her parpole, and found herself fuficiently prepared for war. We have to repeatedly gone over all the ground of debate relative to the American contest, that it would be needless, if not fu erfluous, to enter particularly into the present. The motion was fupported with great eloquence and ability, most of the powerful speakers on the fide of oppofition in the House of Lords having entered warmly and deeply into the debate. On the other fide, the Lords in admini#tration oppofed it principally upon the fuppofition or affertion, that independency was the primary object with the Americans, and that their prefent oppofition was merely the effect of a premeditated defign of feveral years ftanding; that in fuch a difpofition and determination on their fide, all conceffion on ours would be not only fruitless, but ridiculous, degrading, and highly encouraging to their rebellious defigns. That fuch an inftance of meannefs, and acknowledgement of weakness, would equally draw upon us the contempt of our friends, and excite into action the defign or malice of our enemies. They denied any danger from France, and that the affiftance given to the Americans proceeded from the court or minifters; the fupplies of arms and military ftores which the Americans received, and the numbers of French officers that ferved in their armies, were attributed to the fpirit of enterprize in foldiers, and of avarice in merchants. They faid, that the propofed addrefs arraigned the conduct of the nation, and condemn ed, in the moft improper terms, meatures which had repeatedly received. in the fulleft manner, the fanction both of parliament and people. That the motion held cet nothing new, and wat no more than a repetition of what had been proposed by the noble Earl himself, as well as by two noble Dukes, at different times, in that house. It will be easily feen, that fome of these arguments or politions afforded fufficient room to be replied to or controverted. The question being at length pat about ten at night, Lord Chatham's motion was rejected upon a divifion, by a majority of 99, including 23 proxies, to 28, including two proxies, who fupported the question. June 6th. The money bills, and a vote of credit, being now paffed, the feafon far advanced, and fuch public bufinefs as it was thought fitting to bring forward in the prefent feffion dispatched, a prorogation of parliament became a matter of courfe. In the fpeech from the throne, an entire approbation of the conduct of parliament was expreffed, and thanks returned for the unquestionable proofs they had given, of the continuance of their attachment to his Majefty's perfon and government, of a clear difcernment of the true interefts of their country, and of their fteady perfeverance in maintaining the rights of the legislature. The Commons could not be fufficiently thanked for the zeal and public fpirit with which they had granted the large and extraordinary fupplies, which there had been a neceflity of requiring for the the fervice of the current year; and an acknowledgment was made of the particular marks of their affection to his Majefty, as well in enabling him to discharge the debts of his civil government, as in making fo confiderable an augmentation to the civil lift revenue for his life. The fpeech concluded with a declared truft in the divine providence, that by a well concerted and vigorous exertion of the great force which had been put into the royal hands, the operations of the prefent campaign by fea and land, would be bleffed with fuch fuccefs as might moft effectually tend to the fuppreffion of the rebellion in America, and to the re-establishment of that conftitutional obedience which all the fubjects of a free state owe to the authority of law. CHAP. VII. State of affairs at New-York previous to the opening of the campaign. Loyal provincials embodied, and placed under the command of Governor Tryon. Expedition to Peek's Kill. To Danbury, under General Tryon. Magazines deftroyed. General Woofter killed. Veffels and provifions destroyed at Sagg Harbour, by a detachment from Connecticut under Colonel Meigs. Advantages derived by General Washington, from the detention of the army at New-York through the want of tents. Different fchemes fuggefted for conducting the operations of the campaign, all tending to one object. General Sir William Howe takes the field; fails in his attempts to bring Wabington to an action; retires to Amboy. Turns fuddenly and advances upon the enemy. Skirmishes. Americans under Lord Sterling defeated. Washington regains his ftrong camp. Royal army pass over to StatenIland. Alarm excited by the preparations for the grand expedition. General Prefcot carried off from Rhode Island. Rate of interest upon the public loan, advanced by the Congress. Monuments decreed for the Genetals Warren and Mercer. Fleet and army depart from Sandy Hook Force embarked on the expedition. Congress and Washington alarmed by the lofs of Ticonderoga. Fleet arrives at the River Elk, after a tedious voyage, and difficult paffage up Chefapeak Bay. Army lands at Elk Ferry, Declaration iffued by the General. Washington returns to the defence of Philadelphia. Advances to the Brandywine, and to Red-Clay Creek. Various movements on both fides. Action at the Brandywine. General Knyphaufen makes an attack at Chad's Ford. Lord Cornwallis marches round to the forks of the Brandywine, where he paffes, in order to attack the enemy's right. Defeats General Sullivan. Pursues his advantages until topped by night. General Knyphaujen paffes at Chad's Ford. Enemy every where defeated. Lofs on both fides. Reflections on the action. Victory not decifive. Foreign officers in the American fervice. Motions of the armies. Engagement prevented by a great fall of rain. Major-General Grey furprizes and defeats a party of Americans under General Wayne. Royal army passes the Schuylkill, and advances to German-Town. Lord Cornwallis takes poffeffion of Philadelphia. Seme of VOL. XX. [H] the the principal inhabitants fent prifoners to Virginia, upon the approach of the army. Attack on the new batteries at Philadelphia. Delaaware frigate taken. Works conftructed by the Americans to render the paffage of the Delaware impracticable. Successful expedition to Billing's Fort, and a paffage made through the lower barrier. Royal army furprized and attacked by the Americans at German Town. Americans re pulfed with lofs and purfued. Brigadier-General Agnew, and Colonel Bird killed. Army removes to Philadelphia. Unfuccessful attack upon the enemy's works on the Delaware. Hefians repulfed with great loss at Red Bank. Colonel Donop killed. Augufta man of war and Merlin floop deftroyed. New and effectual measures taken for forcing the enemy's works. Mud Island, and Red Bank, abandoned, and taken with their artillery and flores. Americans burn their gallies and other shipping. Paffage of the Delaware opened to Philadelphia. General Sir William Howe, finding all his efforts to bring Wafbington to a general action fruitless, returns with the army to Philadelphia. Americans hat their camp at Valley Forge for the winter. WE one the E have already fhewn the tate and fituation of the armies in America during the winter and greater part of the fpring. As the feafon opened, and enlarged the field of enterprize, our commanders did not neglect feizing thofe advantages which nature and their naval fuperiority prefented, in a country deeply interfected by navigable rivers, and continually laid open in other parts by the numberless inlets and channels, which the peculiar conftruction of the islands and coafts, admit in their junction with the ocean and those rivers. In the mean time a confiderable body of provincial troops was formed under the aufpices of General Sir William Howe, which by degrees amounted to feveral thousand men, and which under that denomination included, not only American, but British and Irish refugees from the different parts of the continent. This corps was entirely officered, either by thofe gentlemen, who for their attachment to the royal cause had been obliged to abandon their refpective provinces, or by those who lived under that protection in the New-York islands. The new troops were placed for the temporary time of their fervice, upon the fame footing as to pay, fubfiftence, and clothing, with the established national bodies of the royal army, with the further advantage to the private men and non-commiffioned officers, that they were entitled to confiderable allotments of vacant lands at the end of the troubles. This measure, befides its utility in point of ftrength, afforded fome prefent provifion to thofe, whe having loft every thing in this unhappy contest, were now, thrown upon the crown, as their only refuge, for fupport; whilft on the other fide, instead of their being an heavy and unprofitable burden to the crown, they were placed in a condition which enabled them to become active and useful inftruments in effecting its purposes. At the fame time, this acquifition of ftrength, derived from, and growing in the country, carried a mod flattering appearance, and Teemed to indicate refources for the profecution of the war in the very theatre of action. As all new forces mut of courfe be much fitter for defence, than for active fervice in the field, fo it added much to the apparent utility of this meafure, that the royal provincials could immediately be f pofed of to the greatest advantage, in the protection and defence of New-York and the adjacent iflands, fupplying thereby the place of ve teran troops, and affording a free fcope to the diftant operations of the grand army. To render this defenfive fyftem for the islands more complete, Governor Tryon, who already in his civil capacity commanded the militia, and who had taken the utmost pains in its establishment, was now placed by the commander in chief at the head of the new corps, under the title and rank of Major-General of the provincials, whereby he was enabled effectually to combine and bring into action the joint force of these feparate bodies. The great natural ftrength of the country, the vicinity of the North River, with its convenience in refpect to the feat of war, had induced the Americans, during the winter, to erect mills and establish their principal magazines, in that rough and mountainous tract called the Manor of Courtland. Thus it became their grand repofitory, and trufting in the fecurity of this natural citadel, neither induftry was lacking, nor expence fpared, in abundantly providing it with immenfe fupplies of provifions, fofage, and ftores, of all forts. A place, otherwife of no importance, called Peek's Kill, which lies about fifty miles up the North River from New-York, ferved as a kind of port to Courtland Manor, by which it both received provifions, and difpenfed fupplies." Sir William Howe was well aware of thefe circumftances in general, and was as well convinced of the decifive confequences which muft enfue from the cutting off thofe refources, which the enemy had with fuch infinite labour and expence accumulated for the fupport and profecution of the war. A general attempt upon Courtland Manor, would not only be dangerous, from the ftrength of the country, and impracticability of the ground; but muft from its own nature be rendered abortive; as the length, the parade, and the manner of the preparation, would afford the Americans time and warning to affemble their whole force in that quarter; where, if we ftill perfifted in our defign, we' muft fight under every poffible difadvantage, and a moral certainty of great loss; and if they did not chufe, even upon thefe terms, to hazard an engagement with us, they would have fufficient time to remove their magazines, before we could bring the point to cision. any de Peek's Kill was, however, within reach, and the General deter mined to profit of that circumftance. Colonel Bird, with a detachment of about 5co men, under the conduct of a frigate of war,' and other a med veffels, was fent on board fome tranfports up the North River for that Mar. 23d. fervice. The enemy, upon the approach of the British armament, finding, or thinking themselves, unequal to [H] 2 1777. the the defence of the place, and being convinced, that there was no poifible time to remove any thing but their arms and bodies, fet fire to the barracks and principal ftorehouses, and then retired to a strong país at about two miles diftance, which commanded the entrance into the mountains, and covered a road which led to fome of the mills and other depofits. The British troops upon their landing, perceiving that they could not have time or opportunity to bring off the provifions or other articles, completed the conflagration. All the magazines were deftroyed. The troops re-embarked when the fervice was performed, and the armament, after deftroying feveral fmall craft laden with provifions, returned. This fervice, however, was far from filling up the outline of the General's defign. The magazines at Peck's Kill were not of the importance and magnitude which he had been led to expect, and fomething, if poffible, muft ftill be done, to weaken the enemy by cutting off their refources. He obtained intelligence, that the Americans had depofited large quantities of ftores and provifions in the town or village of Danbury, and other places in the borders of Connecticut, which lay contiguous to Courtland Manor. An expedition was accordingly undertaken for the destruction of thefe depofits, the charge of which, as an introduction to his new military command, was committed to Governor Tryon, who was affifted by those active and able officers, ErigadierGeneral Agnew, and Sir William Erskine. The expedition was faid to be undertaken on a plan of Ge neral Tryon, who had flattered himself with finding a junction of many provincials in that quarter as foon as he should appear with the troops. The detachment appointed to this fervice confifted of about 2000 men, who being paffed through the Sound, under the convoy of a proper naval armament, were landed near Norwalk in April 25th. Connecticut, about 20 miles to the fouthward of Danbury. As the country was in no ftate of preparation, nor under any apprehenfion of the defign, the troops advanced without interruption, and arrived at Danbury the following day. They now perceived that the country was rifing to intercept their return, and as no carriages could be procured, if it had been otherwife, to bring off the ftores and provifions, they immediately proceeded to the deftruction of the magazine. In the execution of this prompt fervice, the town was unavoidably burnt. a The detachment returned on the 27th by the way of Ridgefield. In the mean time the Generals Woofter, Arnold, and Silliman, having haftily arrived from different quarters, and collected fuch militia as were within their reach, endea voured by every poffible means to interrupt their march, until greater force could arrive to fupport them with effect in the defign of cutting off their retreat. The first of thefe officers hung upon the rear of the detachment, whilst Arnold, by croffing the country, gained their front, in order to dispute their paffage through Ridgefield. Nor could the excellent order and formidable appearance of the British forces, who had large cover |