CHAPTER ceremony was conducted with perfect regularity, and was XI. closed with an entertainment, patriotic toasts, music, and other demonstrations of joy. 1778. British hold possession phia. The British kept possession of Philadelphia through the of Philadel winter and the spring following; and, although Washington's camp was within twenty miles of the city, yet no enterprise was undertaken to molest him in his quarters. Foraging parties went out and committed depredations upon the inhabitants; but they were watched by the Americans, who sometimes met them in fierce and bloody rencounters. When it was told to Dr. Franklin in Paris, that General Howe had taken Philadelphia, he sagaciously replied; "Say rather, that Philadelphia has taken General Howe." This prediction, if such it may be called, was verified in the end. The conquest gained at the expense of a campaign, and with a considerable loss of men, actually availed nothing. Philadelphia, fortified on the land side and guarded by a formidable fleet in the river, afforded to the British army a resting-place for eight months. This was the whole fruit of the bloodshed and victory. New York would have afforded the same, without the trouble of a campaign, and at much less cost. Strength of the two ar The number of troops for the Continental army, acmies. cording to the new establishment agreed upon by the committee of Congress at Valley Forge, was to be about forty thousand besides artillery and horse. When a council of war was called, on the 8th of May, to consider what measures should be adopted for future operations, it was found, that the army, including the detachments on the North River and at other places, did not then exceed fifteen thousand men, nor was it supposed that it could soon be raised higher than twenty thousand effective men. The number at Valley Forge was eleven thousand eight hundred. The British army in New York and Philadelphia, as since ascertained from the adjutant's returns, amounted to nearly thirty thousand, of which number nineteen thousand five hundred were in Philadelphia, and ten thousand four hundred in New York. There XI. 1778. Council of against of ations. war decides fensive oper May 8. were besides three thousand seven hundred at Rhode CHAPTER Island; making the whole British army in the middle and eastern States upwards of thirty-three thousand. These numbers are much larger than was imagined by the council of war. They estimated the enemy's force in Philadelphia at ten thousand, in New York at four thousand, and in Rhode Island at two thousand, besides cavalry and artillery. Upon this basis the question was discussed, whether it was expedient to take the field and act on the defensive, or wait till the plans of the enemy should become more obvious, and then be guided by circumstances. There was great unanimity in the decision. To take the city by storm was impracticable without a vastly superior force; and equally so to carry it by siege or blockade, strongly fortified as it was by nature and artificial works, and by vessels of war. Militia might be called out, but it was uncertain in what numbers; and, however numerous, they could not be depended on for such an enterprise. In every view of the subject, therefore, weighty objections presented themselves against any scheme of offensive operations. It was not long before affairs began to put on a new aspect. From the intelligence communicated by spies, and from various indications, it was suspected, that the enemy were preparing to evacuate Philadelphia. Sir William Howe, weary of a service in which he found himself gradually losing the confidence of his employers and supplying his enemies with weapons to assail his reputation, and thinking his honors dearly bought at such a price, had asked to be recalled, and his request was granted by the King. He was succeeded, in the command of his Majesty's forces in America, by Sir Henry Clinton, who had been made knight of the order of the Bath during the past year. The treaties between France and the United States were regarded by the court of Great Britain as a declaration of war on the part of France, and caused a change in the plans of the ministry for conducting the contest in America. It was resolved to make Enemy pre pare to evac uate Phila delphia. XI. 1778. CHAPTER a sudden descent upon some of the French possessions in the West Indies. To aid in executing this project, Sir Henry Clinton was ordered to send five thousand men from his army; and also three thousand more to Florida; and to withdraw the remainder to New York. Another reason for this last movement was the probability, that a French fleet would soon appear at the mouth of the Delaware, and thus blockade the shipping in that river, and put in jeopardy the army, diminished as it would be by the departure of the above detachments. British Gen eral's designs. Lafayette's affair at Barren Hill. May 20. Sir Henry Clinton first intended to proceed by water with his whole army to New York; but this was found impracticable for want of transports. He therefore shipped his cavalry, part of the German troops, the American loyalists, his provision train and heavy baggage, on board such vessels as were in the river, and prepared to march through New Jersey with the main body of his army. While these preparations were making with as much secrecy as possible by the British commander, Washington sent out from Valley Forge a detachment of two thousand men under the Marquis de Lafayette, the object of which was to cover the country between the Delaware and Schuylkill, to interrupt the communication with Philadelphia, to obstruct the incursions of the enemy's parties, and gain intelligence of their motions and designs. Lafayette marched to Barren Hill, and, while stationed there, a large part of the British army came out by a forced march in the night, with the intention of attacking him by surprise, and cutting off his detachment. Owing to the negligence, disobedience, or treachery of a picket guard, Lafayette was nearly surrounded by the enemy before he was informed of their approach; but by a very skilful manoeuvre, quickly conceived and performed in a masterly manner, he gained a ford and drew off his whole detachment across the Schuylkill, with the loss of only nine men killed and taken. The enemy retreated to Philadelphia. To obstruct the progress of the British troops, in case XI. opinions of the officers mode of as to the operation. June 17. they should take the route over land to New York, Gen- CHAPTER eral Maxwell was ordered to cross the Delaware with a brigade, and to act in concert with General Dickinson, 1778. who commanded the New Jersey militia. It being more Various and more evident, that Sir Henry Clinton was preparing to move by land, the opinion of the general officers was required, as to the operations in consequence of that event. The principal point to be considered was, whether the army should pursue the British, fall upon their rear, and bring on an engagement. Opinions were various; but nearly all the officers were opposed to an attack, on account of the superiority of the enemy in force and discipline. General Lee, who had been exchanged, and had recently joined the army, argued vehemently against such a step. Some of the officers agreed with him; others, who were unwilling to advise a general action, thought that the enemy should at any rate be harassed in their march, and that an engagement, though not to be sought, should not be avoided if circumstances rendered it expedient. evacuated. June 18. The news of the evacuation of Philadelphia, which took Philadelphia place in the morning of the 18th of June, was received while the subject was still under discussion. General Arnold, who had not yet entirely recovered from the wound he received at Saratoga, was ordered to march with a small detachment into the city, and to retain the command there. General Lee and General Wayne, each at the head of a division, took the road to Coryell's Ferry, with orders to halt on the first strong ground after passing the river. Washington followed, and in six days the whole army had crossed the Delaware, and arrived at Hopewell, five miles from Princeton. Detachments in the mean time had been sent to impede the enemy's march. Morgan's corps of six hundred men was ordered to gain their right flank, Maxwell's brigade to hang on their left, and General Scott, with fifteen hundred chosen troops, to gall their left flank and rear. To these were joined the New Jersey militia under General Dickinson, and a party of volunteers from Pennsylvania commanded by General Cadwalader. CHAPTER 1778. British march across After the British had crossed the river and landed at Gloucester Point, they marched by the way of Haddonfield and Mount Holly, and moved on slowly till they came to Crosswicks and Allen Town. Being encumbered New Jersey. with a long train of wagons and bat-horses, and confined to a single road, their line extended nearly twelve miles. It was necessary, also, to stop and build bridges over every stream and the marshy ground, as the bridges had all been destroyed by the Americans. These interruptions retarded their progress. Nor was it till he reached Allen Town, that Sir Henry Clinton decided what direction he should take from that place. It was his first purpose to proceed to the Rariton, and embark his troops at Brunswic or South Amboy for New York. But, finding Washington almost in his front, and deeming it imprudent to hazard a battle while his army was so much encumbered, and on such ground as his antagonist might choose, he turned to the right, and took the road leading to Monmouth and Sandy Hook. Council of war divided on the subject of attacking the enemy. June 24. At this time Washington's army had advanced to Kingston. In a council of war, convened at Hopewell, the question was again discussed, as to the mode of attacking the enemy. Sir Henry Clinton's force was supposed to consist of nine or ten thousand effective men.* The Continental troops under Washington amounted to a little over twelve thousand; and there were about thirteen hundred miltia. General Lee still persisted in the same sentiments as at first; and, as he was now next in rank to the Commander-in-chief, and an officer of long experience, his opinions and arguments had great weight in * This was the estimate, but the number must have been considerably larger. The number of British troops in Philadelphia was upwards of nineteen thousand, making a difference from the estimate of more than nine thousand. There were not transports enough in Philadelphia to accommodate this number, nor does Sir Henry Clinton in his despatches mention having sent such a body of troops by water. Nor had they gone to the West Indies. The troops for that station sailed afterwards from New York. |