crime of piracy. In fupport of his motion, he obferved that, during the prefent difturbances, prifoners had been made in the a6lual commif- Jion of the crime of high-treafon ; others, fuf- pecled of the fame crime, could not be fecured, on account of the want of fufficient evidence. Formerly, in cafes of rebellion and revolt, and when an invafion was apprehended, parliament granted this power to the crown ; but in the pre- fent period, as neither rebellion at home, nor invafion from abroad, were in danger of being experienced, he fhould not requeft that power in AMERICA!^ WAIR. $01 in its full extent. The law now did not em- H A P. power government officially to apprehend the XIII. moft fulpc6ted perfon, nor could the crown con- ^-^ir^ fine rebel prifoners or pirates in any other place i777- than in the common gaols. To remedy thefe inconveniences, and to empower liis majefty to confine fiich perfons in the fame manner as other prifoners of war, until criminal proceedings eould be inftituted againft them, were the objedls propofed to be attained by the prefent bill. Leave was given for th^ introdu6lion of the biU : On the queftion for the fecond reading of it, it appeared that the ena6ling claufe rendered all perfons taken in the aft of high treafon, or fuf- peded of it, hable to be committed to prifon with- out bail or trial, during the continuance of the law. When the queftion was put, a gentlem.an of great eminence in his profeffion (Mr. Dun- ning) animadverted feverely on the condud of the Debate up- minifter, in attempting, when the houfe was^"'^- thinly attended, to introduce and precipitate the paflage of a bill, which was to undermine that bulwark of the conftitution, the Habeas Corpus atSl. Time, he contended, ought to be given to the nation to confider whether they would furrenderthe foundation and corner ftone of all the rights which they pofTefTed. For thefe rea- fons, and in oi:der to prevent the fecond read- ing of the bill, he moved that it fliould be print- ed ; in which the minifter was under the necef- Xity of acquiefcing. The introdudlion of this bill recalled feveral of thofe members who had feceded from the houfe. In every ftage through which the bill pafTed, it was violently oppofed by the minority, who contended that no reafon ex- ifted for invefting the crown with fo dangerous a power ; that it would tend to widen the breach between the mother-country and the colonies. 302 HISTORY OF THE Xin^'^^^ cut off all hopes of a conciliation of thediffe- rences between them. Befides, it was contend- ti^at the power might be extended to inno- cent perfons, and would thereby become an in- ftrument of tyranny and oppreffion. Several amendments were propofed, all of which were rejedled, except one on the third reading, pro- Amend- P^^^^. ^"nning. The amendment was ment pro- contained in the following claufe : " Provided Mr'^vln " hereby declared, that nothing uing, " herein contained is intended, or fliall be con- " flrued to extend to the cafe of any other pri- " foner or priibners, than fuch as have been in " fome one of the colonies before mentioned, or on the high feas, at the time or times of " the offence or offences wherewith lie or they " fhall be charged." The amendment, with ajreecj to. ^^"^^ trifling alteration, was agreed to. The ac- ceptance of this claufe afforded great joy to the minority, who confidered the bill as divefied thereby of the mofi; dangerous tendency. Ne- verthelefs they ftill continued to oppofe the prin- ciple of the bill with undiminirfied vigour and unwearied perfeverance. In this, however, they were unfuccefsful, and the bill was paffed with- out a divifion. Thebiiicar- In the houfc of lords, no oppofition was made bol'Sll^ peers in the minority having ab- fented themfelves, except the earl of Abing- don. Extraordi- About the latter end of February, the feverat S"eT°' extraordinary unprovided expences of the war, pcncesof the to the amouut of two millions one hundred and wai- voted, feventy thouland pounds, were defrayed by- the houfe of conmions. No debates of any impor- tance relative to the American war occurred in either houfe, till the end of May. ■ An addrefs to the throne was then moved in the houfe of peers. AMERICAN WAR. peers, by the venerable earl of Chatham, At c H AP. this period his lordfhip laboured under many XIII. * bodily infirmities. Neverthelefs his intelleftual ^-nr^ vigour remained unimpaired, and, in his zeal i777- * to ferve his country, tlie enfeebled ftate of his body was forgotten. His lordfhip had in former periods repeatedly endeavoured to reconcile the differences between the colonies and the mother- country, and though his attempts were not at- i tended with the dehj-ed effed, yet he refolved to I make one effort more. 5 The lords being accordingly fummoned on the j thirtieth of May, his lordfhip moved that an ad- ^^^^^^ I drefs fhould be prefented to his majefly, repre-anaddrefst» fenting that the houfe of lords were fenfible of [J'^JJ;'""^} the rum that threatened the country from a con- of Ghatham., I tinuation of the unnatural war with the Britifh colonies in America, and advifing, that the mofl , fpeedy and effedual meafures fhould be taken for 1 putting a period to fuch fatal hoflihties, upon the only juft and folid foundation, namely, the removal of the accumulated grievances ; with an affurance, that the houfe would enter upon that great and neceffary work with cheerfulnefs and difpatch, in order to open to his majefly the ; only means of regaining the affedlions of the Britifh colonies, and of fecuring to Great Bri- tain the commercial advantage?, of thofe valua- ble pofTelTions ; f^jlly perfuaded that to heal and to redfefs would be more congenial with the goodnefs and magnanimity of his majefly, and more prevalent over the hearts of generous and free-born fubjedls, than the rigours of chaflife- ment, and the horrors of ^ivil war, which hi- therto had ferved only to fharpen refentment and confolidate union, and, if continued, muft finally end in difTolving all ties between Great. Britain and her colonies. Such 804 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. Such was the purport of the addrefs. In com- XIII. luenlixig on the neceflity of an aflent being given ^"'""^'^ to it, his lordlhip declared, that under the words ^T^'^' accumulated grievances, he meant to convey every tranfadion, with refpeft to America, fnice 1763, and the redrefs of all their grievances, including more particularly the right of difpofing of their own money. This fpirit of condu6l would pave the way for treaty and negotiation ; it would teftify the amicable temperament of the parlia- ment ; and thus the chief obftacle being removed, all other matters would follow as things of courie. The preflmg and immediate necelTity of acqui- efcing in the addrefs he infifted on, from the danger to which Great Britain was expofed from France — A few weeks, and the fate of the coun- try, as a nation, might be decided by a treaty be- tween the houfe of Bourbon and the Americans, His lordfhip proceeded to ftate the immenfe ad- vantages that the mother- country would lofe from the commerce of the colonies being turned into another channel, and fuJffered to flow into the hands of the natural enemies of Great Britain, Trade, he faid, was rapidly declining, inafmuch as it was now carried on in French and other bot- toms ; the concjuefl of America was impradica- ble ; and if it w ere not, it would be attended with the mofi ruinous confequences. To ufe the words of. this great man, America," he de- clared, " was contending with Great Britain, un- " der the mafked battery of France, which would " open upon this country, as foon as fhe per- " ceived that we were fufficiently weakened for " her purpose, and fhe found herfelf fufhcieiitly " prepared for war.''' In rq^ly to his loro'fhip's obfervations, and to thofe who fupported h\m, adminiftration oppofed the addrefs on the ok! grounds that independe;nce was AMERICAN WAR. 305 was the primary obje£l of the Americans, that CHAP, their prefent condud was but the elfedl of the premeditation of feveral years, and that all con- ^-""^^ cefiions on the part of Great Britain would be equally ridiculous and impolitic. The danger held out from France was again denied, and it was contended that the alTiftance afforded the Americans in that quarter, originated, not in the government, but in private individuals, and in that fpirit of enterp rife for which that nation had al- ways been remarkable. After an animated de- bate, the queftion was put, when there appeai-cd, rejeaed. on a divifion — for the propofed addrefs, twenty- eight — againft it, ninety-nine. The money bills *, a vote of credit, and the other public bufinefs being difpatched, his ma- VoL. 1. X jefty * The fpeech of the fpeaker of the houfe of commons, fir Fletcher Norton, afterwards lord Grantley, to his majeftv, on the leventh of May 1777, in the houfe of peers, on pre- fenting a bill for the better fupport of his majelly's houfehold, which made a great noife at that time, and was a fubje6t of various refleftlon, together with a confequent refolutiorv and vote of the houfe of commons, we here lay before our readers. Mojl Graciozis Sovereign, : THE bill, which it is now my duty to prefent to your majefty, is intituled, " An aft for the better fupport of his " majefty's houfehold, and of the honour and dignity of the " crown of Great Britain To which your commons hum- bly beg your royal afi"ent. By this bill, fir, and the reipedful circumftances which preceded and accompanied it, your commons have given the fuUeft and cleareft proof of their zeal and affeclion for your majefty. For in a time of public diftrefs, full of difficulty and danger, their constituents labouring under burthens almoft too heavy to be borne, your faithful commons poftponed all other bufinefs ; and with as much difpatch as the nature of their proceedings would admit, have not only granted to your majefty a large prefent fiipply, but alfo a very great additional revenue •, — 3o6 HISTORY OF THE C HAP. jefty thought proper to prorogue both houfes of XIII. parliament on the fixth of June. In his fpeech ^-^"T^ from the throne, he declared his entire approba- ^ ' ^* tion of the meafures that had been adopted during the continuance of the feffion ; teftified his thank- fulnefs for the liberality and cheerfulnefs with which the extraordinary fupplies for the fervicc of the current year had been voted ; and finally expreffed his hope that, by a well-concerted and vigorous tevenue ; — great beyond example ; great, beyond your ma- jelty's higheft expence. But all this, fir, tliey have done in a well-grounded confi- dence, that you will apply wifely what they have granted li- berally ; and feeling, what every good fubjeft muft feel with the greateft fatisfadtlon, that, under the direflion of your rhajefty's wifdom, the affluence and grandeur of the fovereign will refleft dignity and honour upon his people. [Copied from the votes of the Houfe of Commons, 7th May 1777.] Ordered, Nem. Con. That Mr. Speaker be defired to print the fpeech by him made to bis majefty in the houfe of peers, this day, upon his prefenting to his majefty the bill for the better fupport of his majefty 's houfehold, and of the honour and dignity of the crown of Great Britain, which then received the royal af- fent. 9th May 1777. Some allufions having been made, in the debate on the laft queilion, to the fpeech of Mr. Speaker, delivered at the bar of the houfe of peers, on AVednefday laft, Mr. Speaker, as foon as the faid queftion was determined, called the attention of the houfe to this fubjedt, and defired that a copy of the fpeech then made by him, might be read at the table. And the fame being read accordingly, Refolved, That the fpeaker of this houfe, in his fpeech to his majefty at the bar of the houfe of peers on Wednefday laft, and which was defired nemine contraaicente, by this houfe to be printed, did exprefs, with juit and proper energy, the zeal of this houfe, for the fupport of the honour and dignity of the crown, in circumftances of great public charge. Ordered, That the thanks of this houfe be returned to Mr. Speaker, for his faid Ipeech to his majefty. A M E R I C A N W A R. 307 vigorous exertion of the great force entrufled ta C H A P. his hands, the operations of the prefent campaign. ^^^I* would effedually tend to the fuppreffion of the "-"'■"s"^ rebellion in America, and to the re-eft ablifhment of that conftitutional obedience which all the fubjeds of a free ftate owed to the authority o£ ^^^^^^^^.^^ the law. The parliament was prorogued to theof pariia- twenty-firft of July. CHAP. 308 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. XIV. Opening of the Ca7npaign — Expedition to Peek^s mil — To Banbury — Vejjels and Provifions de- flroyed at Saggy Harbour — The Commander in. Chief takes the Field — Endeavours to bring Wajhington to an Action — The Briiijb Troop re- linquijk the Jerfeys — General Pre/cot carried off -—Commander in Chief proceeds to Chefapeak j^ay — Lands at the Head of the Elk — Proclama- tion iffued — General Wajloington moves to the North Side of the Brandywine River, in order to defend Philadelphia— Adion at the Brandy- ^ifiQ — General Wayne defeated — Royal Army paffes the Schuylkill— Lord Cornwallis takes Pojfeffion of Philadelphia. CHAP. TT has been already fhewn what hardfhips the ■ XIV. J. Britiih army endured at Brunfwick and Am- ■^-(s^ boy during the winter, and till the commence- 1777. ment of the Ipring. The weather was particu- larly fevere ; the duty unremitting and hard ; the enemy watchful ; and provifions and forage were not obtained without repeated fkirmifhes. Ne- verthelefs the foldiers endured thefe hardfhips with a fortitude and a perfeverance that acquired them infinite honour. At the opening of the feafon a body of provin- cial troops, amounting to feveral thoufand men, was embodied under the dire£lion of the com- mander in chief. Thefe men were difciplined bv thofe who had been under the necelTity of relinquiPaing their pofielTions, and of flying from their AMERICAN WAR. their habitations, onacQOuntof their attachment GH a I to the BritiOi caule. Thefe troops were allowed ^ ^ the fame pay as the regulars, with a further ad- ^^^^^^ vantage of receiving an allotment of lands at the conclufion of the difturbances. Such a large body of ftrength drawn from the heart of the cxjuntry with which- the Britifh w^ere waging war, was a moft fortunate circumftance. It decreafed the refources of the country, and it enabled the veteran troops to adopt more a6live operations than they would otherwife have been enabled to undertake. Thefe provincial forces, it is true, were inexperienced, and unacquainted with mi- litaiy difcipline, but they w^ere fextremely well fitted for garrifon fervice, and for the defence of a town. Accordingly they were immediately fent to New York, from which the regulars were drafted in order to join the grand arrny.^ Gover- nor Tryon, who had been very adive in raifmg and difciplining thefe new forces, was raifed to the rank of major-general of the provincials, by which he was enabled, on any emergency, to unite the divided bodies of thefe troops, and to ^ondenfe them into one body * About this time the rovaiifts in the Gounties of Somerfet and Worcefter, in the province of Maryland, became fo for- midable that an infurredion was dreaded: And it was feared that theinfurgents v/ould, in fuchacafe, be joined by a number of difaffefted perfons in the coimty of Suffex in the Delaware ftate. Congrefs, t© prevent this evil, recommended the a^- prehenfion and removal of all perfons of iniluence, or of defperate charaders, within the counties of Suffex, Worcef- ter, and Somerfet, who manifefted a dlfaffedion to the Ame- rican caufe, to fome remote place within their refpedfive ftates, there to be fecured. From appearances, congrefs had aifo reafon to believe that the loyalifts in the New England governments and New York ftat« had likewife concerted ah 'infurreaion. See Gordon's Hiftory of the American Revo- lution, vol. ii. p. 461, 462. By the fame authority we are informed 310 HISTORYOFTHE CHAP. The natural ftrehgth of the tradl which the XJV. Americans poffeffed, and which has been before ^-'nr^ defcribed, and its fertility in refources, had in- Op'eJinJof notwithftanding the feverities of the cam- the winter, to employ themfelves in adding as paign. much as poifible to this natural ftrength, by ereftr ing forts and building mills and magazines- Of this trad of land, the moft mountainous, and of courfe the moft advantageous, w^s a place which bore the appellation of the Manor of Courland. This was in a manner converted into a citadel, and large quantities of provifions, forage, and ftores of every kind, were depofited in it. About fifty miles from New York, up the North River, was a place called Peek's HiU, which ferved as a port to Courland Manor, and by which ftores and provifions were received and conveyed either to the army or to the numerous eredipns fituated in the more interior partSt Convinced of the importance of this place, and the diftrefs to which the Americans would be driven if they fhould be deprived of it, the com- inander in chief determined to open the cam- paign by an attack upon it, An attempt upori the Manor of Courland was deemed unadvifable, on account of its great natural and acquired llrength, and the confequent difadvantage of a battle in fuch a place. Befides, even if fuch an attempt had not been judged improper^ it would have been abfolutely necefTary, preliminary to it, foTeek?" ^^^^ fecured the pofTelhon of Pepk's Hill. In piii!^ ' purfuance of this refolution, a detachment of live hundred men, under the command of colonel Bird qf the fifteenth regiment, was ordered to proceed informed that general Gates wrote to general Fellows for ^ Itrong military force, for the prevention of plots and infur- feciiou ia the provinces of New England and New Yojk. AMERICAN WAR. 3^* proceed from New York about the latter end of C H A P. March, on this fervice. This detachment em- ^^V. barked on board two tranfports, which conveyed ^^nr^ them to the place of their deftination the day af- ^777- ter they left New York. On their approach a body of between feven and eight hundred men drew up at a diftance, under the command of a colonel Macdougal, with a feeming determina- tion of oppofuig the Britilh armament. On the nearer advancement, however, of colonel Bird, they thought proper to retire from Peek's Hill, and being unable to remove the ftores and provi- fions it contained, fet fire to the barracks and ftore-houfes. Unable, on this account, to bring off the different articles that were contained in the magazine, the Britifh thought proper to com- plete the conhagration ; after which they returned to New York. The confequences that had refulted from the fuccefs of this expedition were not fo important as had been expeded. The commander in chief had received falfe intelligence of the fituation of Peek's Hill, which did not contain that quantity of ftores and provifions he had been led to ex- pc£l. Neverthelefs it was abfolutely necelTary that theftrengthof the enemy Ihouldbe impaired and weakened as much as polfible, by cutting off their refources, and cnrtailing the means by which they were enabled to convey fupplies to the troops Rationed in the different parts of the Manor of Courland. The commander in chief having received in- telligence of a large quantity of ftores haying been depofited on the borders of Connedicut, in the town of Danbury, and other parts on the confines of Courland Manor, refolved to un- dertake another expedition againft thole part?. And^to Two thoufand men, drafted from different regi- ments, 312 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, merits, were employed in this fervice, which was XIV. entrufted to the command of major-general Try- on, who had accepted of the rank of maior-ge- ^'/77- neralof provincials, and who panted for a mili- tary command. Sir William Howe very pru- dently appointed general Agnew, and fir William Erlkine, to accompany governor Tryon, in his new charadler of general on this fervice. On the twenty-fifth of April this detachment embarked from New York in tranfports, under convoy of two frigates. They proceeded up the Eaft Ri- ver, as far as Camp's Point, where they landed. At ten o'clock at night they began their march to Danbury, where, about eight o'clock the next day, they arrived. The enemy, entertaining no apprehenfion of the intentions of the Englifh, and unprepared to refift them, retired on their ap- proach, and fuifered them to enter the town with- out oppofition. Convinced of the impoflibility of carrying off the llores that were contained in the town, and indeed having brought with them no carriages neceffary for this purpofe, the Eng- lifh were under the neceffity of fetting fire to the place *. The conflagration was not completed till the next morning. The detachment immedi- ately fet out on their return to the tranfports. The enemy, however, during the time occupied in the burning of Danbury, had ailembled from all quarters, and pofted themfelves, under the com- mand of general Arnold, at a town called Ridge- field, through which it was neceffary for the Eng- lifh to pafs. In order to render their fituation more fecure, Arnold had thrown up entrenchments. The * The Britifn deftroyed at Banbury 160:0 barrels of pork and beef, 600 barrels of flour, upwards of 2000 barrels of wheat, rye, and Indian corn, a very confiderable quantity of military clothing, and 2000 tents; a lofs which, from their icurcity, was feverely felt by the Americans. The Britifti, in. tluir return, deftroyed about 70 barrels of flour, and H2 hogllicads of vum. AMERICAN WAR. The Britifh troops did not expe6l to meet with C H A any refiftance ; neverthelefs, on their arrival at ^^^^ Ridgefield, they attacked the American intrench- ments with great fpirit, and carried them in a ftiort fpace of time. The troops were by this time ex- tremely fatigued from want of reft and their late hard fervice. As the day was on the wane, they lay on their arms till morning, having firft taken the precaution to form themfelves into an oblong fquare. As foon as they began their march at day-break, the enemy, who, during the night, had received a confiderable increafe of ftrength, affailed them from all quarters ; and from the houfes and ftone walls, with which that country abounds, did confiderable execution on the fhip- ping as the Britifh retreated. The route of the Britilh troops lay over a bridge, of which the enemy took poffelfion, as well as fome ftrong ground that commanded the pafs beyond the bridge. They were in poireifion of fome field- artillery, which had been brought by general Woofter, and the front they prefented to the Englifti was extremely formidable. Fortunately, however, the guide whom the Englilh had en- gaged conduced them to a part of the river, three miles above the bridge, which they forded, and which the enemy had neglefted to fecure, having deemed the paflage of it impra£licable. This manoeuvre fome what difconcerted them ; neverthelefs they continued their Ikirmifhes and attacks on the Bridfh troops till they had arrived within half a mile of the fhipping. Two diftindl bodies of the enemy now appeared, making a fhew of attacking the detachment, which by this time i was almoft exhaufted with fatigue. The men had { had no reft for three days and nights, and feveral of them dropped on the road with fatigue. Difpi- riled however and exhaufted as they v/ere, briga- dier-general Erfldne putting himfeif at the head HISTORY OF THE C H A P. of four hundred of the moft able of the detach- XIV. ment, attacked and broke the two columns, and ^"^^^^ put them to flight. So great was the panic among ^^77- them, occafioned by this fpirited attack, that they did not attempt any further annoyance on the troops, though they might have done them confi- derable damage on account of the numerous rocks that fkirt the Ihore. The Englifh, embark- ing in the tranfports, returned to New York. It may be reafonably doubted, whether the lofs 'Which the Britifh fuftained in this expedition, did not more than counterbalance the advantage derived from the complete attainment of their object. In this expedition near two hundred men, in-: eluding ten officers, were killed and wounded on the part of the Britifh. The lofs of the Ameri- cans was much greater, and general Woofter, with fome field-officers, was numbered amongft the flain. The enemy feized every opportunity of annoy- ing the Englifh by Ikirmiffies, and the thirty-third regiment, and a battalion of tlie feventy-firft Highland regiment, who were pofted at Bonham Town, between Amboy and Brunfwick, loft a great many men, the enemy conftantly attacking their pickets. On the twelfth of April, lord Cornwaliis, with a confiderable detachment, effeded a furprife upon the enemy's advanced pofts at Bondwick, feven miles from Brunfwick, where the American ge- neral Clinton was ftationed with about twelve hundred men. The furprife would have been more complete, had not fome chaffeurs, who ^vere in the van, given the alarm too foon, by firing on the centinels ; neverthelefs the enemy were routed, and retired from the town, leaving fome field-artillery behind them, and about one hundred prifoners. On the nineteenth of April, an AMERICAN WAR. zn attempt was made by general Vaughan, with CHAP, the garrifon at Amboy, to cut off the enemy's ad- vanced pickets at Woodbridge. His intentions, """""ir^ however, were prevented, on account of the Americans having received intimation of his de- figns. On the eighth of May, an attempt was made on the poft of Pifcataway, by the American ge- neral Stevens, who had two thoufand men under his command. The forty-fecond regiment, which was cantoned there, fuftained the attack with great refolution, and forced the enemy to re- treat, after a furious engagement, with confidera- ble lofs. About the middle of this month, the Ameri- vefleUand , . 1 1 provifions cans having received mteUigence that a large defiroyed at quantity of provifions and forage were depofited ^^ssy Har- in Long Ifland, at a place called Saggy Harbour, refolved to attempt the capture of them. In this defign they were encouraged by the diftance of I the place from New York, and the weaknefs of I it, being defended only by an armed fchooner of twelve guns. Neverthelefs fome danger attended the execution of the fcheme, on account of the neceifity of crolTing the Sound, which was full i of Britiih cruizers. This expedition was en- trufted to colonel Meigs, an adlive officer, who I had been trained under Arnold, and had been taken prifoner in the attempt to ftorm the city of Quebec, The colonel, with his detachment, tra* verfed the Sound in whale-boats, landed on the north branch of the ifland, and after carrying the boats over an arm of land, embarked again, and landed on the fouth branch of the ifland, within four miles of Saggy Harbour. At this place they arrived before break of day, and immediately commenced the attack. The place was vigoroufly defended by the crews of the merchant-veffels and 3i6 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, and the fchooner, which kept up a very heavy XIV. upon them ; neverthelefs they fucceeded in '"'nr^ their intentions, having burnt a dozen brigs and ^777- floops that lay at the wharf, and deftroyed every article of provifion and ftores that was depofited on the fhore. In this attack ninety of the Eng- lifh were made prifoners, viz. the officer who commanded the harbour, and his men ; the com- miffaries, and the crews of the vefTels which they had burnt. There is a circum fiance in this, which, if it be true, is curious. The Americans relate, that colonel Meigs, with his detachment, returned to Guildford in Conneclicut, within twenty-five hours after his departure. In this fpace of time, he had pafTed and repafled the Sound, and tra- verfed a fpace not lefs than ninety miles. About the latter end of May, congrefs were enabled to fend fupplies of men from the diffe- rent provinces to general Wafhington, who, on receiving this large reinforcement, relinquifhed his encampment at Morris Town, and removed to a ftrong place, called Middle Brook. Here it was not thought advifable to attack him, for his camp extended along feveral hills, and was ftrongly fortified by intrenchments and artillery. In the front the approach was difficult, on ac- count of the natural ftrength of the ground. Every movement of the Britifh on the Brunfwick hills was eafily difcernible ; as alfo any operation that might be carried on in the intermediate fpace between Brunfwick and Amboy. In his rear, general Waliiington had a plentiful country, from W'hich he drew vafl fupplies ; and he was enabled, if the -fituation of aft'airs fhould render fuch a flep neceffary, to fecure a fafe retreat over the Hudfon and the Delaware rivers. The A M E R I C A N W A R. 317 The tents and other neceflaries, together with CHAP, a frefh fupply of troops, being at length arrived XIV. from England, in the beginning of June the commander in chief left New York, and croffed 777- over to the Jerfeys, with an intention of opening The Britirh the campaign immediately. The Britiih troops —J^'J^^ were, asufual, greatly fuperiorin poinrof num- the field, ber to the Americans ; and perhaps it may not here be deemed improper to ftate the number of the troops on each fide, from the beginning of 1776, to the commencement of the campaign in the following year. British and Rebel Force in 1776. Dates. Brltifh. Rebel troops. Auguft 24,000 16,000 November 26,900 4'5oo December — — 27,700 3,300 In 1777. March 27,000 4>5oo June 30,000 8,000 Sir William Howe v/as thoroughly fenfible of Endeavours the impradlicability of making an attack on gene- ^^^^gto^ ral Wafhington in his prefent fituation. Hetoanaaion. 'therefore made ufe of every poifible effort to in- duce him to c|uit his pofition, and to hazard an engagement. The American general, however, eafily penetrated into the deiigns of the com- mander in chief, and eluded them by his cool, coUeded, and prudent condud. Finding that all his endeavours hitherto to provoke him , to battle were unfuccefsful, general Howe refolved to adopt an expedient, which in part fuccceded. On the nineteenth of June he fuddenly retreated from his fituation in front of the enemy, with marks 6f feeming precipitation. He ordered the whole army to relinquifn Brunfwick, and retire to Amboy. This mancEuvre deceived the Ame- ricans, who, in feveral large bodies, under the command HISTORY OF THE HA P. command of generals Maxwell and Conway, and ^^^^ lord Sterling, purfued them. The commander in chief fuffered himfelf to be purfued to fome diftance. He threw a bridge over the channel that feparates Staten Ifiand from the continent, over which he pafled his heavy baggage and a fmall number of men. General Walhington, conceiving this retreat to be real, immediately relinquifhed his encampment on the hills, and removed to a place called G^uibble Town, in or- der to be able to co-operate with that part of his army which had been detached in purfuit of the Britifh. As foon as the Britifh commander in chief had fucceeded in drawing the American general from his faflnefles, he marched the Eng- lilh army back by different routes, in order to bring general Walhington to an engagement, to cut off his advanced parties, and, if both thofe fchemes fhould fail, to fecure fome paiTes in the mountains, which would reduce the Americans to the neceflity of relinquifhing their former en- campment on the hills. For this laft purpofe, lord Cornwallis was detached with a conlidera- ble body of troops. On the twenty-fixth of June, his lordfhip began his march, and about feven o'clock in the morning, fell in with an advanced body of the enemy, amounting in number to about three thoufand, under the com- mand of lord Sterling and general Maxwell; they were ftrongly fituated, and well provided with artillery. The ardour, however, of the Britifh troops was irrefiftible — after a furious attack, the enemy gave way on all fides, and retreated with great precipitation. They were purfued as far as Weftfleld, when, on ac- count of the intenfe heat of the day, and the woods, his lordfhip thought proper to difconti- nue it. In this a6lion, the Americans loft two hundred A M E R I C A N W A R. 319 liundred mea, killed and wounded, befides three CHAP. pieces of brafs cannon. Convinced of his error, in XIV. removing to Quibble Town, general W^lhington "^^r^ I immediately regained his ftation on the hills, i7'/7- and at the fame time fecured thofe paffes, of which it was in the contemplation of lord Corn- j wallis to have pofleffed himfelf. j Sir William Howe being now fenfible that The Britifh every fcheme of bringing the Americans to an jr°°P* re- engagement would be unattended with fuccefs, jei%S ^''^ refolved to retire from the Jerfeys. Accord- ingly, on the twenty-eighth of June, he returned with the army to Amboy, and on the fucceeding day croffed over to Staten Ifland. A fhort cefTa- tion of courfe occurred on each fide. During the continuance of this, a fpirited de- General termination was made and executed by an Ame- ^''^^^ot car- rican colonel of the name of Barton ; it v/as to "^'^ carry off the commander of Rhode Ifland (gene- ral Prefcot), and in confequence to procure the enlargement of general Lee, by exchanging him for general Prefcot. The Britifh general's head- quarters were on the weft fide of the ifland, near the Narraganfet Bay, about a quarter of a mile from^ the ftiore. He was guarded by only one centinel at a time, and his quarters were above a mile from any body of troops. — No patroles were ported on the fl:iore, and the general de- pended folely on a guard-fliip that lay in the I bay, oppofite to his quarters. Colonel Barton being acquainted with thefe circumftances, fct out from Providence, with fome officers and Ibl- diers, in two boats, keeping near the ifland of Providence, till he came to the fouth end, which was not more than two miles and a half from the general's quarters. Here he remained till dark, when he proceeded acrofs the bay unper- ceived, and landed about midnight. The cen- tinel 320 HISTORY :0F THE CHAP. tinel was furprifed and properly fecured— two XIV. other foldiers ran away ; the general was taken ^**nr^ out of bed, and, without being fulfered even to 1777- put on his clothes, was hurried on board one of the boats. The boat paffed under the ftern of the Britifti guard-fhip witlibut being perceived, and conveyed the general in fafety to Providence. The general was much and defervedly blamed for his imprudence, in trufting himfelf fo far from the troops under his command, and for not adopting proper means to fecure his fafety. The commander in chief had hitherto fteadily refufed to relieve general Lee on any conditions whatever ; neverthelefs, the capture of general Prefcot obliged him to relinquilh his refolution ; and general Lee was, in a fhort period, reftored to the American caufe. Until the beginning of June, the numbers of general Wafhington's army did not exceed eight thoufand men, militia included ; a circumftance which naturally pointed to the expediency of an early campaign ; but the Britifh commander con- ceiving it impoffible to make any confiderable movements till the green forage was on the ground*, did not take the field with the main army till the twelfth of June, when he affembled the troops at Brunfwick. General Wafhington was encamped on a hill above Quibble Town, about nine miles from that place, on the north lide of the Rariton, with a force under fix thou- fand, and thefe undifcipHned and badly ap- pointed ; which, with a corps under general Sullivan * Yet tlie country was full of grain, hay, and dry forage, much to be preferred to green, which would rather fcour and weaken his liorfes, than add to their ftrength. This kind of forage he had, or ir,ight have had in his magazines, or might, as in the laft campaign, have procured in his march through the country. AMERICAN WAR. Sullivan of two thoufand men at Prince Town, CHAP, compofed his whole force. His camp was not XIV. inaccelTible, either through nature or art ; it was '-'nr^ ftrong, and capable of defence in front, being guard- * 777 • ed by the Rariton ; and the hill in that quarter was fteep and difficult of accefs ; but in his rear to- wards the mountains, and on his right towards the Delaware, it was by no means impra6licable- There were large and good roads around it, leading from Brunfwick on either lide of the ri- ver. In this ftate Wafhington remained, as if he had been perfedlly acquainted with the in- tended movements of the Britifli army. The Britilh commander marched his army in two co- lumns, to Middle Bufh and Hilllborough, two villages lying in a low level country, completely overlooked by the Americans, and on the fouth fide of the Rariton, keeping that river, which was not at that time fordable, between his army and the enemy. Provilions for a few days only were taken from Brunfwick ; the pontoons and flat-bottomed boats were left at that place, and the fleet lay ready at Staten Ifland to receive the army. General Wafhington, probably judging from the circumftances that lir William Howe did not mean to crofs the Delaware, remained in his camp, contenting himfelf witt frequently harafling the Britifh by his advanced parties. General Sullivan, on the approach of the troops towards Prince Town, fled in a panic to- wards the Delaware. He had begun to embark his men, but was fl:opped by an order from ge- neral Wafhington, and took pofl; at Fleming- town. In thefe pofitions the two armies re- mained from the fourteenth to the nineteenth of June ; when the Britifh general returned to Brunfwick, and on the twenty- fecond to Amboy. In his march to both thefe places, his army was Vol. I. Y infulted S22 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, infulted and haraffcd by fmall parties of the re- X^^- bels. On the thirtieth the troops croffed Staten ^•^'^^r^ Ifland, in order to embark for the Chefapeak. 1777- Thus the Britilh general retreated before an ene- my greatly inferior in force ; and, after obtain- ing great advantages, altered the plan of opera- tion which he himfelf had propofed, and the Britilh minifter for war had approved *. Why (it was afked) did he make fuch expenlive pre- parations for crolhng the Delaware, without mak- ing ufe of them ? Why did he pafs on the fouth fide of the Rariton, and take pofitions in which he could neither affail his enemy nor the enemy him, if difpofed to do fo ? Why did he not march round either on the north or fouth to the rear of that enemy, where he might have been af- faulted without any other hazard than fuch as inuft, in the common courfe of war, be unavoid- ably incurred ? If the enemy was, in his judg- ment, fo ftrongly polled as to render an attack on his camp a meafure too bold and defperate, why did he not intercept his convoys, cut off his fupplies of provifions, and reduce him un- der his power by famine ; or crofs the Delaware, and deftroy his polls and magazines ? It could not be fuppofed that general Wafhington would fuffer the Britilh army to pafs the Delaware, and ieize his magazines and other places of ftrength, v/itbout a ftruggle. Had that been attempted, he muil have quitted his camp and fought the Britifh army, or have loft his magazines, and the capital and moft important city in North Ame- rica ; a facrifice which, as was demonftrated by his fubfequent condud, he would never make without nieafuring arms. Notwithftanding * In a letter to lord George Germaine, dated the twentieth of January I777» he declared his intention of penetratirsg with the m?iin bod}' of the arniy into Per.fylvaniaby the way of Jcrfcy. AMERICAN WAK. Notwithftanding thefe, and many other con- CHAP, fiderations that, in the general opinion, fhould have moved our force in another diredion, the '•"ir^ Britifh troops, conlifting of thirty-fix HefTian and Britifh battalions, including light-infantry and ^"^'f i» 1111 > riianQcr in grenadiers, a corps called the queen s rangers, chief pro- and a regiment of light-horfe, on the fifth oP^'^^^^^^y. July embarked in tranfports, where both foot Bay. and cavalry remained pent up, - in the hotteft fea- fon of the year, in the holds of the veflels, un- til the twenty-third, when they failed from San- juiy 23. dy Hook ; but meeting with contrary winds, did not arrive at the Capes of the Delaware till the thirtieth. At New York were left feventeen battalions, the new provincial corps, and a re- giment of light-horfe, under the command of general Clinton, and feveral battalions were fta- tioned on Rhode Ifland. There were many who blamed the commander in chief, and with ap- parent reafon, for not proceeding up the North River to Albany, inftead of going to Philadel- phia, in order to have effeded ajundion with general Burgoyne, and it was the general opi- nion that, had he adopted fuch a meafure, he would not only have prevented the fatal confe- quences that enfued, but would have effeded the redudion of America. Befides, the delays in- cident to any expedition to the fouthward at a feafon of the year when the fouthcrly winds ufu- ally blow nineteen out of twenty days, might have proved exceedingly injurious to the men fo clofely flowed in the tranfports, and could not but be ruinous to the horfes. The commander in chief at firft intended to have gone up the Dela- ware, but having received intelligence that the enemy had rendered the navigation of that river difficult, he gave up his original intention, and proceeded to Chefapeak Bay. The winds proved Y a , fo H I S T O R Y O F T H E CHAP.fo contrary, as every one acquainted with the XIV. climate had predifted, that the fleet did not enter — ' the Chefapeak till the middle of Auguft. As 1777- foon as they arrived in the Bay they proceeded Lands at the up the Elk, the head of which river fir William Head of the jj^^^^ gained in fafety on the twenty-fourth of Auguft. Prociama- As foou as the army was landed, the com- tioniflued. j^ander in chief publiftied a proclamation, in which he offered pardon and protedion to all who would furrender themfelves to the Britifh troops ; and at the fame time he affured the in- habitants that the ftrifteft order and difcipline Ihould be preferved by the troops in marchmg through the country. On the twenty-eighth of Auc^uft the army moved forwards to a village at the'' head of the Elk, where the head-quarters were fixed. On the third of September a farther progrefs was made by a part of the army, which moved forwards about five miles ; difperfing the advanced guards of the enemy, and taking poft on Iron Hill, a place that commanded a view of the Delaware. Generals Grant and Knyphau- fen having joined the commander in chief with the troops under their command on the eighth of September, the whole army moved onwards in two columns on the route to Philadelphia. After they had proceeded about thirteen miles they halted, on receiving intelligence that the enemy were in motion. General Ou the clevcnth of September the Britifh army waihington ^q^q^ forwards ; the enemy, to the number of r'oSeoffourtcen thoufand, retiring before them to the the Brandy- ^^.j^^^ ^^iQ Braudywinc river. Here the ■mlldTto Americans halted, and pofted themfelves on lidd hia'"" ^^^'^ ^^^y ^^^^^ ground under cover of woods 4aepua. ^^^^ intervals of open ground between them. Their advanced corps was ftationed at Red Clay Creek. AMERICAN WAR. 325 1777- Creek. The Brandywine Creek runs ii]to the CHAP. Delaware at Wilmington, and it was indifpen- XIV. fably neceffary for the Britifli army to pafs over it in' their route to Philadelphia. The enemy therefore fecured, and refolved to defend, the principal fording-place. At Chad's Ford, the fpot where it was judged moft probable that the royal army would make an attempt, batteries were ereaed on the banks of the rivulet, with intrenchments that command- ed the pafs. While the enemy were occupied at Chads Ford, lord Cornwallis, with one column of the army, confifting of two battalions of grenadiers, as many of light-infantry, the Heffian grenadiers, part of the feventy-firft regiment, and two Bri- tilh brigades, made a circuit of fome miles, and crofled the forks of the Brandywine on the thir- teenth of September, with an intention of gain- ing the enemy's rear. At the fame time gene- ral Knyphaufen, with the fecond divifion, con- fifting of two Britilh brigades, the Heffians, and Wemys's corps of rangers, marched in a direft line to Chad's Ford ; and attacked a detached body of the enemy that had croffed the river, and were pofted on the fouth fide of it. This body, after fome refiftance, was forced to re- pafs the Brandywine under cover of their bat- teries. Several pieces of cannon having been brought up and placed on the moft commanding emi- nences, a ftiarp cannonade enfued, which was anfwered by the enemy's batteries on the other fide of the river. The attention of the Ame- ricans was thus amufed, in order that lord Corn- wallis might make his paffage good. As loon as this was known, by the firing of cannon in that quarter, and the evident confuhon ot 326 T S T O R Y OF THE CHAP, the enemy, general Knyphaufen, with his divi- XIV. fion, began to pafs the ford, and with great bra- '"-^ir^ very foon carried the batteries and intrench- ^777- ments; the enemy relinquifliing them, and leav- ing behind five pieces of cannon and an howit- zer. Lord Cornwallis, on the other hand, as foon as he had crofled the two branches of the river, took the road to Delworth, which led him upon the enemy's right. Aftionat General Wafhington being informed of lord whiJ"'^'^^'' Cornwallis's movement, detached general Sulli- van, with a confiderable force, to oppofe him. The general took poffeffion of the heights above Birmingham church, his left reaching towards the Brandywine, his artillery judicioufly placed, and his flanks covered by woods. About four o'clock in the afternoon lord Cornwallis formed the line of battle, and began the attack. The Americans fuftained it with confiderable intrepi- dity, but the impetuofity of the Britifh troops was not to be refifted. They rufhed upon the enemy, and in fpite of a very fpirited oppofition, drove them into the woods on their rear. Ne- verthelefs the enemy polled themfelves a fecond time in one of the woods, from which they were, after a defperate refiftance, diilodged and forced to retire. A general rout took place. A confi- derable part of the American army fled with precipitation, in fmall and confufed parties, by different roads, towards Philadelphia, Lancafler, and Reading, while general Wafhington, and the corps he was able to keep together, fled with his cannon and baggage to Chefter ; where he re- mained, within eight miles of the Britifh army, till next morning, when he marched by Derby to Philadelphia. Here he flaid three days, col- ieding as many of his troops as he poffibly could, and recruiting from his magazines the flores he had AMERICAN WAR. had loft in battle. On the third day after the C HA engagement he affembled his troops, and march- ed up the north fide of the Schuylkill, which he croffed at S weed's Ford, and paffed on to the ^ road to Lancafter. Meantime the Britifh army under fir William Howe remained on the field of battle. The Americans fuffered confiderably in this adion. Three hundred were killed, fix hundred wounded, and near four hundred taken prifoners ; they alfo loft ieveral pieces of artil- lery. The lofs on the part of the Britifti was by no means in proportion to that of the enemy. Not above one hundred were killed, and four hundred wounded. It may not be improper to mention here fome eircumftances that evince the opinion which fe- veral European nations entertained of the pre- fent difturbances. In the adion at Brandywine the celebrated marquis de la Fayette, at that time a young man of fpirit and enterprife, and a warm partifan of the Americans, bore a com- mand in the American army. Infpired by en- thufiaftic notions of liberty, he purchafed and freighted a fliip with military ftores, and pro- ceeding in it with feveral of his friends to Ame- rica, prefented it to coiigrefs. His age was not more than nineteen, and when he departed from Paris he informed his wife that he was going to pay a vifit to his aunt in Italy. Several other French noblemen were officers In the American army, and two Polifti noblemen exhibited in the battle of Brandywine, great proofs of bravery and attachment to the caufe they had efpoufed. On the evening after the battle, a party of the Britifti was fent to Wilmington, who took the governor of the Delaware ftate, Mr. Mackenlie, out of his bed, and feized a ftialloop lying in the creek, loaded with the rich effeds of fome of 328 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, the inhabitants, together with the public records XIV. of the county ; a large quantity of public and ^"^^ private money ; all the papers and certificates ^'^'77- belonging to the loan office and treafury office; articles of plate, &c. The viftory does not feem to have been im- proved in the degree which circumftances ap- peared to have admitted. When the left co- lumn of the Britifh had turned Wafhington's right flank, his whole army was hemmed in: General Knyphaufen and the Brandyv/ine in front ; fir William Howe and lord CornwaHis on his right ; the Delaware in his rear ; and the Chriftiana river on his left. He was obHged to retreat twenty-three miles to Philadelphia, when the Britifh lay within eighteen miles of it. Had the commander in chief detached general Knyp- haufen's column in purfuit early next morning, general Wafhington might with eafe have been intercepted, either at the heights of Crum Creek, nine miles ; at Derby, fourteen ; or at Philadel- phia, eighteen miles from the Britiih camp ; or the Schuylkill might have been pafled at Gray's Ferry, only feventy yards over ; and Philadel- phia, with the American magazines, taken, had hot the pontoons been improvidently left at New York as ufelefs. Any one of thefe movements, it was thought, might have been attended with the total deftru6lion of the American army. For fome reafon however, which it is impoffible to divine, the commander in chief employed him- felf for feveral days in making flight movements, which could not by any poflibility produce any important benefits to the Britifh caufe. On the twentieth of September intelligence was received that general Wayne had concealed himfelf in the woods on the left wing of the jirmy with fifteen hundred men, with an inten- tion A M E R I C A N W A R. 329 tion of haraffing the rear of the Britifh army CHAP. Major-general Grey was accordingly difpatched XIV. at night to furprife him. The Britilh general ^-nr^ proceeded in this expedition with great lecrefy '777- and difpatch, and in order that the furprife might be complete, he gave ftri<5l orders that bayonets alone fhould be ufed, and that not a gun Ihould be fired. This manoeuvre had the defired effe6l. General Wayne's outpofts were furprifed about ^enmi^^ one in the morning, and the Britifh troops rufh-feated. ing immediately on the enemy's encampment, made a dreadful flaughter. Three hundred were killed and wounded, and one hundred taken prifoners. The reft contrived to make good their retreat with the lofs of all their baggage. On the part of the Britifh the lofs was too trifling almoft to be mentioned. One officer was killed, and feven privates were killed and wounded. The (kill and energy of general Grey were very con- fpicuous in this enterprife. On the twenty-third of September, fir Wil- liam Howe having fecured the command of the schuyikm. Schuylkill, crofled it with the whole army, ad- vanced, on the twenty-fixth, to German Town, ^^^^ ^^^^ and on the fucceeding day lord Cornwallis, at wallis takes the head of a ftrong detachment, took peaceable °^ pofleflion of Philadelphia. phia. German Town confifts in one ftreet two miles in length ; and is diftant from the capital of Pen- fylvania about feven miles. The Britifh army, in their line of encampment, interfered this vil- lage near the centre, and almoft at right angles. The Schuylkill covered the left wing; in the front of which were the German chafTeurs. A battalion of light-infantry and the queen's Ame- rican rangers covered the right wing in front; and at the head of the village, the fortieth regi- ment with another battalion of light-infantry were 330 HISTORY GF THE CHAP, were ftationed. Three regiments detached un- der colonel Sterling, for the purpofe of convey- """"^T-^ ftores and provilions, lay at Chefter ; and a confiderable body of troops, as already men- tioned, under lord Cornwallis, at Philadelphia. The poflelTion of this place was a moft import- ant acquilition, as it opened a communication between the northern and fouthern provinces ; and, if the Delaware were opened, between the army and the navy. So fenfible were the Ame- ricans of its importance, that they had formerly refolved, if ever it fhould be in real and immi- nent danger of falling into the hands of the Bri- tilh, to commit it to the flames. But, although German Town and Philadel- phia had been for fome time occupied by the Bri- tifh troops, the communication was not yet free down the river to the fleet. CHAP. AM ERICAN WAR, 331 CHAP. XV. American Batteries and other Means of Defence^ Attacked — A&ion at German Town — At Red Bank — Mud IJland and Red Bank taken — Ame- rican Fleet burnt — Removal of the royal Army to Whitemarjh. AS the Delaware is navigable to Philadelphia CHAP, and even beyond it, the congrefs, whofe XV. refidence was at that city until it was taken by nn^ lir William Howe, very early endeavoured to ^777' render it inacceflible to the Britifh fleet. lu de- American viiing contrivances for this purpofe, Dr. Frank- batteries and Un is faid, before his departure for France, to ofdefS!ce°^ have aflifted. Three rows of chevaux de frize, compofed of immenfe beams of timber bolted and faftened together, and ftuck with iron pikes faftened in every dire6tion, were funk acrofs the channel, a little below the place where the Schuyl- kill empties itfelf into the Delaware. The low- er line of chevaux de frize was commanded by fome works, ere 1777- the Americans had with great indiiftry fortified indep^n-""'a high hill called Mount Independence:. On the dencc. top of it, which is flat j a ftar fort had been €re£led, containing extenfive barracks well fup-, plied with artillery. The mountain ftretched in a Hoping diredlion into the water, ftrongly en- trenched to its bafe, and well fupplied with heavy artillery. Midway up the mountain, another battery was ere(5led to cover the lower works. With infinite labour the Americans had united Ticonderoga and Mount Independence by a ftrong bridge of communications over the inlet. Twenty-two funken piers fupported the bridge at equal diftances. Between the piers floats were placed, fallened together with chains and fivets, and bound to the funken piers. On the Lake Champlain fide of the bridge, a boom, compofed <>£ very large timber, was erefted, faftened toge- ther by rivetted b|)lts and double chains, made of iron an inch and a half fquare. This bridge effeiSlually prevented any attack by water from, the northern fide. But Ticonderoga, notwith- fianding its apparent ftrength, had one difad- vantage to contend with. To the fouthward of the bridge of communications was a hill called Sugar Hill, which overlooked and commanded both the works at Ticonderoga and on Mount Independence. This place the Americans were unable to fortify, on account of the want of men ; general St. Clair, who commanded at Ticonde- roga, not having above three thoufand men. The royal army, when they left Crown Point, advanced with the greatefi: circumfpetSlion and prudence on both fides of the Lake, the fleet keeping in the centre till the army had enclofed the M E R I C A N WAR. 35i the enemy on the land fide, and the fleet hid CHAP, arrived juft out of cannon-lhot of their works. On the approach of the right wing on the fe- '"'""^r^ cond of July, the enemy inftantly relinquiftied ^'''^^* and fet fire to their works on the fide of Lake George. Major-general PhiHps therefore imme- diately fecured the poffelfion of an important place called Mount Hope, which commanded the enemy's line, and cut off all communication with Lake George^ The royal army having arrived at Ticonderoga, jDroceeded with great expedition and alacrity in conftru6ling works neceffary for the inveftment of that place. By the fifth of July thefe works were completed, and a road made to the top of Sugar Hill for the conftrudion of a battery there. The enemy, difcovering thefe vigorous operati- ons, thought proper to hold a council of war, in which it was refolved to evacuate Ticondd- roefa and Mount Lidependence immediately. In The forts ° [. ri-1 • • I'l abandofted coniequence .or this determination, their baggage, by the Amc- provifions, and ftores, were embarked in two"'^*"*- hundred batteaux, and difpatched up the fouth river to Skeneft)orough. The army took the Caftle Town road, in order to reach Skenefbo- rough by land. The American general conceived that his retreat Avould be made without any diffi- culty, on account of the obftacles which the Eng- lifh muft neceffarily overcome before they could purfue him. The dawn of the day, on the fixth of July, difcovered this unexpedled retreat. Com- modore Lutwych immediately began to prepare for a purfuit by removing an immenfe work of framed timber funk in the water, and by cutting away the boom ihat obftruded the pafTage, and which had coft, in the completion of it, near twelve months labour. As foon as- thefe obflruc- ^nY^'Jes*" tions were removed (which talk was effe<5led by deftroyed . ■' naarSkenef- Uine borough. 362 HISTORY OFTHE CHAP. o'clock in the morning), captain Carter of XVI. the artillery, who commanded a brigade of gun- '-nr^ boats, gave chafe, and purfued that divifion of the enemy which was making its retreat by water. So great was the fpeed with which he executed the truft repofed in him, that he overtook them near the Falls of Skenefborough, engaged and captured fome of their largeft gallies, obliging them to fet the others on iire, together with a confiderable number of their batteaux. The grand divifion of the army under general Burgoyne, in gun-boats, the Royal George, and Inflexible frigates, approaching the Falls, were faluted by a difcharge of cannon from the works at Skenefborough. On this account the general thought proper to return and land his army at South Bay, where part of the batteaux of the enemy had taken refuge. Thefe would certainly have been deftroyed if the day had not been TheAmeri-^^^ far advanced. Immediately on the landing eans aban- of the Englilh the enemy evacuated their flockade tTrkl?"^ fort, and other works, to which, as well as to the mills and ftore-houfes, they fet fire previous to their departure. During thefe operations by water, brigadier- general Frazer, at the head of the advanced corps of grenadiers and light infantry, preffed hard upon the rear of that divifion of the enemy which had taken the route of Hubberton, and Their rear whicli hc ovcrtook at fivc o'clock ou the morning overtaken, f^^,^J^ ^J^J^ diviflOn COnflftcd of near one thoufand five hundred of the beft markf- men and chofen troops, under the command of colonel Francis. They were polled on ftrong ground, and received the attack of the Britifh from behind breaftworks compofed of logs and old trees. General Frazer's detachment w^s not equal in point of number to the enemy ; never- thelefs A M E R I C A N W A R. 363 thelefs he commenced the engagement, becaufe CHAP, he expefted a reinforcement of troops under the ^VI. German general Reidefel. The Americans main- tained their poft with great refolution and bra- *777- very. The reinforcement did not arrive fo foon as was expefted, and vi6lory for a long time was doubtful. The arrival however of general Reide- fel decided the fate of the day. Hearing the firing of guns he pufhed forwards with a fmall number of men, and joined general Frazer with a full band of mufic playing. The enemy con- ceiving from this circumftance that the whole of the German troops had advanced into the field, immediately retreated with great precipi- tation. The Americans loft in this adion their brave commander, feveral other officers, and above two hundred men killed. The fame number were taken prifoners ; and it was fuppofed that not lefs than fix hundred wounded died in the woods. The lofs on the part of the Britilh did not ex- ceed twenty officers, none, except major Grant, of any rank ; and about one hundred and twenty men killed and Avounded. During this engage- ment general St. Clair was at Caftle Town, about fix miles diftant from the field of battle. Im- mediately on receiving intelligence of this defeat, he bent his courfe to the woods on his left, fearful of being intercepted at Fort Anne, but yet un- certain whether he fhould proceed to the upper part of the Conne6licut, or to Fort Edward. In the mean time a party of the enemy having taken the road by Wood Creek, in order to proceed beyond Fort Anne, after their retreat from Sk'enelborough, were purfued by colonel Hill and the ninth regiment, and overtaken near Fort Anne. A warm engagement immediately com- menced. 3^4 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, mencedjthe enemy having infinitely the advantage XVI. in point of number. But colonel Hill had ported ^-nr^ himfelf in fuch a judicious manner, that all the ^777* attacks of the enemy in front were ineffedual. A difpofition was then made to furround him, which the Britilh commander, with admirable dexterity, avoided, by changing his fituation iii the heat of the adion. The engagement ftill con^ tinued, with various fuccefs, for three hours, when the Americans were repulfed with great llaughter, and forced to retreat, after fetting fire to Fort Anne, to Fort Edward. The artillery loft, by the evacuation of the northern ports, and taken or dertroyed in the armed veflels at Skenef- borough, was prodigious, amounting to no lefs than one hundred and twenty-eight pieces, fer- viceable and unferviceable. The lofs of flour, bifcuitj pork, and beef, was alfo very confidera- ble. At Fort Edward, where general Schuylet was joined by general St. Clair on the twelfth, af^ ter a fatiguing march, the whole rtrength of the Americans did not exceed four thoufand four hundred men, including militia. It may not be improper to relate here one of thofe ftratagems in which the genius of the Americans, during the whole courfe of the war, was remarkably fertile, Schuyler took out of a canteen with a falfe bottom, a letter from a perfon in the intereft of the provincials to general Sullivan, and pre- pared an anfwer to it, drawn up in fuch a ftrain as to perplex and dirtrad Burgoyne, and leave him in doubt what courfe to follow. This letter, which fell, as was intended, into the Englifti ge- neral's hands, had the defired effe€t ; for he was completely duped and puzzled by it for feveral days, and at a lofs whether to advance or re- treat. General AMERICAN WAR. General Burgoyne, after remaining fome time CHAP, at Skenelborough, left that place, with an inten- •^^^^* tipn of taking the road that leads to Hudfon's ^-nr^ River, and thence to Albany, in order to open 9 communication with Lake George, on which Jie had embarked the heavy artillery and bag- gage. In this undertaking, the difficulties which the royal army had to encounter were infinite. Swamps and morales were to be pafTed. Bridge? were to be conftru<^ed, not only over creeks, but over ravines and gullies. The roads were to be cleared of the foreft trees, which had been felled 9.nd difpofed in fuch a manner as to interfeft each other, Notwithftanding, however, all thefe ob- stacles, in a fultry feafon of the year, and in a clofe country, which the numerous infeds render almoft intolerable to Europeans, the royal army endured this amazing fatigue with great cheer- fulnefs, and oppofed themfelves to difficulty and danger with untried perfeverance and unabated fortitude. This general has, with much reafon, been blamed for adopting this difficult and tardy mode of condu£l ; by returning to Ticonderoga, and embarking again on Lake George, he might have eafily proceeded to Fort George, whence there was a w^aggon-road to the place of his defti- nation. Fort Edward. The reafon he gave for not purfuing this line of condudl was, that a re- trograde motion would have checked the vigour and animation of the troops. Whether the mode he choie to adopt was likely to increafe them it is not very difficult to determine. As foon as the Britifh troops had fecured the pofTeflion of Skenelborough, that adlive officer major-general Philips returned to Lake George, to tranfport the artillery, provifions, and baggage, over the lake, to Fort George, and thence by land to Fort Edward, on Hudfon's River, together with a large 366 HISTORY OF THE XVI ^^^^^ number of boats and batteaux for the tife ^^^.^^ of the army in the intended defcent to Albany. General Schuyler, who at this time commanded the northern American army, had pofted him- felf, immediately after the affair of Hubberton, as already ohferved, at Fort Edward. On the advance of the royal army he retreated down Hudfon's River to Saratoga, where he ifTued a proclamation calculated to counteradl the effedl intended to be produced by the manifefto pub- lifhed by general Burgoyne. The royal army, on account of the numberlefs difficulties they had to encounter, advanced but flowly ; and it was not till the thirtieth of July that they ar- rived on Hudfon's River. Here their progrefs was checked for fome time, becaufe it was ne- ceflary, before they could proceed, that the pro- vifions, ftores, and other necefTaries, which had been brought to Fort George from Ticonderoga, by general Philips, fnould be embarked. The army of courfe v. as immediately employed in the profecution of this fervice. CHAP. AMERICAN WAR. 367 CHAP. XVII. Difficulties experienced at Fort Edward — Colonel St. Legers Expedition— Detachment to Benning- ton — Baum and Breyman defeated — Fort Stan- wix invejied — Attempt to relieve it by General Harkemer — St. Leger obliged to raife the Siege of Fort Stanwix — General Gates takes the Com- mand of the American Army in the North — Adion at Still Water — Difireffed Situation of General Burgoyne — Defertion of the Indians — ■ Retreat to Saratoga — Royal Army nearly fur- rounded- — Convention with General Gates. THE delays which had been occafioned bye HAP. the route which general Burgoyne thought XVII. iproper to take, had afforded time for the Ame- ^-nn*' ricans to recover their fortitude and to recruit ^777- their ftrength. Where the Mohawk falls into Hudfon's River, about eight miles from Albany, is an ill and in the fhape of a half-moon, called Still Water. On this place general Schuyler, who had aflembled about two thoufand feven hundred men at Saratoga, on receiving a re- inforcement of men and artillery, under the command of general Arnold, pofted his army, in order to check the progrefs of colonel St. Leger, who early in June had been detached from Lafhene, fix miles from Montreal, by the way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk River, in order, as already obferved, to make a di- verfion in favour of the main army. He had under his command a confiderable number 368 HISTORY OF THE C H A P. of favages, who, in fpite of general Burgoyne's addrefs to them, could not be reftrained from ^^"""rr^ the commiffion of feveral afts of ferocity. Ge- ^777- neral Burgoynp ftill remained in the neighbour- Difficulties hood of Fort Edward, where, on account of experienced the difficulty of bringing the ftores from Fort ward?" George to Hudfon's River, the army began to Colonel St. experience great hardihips. At this jup^ure he peTtio'a''" received intelligence that colonel St. Leger had adi^anced up the St. Lawrence, and had com- menced his operations againft Stauwix, a fort fi- tuated on a rifing ground at the upper end of the Mohawk River, about three hundred yards from its fource, and about half a niile from the fource of Wood Creek, which runs intq Lake Onida, and through the Onandigo into Lake Ontario. General Burgoyne faw the necelTity of co-ope- rating with colonel St. Leger, and of immediately making a rapid movement forward. But this in- tention could not be carried iotp execution un- der the prefent circumftances. Ox-teams, car- riages, and other necefTaries, were indifpeiifably jjeceffary ; to procure which, the commander in chief refolved to detach a body of troops to Ben- nington, a place fituated between the forks, of the Hofick River, and about tvv^enty-four mile$ to the eaftward of Hudfon's River. The northern army received fupplies of cattle, provilions, and ftores, from the New England provinces by way Detachment of the Conucifticut, Mauchefter, and Arlington ; Sn^^""'"^' which fupplies were depofited at Bennington. On this expedition the German colonel IBaum was difpatched with about fix hundred men, moftly Germans, including a detachment of Reidefel's dragoons. This number was in every refpeft too fmall. A loyalift who was well i,c- quainted with the road, and had undertaken to ii.ccompany colonel Baum, ftated to general Bur- goyne AMERICAN WAR. 3^9 goyne that the expedition required a force ofCHAP, not lefs than three thoufand men ; for the roads XVii. were very bad, through a thick woody country, '^^x^ and the tardinefs of the German method of ^777- marching would, he knew, enable the enemy to prepare for their reception. The general, how- ever, paid no attention to the reprefentation of this gentleman, whom he piqued on the point of honour. The idea of fending German troops on this fervice was oppofed by fome of the offi- cers of the army; but particularly by general Frazer, who, it is faid, not only remonftrated with general Burgoyne, but reduced his remon- ftrance into writing. The Germans were heavy and tardy in marching, and, as ufual, were loaded with accoutrements that prevented thofe exertions which fuch an expedition required. In the whole army a corps could not have polTibly been found fo unfit for a fervice that required rapi- dity of motion as Reidefel's dragoons. Their very hats and fwords weighed very nearly as much as the whole equipment of one of our foldiers. The worft Britifh regiment in the fervice would with eafe have marched two miles for their one. Colonel Baum was a brave officer, but he was totally unacquainted with the country, with the people, and with the language, infomuch, it was reported, that he hardly knew, when he under- jftood that they were rifmg in arms, whether to confider them as friends or foes. Colonel Baum, accompanied by the loyallft as his guide, began his march. On the firft day Baum furprifed a large body of the enemy who had aflembled for the purpofe of oppofmg the progrefs of his detachment. This body of men, however, were, from a too refined principle of generofity, on the fucceeding day liberated by^ colonel Skeene, the infpedor-general, who joined the detachment, and fuperfeded the loyalift. This Vol. I. B b mode 70 H I S T O R Y 6 1^' T H E C li A P. niode of conduft it was fuppofed would de- ^^yi^- tacfi tHem from the American caufe. Unfortu- ^^"'''^^'^ Dately however it 'produced an effeft di^metri- ' cally oppofite ; for this very body of the enemy were afterwards the moft formidable opponents of the En'glifh at Bennington. On the fecond day's march of colonel Baum's detachment, ,they captured fome cattle, and routed a fmall p^t of the enemy near a village called Cambridge. Here the colonel received j[ntelligence that the enemy were affembling from iSlew Hampfhire and the borders of Connedticut, for the detence of Bennington. INeverthelefs he advanced as far as Walloon Creek, about feven niiles from Bennington, where the intelligence he had received at Cambridge w^as confirmed, and no doubt remained of a formidable op}30- lition. In confequence of this information he thought proper to halt, and to poft his detach- ment in as advantageous a manner -as pofTible. This laft meafure he was induced to adopt from the reprefentations of a number of loyalifts, un- der the comm.and of a colonel Phifier, who joined him, and acquainted him that the enemy- were ftrongly intrenched at Bennington, and that, as foon as they had received a reinforce- ment of men, it v/as intended to attack him. Colonel Baum having tranfmitted thefe particu- lars to general Burgoyne. a detachment of five hun- dred Germans, under the command of lieutenant- colonel Breymaii, was fent to his afTiftance. The roads were bad ; nor was the mode in which ti]e Germans marched calculated to promote ex- pedition. They halted ten times in an hour to drefs their ranks, which, through the embarrafT- ments attending their march, v/ere liable to be broken at every turn* The A M E R I C A N W A R. 371 The American general, Starke, with abodyc.HAP. pf one thoufand men from New Ha'mpfhire and XVJI. Maflachufet, was at this period on his route to ^^ir^ join general Schayler. Having received intelli- i777- gence, however, of the approach of colonel Baum, he altered his comfe, knd haftened to- wards Bennington, where, joining the conti- nental troops under colonel Warner, he fet out on the fixteenth of Auguft, and, by ten o'clock in the morning, Jurrounded colonel Baum at St. Coieck's Mill,, on Walloon Creek. The German officer, a ftrange'r to the country, and to the language of the inhabitants, was at firft perfuaded by the loyalifts who had joined him that they were friends. General Starke, however, com- mencing a furious attack upon him on all fides, f0Qn convinced him of their error, Neverthelefs he refolved to make a vigorous defence. For up- wards of an hour he endtired a terrible difcharge of mufquetry, and during that period drove the enemy feveral times from the high ground on which they were Rationed. But their number in- Baum and oreafing every moment, and colonel Baum having f^f/^'J^d' loft his artillery, the German troops were under ^ ' ^ the neceffity of retreating into the woods, leaving their commander mortally wounded on the field of Jjattle. The favages who had accompanied colonel Baum behaved in a fliameful manner, retreating at the commencement of the engagement. Flulhed with this vidory, the enemy advanced againft the detachment under colonel Breyman, who, ig- norant of the defeat of Baum, was advancing t6 his relief ; but the tardinefs of their method of marching, added to the obftacles which the roads prefented, had retarded their progrefs in fuch a manner, that twenty-four hours were fpent in marching fixteen miles. The confequence was, that Breyman came up juft in time to join the fugitives of Baum's detachment. The Ameri- B h 2, cans 372 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. cans began a vigorous attack on Breymau, who was obliged to retreat, after having made a very "^"^^^^ gallant refiftance, and havmg expended all hi^ ammunition. The lofs of men in thefe two en- gagements amounted to about fix hundred. This was the firft check which the northern army received, and indeed it mull be chiefly attributed to the commander in chief. The troops he dif- patched on the expedition to Bennington were too few in number, and, being foreigners, im- proper for it. The general ought to haye rec- tified his miftake, when colonel Baum fent for a reinforcement. Had he fent Frazer's brigade, according to that general's requeft, the fatal confequences that enfued might in all probabi- lity have been prevented. Immediately after the defeat of colonel Baum, and the retreat of colo- nel Breyman, the royal army which had ad- vanced to Saratoga, drew back. Fort Stan- j^^^ mcm timc colonel St. Leger had com- w.xmve - j^^gj^^g^ Yi{s attack upou Fort Stanwix, a fmall fquareiog fort with fourbafiions and aftockaded covered-way, without any other outworks. It was defended by colonels Ganfevert and Willet, and feven hundred men. The commencement of the fiege was attended with very favourable tircumftances. On the fifth of Auguft colonel St. Leger received intelligence that one thoufand ^J!J^P'^ provincials, under the command of general Har- generaiHa/. kemer, wcrc advancing to the relief of the fort. Sir John Johnfon therefore, whh a party of re- gulars, and a number of favages, was difpatched into the woods, where he placed his men in am- bufh. The enemy advanced incautioully, and fell into the trap that was laid for them. A fud- den and unexpe6led fire was poured upon them ■from behind trees and bufhes, and the favages rufhing from their concealment, made a dreadful llaughter AMERICAN WAR. 373 llaughter with their fpears and tomahawks. The CHAP, enemy, though furpril'ed and fomewhat difmayed, ^^11. did not retreat precipitately, but recovered a ^"""^f^ riling ground, which enabled them, by a kind of ^'^'^'^ running fight, to preferve about one-third of their detachment. The number of killed and wounded on the part of the enemy amounted to near four hundred. The befieged beirig informed of the approach of general Harkemer, made a fally un- der colonel Willet, which was attended with fome fuccefs. Having received, however, in- telligence of the defeat of the provincials, he and another officer undertook a very perilous expedition. They penetrated at the dead of night through the camp of the befiegers, and traverfed a fpace of fifty miles, through deferts, woods, and morafles, in order to bring relief to the fort. The enemy perceiving that the artil- lery of the befiegers was too light, and infuffici- ent to make any impreffion on the defences of the fort, treated every propofal for a furrender withderifion and contempt. On the twenty- fecond of Auguft a man belonging to the fort purpofely conveyed himfelf into the Britilh camp, and de- clared that he had efcaped from the enemy at the hazard of his life, in order to inform the Britifli commander that general Arnold, with two thou- land men and ten pieces of cannon, was advan- cing rapidly to raife the liege. He alfo acquainted him th^t general Burgoyne had been defeated, and his army cut to pieces. Colonel St. Leger was not intimidated by this information ; nor did ^ he give much credit to it; but it produced an immediate effe^l on the favages. The Britifli .commander called a council of their chiefs, and endeavoured, by the influence of fir John John- fon, and the other fuperintendaiits, colonels Claus and Butler, to induce tliein not to withdraw their afli fiance. 3?4 H T S T 0 R Y O F T H E CHAP, afiiftance. Every effort ho\yever was ifleffeaual ; XVIl. a large party of the fava^es departed wHile" the ""■^r^ council was fitting; and the reft threatened to ^777- follow their example, unlef's the BritilH com- St Leger mandcr would immediately make a retreat. To obliged to 1 • ' -r • r • i '« ' i raifethe tBis mortitymg propoiition he was under the ne- £nw?xf°''p^^'^>'^^ acceding. 'The tents were left land- ing, and the artillery and ftores fell' liito ' the polfeffioli of the garrifon. One of the chief caufes of the failure of fuccefs in this expedition was the inadequacy of the force under colonel St. Leger, and the inlufficiency and fmallnefs of tlie artillery, which were incapable of making any breach ori the enemy's works. The fupe- fiority of the favages in number' over' the Bri- tifh troops, was another cauie.' Their fubfe- quent defertion, and the approach" of Arnold, rendered a retreat a meafure of neceffiiy, thougli' it certainly might have been conduced in a more regular manner. With refpe6t to the intimation of general Ar- nold's approach to the relief of Fort Staiiwix, it was in part true. He was advancing up the Mohawk River \vith two thoufand men ; but, in order to arrive more fpeediiy at the place of his def^inadon, he had left the main body, and moved rapidly forward with a body of about nine hundred men. He arrived at the fort two days after the fiege had been raifed. His affift- Gates^takes ^^^^^ t)eing uow unncceflTary, he returned with the com- his amiy to reinforce general Gates, who had a mand of thefj^Qj-^ ^jjj^jg bcforc taken the command of the Ame- Ameiican , • i i " army in the rican army m the north. north. General Burgoyne having by unremitting in- duflry colleded about thirty days provifions, and a bridge of boats being coriftru^ted in lieu of the bridge of rafts which had been carried laway by inceffant rains, the whole army crofTed Hudfon's AMERICAN WAR. 375 Hjudfon's River on the thirteenth and fourteenth ^-j^jfi^^' of September, and encamped on the heights and plains of Saratoga, with a yall t'i;ain of artillery; ly^^ - The movements of the army were of courfe re- gulated by the advances of the artillery, which were not only retarded by the deftrudion of the bridges, but by the rains, which had rendered th^ roads almoft impaflable. On thenineteent;h of September the army advanced in froiit of the^; enemj at Still Water in the following order : Tlie right \virig was commanded by general Bur- goyne, and covered by general 5^ razer and colo- nel Brey man, with the grenadiefs and light in- fantry, who were pofted alon^ Ipme high grounds on the right. The front and flanks were co- vered by Indians, Provincials, and Canadians. The left wing and artillery \yere commanded by majors-general Philips and Reidelel, who pro- ceeded along the great road. The nature of the country preventing the enemy from beholding the different movements of the Britifli army, they detached a body of ^ve thoufand men to at- tempt turning the right wing, and attacking gCr lieral Burgoyne in his rear. Being checked in t^ieir defign by general Frazer, they made a rapid movement, \yhich the peculiar lituation of the cpurjtry prevented from being difcovered, and advanced to attack the Bjitifh line on the right. The engagement began at tljiree o'clock in ^^he^^^'^^_'_ afternoon of the nineteenth of September, and continued till after fun-fet.' The enemy were led to the battle by general Arnold, who dif- tinguifhed himfelf in an extraordinary manner. Unfortunately, the engagement v.-as only partial on the part of the Englifn. The chief burden of the battle of courfe lay on the regiments Vv'hich were pofted in the plain. Thefe v/ere the twen- tieth, the twenty-firft, and the lixty-fecoad. They behaved His To R Y OF THE CHAP. behaved Avitfe grfeM gallantry and fifmnefs, re- ^^11- ceiving and returning the heavy fire of the ene- ""^^"yr^ Yi^y x^v'nh equal coolnels and intrepidity, for the fpace of four hours. Several other regi- ments alfo diftinguifhed themlelves. The twen- ty-fourth regiment, with the grenadiers and light-infantry, were for fome tiine engaged with great fj^irit and bravery. The German troops were not much in the battle, on account of their lituation, which it was not judged advi- fable to relinqnifh. As foon as the battle com- menced, major-general Philips contrived to con- vey through a thick part of the wood fome artil- lery, which was of eflential fervice. The enemy, during the whole of the engage- ment, were fupplied with frefh men by general Gates, who was polled at a ftar redoubt. As day-light doled they thought proper to retire, and leave the Britifh mafters of the field of bat- tle. The lofs on each iide was nearly equal; fix hundred being killed and wounded on the part of the Britifh, and the fame number on the fide of the Americans. It mufi; be confefifed that the engagement would have been more decifive on the part of the Englifii, if general Biirgoyne had not burdened himfelf with fuch a train of artil- lery as not only rendered his marching tardy, but made it necelTary for him to extend his lines more than the nature of his fituation rendered prudent. No folid advantages refulted to the Britifh troops from this encounter; The con- duct of the enemy had fully convinced every one that they were able to fuftain an attack in open plains with the intrepidity, the fpirit, and the coolnefs of veterans. For four hours thef maintained a conteft hand to hand ; and when they AMERICAN WAR. 377 they retired, it was not becaufe they were con- CHAP; quered, but becauie the approach of night made XVII. a retreat to their camp abfolutely neceffary. ^-nr^ The Britifh army lay all night on their arms ^777- in the field of battle, and the next day works were ere£led within cannon-Oiot of the enemy, the right being fortified by ftrong redoubts. It is faid that, had the lines of the enemy been at- tacked on the morning after the battle, they would have retreated, their baggage being load- ed, and every thing prepared for flight, if the Britifti general had thought proper to have adopt- ed fuch a meafure. It muft be confefled, how- ever, that fuch an aflfertion is not fupported by circumftances or probabilities ; for the manner in which the enemy, were polled was peculiarly ftrong. On the right, any approach or attack oiftreffed was imprafticable ; and on the left not to befit™"^*' made without great hazard. The intrepidity of lurgoyne. captain Jones, of the Britifti artillery, who fell in this adlion, was particularly diftinguifhed. Few adions have been more remarkable than this, for both vigour of attack and obftinacy of refiftance. Every poffible method was now taken to in- form fir WiUiam Howe and general Clinton of the fituation of general Burgoyne, and arguments ufed that might induce them to make a diverfion in his favour. Under the conviftion that they would adopt fuch a mode of conduft, he had •croffed Hudfon's river, and given up all com- munication with the Lakes. He had expeded that a diverfion would have been made before this period. Such a diverfion was indeed made about this time, and that without orders, by fir Henry Clinton, againft Forts Clinton and Mont- gomery in the lower parts of Hudfon's River. After 378 H, i S X O RY OF THE ^Ymv' A^^-' ^-^"l^^ °? ^^^-^^ Water, the favageS, ^^^^^ as, already obfervecl, had ■difcpyered a' 'dlifinc,li"na- T^"^ tion to con f] nue wit h general ' Burgoy n e . They had been djfappointed in their hojpes of 'plunder/' and the check; whicli the Englifh had received af Bennington arid Fort Stanwi.x had'ciiille^ that^ ardour and 'e^nthufiafm "which they had at firft manifefted.' The Teafoi^ ' ^^r. ' buating.'' w^' now arrived - and never 'do they on any pre- D^^fterice for^gQ- ^Qn this accouhl they, ^v^lhdi^w their ^ihftance, and;" d.^ierted/gerieral Bui^gpyne, deaf to every cbnii deration of honour, and^ un- mpVe^d ' I5y a^y. ' rjppreie^itali.cins made to them of the diftrefs^ iri which'' 'their TecefiTqn would in- volye him.' The royal army^ was by this ge- fertion extremely weakened ; hut the ^ritifh ge- neral, did ' nQt think: it' ad vi'fable. ' to i-etreat from ^he enemy. " " Both armies lay in fight of each other for Ipme ti.qiej each fortifying their 'camp iii tfe |ir'ono-e{t manner' pofiible. This delay" Vas extremejy b!e- neficial to tlie Americans/ niafmuch'as 'it enabled t^em to increafe thei r n an ibe r of ' men, and to obtain a powerful reinforcement of tfores and prqvifions from the fouthern provinces. But the Americ.ari generals were not folely employed in fortifying their camp, or in iricreafing their 're- fources. They knew the enibarraflment of ge- neral Burgoyne's fituation, and the dilemma to w^hich he was reduced. The only probable means of faving himlelf from deft ru6lldn lay in a retreat. An expedition was therefore planned by generals Gates and Arnold, to pre- vent the adoption of Vhis fafl fad meafure, by cutting off all communication with the ^.akes, and by recovering the poflfeihon of Ticonderoga and Moiint Independence. This AMERICAN WAR. This expedition was entrufted to the command CHAP, of colonel Brov/n, who with great fecrefy and XVIl. " diligence gained the rear of the royal army un- "^.T^. difcovered'. He arrived on the eighteenth of '777- September at the north end oif Lake George, Retreat to where one fmall floop and the boats employed in tranfportihff provilions to the army were lur- prifed and taken, with a number of Canadians and a few feamen. Three companies of the fif- ty-third regiment were at the fame time made prifoners. Immediately after they had fecured the pofleflion of the armed vefTels, they began to attack Ticonderoga with two pieces of can- non, which they had obtained from the captured (loop. Brigadier-general Powel, who commanded the garrifon, defended it for four days againft the at- tempts of the enemy, who, at the expiration of that period, were induced to retire, from an ap- prehenlion of being intercepted in their retreat by a detachment of troops from Canada. Tii their way back the enemy made another attempt upon Diamond Ifland, fituated in the fouthern part of the lake, which was as unfuccefsful as that made againft Ticonderoga. General Burgoyne's difficulties began now to Royai army increafe daily. The enemy had augmented t^^eir^ounded"'^' ftrength in fuch a manner as to render him dif- fident of the poflibility of making good his re- treat. His army was reduced to little more than, five thoufand men, who were limited to half the ufual allowance of provifions. The ftock of fo- rage was entirely exhaufted, and the horfes were peril'hing in great numbers for the want of it. In addition to thefe circumll;ances, no intelli- gence had yet been received of the approach oF genera! Clinton, or of the diverfion which was to be made. Environed thus by difficulty and danger. H I S T O H y OF THE CHAP, danger, general Burgoyne refolved to try the difpofition of the enemy, to examine the pofli- '^^"'^ bility of advancing, and of diflodging them from their polls on the left, which would enable him to adopt the melancholy refource of retreating to the lakes. Purfuant to this determination he detached a body of fifteen hundred men, Avhich he headed himfelf, being attended by generals Phihps, Reidefel, and Frazer. The camp was defended on the high grounds by generals Ha- milton and Specht ; and the redoubts and parts adjacent to the river, by brigadier Gell. This detachment had fcarce formed, within lefs than half a mile of the enemy's intrenchments, when a furious attack was made on the left, where the grenadiers were polled. Major Ackland, who commanded the grenadiers, conduced himfelf with great coolnefs and intrepidity. His poll was extremely difficult and dangerous, and it was not polfible to detach any afhftance to him from the German corps, becaufe the fuperiority in number of the enemy enabled them at the fame time to extend their line of attack againfl: them. The right had not yet been employed, but it being obferved that the enemy were mak- ing a movement round their flank to prevent their retreat, the light-infantry and the twenty- fourth regiment inflantly formed, in order to fruftrate the enemy's intentions. The left wing in the mean time, overpowered by numbers, was obliged to retreat, and would inevitably have been cut to pieces, but for the intervention of the light-infantry and twenty- fourth regiment. The whole detachment was now under the ueceffity of retiring, with the lofs of fix pieces of artillery. Scarce had the Britifh troops entered the lines when they were again ini- petuoufly attacked by the enemy, who, notwiih- flanding A M E R I C A N W A R. 381 flanding a moft heavy fire, began a furious aflault C HA^P. upon their intrenchments. They were led by ^^.^^^ the gallant general Arnold, who attacked lord ^^^^^ Balcarras's light-infantry with great eagernefs. The refiftance was firm, and the engagement for a long while doubtful. A wound which Arnold received at length gave the viflory to the Englifh, and the Americans were repulfed from this quar- ter. In another, however, they were more fuc- cefsful. The intrenchments defended by the German troops under colonel Breyman were car- ried fword in hand. The colonel was killed, and his troops retreated, with the lofs of all their baggage, artillery, &c. Night clofed the dread- ful fcene. The Englifh lofl, this day, general Frazer, colonel Breyman, and feveral other offi- cers of note, befides a confiderable number of ■wounded. The Americans took upwards of two hundred officers and privates prifoners ; befides nine pieces of brafs artillery, and the encamp- ment of a German brigade, with all their equi- page. But what was of the greateft confequence, they obtained from the fpoils of the_ field a large fupply of ammunition, under a fcarcity of which they had long laboured. General Burgoyne was now moft critically fitu- ated. He could not continue in his prefent po.- fition without a certainty of deftruftion. He therefore refolved to make a total and immedi- ate change of pofition. With great fecrefy and filence the whole army removed, with all their baggage and artillery, to the heights above the' hofpital during the night. This movement re- duced the enem.y to the neceffity of making a new difpofition. On the fucceeding day, the eighth of Odober, feveral attempts were made to induce the enemy to hazard a batde. They were H I S t O R V OF T H i: CHAP. were however ineffeaual, and the whole day XVII. was occupied m continued Ikirmifhes. "-ns^ The enemy had refufed to hazard a battle he- ^7.77- caufe they were preparing to carry nieafures into execution which would have immediately com- pleted the ruin of the Britifh army. Thefe were to. turn general Burgoyne's right, whicfi, if et fefted,; would have inclofed him on alji fides. The Britifh general, however, difcovered thefe intentions before they were carried into execu- An inftant retreat therefore to Saratoga Was now the only alternative left. At nine o^ clock on the evening of the eighth of Oaober the army was ordered to rehnqui/h their pofition on, the heights aboyc tlie hofpital. The retreat to Saratoga was efre6ied without lofs, and wi'tiout ^ny pbftrudiion mi the part of the enemy ; but it yras impoffible, encumbered as the army was with baggage and artillery, to car;-y off the fick and wounded frop the hof^ital. General Gates, however, behaved with his wonted humanity, .and the unfortunate tenants of the hofpital Were treated with all imaginable tendernefs. Gene- ral Burgoyne having ordered the roads and the bridges to be broken in their march forward, the movement of the army in their retreat was necefTarily tardy. The fords of FiOi Kill Creek, which are foniewhat to the northward of ,Sara- jtoga, were not paiTed till ten o'clock on the ^iucceeding morning. The enemy, watching eve- ry motion with tlie moft anxious attention, had already arrived at this place before them ; but on the approach of the Briiifh troops, tliey 'retired oyer the river Hud fon, to a larger force, which had been detached there to obllrua the pa&ge of the royal troops. _ An attempt was how made to retreat to Tort George. A detachment of artificers under a ftrong AMERICAN War. flroifg efcort was accordingly difpatched before C il A P. the arrny, in order to repair the bridges and open yhe road to Fort Edward. The appearance of """"''^^ the enemy, however, prevented the artificers ' from effecling their purpofe, and they \yere un- der the necefTity of making a precipitate retreat on account of the defertion of their efcort. The 'enemy ftretching along the farther fhore of the fiver Hudfon, annoyed the batteaux of the royal army iii fuch a manner that they were forced "to land the-provifions and convey them t'o the caipp tip a 'fteep hill, the "enemy pouring, during the whole, time, a moft tremendbus fire on the m'eh employed in this fervice. Surrounded in this manner by deftrudlio'n 'and difriiay, general Burgoyn'e refolved to att'em|yt a. retreat by night to Fort Edward, each foldier car- rying his proviiibn on 'his back. The artillery was to be left behind, on account of the impoi- fibility, under t'h'e prefent circumftance, of con- veying it away. But even this fad atterriativie was rendered impradicable. While the army were preparing to march, intelligence was re- ceived that the enemy had already poffefled tliiem- felves^ of the road to Fort Edward, and that tliey were well provided with artillery. Tn the courfe of the 'difaftroiis events here enumerated, large quantities of baggiage, proviiions, boats, and other articles, fell into the hands of the Ameri- cans.; both regular troops, called continentals, and militia. The American militia were fo eager after plunder that they would often rob the provincial regulars of what booty they had fe- cbfed, and fell it on their own account. Irre- giilarities of this kind were carried to fuch a "he?ght, that the American commander, in gene- ral orders ifTued on the twelfth of Oftober, de- clared " that he faw fo many fcandalous and " mean 384 HISTORYOFTHE CHAP." mean tranfadions committed by perfons who XVII. « fought more after plunder than the honour of ^"■""^^"^ " doing their duty, that ic was his unalterable J 777- « refolution to have the firfl perfon who fhould " thereafter be detected in pillaging the baggage " and ftores taken from the enemy tried and pu- " nifhed with the utmoft feverity." The lituation of general Burgoyne had now attained the climax of difficulty and danger. In- ceflant toil had enervated the whole army. Out o£ eight thoufand men, of which the army con- fifted after the capture of Ticonderoga, not more than three thoufand five hundred fighting men remained, one half of which only were Britilh. Provifions were almoft exhaufted, and no hope remained of procuring a frefli fupply. Added to this, all enemy four times greater in point of number, and increafmg every day, almoft encir- cled them. An engagement was ftudioufly avoid- ed by the Americans, on account of their know- ledge of the defperate fituation of the Britifh troops ; and the enemy were pofted in fo 3.dvan- tageous a manner that they could not be at- tacked. Every hope of relief being now at an end, on ^the thirteenth of 06lober 1777, general Bur- goyne ordered an exa£l ftatement to be made of the flock of provifions, which was found not to exceed feven or eight days fubfiflence for the troops. The general inftantly called a council of war, at which not only field ofiicers but every captain was ordered to affift. Convention After fomc confultatiou on the emergency of Qajg^''""^^ affairs, it was unanimoufly refolved to enter into a convention with general Gates. The follow- ing were the fleps preliminary to it : No. AMERICAN WAR. CHA r No. I. XVII Odober 13, 1777. 1777. Lieutenant-general Burgoyne is defiroua of fending a field officer with a meflfage to major- general Gates, upon a matter of liigl) moment to both armies. ,He reg[uefts to be informed at what hour general Gates will receive him to-morrow niQrniog. Major-general Gates. Anfwer. Major-general Gates will receive a field-officer -irom lieutenant-general Burgoyne at the advanc- ed poft of the army of the United States at tea b^-clock to-morrow morning, from whence; he will be conduced to head-quarters. ; ' Camp at Saratoga, nine o'clock P. M. thirteetith Odober. hievtenant-general Burgoyne. No. 11. Major Kingllon delivered the following meflage to major-general Gates, 06lober 14, 1777. After having fought you twice, lieutenant-ge- neral Burgoyne has waited fome days in his. pre- fent polition, determined to try a third confli<3: againft any force you could bring againft him. He is apprifed of the fuperiority of your num- bers, and the difpofition of your troops to im- pede his fupplies, and render his retreat a fcene pf carnage on both fides. In this fituation be is impelled by humanity, and thinks himfelf jufti- fied by eftabliftied principles and precedents pf Vol. I. C c ft ate 386 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, f^ate and war, i.o fpare the lives of brave men minary terms, by which, in any extremity, he and his army mean to abide. Major-general Gates's Propofals, together with Lieutenant-general Burgoyne's Anfwers. 1. General Burgoyne's army being exceeding- ly reduced by repeated defeats, by defertion, hcknefs, &c. their provifions exhailfted, their military horfes, tents, and baggage taken or de- ftroyed, their retreat cut off, and their camp in- vefted, they can only be allowed to furrender prifoners of war. Anf. Lieutenant-general Burgoyne's army, how- ever reduced, Avill never admit that their re- treat is cut off while they have arms in their hands. 2. The officers and foldiers may keep the baggage belonging to them. The generals of the United States never permit individuals to be pil- laged. 3. The troops under .,his excellency general Burgoyne will be conduced by the moft con- venient route to New England, marching by eafy marches, and fufficiently provided for by the -way. Jnf. This article is anfwered by general Bur- goyne's firft propofal, which is here annexed. 4. The officers will be admitted on parole; may wear their fide arms, and will be treated with the liberality cuftomary in Europe, fo long as I hey, by proper behaviour, continue to de- No. in. ' fervc AMERICAN WAR. 387 ferve it ; but thofe who are apprehended having CHAP, broke their parole, as fome Briiifh officers have XVII. done, muft expeft to be clofe confined. s-.^-y-^ Anf. There being no officer in this army un- ^777- der, or capable of being under the defcription of breaking parole, this article needs no anfwer. 5. All public ftores, artillery, arms, ammuni- tion, carriages, horfes, &c. muft be delivered to commiffaries appointed to receive them. Anf. All public ftores may be delivered, arms excepted. 6. Thefe terms being agreed to, and figned, the troops under his excellency general Bur^ goyne's command may be drawn up in their en^ campments, where they will be ordered to ground their arms, and may thereupon be marched to the river fide to be pafTfed over in their way to- wards Bennington. Anf. This article inadmiffible in any extre- mity. Sooner than this army will confent to ground their arms in their encampment, they will rufti on the enemy, determined to take no quarter. 7. A ceffation of arms to continue till fun-fet, to receive general Burgoyne's anfwer. (Signed) Horatio Gates. Camp at Saratoga, Odlober 14, 1777. No. IV. , Lieutenant-general Burgoyne's Prppofals, togcr ther with Major-general Gates's Anfwer. The annexed anfwers being given to major-ge- neral Gates's propofals, it remains for lieutenant- general Burgoyne, and the army under his com- mand, to ft ate the following preliminary articles on their part : C c 2 1. The HISTOR,Y OF THE C HAP- I. The troops to march out of their camp with the honours of war, and the artlUevy of the in- """^""^"^ trenchments, which will be left as hereafter may be regulated. 1. The troops to march out of their camp with the honours of war, and the artillery of the in- trenchments to the verge of the river where the Old Ford ftood, where their arms and artillery muft be left. 2. A free paffage to be granted to this army to Great Britain, upon condition of not ferving 4gain in North America during the prefent con- teft, and a proper port to be affigned for the en- try of tranfports to receive the troops wherever general Howe fliall fo order. 2. Agreed to, for the port of Bofton, 3. Should any cartel take place, by whk^hthis army, or any part of it, may be exchanged» the foregoing article to be void, as far as fuch ex- change lhall be made, 3. Agreed. 4. All officers to retain their carriages, bat- horfes, and other cattle ; and no baggage to be molefted or fearchcd, the lieutenant-general giv- ing his honour that there are no public ftores fe- cretcd therein. Major-general Gates will of courfe take the necelfary meafures for the fecu- rity of this article. 4. Agreed. 5. Upon the march, the officers are not to be feparated from their men ; and in quarters the omters fhall be lodged according to rank, and are not to be hindered from aflembling their men for roll-calling and other neeeffary purpofes of regularity. 5. Agreed to, as far as circumftaijces will ad- Biit. 6. There are various corps in this army CO®-, poffd of failors, batteau-jnen, artificers, drivers, independent AMERICAN WAR. 3^ independent companies, and followers of the ar- G M A P. iny ; and it is expeded that thofe perfons, of XVII. whatever country, fhall be included in the ful- ^-""Ir^ left fenfe and utmoft extent of the above articles, ^^*'^* and comprehended in every refped as Britifh fubjeds. 6. Agreed to in the fulleft extent. 7. All Canadians and perfons belonging to th6 eftablilhment in Canada to be perifeitted to return there. 7. Agreed. 8. Paflports to be immediately granted for three officers, not exceeding the rank of captain, who fhall be appointed by general Burgoyne to carry difpatches to fir W. Howe, fir G. Carleton, and to Great Britain by the way of New York, and the public faith to be engaged that thefe dif- patches are not to be opened. 8. Agreed. 9. The foregoing articles are to be confidered only as preliminary for framing a treaty, the courfe of which others may arife to be GOn- fidered by both parties; for which purpofe it is propofed that two officers of each army ftiall meet and report their deUberatiOns to their re- fpedive generals. 9. This capitulation to be finiflied by two o'clock this day, and the troops to march from their encampment at five, and be in readinefs to move towards Bofton to-morrow morning.^ 10. Lieutenant-general Burgoyne will fend his deputy adjutant-general to receive major-general Gates's anfwer to-morrow morning at ten o'- clock. 10. Complied with. (Signed) Horatio Gates. Sarotoga, Oaober 15, i777- On History of the CHAP. On the following day the fubfequent articles XV^-- of convention between lieutenant-general Bur- ^"^"^s"^ goyne and major-general Gates were fettled. ^777' I. xhe troops under lieutenant-general Bur- goyne to march out of their camp with the ho- nours of war, and the artillery of the intrench- ments to the verge of the river where the Old Ford flood, where the arms and artillery are to be left; the arms to be piled by word of command from their own officers. 2. A free pafTage to be granted the army under lieutenant general Burgoyne to Great Bri- tain, on condition of not ferving again in North America during the prefent conteft ; and the port of Bofton is aifigned for the entry of tranfports to receive the troops whenever ge- neral Howe {hall fo order. 3. Should any cartel take place by which the army under general Burgoyne, or any part of it, may be exchanged, the foregoing article to be void, as far as fuch exchange fhall be madcv 4. The army under lieutenant-general Bur»- goyne to march tp Maffachufet's Bay by the ea- lieft, mofl; expeditious, and convenient route ; and to be quartered in, near, or as convenient ias poffible to Bofton, that the march of the troops may not be delayed when tranfpprts arrive to receive them, 5. The troops to be fupplied, on their march and during their being in quarters, with provi- lions, by major-general Gates's orders, at the fame rate of rations as the troops of his own army ; and, if poffible, the officers' horfes and cattle to be fuppli^ed with forage at the ufual rates. 6. All officers to retain their carriages, bat- licrf^s, and other cattle j and no baggage to be niolefled AMERICAN WAR. molefled or fearched, lieutenant-general Bur- c HAP. goyne giving his honour that there are no public XVII. ftores Tecreted therein. Major-general Gates will "-^ir^ of courfe take the neceflary meafures for a due ^777* performance of this article. Should any car- riages be wanted during the march, for thetranf- portation of officers baggage, they are, if pol- fible, to be fupplied by the country at the ulual rates. . 7. Upon the march, and during the time the army (hall remain in quarters in the MafTachufets Bay, the officers are not to be feparated from their men, as far as circumftances will admit. The officers are to be quartered according to their rank, and are not to be hindered from affembling their men for roll-callings, and other necelTary purpofes of regularity. 8. All corps whatever of general Burgoyne's army, whether compofed of failors, batteau-men, artificers, drivers, independent companies and followers of the army, of v,/hatever country, fliall be included in the fulleft fenfe and utmoft ex- tent of the above articles, and comprehended in every refpeft as Britifh fubjefts. 9. All Canadians and perfons belonging to the Canadian eftablifliment, confifting of failors, bat- teau-men, &c. are to be permitted to return there ; ihey are to be condu6led immediately by the lliorteft route, to the firft Britifn port on Lake George, are to be fupplied with provifions in the fame manner as the other troops, and are to be bound by the fame condition of not ferving during the prefent conteft in Morlh America. 10. PafTports to be immediately granted for three officers, not exxeeding the rank of cap- tains, who fhall be appointed by lieutenaut-gene- xal Burgoyne to carry difpatches to fir William Howe, HISTORY OF THE G HAP. Howe, fir Guy Carleton, and to Great Britain XVII. by the way of New York ; and major-generai ^^'^y^ Gates engages the public faith that theie difpatch- 1777- es are not to be opened. Ihefe officers are to fet out immediately, after receiving their dil- patches, and are to travel the fhorteft route, and in the moft expeditious manner. 11. During the ftay of the troops in the Maf- fachufets Bay, the officers are to be admitted on parole, and are to be permitted to wear their fide- arms* 12. Should the army under lieutenant-general Burgoyne find it neceffary to fend for their cloth- ing, and other baggage from Canada, they are to be permitted to do it in the moft expeditious man- ner, and the neceffary pafTports granted for that purpofe. 13. Thefe articles are to be mutually figned and exchanged to-morrow morning at nine o'- clock ; and the troops under lieutenant-general Burgoyne are to march out of th-eir intrench* ments at three o'clock in the afternoon. Horatio Gates, Major-generaL Camp at Saratoga, Odl. 16, 1777. To prevent any doubts that might arife from lieutenant-general Burgoyne's name not being mentioned in the above treaty, major-general Gates hereby declares that he is understood to be ^ comprehended in it as fully as if his name had been fpecifically mentioned. Horatio Gates. General Gates's condud in this melancholy event was peculiarly generous and humane. It is faid that when the Britifh troops piled their arms AMERICAN WAR. arms he would not fuffer his own men to be wit- CHAP, nefs to the fad fpeaack. XVIL The iiuinber of men whj furrendered, amount- ^^--nr^ cd, including Caiaadians and Provincials, to near »777- fix' thoufand. The fick and wounded in the hof- pitals amounted to fix hundred ; and it was com- puted that the lofs in killed, taken, and deferted, Inbfequent to the capture of Ticonderoga, was near three thoufand men. The artillery taken, Gonfifted of thirty-five pieces of different dimen- fions. Such was the melancholy event of a can^paign from which the ffioft important benefits were predided. The tardinefs of movement, howe- ver, occafioned by the large and fuperfluous train of artillery which general Burgoyne carried with ;:him, certainly contributed not a httle to produce thofe difafters and diftreifes which at length over- whelmed him. But tracing the failure of his expedition further back, it will be found to have been occafioned alfo by other caufcs, whicli, though when confidered fingly, may be deemed only remote, yet, condenfed into one general profpea, they will be found to have imm^dJl ately produced that fatal confummation which has already been recorded. During the winter of 1776 no Heps whatever were taken in Canada to provide horfes, cartSj or forage, for the expedition that was to take pkce in the enfuing year : It was not till the tenth of June 1777 that any contraawas made for thofe articles. This tardinefs of condua delayed the movement of the army for three weeks, and rendered every fubfequent opera- tion equally flow j for the carriages for the tranfport fervice being conf^ruaed m hafte, and of frefh unfeafoned wood, were infufEciciit for the purpofes for which they W^re defi^- 1777- m H I S T 0 R Y O F T H E ^^J\f' ^^^^ ^^^ere almoft all deftroyed on the road . , Edward. This circumftance detained ' the army To long at Fort Edward, that it ul- timately occafioned the unfortunate, ill-condua- ed expedition to Bennington. The defeat of colonels Baum, Breyman, and St. Leger, ener- vated the Britifh caufe in an extraordinary de- gree. There were feveral of the inhabitants who were not attached to either party by principle, and who had refolved to join themfelves to that which fhould be fuccefsful. Thofe men, after the difafters at Bennington and Fort Stanwix, added afudden and powerful increafe of ftrength to the Americans. General Burgoyne, it was generally thought, after his difappointment, and the defeat at Ben- nington, ought not by any means to have croffed the Hudfon. Any attempt to proceed to Al- bany was then improper. The diftance from Fort Edward was fixty-four miles ; the road was difficult and dangerous, being commanded by high and ftrong grounds, where an a6live ene- my, well acquainted with the country, had many advantages, even with an inferior force. Gene- ral Burgoyne fhould have pofted himfelf, it was faid, on the heights of Fort Edward ; which would have fecured a communication with Ca- nada, and enabled him to advance or to retreat according to contingent circumftances. He was cenfured alfo for remaining lb long at Skenelbo- rough, and confuming eighteen days in making roads through moraffes and fwamps. Had he returned to Ticonderoga, and croffed Lake St. George, he would have reached Fort Edward at leafl teu or twelve days fooner. He fhould have detached General Frazer from Skenefborough to Fort George ; by which means a quanriiy of provifions and flores, deflined by the Americans for AMERICAN WAR. Z9S for Ticonderoga, would have been fecured, as c H A P. well as a fupply of carts, waggons, and draft XVII. bullocks. This condudl would have enabled ^-np*-^ him to have penetrated to Albany before the i777- , enemy were fufficiently powerful to oppofe him. Another caufe of the failure of the expedition was the want of a fyflem of co-operation be- tween general Burgoyne and general Carleton, and the negledl of fir William Howe to take any fteps to facilitate the operations of the northern army. When general Burgoyne found himfel£ under the necelfity of relinquifhing the commu- nication with Canada, he wrote to general Carle- ton, requefting, in the moft preifing terms, that he would fend a regiment to garrilon Ticonde- roga, that he might take the regiment then on. duty there with him, and thereby endeavour ftill to preferve a communication with Canada. This favour, however, was pofitively refufed. Gene- ral Burgoyne was alfo difappointed in not receiv- ing an increafe of flrength by the jun6lion of a body of loyalifts on his advancing beyond Ti- conderoga. Offended with general Carleton for refufing to inveft Ticonderoga in the preceding year, they refolved to remain inadlive, and to afford no aihflance to the Britifh army. But in- deed the grand caufe was the appointment of general Burgoyne in preference to general Carle- ton. . Of the former, it muft be allowed that he poffefTed courage, a tolerable degree of military knowledge, with much addrefs. The latter had many of thefe qualities, with the addition of a knowledge of the country, its refourccs, and its local flrength and v/eaknefs. He was likewife Well acquainted with the temper and difpofitioa of the inhabitants. The unfortunate Burgoyne, reduced from the Jofty language of his proclamation to the llyle of defence 3^ HfSroitr of THE C H A p. defence and recriminatioii, endeavoufed to lay XVII. tlie blame of his miltaffiages upon fir William '•^■^''ir^ Howe, for not having fent a force for co-opera- ^777- fion up the North River to Albany; on lord George Germaine, the Britifti fetretary of ftate, - for having- tied up his hands by orders pofitive and unqualified, in inftances where latitude fhould be given to a general to zil according to circum- ftances ; and on the flownefs with which the Germans had marched to Bennington, the cen- ffe and fource of his misfortunes. But it was ufged, in anfwer to all the general's excufes, that the force put into his hands for the intended ttiarch through Canada, was nearly, if not fully, equal to what he himfelf had demanded : That he ought not, on any doubtful profpecl of a co- operating army from New York, to have given up his communication with the Lakes ; and that hlg cOndudl, in fending fo fmall a detachment to Bennington, and this confiding of foreigners, and of all foreigners the floweft in their motions. Was an abfurdity bordering on infatuation. It Was alfo contended, on the ilTue of Bur- gOyne's unfortunate expedition, that he had car- ried along with him a quantity of artillery to- tally incompatible with that celerity of movement on which his fuccefs entirely depended. If a jun61;ure afterwards arofe which feemed to demand this formidable apparatus, it was the very move- ment of that apparatus that created the neceflity of employing it. The army was Confined in its operations to the motions of the artillery, and the enormous delays, occafioned in a great degree by the llownefs of its progrefs, gave time to the provincials to recover from their pa^ic, and again to colle£l that army which had been completely difperfed. Whereas, had he advanced rapidly, without incumbrance or de- lay. AMERICAN WAR. 397 lay, he would neither hav^ found men to op-CHAP. pofe ifjor works to interrupt his progrefs through XVII. the country. But not only had general Bur-'-'nr^ goyne embarraffed himfelf with every incumbrance * 77 7' that could retard the progrefs of an army; he had adopted a route calculated to add to every delay, and to augment every difficulty. Inftead of the dire<5l and common road to Hudfon's Ri- ver, by the way of Lake George, he had thought proper, at the expence of much time and la- bour, to cut a road through an extent of country the moft difficult and impradicable. If general Gates himfelf, it was faid, had direded his ope- rations, he could not have planned meafures more conducive to the completion of his own views. The flight from Ticonderoga had made fuch an impreffion on the fpirits of the Ameri- cans, that it was impoffible immediately to col- lect an army, or to infpire them with that con- I fidence which is neceffary to enfure fuccefs ; but in time that impreffion would wear off, unlefs it Ihould be continued or renewed by the rapid movements of the king's troops. When, inftead ! of fuch movements, they faw thofe troops waft- ing days, weeks, and months, without making the fmalleft progrefs, it is no wonder that they I recovered their fpirits, and aflembled in much greater force than ever. In the whole of gene- ral Burgoyne's vindication, it was obferved, his method was to ftate a neceffity for every one of his m.eafures taken fingly, and not as links of one chain or fyftem of adion, taking care to pafs L over one material circumftance, that that necejfity invariably originated, on his own part, from fome previous omiffion or blunder. The deport- ment of this commander, after the furrender of his army, was as pitiful as his conduct before that melancholy event Vv'as weak and unfortunate. 39^ HISTORY OF THE CHAP. unfortunate. He refufed, having been fet at XVII. liberty on his parole, to join his captive army, ^-^T^ threw himfelf, like other unfuccefsful cominau- ^777' ders, into the hands of oppofition, railed at his majefty's minifters, introduced himfelf on every occafiou in the debates in parliament, demanding a public trial, complaining, even while a prifoner to the enemy, that he was denied accefs to the king, and that his merit and fufferings were equally unnoticed. G H A P. AMERICAN WAR. 399 CHAP. XVIII. Expedition up the Nm-th River under Sir Henry Clinton — ReduQion of the Forts Montgomery and Clinton. — Binning of JEfopus. A BODY of recruits arrived from Europe atcHAP. New York about the clofe of September XVITI. .1777. This reinforcement enabled fir Henry Clin- ^-^-r^ ton to undertake an expedition which he could ^777- not before have attempted, without leaving thede- Expedition fences of New York too feebly guarded. It may r'^vc'S ^ere be obferved, that the fituation of New Henry York, commanded in a variety of points, which were thence of neceffity to be occupied by the Britifh, had a very unfavourable influence on the condudl of the war; for the protedlion of that great depofitory of our ftores required fo conliderable a number of men as moft ma- terially cramped exertion in the field. The objeft of fir Henry Clinton's expedition was to take pofleffion of the forts which forbad the pafTage of our velTels up to Albany ; and the ulterior view in the meafure was not fo much to create a diverlion in favour of general Burgoyne (the necelTity of which was not fuf- pe6led), as to open a communication which might have been important when that command- er ftiould have fixed hxmfelf at Albany. The enterprife was entirely fpontaneous on the part ' of fir Henry Clinton, and was conduced with more energy than moft of the military operati- ons that took place in America. A force amount- 400 H T S T O R Y OF THE CHAP, ijig nearly to three thoufand men was embarked XVTII. OH board craft of different kinds, convoyed by ^""nr^ fome fhips of war under the command of , com- I777* modore Hotham. This armament proceeded up the Hudfon to Verplank's Point, on the eaft fhore of that river (forty miles from New York), which ftation of the enemy Lord Rawdon had fome time before been dilpatched to reconnoitre in a frigate. The landing-places being defended only by flight breaftworks with two twelve-pounders, and the corps flationed there being fearful that their retreat might be cut off at the neck of the peninfula, the debarkation was made with little or no refinance, an^ithe firft troops who land- ed, purfuing rapidly the flying enemy, obliged them to abandon one of the twelve-pounders. Sir Henry Clinton palTed the night upon this peninMa. This feint had the eff'eft which it was hoped it might produce ; for it infpired ge- laeral Putnam, who commanded in that diflri^, with the opinion that fir Henry Clinton meant to pufli through the eaftern highlands, in order to co-operate with Burgoyne. Putnam, under this perfuafion, hafleued with two thoufand men, principally drawn from the forts, to oc- cupy the paffes on the eafl:ern fhore. On the fixth of Odlober at day-break, two thoufand one hundred men, without any artillery, were tranf- jported to Stony Point, on the weftern bank of the river; the remainder of the troops being left to fecure Verplanks. The only road from Stony Point, to the forts (at lead tlie only one -without a prodigious circuit) was a path acrofs the Donderberg, a very fteep mountain, which vnth its precipices overhangs the North River. As the path would not admit above three men to inarch abreaft, and by its windings would 4iave expofed the troops, during their paffage, to AMERICAN WAR. to be deftroyed at the pleafure of any force CHAP, ftationed at the top of the hill, the moft tri- XVIII. fling guard would have been fufficient to have rendered the attempt of the Britifti abortive. *777' The very difficulties however of the attempt fecured the paifage to fir Henry Clinton ; this having induced the Americans to fuppofe that it was fuperfluous to watch it; and a fmall advanced guard, fent forward to explore if the pafs was undefended, having made a fignal that the coaft was clear, the main body of the Britifli afcended the hill with all poffible expedition. Having refted a while, they tra- verfed the fummit, and defcended on the op- pofite fide, at the bottom of which they tum- bled upon a detachment fent too tardily for the defence of the pafs. The difperfion of this fmall corps deftroyed the hope that the forts might be furprifed; but the enterprife was not thence profecuted with lefs refolution. The diftance from Stony Point to the fort is twelve miles; but the nature of the country rendered the march fo flow and fatiguing, that it wanted but about an hour of funfet when •the Britifh arrived within a mile of their defti- nation. They feparated into two columns : The one, confifting of nine hundred men, un- jder lieutenant-colonel Campbell of the fifty-fe- cond regiment, was deftined for the attack of ,ForL Montgomery; whilft the remainder, under the immediate command of fir Henry Clinton, were to florm the flronger poft of Fort Clinton. The two forts were only divided by a creek called Poplop's Kill, which empties itfelf into .the Hudfon's River, communicating by a wood- en bridge of confiderable length acrofs that ftream. The aflfault was made upon both forts at the fame inftant. The point aflailed at Fort Vol. I. D d Montgomery, HISTORY OF THE C H A P. Montgomery, was not very ftrong, either from XVIII. fituation or works, nor did the enemy make ^•^**Tr^ a very obftinate refiftance; fo that the fort was '^111' carried by our troops with little lofs, excepting that the death of fo valuable an officer as lieute- nant-colonel Campbell muft be confidered as ma- terial in the balance againft the fuccefs. Almoft all the garrifon, confifting of eight hundred men, made their efcape. Againft Fort Clinton the enterprife was more fcrious ; the fort was built upon a rocky eleva- tion, the only approach to which, for the Bri- tifh troops, was over a fpecies of pafs of about four hundred yards fquare, between a lake and a precipice which overhung the Hudfon's River. This fpot was covered with felled trees, fo that the approach of the affailants could not be condudled with rapidity or with much re- gularity, and ten pieces of artillery bore upon that narrow pafs, whilft the Britifti had not % fingle cannon to cover their affault. Their only chance confifted in preffing forward with as much velocity as the ground would admit; and the troops were ftriftly ordered upon no account to fire. The flank companies of the feventh and twenty-fixth regiments, with a com- pany of Anfpach grenadiers, led the attack upon 6ne point, whilft the fixty-third regiment endea- voured to penetrate at another. In no inftance during the American war was more invincible refolution exhibited than in this attack. The Britifh and foreign troops prefTed forward filcntly, under a dreadful fire, and ar- riving at the foot of the work, adually puftied one another up into the embrafures. The garri- fon, confifting of four hundred men, for a lit- tle while longer contefted the rampart. Some of our men were killed in the very embrafures. and AMERICAN WAR. and feveral were wounded with bayonets in the CHAP, ftruggle ; fo that it muft be admitted the Ameri- cans defended themfelves courageoufly. At length '"TT^ the rampart was cleared. The Americans retir- *-'^^* ing to the other fide of the efplanade, difcharged a laft volley, and threw down their arms. Not- withftanding this provocation, there was not a fingle man of the enemy put to death, except fuch as fell in the adlual ftruggle upon the ram- part. This we mention, not only as difplay- ing a moft generous moderation on the part of the vidors, contrary to what ufually happens in fuch affaults, but as refuting an impudent affer- tion advanced in fome of the French accounts, that the whole garrifon had been put to death by their conquerors. We are happy in refcuing from the ftiade which the magnitude of general Burgoyne's misfortune at the time threw over it, an enterprife equally worth)7 of attention for its boldnefs and the degree of injury that it did to the enemy. The lofs on the part of the aflailants was not fo fevere as might have been expe<£ied, for it amounted to only one hundred and forty killed and M'ounded. About three hundred of the Americans were killed, wounded, and taken pri- foners. The fmall lofs of the Britifh is only to be ac- counted for by the dulk, and by the American artillery being ferved with more attention to- quicknefs in firing than accuracy in pointing. Captain Stewart, who commanded the grena- diers, and major Sill, who led the fixty-third re- giment, were killed upon the fpot, both pierced with many wounds. Count Graboufky, a Polim nobleman, who had croffed the Atlantic on pur- pofe to make a campaign as a volunteer with the Britifh, likewife fell on this occafion. But his P d 2 death 404 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, death was attended with a little circumftance XVIII. which ought to be mentioned in honour to his ""•^T^ memory. He had advanced to the ftorm in company with lord Rawdon amongft the gre- nadiers, but was feparated from him amongft the felled trees, which forced every man to find a path for himfelf. Arriving at the foot of the work he fell, after having received three balls : When giving his fword to a grenadier he conjured him, with his expiring voice, to de- li\'er it to lord Rawdon, and to affure hjslordftiip that he died in a manner becoming one who had fhared the dangers of fuch gallant troops. It is not amifs here to correct an error which has crept into former accounts, from an ex- prelTion ufed by fir Henry Clinton, with a view of doing juftice to the zeal of thefquadron under commodore Hotham. In the Annual Regifter it is mentioned as one of the circumftances which fhook the courage of the Americans, and flack- ened their refiftance, that the Britifti gallies ad- vanced fo near as to ftrike the walls of the fort with their oars. The fort being on a preci- pice at leaft one hundred and twenty feet above the level of the river, this reprefentation muft appear abfurd. Sir Henry Clinton, in his letter on the fubje£l, mentions the appearance of the gallies, which was not effeded without infinite exertion, to a diftance whence they thought they ' might, by their fire, in fome degree diftrad the attention of the garrifon ; and fir Henry Clinton, doing juftice to this purpofed diverfion, meant to exprefs that feveral of the balls had adually reached the fort. High praife is due to commodore, now admi- ral, Hotham, for his arrangements and efforts upon this expedition ; and the officers ferving under him nobly imitated his example. Night AMERICAN WAR. 405 1777. Night came on immediately after the BritifhCH AP had completed their conqueft ; but its obfcurity was not of long continuance. Two frigates, two gallies, and an armed floop belonging to the enemy, lay at anchor in the river under the guns of the forts. Thefe veffels were fecured from our fquadron by a defence which ftrongly mark- ed the indefatigable induftry of the Americans. A boom, confitting of vaft rafts of timber con- nedled by cables, ftretched acrofs the Hudfon's River (in that part fix hundred yards wide) from the projedling point on which Fort Montgomery ftands to a mountain, called St. Anthony's Nofe, that rifes immediately from the other margin of the ftream. This boom was ftrengthened by a chain, which alone was fuppofed to have coft the Americans about fifty thoufand pounds. The chain weighed above fifty tons, and the links were about two inches and a half fquare. Be- hind this bulwark the American veffels bid de- iiance to any attempt by water; but it was clear that as foon as daylight returned they mull be deftroyed by the cannon of the forts, unlefs they furrendered themfelves to the vidlors. To avoid this fate they filently flipped their cables, and fetting all their fails attempted to get up the river. The wind happened to be lb ad- verfe, that it was foon found impradlicable to complete their efcape; upon which the crews quitted the veffels in their boats, previoufly fetting fire to the frigates and gaUies. The flames fuddenly broke forth; and, as every fail was fet, the veffels foon became magnificent py- ramids of fire. The refledlion on the fteep face of the oppofite mountain, and the long train of ruddy light that Ihone upon the water for a prodigious diftance, had a wonderful eifed; whilft the ear was awfully filled with the con- tinued 4o6 HISTORY OF THE CHAP. tinued echoes from the rocky ihores, as the XVIII. flames gradually reached the cannon. The whole was Tublimely terminated by the explofions, which again left all to darknefs. No fooner was the reduftion of the Forts Montgomery and Clinton known than Fort Con- Mtution, on a rock fome miles higher up the river, was demolifhed without the orders of the governor, and without a removal of the artillery and ftores*. Not far from the forts, thus reduced or demo- liflied, lay a new fettlement called the Con- tinental Village, which contained barracks for fifteen hundred men. Thefe, befides feveral ilore-houfes and loaded waggons, of the articles contained in which no account could be taken, were deftroyed by a detachment under major- general Tryon. A fer- * Return of Cannon, Stores, Ammunition, &c. taken and de- ftroyed upon the Expedition up the North River, Odtobpr 6, 1777. Cannon. — Thirty-two pounders 6 ; eighteen pounders 3 ; twelve pounders 7 ; nine pounders 3 ; fix pounders 41 ; four pounders 3 ; three pounders 2 ; two pounders 2. Total 67. Two frigates built for 30 and 36 guns were burnt by the Americans on the forts being taken. The guns aboard them, and two gallies vfhich were llkewife burnt, amounted to above 30. One floop with 10 guns fell into our hands. The whole lofs therefore is above 100 pieces. Powder. — 54 calks ; ii 4 barrels ; 12,236 lb. exclufive of what was aboard the veffels. Cartridges fitted. — 1852 cannon ; 57,396 mufquet. Cannon (hot 9530 round ; 886 double headed ; 2483 grape and cafe ; 36 cwt. i qr. 151b. langridge, Formufquets. — 1279 wt. of ball j 116 wt. of buck-fhot ; 5400 flints. Every article belonging to the laboratory in the greateft perfeftion. Other ftores, fuch as port-fires, match, harnefs, fpare gun carriages, tools, inftruraents, &c. &c. in great plenty. A M E R I C A N W A R. 407 A fervice was now completed, which, it was CHAP, imagined, might open effential communication XVIII. with general Burgoyne ; of whofe diftrefs the ^""^"^^'^ moft remote fufpicion was not then entertained. Whilft the fleet was on its paffage from New York to the forts, an officer from general Bur- goyne, who had made his way through the coun- try in difguife, reached fir Henry Clinton ; but the obje6l of his miffion was only to folicit the faciliution of general Burgoyne' sprogrefs by fome fuch expedition as that in which the officer found fir Henry Clinton engaged. The day after the capture of the forts another officer from the northern army reached fir Henry Clinton, and his reprefentation alfo amounted only to this point, That if general Burgoyne did not hear of co-operation by the tenth of Oc- oaobcr. tober, he fhould, on that day, be conftrained, by the terror of wanting provifions, to return to Fort Edward. The ignorance of the difficulties which at that time furrounded general Burgoyne's army is the lefs to be lamented, as it does not appear that it would have been pradlicable for fir Henry Clinton to have taken any fteps which could at all have fuccoured that army. A flying fquadron under fir James Wallace was now fent up the river, deftroying a number of veffels as they failed along. Under cover of this naval force, general Vaughan, on the thir- teenth of Odober, with a detachment from the little army under fir Henry Clinton, landed at i^:fopus Creek, where he found two batteries j one of two, another of three guns ; and an arm- ed galley at the mouth of the Creek. The Ame- ricans made little refiftance ; but, abandoning the batteries and row-galley, took to flight. From this place the general continued his march about five miles farther to the town of i^^fopus ; 4o8 HISTORYOFTHE CH AP. /Efopus ; which, having been fired at by fome XVIII. people as he entered it, he reduced to afhes with """^^^ a vaft colledion of ftores and provifions. A few ^'777- of t}^e townfmen, and fome of the country peo- iEfopus pie^ affembled ; but, after making fome fhew of oppofition, drew back. Sir James Wallace at the fame time deftroyed the {hipping and fmall craft that had taken fhelter in the creek which leads up to the town. Our troops, having performed thefe fervices, re-em- barked for New- York. CHAP. AMERICAN WAR. 409 CHAP. XIX. Expedition under the Command of Lieufenant-co* lonei Mawhood — Ad ion at Quintin^s Bridge — Jt HancocFs Bridge— Ingenious Stratagem of an American Loyalifl — Colonel Ahercrombie' s Expedition againji the Americans under Lacey near Crooked Billet — Colonel Maitland's Expe- dition up the Delaware — Attempt on La Fay- ette. — 1778. WHILE the Britifh army lay in winter-quar- CHAP, ters at Philadelphia, the efforts made for XIX. their own conveniency, and for annoying the »-nr^ enemy, were as follow : — "^11^' In the beginning of March, lieutenant-colonel ^^^'f^ Mawhood, with a detachment from the mainneiMaw*>" army, confifting of the twenty- feventh and forty- hood- fixth regiments, and New Jerfey volunteers, made, a defcent on the coaft of Jerfey, near Salem, for the purpofe of procuring forage, of which the army ftood in great need, and of opening a com- munication with the loyaliib of that part of the Country, groaning under the tyranny of Living- fton the governor. Colonel Mawhood carried Avith him fpare arms to put into the hands of fuch as chofe to repair to his ftandard. This detachment embarked on board tranfports or the twelfth of March, fell down the Delaware, and landed fafely at the place of their deftina- tion. Colonel Mawhood, being reinforced on the feventeenth by the queen's rangers, coufifting HISTORY OF THE CHAP, of about two hundred and feventy infantry, rank and file, and thirty cavalry, gave diredlions ^"'^'^^ for the forage to take place on the eighteenth, ' accompanied by the ftridleft charge againfi: plun- der. The town of Salem, near to which, as has juft been obferved, our detachment landed, lies upon -a creek of that name, falling into the Delaware nearly oppofite to Reedy Ifland. The Alewas "Creek runs almoft parallel to that of Salem, and falls into the Delaware to the fouth of it. Over the Alewas Creek three bridges were extended : Hancock's Bridge the lower ; Gt^intin's that in the centre ; and Thompfon's the fartheft up. Between thefe Creeks, then, on the Delaware, forming a peninfula, at its greateft feven, and at its leafi; four miles in width, the foraging was to commence. The provincial militia was pofted at Hancock's and Q^intin's Bridge, which they had defended by breaftworks. Colonel Mav/hood made detachments to mafk thefe bridges, and fo- raged in their rear. Aaiori at Tlae officer who commanded the detachment Sdge"'^ at Quintin's having fent information that the ene- my were allembled in great numbers at the bridge, and would probably pafs over it whene- ver he fhould quit it, in which cafe his party would be in great danger, colonel Mawhood marched with the queen's rangers to his aflift- ance, and by a fuccefsful feint and ambufcade, firfl drew a divifion of the enemy over the bridge, and then vigoroufly attacked them. Not a few of them were taken prifoners, but the greater part were drowned in the Alewas Creek. Among the prifoners was their commanding officer, who proved to be a Frenchman. The rangers, had one huflar mortally wounded. Here we fhall give place to an anecdote, authenticated by the ^ authority AMERICAN WAR. ^rt Authority of colonel Simcoe, who commanded CHAP, the rangers, that affords a fpecimen of that bafe XIX. and ungenerous fpirit with which many indivi- ^^^^ duals in the American armies fhewed themfelves "7 • in the courfe of the war to be aduated. The huffar was wounded by a man whom, in the eagernefs of the purfuit, he had paffed, and gi- ven quarters to him without difarming him. The villain was killed by another huffar. The Americans, who had for a moment quit- ted the bridge, but who, when they perceived that colonel Mawhood did not think it to his purpofe to pafs it, returned, ftill occupied the pofts at Chimin's and Hancock's Bridge, their numbers gradually increafing. Colonel Maw- hood determined to attack them at Hancock^s ]^ridge, where, from all reports, they weife al- fembled to the number of four hundred men. This enterp rife was entrufted to major Simcoe, who embarked with the rangers on board flat- bottomed boats on the twentieth at night. He At Han- Was to be landed at an inlet feven miles bel^w^g°^5gj Alewas Creek, when the boats were to be imme- diately returned ; and by a private road he was to reach Hancock's Bridge, oppofite to which major Mitchell was to co-operate with him, at the head of the twenty-feventh regiment. Major Simcoe, though the enemy wefe nearly double his numbers, and his retreat ^vas cut off by the abfolute orders to fend back the boats, confix dered that every thing depended on furprife, and repofed juft confidence in the filence, attention, and fpirit of the corps under his command. By an overfight in the naval department, when the boats arri^^ed off Alewas Creek, the tide fet fo ftrong ag^inft them, that, in the opinion of the officer of the navy, they cOuld not reach the ^place of their deftination till mid day. Major Simcoe HISTORY OF THE CH A P. Simcoe determined, however, not to return, but XIX. to land at the mouth of the Alewas Creek on the marfties. They foon found out a landing-place, *77e. and, after a march of two miles through marfties up to the knees in mud and water, at length ar- rived at a wood upon dryland, where the major formed his men for the attack. There was no public road that led to Hancock's Bridge but that of which the rangfers were now in poffeiTion ; but a bank or dyke, on which there was a foot- way, led from Hancock's to G^intin's Bridge. This dyke captain Saunders, with a party, was fent to ambufcade, and to take up a fmall bridge that was upon it, as the enemy would probably flee that way, and if not purfued too clofely, would thus be the more eafily defeated. There was at Hancock's Bridge a large brick dwelling-houfe, called Hancock's Houfe, around which were many ftone houfes, and fome few cottages. Captain Dunlop was detached to the rear of Hancock's Houfe, in which it was pre- fumed the American officers were quartered, and direded to force, occupy and barricade it, as it commanded the paffage of the bridge. Different detachments were allotted to the fmall houfes in the rear of Hancock's, fuppofed to be the ene- my's quarters. Having maftered thefe, they were ordered to aflemble at Hancock's, which the light-infantry who were in referve reached by the road, and forced the front door at the fame time that captain Dunlop, by a more diffi- cult way, entered the back door. As it was very dark, thefe companies were on the paint of fall- ing on one another. The furprife was complete, which it would have been, even if the whole of the enemy's force had been prefent ; but, fortu- nately for them, they had quitted it the evening before, AMERICAN WAR. 4^3 before, leaving a detachment of twenty or thirty CHAP, men, all of whom were killed. The roads that led to the country were im- mediately ambufcaded, and lieutenant Whitlock ^^'/S* was detached to furprife a patrole of feven men who had been fent down the Creek, which he completely effefted. On their refufal to furren- der he was obliged to fire on them, when only one made his elcape. It was the firing on this fmall party that communicated to the twenty-fe- venth regiment the fuccefs of the enterprife : Two days after, the queen's rangers patrolled Thomfon's Bridge. The enemy, who had been ported there, were alarmed at the approach of a cow the night before, fired at it, and then fled. They alfo abandoned Qiiintin's Bridge, and re- tired to a creek fixteen miles from Alewas Creek. Major Simcoe continued to drive the fmall parties of the enemy before him, wherever he went for the protedion of the foragers : And ^ even the main force of the enemy, in thofe parts, affembled at Cohanfey, might have been eafily furprifed ; but colonel Mawhood judged, that, having completed his forage with perfedl fuc- cefs, his bufmefs was to return to head-quarters, which he did accordingly. The troops reim- barked on board the boats, and returned, with- out any accident, to Philadelphia. Though patroles were made now, as regularly as ever, as fpring approached the enemy's ca- valry came nearer to our lines, and owed their efcape more than once to the fleetnefs of their horfes. Some of thefe that fell into the hands of our parties were decorated with eggs, women's fhoes, and other articles, of which they had plundered the country-people coming to and re- turning from market ; and thus accoutred, were paraded through the flreets to prifon. A num- 414 HISTORY OF T H E CHAP. ^er of loyalifts in arms under the command of XIX. Thomas, their captain, with Hoveden's and '""''^r^ James's troops of provincials, made excurfions into the country, and carried off from the Ame- ricans, provifions, clothing, and other articles of life to the Britifh army and their adherents. On fuch excurfions they were ufually fuppprted, and their return to their friends fecured, by the queen's rangers. Ingenious A ftratagcm for procuring provifions for our ZTmeT^^^'^y at Philadelphia, equally pleafant and fuc- can loyaiift, cefsful, was played off by one of the loyalifts againft the Americans. General Wafliins^ton drew his fupplies of fat cattle from New Eng- land. A drove of this kind was met about thirty miles from Philadelphia, between the Delaware and Schuylkill, by a friend of government, who pafled himfelf upon the drivers for one of ge- neral Waftiington's commifTaries, billeted them at a neighbouring farm, and then immediately galloped to Philadelphia, from whence a party of dragoons were fent for the cattle, and the whole drove was fafely conducted to Philadel- phia. Colonel About the beginning of May, a great part of we'^exp'^r American brigade, not lefs than one thoufand dition a- men, commanded by brigadier Lacy, general of Americins ^hc Pcufylvauia militia, took poft at a place called und^r gene- the Crookcd Billet, about leventeen miles from near Crook- Philadelphia, on one oithc great roads of commu- Billet, nication between that town and the country, Fi;om this ftation the Americans, in fmall par- ties, overawed and impeded the country-people in their approaches with provifions to the Phila- delphia market. By the way of Crooked Billet lay the main road between Philadelphia and New York ; and, at lefs than half a mile from it, on the Philadelphia fide, there was aiiolher road which AMERICAN WAR. which led, by the way of Horfliam Meeting, toCHAF. general Wafhington's camp. Major Simcoe, who XJX. had been the firft that gave intelligence to the ^^"^^^ commander in chief of the fituation, ftrength, ^'^'^ ' and probable views of brigadier-general Lacy, propofed that he fhould march with the rangers, and, by a circuit, get to the road in the rear of the Crooked Billet, and that a detachment fliould march, and ambufcade themfelves in a wood (for according to his intelligence there was one adapted to the purpofe) on the road which led to Wafh- ington's camp, by the Horfham nieeting-houfe. j This party was to remain in ambufcade till they i fhould hear the firing of the queen's rangers It was prefumed that, if the furprife fliould not be complete, the ambufcade would enfure fuc- I cefs, by fupporting the rangers if they fliould be checked, and by intercepting the enemy if they fliould attempt to retreat, as they probably would, and that towards their main army. This i plan being adopted, lieutenant-colonel Aber- crombie, on the night preceding the fourth of May, was detached to the place of ambufcade, with about four hundred light-infantry, a large party of light dragoons, and horfes to mount part of his infantry for the greater expedition. I Major Simcoe's march was difficuh, as he judged it necelTary to make many circuits, in or- der to avoid places where the enemy had pofts or patroles. He was well guided ; and fortunately had information about twilight that prevented him from committing a difafl:rous error. The armed refugees under their leader captain Tho- mas, had been fent by Mr. Galloway to efcort fome of his furniture into Philadelphia. Hearing by fome means or other of the prefent expedi- I tion ; they were encouraged to feize the oppor- tunity which it aftbrded of effeding their objea with H I S T O R Y O F THE CHAP."^^it^ the greater certainty and fafety. They XIX. marched up the roads which the rangers had fo v-nr^ carefully avoided, hut without meeting with any »778. interruption or alarm. They fortunately pafTed a houfe at which major Simcoe called ; other wife he would certainly, when he overtook them, have miftaken them for the enemy. This little adven- ture of the refugees, with the narrow efcape they made from a fatal onfet by their own friends, ferves, among many other inftances with which the hiftory of war is replete, to fhew the necef- fity of different military operations going on at the fame time, being concerted and carried on under the diredion of one mind. The refugees were dire6led to keep themfelves undifcovered, and the rangers marched on as faft as poffible. Although day-light appeared, major Simcoe was under no apprehenfions of difcovery, nor yet of colonel Abercrombie's having met with any ac- cident, as the parties were within hearing of each other's fire, and none was heard. He was there- fore, as he had now quitted the road, in order to make his laft circuit to reach the Billet, in- forming his officers of his plan of attack, when all of a fudden a flight firing was heard. Colonel Abercrombie, although affifled by hor- fes, could not arrive at his poft at the appointed time, before day-break. But, being anxious to fupport major Simcoe, he detached to the place of ambufcade his cavalry and mounted light-in- fantry. The officer who commanded this de- tached party patrolled as far as Lacy's out-poft, and being fired at by the centinels did not re- tire. Lacy, rightly judging that he was fup- ported by a force adequate to fuch confidence, coUeding his ftrength, began to retreat up the country. At this crifis, the rangers arrived nearly in his rear, upon his right flank. They flopped, and AMERICAN WAR. 4*7 and turned fome fmaller parties who were making CHAP, their efcape from the light-infantry, and who ^^X. were killed ; but the main body retreated in a '^'^"'C*^ mafs without order, and in great precipitation; • nor could our infantry, by their utmoft efforts, overtake them. The huffars of the rangers were unfortunately left at Philadelphia, their horfes having been fatigued by a long courfe of duty, and a ievere patrole the day before. Thirty dra- goons, who were with the rangers, were fent to intercept the baggage-waggons, and ftaid to guard them. As the enemy were paffmg' through a wood, major Simcoe, galloping up to the edge of it, fummoned them to furrender : They were in great confternation, but continued to prefs forward. The major then gave the word of com- mand, " make ready," " prefent," " fire," hoping that the intervening fence and thickets between him and them might lead them to fup- pofe that he was accompanied by a body of men, and that they might halt ; in which cafe a few moments would have been decifive. ^ At the word " fire," they crouched down, but ftill moved on, and foon got out of all reach *. Vol. I. E e Our * In the Hiftory of Great Britain, from the Time of Oliver Cromwell to the Acceffion of George T.^ by Mr. Alexander Cunningham, the tutor and the companion of John duke of Argyle, in his Campaigns in the Netherlands, which is gene- rally admitted to contain a more particular, clear and intel- ligible account of the conduft, ftratagems, and incidents of war, than any hiftory in the Englifh language, we read the following pafTage relating to the celebrated earl of Peterbo- rough, commander of the Britilh troops in Spain in the war of the fucceflion : *' The earl of Peterborough had alarmed all the country, " far and near, with dreadful rumours and meffages of his «' approach ; and, carefully concealing the fmall number of « his troops, caufed reports to be fpread that the confede- rates had a lars^e armv. It is faid he had not above twelve ^ ' <' hufidred HISTORY OF THE X778. CHAP. Our troops returned to Philadelphia. The ^IX- commander in chief ordered the baggage to be """^''^'^ fold for their benefit, which produced a dollar a man. *' hundred men, who were reduced to great weaknefs, when *' he thus, by ftratagem, put to flight feven thoufand of the ** enemy [under the conde de las Torres, who had laid fiege " to the town of San MaLtheo, which had fubmitted to kine «• Charles.] ^ *♦ After this he thought it worth his while to attempt the ** town of Nules, which the inhabitants held out for king " Philip ; bat as he neither had foldiers, nor any thing in rea- dinefs neceflary for war, he himfelf rode full fpeed up to the " gate of the town, and calling for one of the magiftrates or " priefts, demanded the town to be furrendered to him. He " told them that if they would yifld immediately, they might " expeft good terms; but that if they refufed, he would inftantly *' give orders to his army to plunder the town, allowing them " only fix miuHtes time to confult, and return their anfwer; at *' the fame time calling out aloud for his cannon (although he ** had none) to be planted againft the walls. As great revolu- *' tionsare brought about by fmall accidents, the word was no " fooncr faid, than the town was delivered up : And other *' places alfo he went and took with the fame celerity, all '* which he added to the dominions of king Charles. By this *' manner of making war, the earl of Peterborough, in a " fhort fpacc of time, performed fuch wonderful exploits in " Spain, that the Spaniards even began to give credit to all " the fabulous ftories of the valour and atchievements of *' Don Quixote; and theEnglifli alfo thought his praifes an " obfcufation of the duke of Marlborough's glory. He far- ther pretended to be furniihed with horfes as it were " fprung out of the earth, and drew brigadier Mahoni into a " conference, in which he dcxteroufty operated on his mind, '* and managed his pallions as it fuited his own purpofe. Then he took Molviedro, and feized Valencia, and, by his ru- " mours and fpies, caufed the Spaniards to make war upon •« one another, and defeated the duke d' Areas. And, laftly, " he fupported the priefts by his liberality, and fuch of the country people as would take up arms for king Charles." " In a word, the earl of Peterborough, in. the hiftory of his conduft, is ftyled the father of itratagems, and Fortune " is faid always to have attended his undertakings.'* Had the chief command of our army in America been placed in the hands of fuch a man as the earl of Peterborough, whofe AMERICAN WAR. 419 a man. This excurfion, thougli it failed of thatCHAP. fuccefs which was expedled, had the full effed XIX. of intimidating the militia, who never afterwards ^"^"'^ appeared but in fmall parties like robbers. The ^77^ fuccefs of the expedition would have been more fignal, had not our troops been too much fa- tigued by the very great length of the march, which favoured the enemy in their flight, and had our cavalry pu(hed on when they firft difcovered the American centinels. A joint attempt was made on the feventh of J'^PJ^p^" May by fea and land to deftroy the gallies andHwareunl other veffels that had efcaped up the Delaware after the redudion of Mud Illand, and the fhip- ^ * ping that the enemy had in the river between Philadelphia and Trenton. This enterprife was effe"6lually accomplifhed by the Ikill and a(5livity of captain Henry of the navy, and Major Mait- land of the marines. A confiderable quantity of {lores and provifions was alfo deftroyed ; and a number of the enemy, who made no great op- poiition, were killed. Not fewer than forty-four American veffels were burnt, fome of them of confiderable value. About the nineteenth of May 1778, General Attempt on Wafhington detached the marquis de la Fayette ^^y*"®* ^ to take poft with nearly three thoufand men upon Barren Hill, a pofition feven miles ad- £ e 2; vanced whofe vigilance, invention, and celerity of aftion on a fcene not altogether diflimilar to the divided ftate of the American colonifts, form a direft contraft to the flownefs, and circuitous movements of fir William Howe, it is extremely probable that the iffue of the American vs^ar would have been reverfed. Neither military genius, nor alertnefs of condu(E^, nor promp- titude of adlion, were, wanting in the Britifli army ; nor is major Simcoe the only inftanee in which thcfe qualities were difplaycd in a very confpicuoys manner ; though not in that ftation in which they could px;oduce the greateft and moft. dc. cifive confequences. 420 H I S T O R Y O F T H E C H A P. vanced from the camp of Valley Forge; but XIX. upon the oppofite or eaftern fide of the river. ""-nr^ The objed of this ftep is not very clear. J 778. The pofition was ftill too diftant from Philadel- phia to give any interruption of confequence to luch fupplies as were carried into that city by the neighbouring country. Polfibly, as the in- tended evacuation of Philadelphia was now well known, general Wafhington might have thought that it would keep up the fpirits of his party if he feemed to prefs upon the Britifli in their retreat ; for he muft have been aware that his then force could not allow him toexpe£l that he fhould make any real advantage of fuch an at- tempt: And the diftance of Barren Hill from Philadelphia appeared to fecure the detachment from any hazard. This fuppofed fecurity proved illufive. On the night of May the twentieth, five thoufand of the choiceft troops in the Bri- tifh army fet out from Philadelphia, marching by the road which keeps clofe to the Delaware, and which, therefore, diverges from the diredion of Barren Hill. After the detachment had pro- ceeded fome miles, it turned to the left, and palfing White Marfh foon after day-break, it reached at length its deftined point, without having fallen in vv^ith any patrole or out-poft of the enemy. This point was diredly in the rear of La Fayette's pofition, confequently was between him and the camp of general Wafhington. The road here forked ; one branch led to the camp of La Fayette, at the diftance of a fhort mile ; the other went to Matfon's Ford acrofs the Schuylkill, at about the lame diftance. In the courfe of the night a ftrong detachment, under the command of general Grey, had marched from Philadelphia along the weftern branch of the Schuylkill, and ftationed them- felves at a ford two or three miles in front of La Fayette's AMERICAN WAR. 42 1 Fayette's right flank, whilft the remainder of the C H A P. Britifh army advanced to Chefnut Hill. The retreat of La Fayette was thus cut off from ""^^ every palTage but Matfon's Ford ; and as the line ^'^'^ * from La Fayette's pofition formed the bafe of an obtufe-angled triangle with the two roads above- mentioned, it was obvious that liis diftance from it was much greater than that of the Britifh. When general Grant arrived at the point above defcribed, the confufed galloping of fome of the enemy's horfemen, who advanced to reconnoitre, intimated that the approach of the Britifti was then firft perceived. At the fame time the co- lumn was difcovered by glafles from the camp of general Waftiington, who, by the firing of cannon, attempted to give his detachment no- tice of the danger. Confiderable time feems to have been loft in making a difpofition for the intended attack, during which delay a corps of cavalry, that had formed the advanced guard on the march, took pofTefllon of a hill between the two roads. From this elevation the corps of La Fayette was difcovered retreating towards Mat- fon's Ford through the low woody grounds which border the river. The diforder and precipita- tion, apparent in the rear of that column, fuffi- ciently indicated the terror with which they were attempting their efcape. Information of this cir- cumftance is faid to have been given to general Grant, and his fuperior proximity to Matfon's Ford is reported to have been urged to him, and even pointed out in the ftrongeft manner ; but under a perfuafion that this was only a part of La Fayette's troops, det?.ched for fome unac- countalDle reafon, the general perfifted in his re- folution of advancing to Barren Hill, notwith- ftanding the ftrong remonftrances of fir William Erfkine againft that meafure. This poll was un- luckily 422 HISTORY OF TH£ CHAP, luckily concealed from view by intervening trees, otherwife the defertion of it by the enemy would ^"''"ir^ have been perceived. The Britilh having ad- vanced to the church, and found the camp aban- doned, undertook the purfuit of the enemy by the very track which La Fayette had taken. In the meantime that officer had reached the Ford; but his troops, being overcome with apprehen- fion, had hurried acrofs the river, leaving be- hind them the fix field-pieces which they had brought from camp to the bank of the river. La Fayette having formed his battalions on the other fide, and perceiving that the Britifh did not ap- proach by the road in which he apprehended them, fent a corps acrofs for his cannon, order- ing fome frnall parties to be advanced into the woods to retard the progrefs of the Briiifh ad- vanced guard, fhould it approach whilft the ar- tillery was in the river. The cannon were dragged over, but before the parties of obferva- tion could retire, the Briiifh cavalry fell upon them, and killed or took about forty. The Bri- tifh generals advanciug to the Ford, perceived that La Fayette was fo advantageoufly pofled on the other fide of the river, with his artillery on the high and broken grounds which arofe from the water's edge, that nothing further could be attempted againft him. Thus unfortunately failed the objedl of the expedition. It is faid general Wafhiugton thought the cafe fo hopelefs, that he broke his bridge from Valley Forge acrofs the Schuylkill, left the fuccefs fliould be purfued againft himfelf It is obvious that he could not attempt tofuccour La Fayette ; becaufe, as he had but four thoufand men remaining in his camp, the Britifh detachment was of iifelf equal to give him battle, could he pofiibly have joined La Fayette ; and that was a fiake which every in- tereft A M E R f C A N WAR. 423 tereft forbade. But as the body of the Bnti(hCH A3 army was at Chelnut Hill, at hand to give ge- neral Grant immediate fupport, general Wafh- ^^^g^ ington could not have interfered without every probability of incurring ruin. As the time approached when the army was to move from Philadelphia, American patroles were pafTed over the Delaware from the Jerfeys. One of thefe, after a long chafe, was taken by the huffars belonging to the queen's rangers. The quarter-mafter-general, fir William Erlkine, be- ing in great want of horfes, commiffaries were fent to procure them, efcorted by the rangers under major Simcoe. The major entered on this office with much regret, as the horfes were to be taken from people whom he had hitherto uni- formly proteded. C H A W HISTORY OF THE •H A P. XX. Sir William Howe reftgns the Command of the Army—Fejiival calk", Mifchianza, in honour of Sir William Hoc e — He is fucceeded in the Command of the Army hy Sir Henry Clinton-^ Returns to England — Complains of Defamaiion, cndfolicits and obtains a Parliamentary Inquiry into his Condud. — 1778. ^ XX ^' T^^^^^' then, with occafional parties fent X out to cover the loyalifts, were the only 1778. "movements made by the Britiih commander in chief while he lay in his winter-quarters, from Oaober 1777 to June 1788, at Philadelphia. It would feem, however, that fir William Howe imagined that all that could be done for the royal caufe had been now performed : For to a deputy fent to the commander in chief from the magiftrates, on a rumour of the intended evacuation of Philadelphia, requefting his advice how to aa, he faidthat the beft thing they could do would be to go over and make their peace with general Wafhington. And as he himfelf was on the eve of quitting the army, he told them to go to fir Henry Clinton, his deftined fuccefTor, for a flag of truce in order to go out to Wafhington for that purpofe. The deputy accordingly went to fir Henry Clinton, whofaid that he could not grant a flag on fuch an occa- fion ; that the game was not up ; that the war |vas not over, but would ftill be vigoroufly car- ried A M E R I C A N W A R. 425 ried on ; and that they ought not by any means C HAP. to entertain a thought of going over to the enemy. Sir William Howe had formed a reiolution ot ^^^^ refiffninff his office fo early as the month of Oc- wiuiam tober. In a letter of his of th -ty '"-^th Howe- of that month, he wrote to the ^tc command of for the American department, loru oeorge Ger- the army, maine, as follows:—" From the little attention, " my lord, given to myxrecommendations fince " the commencement of my command, I am led « to hope that I may be relieved from this very " painful fervice, wherein I have not the good " fortune to enjoy the neceffary confidence arid " fupport of myfuperiors, but which I conclude " will be extended to fir Henry Clinton, my pre- « fumptive fucceffor. By the return of the pack- " et I humbly requeft I may have his majefty's « permiffion to refign." That permiffion he re- ceived on the fourteenth of April 1778 ; but m the fame letter which conveyed leave to refign, he was ordered by his majefty, while he fliouM continue in command, to lay hold of every op- portunity of putting an end to the war, by a due exertion of the force under his orders. The commander in chief s letter, m which he alleges, as the ground of his refignation, the want of neceffary confidence and fupport on the part of adminiftration, was matter of equal aftoniUi- ment and indignation to the parties agamft whom that charge was made ; while it inevitably led the unprejudiced and impartial fpedator to contralt the languor and rekaance too vifibly apparent in the whole condua of fir William Howe with that alacrity and zeal with which the mmiltry, and particularly the minifter for American af- fairs, provided and furniihed the means of car- rying on the war, and that difpofition which they manifefted to invite and reward the efforts of the 426 HISTORY OF THfe CHAP, the general by all poffible encouragement. When XX. meafures for reducing the revolted colonies were '-^^ reiblved on, and fir William Howe was appointed ^778- to the command of the army, fuch v/as the difpo- fiiion of government to gratify him in v/hatever he Ihould defire, that the fecreiary for the American department declared, " the meafures of force " fliould be the wifhes of the general." The ge- neral, who was then in Americ a, and had the ftate of the war under his eye, was the beft judge of ■what force would be competent to its iupprelTion. On his judgment, therefore, government relied ; butinfteadof ftinting, they furpafled his wiflies. In his letter to lord Germaine *, after long and mature deliberation, he only requires nineteen thoufand men ; which, he fays, will be " ade- " quate to an adive offenfive campaign on the " fide of New York and Rhode Ifland." In- ftead of nineteen thoufand men, he was fur- nifhed with thirty-one thoufand four hundred and feventy-fix. And, ahhough he expeded to meet a force of thirty thoufand men, the whole American army did not amount to eighteen thou- fand. With the force now fent, amounting to ele- ven thoufand men more than he required, the ge- neral appeared to be more than fatisfied, and de- clared his utter aftonifhment at the uncommon ex- ertions of government. He acknowledged, in his letter to government f, that the fucceffes of the army under his command had intimidated the leaders of rebellion, and nearly induced a ge- neral fubmiffion;: — an admiffjon which was ftridly juft; for farther oppoiitioii was Univerfally de- fpaired of by all America, except a few defperate men * Of the 26th of November 1775. t Of the 30th of November 1776, and the 20th of Tnnu- aryi777. / A M E R I C A N W A R. 4^^ men in general Wafhington's army; and that army C HA P. was reduced to a number not exceeding four thoufaiid men. And yet, at that period, we find him making a demand, firft of fifteen thoufand, " ' and then of twenty thoufand rank and file. The general, it is true, did not make this extravagant demand without afligning reafons for it ; but thefe reafons were ill-founded. In his letter of the twelfth of February 1778 he informed the fecretary of ftate that " the rebels had profpe<^ " of bringing into the field more than fifty thoufand men. They are moft fanguine in their expeaations," fays he, " and confcious " that their whole ftake depends upon the fuc- " cefs of the next campaign, ufe every compul- " fory means to thofe who do not enter volun- « tarily into their fervice." We know, howe- ver, that, inftead of fifty thoufand men, they were not able to bring into the field, when the general met their force at Hilllborough, more than eight thoufand men ; and even at the Bran- dywine, not more than fixteen thoufand, mi- litia included, after he had, contrarily to all policy, given them two months, by every pofli- ble exertion, to recruit their feeble army. It thus appears, that if the reinforcement required on this occafion fell fhort of that which was de- manded by the general, the expeaed reinforce- ment of the Americans, which was the reafon alTigned for that rcquifition, failed in a much greater proportion. More than one half of the force required was fent, and not more than one fifth of that of the Americans was raifed. The accoimt of the armed force in 1777 flood thus : Britifli, forty thoufand eight hundred and le- venty-four, veteran troops. American regular army at Hillfborough, eight thoufand ; at Braa- dvwine, eleven thoufand and, in the fpring, at 428 HISTORY OF THE A P. at Valley Forge, not four thoufand undifciplined ^- troops. With Avhat juftice, then, it was faid, ^ could the general complain of his want of force ? ^ ' and how extravagant his attempt to throw the blame of his own mifcondud on that admini- ftration which had, by fuch uncommon exerti- ons, thus gratified him in all his wifhes. The longer contemplation was indulged on this fub- je6l, the more were the minds of men inflamed \Vith warm emotion. " While the friends of the colonifts," it was faid, " were bringing their plot to maturity in *' Britain ; while the natural refources of this " country were cried down, to the great encou- ragement of our foreign enemies, and a na- " tional defpondency was generally effeded ; while the opponents of adminiftration were " advifing and contending in both houfes of " parliament for withdrawing the troops from ** America, and, at the fame time, oppofing every meafare which was neceflary for the recovery " of the revoked colonies, theflownefs andpro- " craftination of the general accorded but too " well with thofe fentiments, and contributed " not a little to render adminiftration more and " more odious to the people, whofe difguft and " 'indignation rofe in proportion as the minifter " demanded more and more lupplies, arid as the " general negleded to improve the great op- " portunities, that were at different times pre- ** lented, of putting an end to the war." The violence of oppofition on the one part, and the extreme tendernefs of fir William Howe towards the Americans on the other, feemed to many obfervers to be linked together by a kind of connetSlion fomewhat fimilar to that between caufe and eifed. He certainly fuffered the enemy, with lefs than four thoufand men, to re-conquer a pro- / A M E R I C A N W A R. 429 a province which he had lately reduced, and toe HAP. lay a kind of fiege to his army in his winter-quar- XX- ters. He unfortunately wafted the feafon of mi- '-^"r^ Utary operation, giving them time to recruit their ^77^- reduced force. Though the fpirit of revolt was occafionally deprefledby the valour of our troops,^ it was uniformly revived by the milconduA of the general. Such were the obfervations that were very ge- nerally made on the condu6t of fir William Howe, when he not only refigned his office without at- taining, in any degree, the end for which he took it upon him, but endeavoured to fhift his want of fuccefs from his own fhoulders upon that of the fecretary of ftate for the American depart- ment. The fame or fimilar obfervations were made, and re-echoed with ftill greater energy over all the Britifh empire, on another unfortunate oc- cafion, which, like the grounds alleged for the refignation of his office, induced and provoked men to compare the importance of his fervices with the merit he affumed, and the gravity with which he fuftained the moft exceffive praife and adulation. It is to the famous Mifchianza that we allude, or feftival given in honour of fir Wil- liam Howe, by fome of the Britifh officers at Phi- ladelphia, when he was about to give up his com- mand, and to return to England. This enter- tainment not only far exceeded any thnig that had ever been feen in America, but rivalled the magnificent exhibitions of that vain-glorious mo- . narch and conqueror, Louis XIV. of France. All the colours of the army were placed in ^^^^^^^^^l^.^ grand avenue three hundred feet in length, lined ^Jiapza in' with the king's troops, between two triumphal J^'^'JJ.^^ arches, for the two brothers, the admiral, lord Howi. ' Howe, and the general, fir William Howe, to march 430 HISTORY OF THE CHAP, march along in pompous proceffion, followed by XX. a numerous train of attendants, with feven filken "-^■^^ knights of the blended rofe, and feven more of ■ the burning mountain, and fourteen damfels drefled in the Turkifh falliion, to an area of one hundred and fifty yards fquare, lined alfo with the king's troops, for the exhibition of a tilt and tournament, or mock fight of old chivalry, in honour of thofe two heroes. On the top of each triumphal arch, was a figure of Fame, befpan- gled with ftars, blowing from her trumpet in let- ters of light, Tes lauriers font im.morteh *. This romantic triumph, after fo many difgraces and difappointments, did not efcape the fevereft fatire, both in private converfation and in print- ed pripers ; among which a letter addrefled to fir William^ Howe in a publication called The Ame- rican Crifis, by Paine, the author of the pamphlet ftyled Common Senfe, was moft diftinguifted for ftirewdnefs of remark, vigour of conception, and energy of exprelfion. We fiiall here infert a very excellent letter, which corroborates many of the fads ftated by us, written in 1777, by M. du Portail, minifter at war in France to the confiituent aflembly in 1791 and 1792, but at the period of the letter being wrote, a colonel in the French fervice, and ading asabrigadier-generalinthe American armyf. Sir * Thy laurels are immortal, t (COPIE.) A Monfeigneur le Comte de St. Germain, Miniftre de la Guerre (pour vous feulement, Monfeigneur.) Du Camp de White Marfh, a quartre lieues de Philadelphie^ \ been aid-de-camp to prince CHAP. Ferdinand of Brunfwick, by whom he was held XX. Ff2 in^— TTW 1778. TRANSLATION, To the Count de St. Germain, Minifter of W^r (for you only, Sir). Camp at White Marfh, four Leagues from SIR, Philadelphia, i?th November 1777. I HAD the honour to fend you an account of the battles of Brandywine and German Town, together with the plans, as well as that of Philadelphia and its environs to the extent of five leagues, that you might be enabled to judge of the fituatiou of general Howe. I hope they have come to hand. Hi- therto general Howe is not mafter of two fmall forts iu the river, which prevent his velTels fropi coming up to the city, and his communication with them, except by means of a by-way I have marked on the map, and from which we fhall cut him off in the winter, when we have received a reinforcement of viftorious troops from the north. We gurpofe, likewifc, to poft a body of two or three thoufand men on the other fide of the Schuylkill. There are already troops in the Jerfeys, fo that general Howe will be blocked up in Philadelphia, and in danger of dying with hunger, wnlcfs he reimbarks. But, to fpeak the truth, we do not cx- peft quite that. He probably will take the forts, if he attacks them properly, and will then have a communication with his /hipping. Be that as it may, you fee. Sir, for people who have been twice beaten we are not in fo very bad plight; for this wc are indebted to the fmall number of Englifli cavalry, which prevented the enemy from following up their viftory, and ftill more to the woods and other obftacles by which the country is defended. Now after the experience of this campaign, it is natural to put this queftion. Will the Americans fucceed in obtaining their li- berty, or no ? In France, where you can only form your judg- ment from the fafts, you will anfwer in the affirmative ; we, on the fpot, who have feen how things have gone, think diS ferently. To fpeak plain, it has not been owing to the good conduft of the Americans that the campaign, upon the whole, has terminated rather fortunately, but to the fault of the Eng- Jifh. It was an egregious error in the Britifti government, to dire<5t general Burgoyne to traverfe about two hundred leagues. 43^ HIS TOR Y O F T H E C H A P. in the higheft eftimation. Thus he was uadoubt- XX. Q^\y QT^Q q£ jjjg military fchools in Eu- rope. 1778. of a wretched and almoft dcfert country, to join the generals Howe and Clinton. The plan might appear grand in the ca- binet of London, but miferable in the opinion of thofc who paid attention to the nature of the country. The ob fervation is not in confequence of the event ; for you will probably, Sir, call to recoUeftion that, two months ago, I had the honour to write you word, I was well pleafed the Englifh oppofed us here with only ten thoufand men ; and that I was in great hopes that general Burgoyne would not effeft a junffcion with general Howe, till it would be no longer poflible to keep the field, and even then with his army half deftroyed by faimine, fa- tigue, and defcrtion, and the daily lofs he would neceflarily fuf- tain from our troops, and the mihtia polled in the woods. The event exceeded my expeftations. Had the Englifh, inftead of making fo many diverfions, directed their attack again ft general Walhington with eighteen or twenty thoufand men, 1 do not very well know what would have become of us ; be caufe, in doubling the number of our troops, we Ihould not have added double ftrength to our army, and our embarraffments would have been increafed threefold. In looking over the plans of the campaign, if we examine the coududl of general Howe, we (hall find he has not even done that which he had it in his power to do, as I had the honour to write you word after the battle of Brandywine j for, had he followed up the advantages which that gave him^ there had been an end of general Waftiington's army ; and» fince that, all his operations have been carried on fo flowly, and with fo much timidity, they have become the objeft of my aftonifhment : But, perhaps, he may recolleft himfelf ; perhaps another general may be fent from London, and then poflibly we may not extricate ourfelves fo well. However, lince the events which depend on the fliill of generals cannot be forefeen, they fhould make no part of the conje£lures wc may form for the fut-ure ; let us pay attention folely to the number of troops, and I would hazard my opinion, if the EngliJIj could have here thirty thoufand men, they ought to re- duce the country. A fecond caufe, which might haften that reduftion, and even operate alone, is the want of warlike ftoresandthe neceffaries of life. With refpeft to the requifites for carrying on war, the Americans want almoft every thing ; and as to other matters, linen, fait, brandy, fugar, &c. are wanting ; and thefe laft articles are of more importance than - • • . ,■ - one AMERICAN WAR. 437 rope. With fuch perfonal merit, the advantage of C HAP. t)cing: of the family of Newcaftle, and alfo the next XX. 1778. one IS at firft aware. Before the war, the American people, though they did not live in luxury, enjoyed in abundance every requifite to make life comfortable and happy ; they paffed great part of their time either in fmoking, drinking tea or fpiritu- ous liquors. Such was the difpofition of thefe people. Sore agarnit their grain then, as it muft be of a fudden, the tranf- form iinto foldiers, reduced to lead a life of hardfliips and frugality, it would not be furprifing that they fliould prefer the yoke of the Englifh to a liberty purchafed at the expence of the comforts of life. You will be aftoniftied. Sir, at this language ; but fuch are thefe people, that they move without fpring or energy, with- out vigour, and without paffion for a caufe in which they are engaged, and which they follow only as the impulfe of the hand that firft put them in motion dircfls. There is an hundred times more enthufiafm for this revolution in any one colfee-houfe at Paris, than in all the Thirteen Provinces united. It is necelTary then that France, to accomplifh this revolution, fhould furnifli thefe people with every requifite to leffen the hardfhips of war. True, it will coft fome millions ; but they will be well laid out in annihilating the power of England, which, when bereft of her colonies, without a navy and with- out commerce, will lofe her confequence in the world, and leave prance without a rival. Neverthelefs, there are Ibme, and amongft them the Abbe Raynal in his publication, who think France would not find her account in liberating the Englifh colonies, that (lie would run a rifl• * It IS believed tlrat the king on fome occafions went fo far as to fuggefl his ideas of the proper plan for carrying on the war, which were very judicious, and which, had th?y been adopted by the general, migiit probably have been pro- dudlive of good eiFeds. AMERICAN WAR. 445 condu6l of adminift ration, in refpeft to the Ame- CHAP, rican war, was on the whole juflified. The friends of the general and admiral, therefore, moved to diffolve the committee which they had ^ been fo ftudious to obtain; and it was diflblved accordingly. But although fir William Howe, as well as his friends, w^as difappointed in his hopes of fome- thing more than exculpation, from an indulgent houfe of commons, he neither wanted a fufficient number of partifans to keep him in countenance amidft all that cenfure that was poured on his condudl, nor political friends of fufficient con- fequence to compenfate for that cenfure by an honourable and lucrative liation which he now holds under government : Nor is this the only inftance in the hiftory of Britain at this period, of great inequality in the public retribution of rewards and punifhrnents. When we refledl on the different and even oppofite reception given to fuccefsful genius a6luated by the pureft patri- otifm on the one hand, and to monotonous me- diocrity, not only unfuccefsful, if fuccefs is to be meafured by effedls conducive to the public good, but even of ambiguous intentions ; what are we to think of the fpirit which influences and dire^s the public councils ? In the decline of free governments we ever obl'erve the influence of fadion to predominate over ideas of patriotifm, juftice, and duty, on which alone liberty is founded, and a propenfity in the citizens to range themfelves under the banners of a Marius or a Sylla, a Pompey or a Casfar. Hence the fervants of the ftate are apt to become lefs and lefs fenfible to honour, and the voice of fame, the great incentives to glo- rious adlions, well knowing that their condud, however meritorious, may ft ill be condemned, or 44^ H I S T O R Y O F T H E, . CHAP, or however exceptionable, ftill be palliated, and XX. even applauded, to advance the views of faaion ^•^T^ and ambition ; while the great body of the peo- »778. pie, diftraaed and confounded by theoppofite opinions and declarations of their fuperiors, who are fuppofed to have the beft means of informa- tion, know not where to place their hopes, their confidence, or their fears. It is the province of the hiftorian to corre^ thefe errors, and to animate the patriot, the fage, and the hero, under temporary negledl or de- traaion, by carrying an appeal in their behalf to a tribunal more candid than their mifguided cotemporaries, and that, raifed on a theatre more extended than their native country. END OF VOLUME FIRST,