"Ame- BOOK XVII. nies in the former war at Ticonderoga. rica," said the congress, in one of their public declarations, "is amazed to find the name of 1776, Howe in the catalogue of her enemies-she loved his brother." It argued, however, very shallow policy to make this nomination under the idea that the sound of a once popular name would cause America to waver for a moment in her determination, or in the slightest degree remit her preparations of resistance; though it might indeed be reasonably questioned, whether men supposed not unfavorably inclined to America would be likely to make exertions equally vigorous and ardent with others not inferior in talents, who entertained no such predilection. Lord Howe, who was anxious to obtain an enlargement of his powers as commissioner, in order to effect his favorite purpose of pacification, did not leave England till May, and he then directed his course for Halifax, where he arrived in June; but found, by a letter left for him, that his brother, the general, was already departed for New York; to which place he instantly proceeded without coming to an anchor, and reached Staten Island, the head-quarters of the general, on the 12th of July. Here, to his inexpressible chagrin, he was informed of the publication of the declaration of independency, His lordship, however, resolved to make an ef XVII. 1776. BOOK fort, such as yet remained, for effecting an accommodation; though so limited were his powers, that it was in fact of very immaterial consequence whether his arrival proceeded or succeeded the declaration. On his arrival off the coast, his lordship had sent ashore by a flag to Amboy a circular letter addressed to the governors of the different colonies, acquainting them with his appointment as commissioner, in conjunction with the general, together with a declaration to the inhabitants. Copies of these papers were sent by general Washington to the congress, who immediately resolved, "that they be published in the several gazettes, in order that the good people of the United States might be apprised of what nature are the commissions, and what the terms with the expectation of which the insidious court of Great Britain has endeavoured to amuse and disarm them." Some days after this, adjutant-general Paterson was deputed by general Howe with a message to general Washington, stating, that the commissioners were invested with great powers, that they would derive the greatest pleasure from effecting an accommodation, and wished this. visit to be considered as the first advance towards that desirable object. General Washington replied, "that, by what had transpired, their powers extended merely to the granting of par XVII. 1776. dons; that those who had been guilty of no BOOK fault wanted no pardon; and that they were only defending what they deemed their indisputable rights." Both sides now prepared seriously for action; and the general, being joined by the far greater part of his expected reinforcements, found himself at the head of 30,000 veteran troops, supported by a formidable fleet, composing together a far superior force to any that had ever before been seen in the New World employed in the same service. On the 22d of August, 1776, the whole army being re-embarked, was safely landed, under protection of the shipping, on the south-western extremity of Long Island, an extensive and fertile tract; on the opposite side of which, in view of the island and city of New York, lay encamped, near the village of Brooklyn, a large body of Americans commanded by general Sullivan. His lines extended on the left to the East River, which separated him from New York; he was defended by a marsh and an inlet of the sea called Gowan's Cove on the right; and to the rear of the encampment was an open bay, bounded by a small island, known by the name of Governor's Island. Between the armies was a range of hills covered with wood, intersecting the country from east to west: through these hills are three passes, onc to the westward called XVI. BOOK the Narrows; a second, on the road denominated the Flat-bush road; and the third, bend1776. ing to the east, called the Bedford road. Besides these there is a road leading round the eastern extremity of the hills to a plantation. called Jamaica. On each of these roads or passes the American general had placed a strong guard of 800 men. General Howe, having formed his plan, stationed general Grant at the head of the left wing, in a position to guard the coast, and, if practicable, to force a passage through the Narrows. General de Heister, with the Hessians, was ordered to take post at the central pass of Flat-bush. About nine in the evening of the 26th, the main army, under the command of general Clinton and the lords Percy and Cornwallis, marched to the right, in order to gain the eastern or Jamaica pass, which, through the unaccountable negligence or cowardice of the officer appointed to defend it, they accomplished without delay or difficulty. The way being thus open, the whole army descended by the town of Bedford into the level country which lay between them and the American lines. The action began early on the morning of the 27th, by a warm cannon. ade on the right of the American lines from the generals de Heister and Grant; the ships of war in the mean time attacking a battery at Red XVII. 1776 Hook, in the rear of the American encampment, BOOK in order to call off their attention from the left and centre, where the real danger lay. The Americans having taken a station some miles distant in front of their camp, in order to oppose the advance of de Heister and Grant, were suddenly attacked by general Clinton in the rear, and immediately thrown into the utmost confusion; and, in the effort to retreat back to the lines of Brooklyn, great numbers were killed or taken prisoners; among the latter were general Sullivan and ten other field officers, and many were drowned or suffocated in attempting to pass the marsh. Upon the whole, a signal victory was obtained with inconsiderable loss; and such was the ardor of the British troops, that scarcely could they be restrained by the too great caution of their commander from storming the American lines, which would have been in all probability quickly forced, in the consternation occasioned by the loss of the battle. On the next day the British troops broke ground in form, at 600 yards' distance from the nearest redoubt, and the ships in the bay waited only a fair wind to enter the East River, which would have effectually cut off all communication between the island and the continent. In this situation no hope remained but in a retreat, which was in the succeeding night effected, under cover of a thick fog, with |