already pursued. From the moment of his capture till that of his execution, the conduct of André was marked with a candor, self-possession, and dignity, which betokened a brave and noble spirit. There was no stronger trait in the character of Washington than humanity; the misfortunes and sufferings of others touched him keenly; and his feelings were deeply moved at the part he was compelled to act in consenting to the death of André; yet justice to the office he held, and to the cause for which his countrymen were shedding their blood, left him no alternative.* While these operations were going on at the north, all the intelligence from the south gave evidence, that affairs in that quarter were assuming a gloomy aspect. The British forces, with Lord Cornwallis at their head, were overrunning the Carolinas; and preparations were making in New York to detach a squadron with troops to fall upon Virginia. The defeat of General Gates near Camden, in South Carolina, was a heavy blow upon the Americans, and left them in a state from which it was feared they would not soon recover. Congress requested General Washington to appoint an officer to succeed Gates in the command of the southern army. With his usual determination and judgment he selected General Greene, who repaired to the theatre of action, in which he was so eminently distinguished during the subsequent years of the war. Gaining an increased confidence in the Commanderin-chief, which a long experience of his wisdom and disinterestedness authorized, Congress at length adopted the important measures, in regard to the army, which he had earnestly and repeatedly advised and * A full and detailed account of the particulars relating to this subject is contained in SPARKS's Life and Treason of Arnold, being the third volume of the Library of American Biography. enforced. They decreed that all the troops, thenceforward to be raised, should be enlisted to serve during the war; and that all the officers, who continued in the service to the end of the war, should be entitled to half-pay for life. Washington ever believed, that, if this system had been pursued from the beginning, it would have shortened the war, or at least have caused a great diminution in the expense. Unfortunately the States did not comply with the former part of the requisition, but adhered to the old method of filling up their quotas with men raised for three years and for shorter terms. The extreme difficulty of procuring recruits was the reason assigned for persevering in this practice. Lafayette commanded six battalions of light infantry, stationed in advance of the main army. He projected a descent upon Staten Island, but was prevented from executing it by the want of boats. A plan was likewise formed for a general attack on the north part of New York Island. The enemy's posts were reconnoitred, extensive preparations were made, and a large foraging party was sent into Westchester County to mask the design, and draw the attention of the enemy that way. But the sudden appearance of several armed vessels in the river caused the enterprise to be deferred and finally abandoned. The foraging expedition, conducted by General Stark, was successful. The army went into winter-quarters at the end of November; the Pennsylvania line near Morristown, the New Jersey regiments at Pompton, and the eastern troops in the Highlands. The head-quarters of the Commander-in-chief were at New Windsor. The French army remained at Newport, except the Duke de Lauzun's legion, which was cantoned at Lebanon in Con CHAPTER XIII. Mutiny of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Troops. Agency of Washington in procuring Supplies from France. - Limited Powers of Congress. Operations of the Enemy in the Chesapeake. — Detachment to Virginia under Lafayette. — General Washington visits Count de Rochambeau at Newport. — Condition of the Army.-Interview between the American and French Commanders at Weathersfield. Plan of Operations. A combined Attack on New York proposed. Junction between the American and French Armies. Intelligence from Count de Grasse in the West Indies changes the Objects of the Campaign.- Successful Operations of Lafayette against Cornwallis. The combined Armies cross the Hudson and march to Virginia. — The Fleet of Count de Grasse enters the Chesapeake.— Siege of Yorktown. - Capitulation. The American Army returns to Hudson's River; the French remains in Virginia. -- -- THE year 1781 opened with an event, which filled the country with alarm, and threatened dangerous consequences. On the 1st of January a mutiny broke out among the Pennsylvania troops, stationed near Morristown, and about thirteen hundred men paraded under arms, refused obedience to their officers, killed one captain, mortally wounded another, and committed various outrages. The mutineers marched in a body towards Princeton with six field-pieces, avowing their intention to proceed to Philadelphia, and demand from Congress a redress of their grievances. They complained that their pay was in arrears, that they were obliged to receive it in a depreciated currency, that many of the soldiers were detained beyond the term of their enlistment, and that they had suffered every hardship for the want of money, provisions, and clothing. By the prudence and good management of General Wayne, who took care to supply them with provisions on their march, they were kept from plundering the inhabitants and other excesses. He sent the intelligence of the revolt by an express to General Washington, who, considering the number of the mutineers and the apparent justice of their complaints, recommended to him not to use force, which might inflame their passions, increase opposition, keep alive resentment, and tempt them to turn about and go to the enemy, who would not fail to hold out alluring offers. He advised General Wayne to draw from them a statement of their grievances, and promise to represent the case faithfully to Congress and the State of Pennsylvania, and endeavour to obtain redress. These judicious counsels had the effect desired. A committee of Congress, joined by the President of Pennsylvania, met the revolters at Trenton, and made proposals to them, which were accepted, and they gave up their arms. An ambiguity in the written terms of enlistment was one of the principal causes of dissatisfaction. The agreement on the part of the soldiers was, to serve for three years or during the war. By the interpretation, which the officers gave to these expressions, they bound the soldiers to serve to the end of the war; whereas the soldiers insisted, that they engaged for three years only, or during the war if it should come to an end before the three years had elapsed. Accordingly they demanded a discharge at the expiration of that period. This construction being allowed, it was the means of disbanding a large part of the Pennsylvania line for the winter, but it was recruited again in the spring to its original complement. The revolters were indignant at the suspicion of their going to the enemy, and scorned the idea, as they expressed it, of turning Arnolds. Two emissaries sent among them with overtures from Sir Henry Clinton were given up, tried by a court-martial, and executed. Not knowing how far this example might infect the troops generally, the sufferings of all of whom were not less than those of the Pennsylvania line, General Washington took speedy measures to prevent the repetition of such a scene as had just occurred. He ordered a thousand trusty men to be selected from the regiments in the Highlands, and held in readiness to march, with four days' provisions, at the shortest notice. The wisdom of this precaution was soon put to the proof; for news came, that the New Jersey troops, stationed at Pompton and Chatham, were in a state of mutiny, having risen in arms against their officers, and threatened to march to Trenton, where the legislature of the State was then in session, and demand redress at the point of the bayonet. The case required promptness and energy. Six hundred men were put under the command of General Howe, with orders to march and crush the revolt by force, unless the men should yield unconditional submission and return to their duty. These orders were faithfully executed. Taken by surprise, the mutineers were compelled to parade without their arms, make concessions to their officers, and promise obedience. To impress them with the enormity of their guilt, and deter them and others from future acts of the kind, two of the ringleaders were tried by a field court-martial and shot. By this summary proceeding the spirit of mutiny in the army was subdued. In the midst of these distracting events Washington was employed, at the request of Congress, in affording important counsels to Colonel John Laurens, who had been appointed on a mission to France, for the purpose of obtaining a loan and military supplies. Such was the deranged state of the currency, so low had the resources of the country been drained, and |