settlement by the English in Virginia. Soon after this decla ration of American independence, an unsuccessful attempt was made by Lieutenant-General Clinton, and Commodore Sir Peter Parker, on Charleston, in South Carolina. The British vessels made a vigorous attack on Sullivan's Island, but were repulsed with considerable loss, and the enterprise was abandoned. A more important and successful attack, however, was made on New York by General Howe, whose army being now reinforced by a large body of Hessians, and a considerable number of Highlanders, was extremely formidable. The fleet was commanded by his brother, Vice-Admiral Lord Howe. Both the general and the admiral were invested with full powers of granting pardon to all who should lay down their arms; but the Americans treated all such offers with contempt. General Howe landed his forces on Staten Island, while General Washington had 13,000 men in the city of New York, and the adjacent fortifications. The British troops began their operations on Long Island, where the Americans had erected some works. Several actions ensued, in which the Americans suffered great loss. Sullivan and Lord Sterling, two of their generals, with a large body of troops, were made prisoners. Finding themselves unable to resist the British forces, who were not only superior in skill and discipline, but better provided with artillery, and every other kind of military accommodations, the Americans at last resolved to quit the island, and under the conduct of Washington, effected their retreat in the night of the 29th of July, in a most masterly, and indeed astonishing manner, without loss, and even without alarming their enemies. The American general, however, found it necessary to abandon New York. In the month of September, the Americans evacuated that city, of which the king's troops immediately took possession. The royal army also gained several other very considerable advantages, General Clinton, with a body of British troops, obtained possession of Rhode Island. The American army at Ticonderoga was in a disagreeable situation; and their naval force on Lake Champlain, consisting of light vessels, under the command of Generals Arnold and Waterbury, was totally dispersed by General Carleton, after a vigorous attack and an obstinate resistance.* The retreat * Marshal's Life of Washington, vol. 3. p. 7, 8, 9, 10. of General Carleton after this victory, has been censured by some as an ill-judged measure; and it has been supposed that Ticonderoga might have been easily taken, in which case the army might have wintered in that quarter, and been ready to commence its operations early in the spring. In the closet it is easy to examine and censure the conduct of commanders in the field; but it must be considered, that in an attempt on Ticonderoga, the probability of success was extremely doubtful. If the garrison had made a vigorous defence, the place could not have been taken without great loss; and the wintering of an army on the lake, where all supplies were to be drawn from Canada, must have been attended with almost insurmountable difficulties. The execution of this ideal plan must have been so extremely hazardous, if at all practicable, that its omission can attach no blame to the general's conduct. The close of the campaign of 1776, was the crisis of Ame rican danger. The British were every where victorious, and the provincials began to despair. Their affairs, indeed, wore a most unpromising aspect. The emission of paper money had at first an animating effect; but this was only temporary, and the delusion could not be expected to last. The term for which the soldiers were engaged was also nearly expired, and the army was almost annihilated. The defective organization of the American armies, and the probability of their total annihilation, was indeed an evil which threatened the most disastrous consequences. They consisted almost wholly of militia. The regulars were enlisted only for a very short time; and recruiting was become extremely difficult.† These raw soldiers had exceedingly suffered by the hardships of the campaign; and sickness still more than the sword, had diminished their numbers. A combination of circumstances so extremely unfavourable, greatly embarrassed both the Congress and the military commanders; and it was with great difficulty that even the shadow of an army could be kept in the field. It was at this critical juncture, that the talents of the commander in * Marshal's Life of Washington, vol. 3. p. 12, 13. † For a minute description of the imperfect organization of the American armies, the difficulty of making levies, &c. see Marshal's Life of Washington, p. 56 to 65. chief shone with peculiar splendour through the gloom of adversity. Not discouraged by all these distresses, which were still heightened by the loss of General Lee, who, with the body of troops under his command, was captured by the English, Washington undertook and executed an important enterprise. Collecting his scattered forces, he called in the aid of the Pennsylvanian militia; and on Christmas-eve, 1776, crossed the Delaware, while the enemy were lulled into security by their idea of his weakness, as well as by the inclemency of the weather, which that night was exceedingly boisterous. At day-break he marched to Trenton, and so completely surprised the detachment stationed there, that the greater part surrendered after a short resistance. Not less than 900 Hessians were made prisoners, six pieces of brass cannon, and nearly a thousand stand of arms, were also taken.. The British troops now began to collect in great force in order to attack the Americans, and only waited for the morning to begin the engagement. But Washington, by another masterly stroke of generalship, disconcerted their plan. Disguising his retreat by a line of fires in his front, he moved off unmolested with the baggage and artillery. By a circuitous march of eighteen miles, he reached Princetown early in the morning, carried the British post at that place, and marched off with 300 prisoners, while the enemy supposed him still in his former position. The address with which these expeditions were planned and executed, displayed in the most striking manner the military abilities of the general, and revived the sinking hopes of America, The campaign of 1777 was distinguished by some memo rable events. Each side alternately gained considerable advantages; but the issue was favourable to America. In the month of September, the main body of the British forces embarked at New York, sailed up the Chesapeake, and landed at the head of Elk river. They soon after began their march for Philadelphia. General Washington determined to oppose them, and in that design posted himself on the heights near Brandywine creek. Here the two armies under the Generals Howe and Washington, engaged. The Americans were defeated with the loss of 300 killed, and 600 wounded; between 300 and 400 were also made prisoners. The loss of the British was stated at 100 killed, and 400 wounded.* In this battle General Lord Cornwallist acted a distinguished part. The British generals now pursued their advantages, and after a variety of movements on both sides, the city of Philadelphia surrendered on the 26th of September, 1777, to his majesty's arms. This loss of their capital, which was extremely distressing and discouraging to the Americans, was very soon after counterbalanced by a signal advantage. The British general Burgoyne, a commander of great courage, activity, and expe rience, had been appointed to the command of an expedition planned for the invasion of the northern colonies by way of Canada. He set out from Quebec with an army of near 10,000 men, and a fine train of artillery, and was joined by a large body of Indians. With this force he obliged the Americans to evacuate Ticonderoga, and gained several other important advantages. But at last the militia assembling from New England, and other quarters, he was so hard pressed by the enemy, that after two severe engagements with the Generals Lincoln and Arnold, in which great numbers of his soldiers fell, having advanced to Saratoga, he found himself obliged, after "a series of hard toil, incessant effort, and stubborn action," to surrender with the shattered remains of his army to General Gates, who had then taken the chief command of the American troops. General Burgoyne had, through the whole course of the expedition, behaved with extraordinary bravery. His whole army was reduced to 5,600 men. He was surrounded by a much superior force; and insurmountable difficulties imposed on him the necessity of capitulating without leaving him" any alternative. In his situation the conditions which he obtained were highly honourable to himself, and not unfavourable to his nation.§ This event, so unfortunate to Great Bri * Lord Howe's Despatches. London Gazette. † Afterwards Marquis Cornwallis. These are his own words; and the whole train of operations shews that they contained the real state of his case. See his letter to Lord George Germaine. § Marshal's Life of Washington, vol. 3. p. 301. tain, happened on the 17th of October, 1777. It diffused universal joy throughout America, and laid the foundation of the treaty with France. Some French officers had already entered into the American service, among whom, the most distinguished was the Marquis de la Fayette, who has since become still more famous, from the part which he acted in the commencement of the French revolution. In the month of February, 1778, the treaty of alliance between France and America was concluded at Paris. The fatal tendency of the American war was now clearly perceived in England; and in the month of June following, the Earl of Carlisle, George Johnstone, and William Eden, Esqrs. were sent to Philadelphia as commissoners from his Britannic Majesty, to settle the disputes between the mother country and the colonies. But it was now too late the terms which at an earlier period of the war would have been accepted with pleasure, were now rejected with disdain; and the Congress refused to enter into any treaty which had not the independency of America for its basis. Early in the spring of this year, a fleet of fifteen sail of the line, under the command of the Count D'Estaing, was sent by the court of France to co-operate with the Americans. In the month of June the British army evacuated Philadelphia, and retired to New York. General Lord Howe, who had so prudently conducted the war, returned to England, and the chief command devolved on Sir Henry Clinton. : The evacuation of Philadelphia, and the reduction of Savannah, in Georgia, by the British forces, were the principal events of the campaign of 1778, although several actions of inferior moment took place with various success. In 1779, General Lincoln was appointed to the command of the southern army of the States; and in the month of October, he, and the French admiral D'Estaing, made an assault on Savannah; but by the courage and conduct of General Prevost, and the bravery of the garrison, they were repulsed with great loss. On the opening of the campaign of 1780, the British troops abandoned Rhode Island. But a grand expedition was undertaken by General Clinton and Lord Cornwallis against Charleston, in South Carolina. This may be reckoned amongst the |