CHAP. THE winter having now commenced, the British troops were placed in winter quarters, between the Delaware and the Hakenfack, the 1776. 17th Dec. latter of which runs near New York. The Difpofition of the Bri- enemy in the mean time retreated across the tish troops Delaware. in winter quarters. Iland. DURING the progrefs of lord Cornwallis, Expedition general Clinton, in oppofition to his own to Rhode judgment, was engaged in an expedition to Rhode Island, to which he was dispatched after the battle of White Plains. He ftrongly urged the fuperior advantage of being landed at Amboy, for the purpofe of co-operating with lord Cornwaliis, or proceeding on board lord Howe's fleet to the Delaware, to take poffeffion of Philadelphia; but his propofitions were over-ruled, principally becaufe lord Howe infifted on Rhode Island as neceflary for the fleet. On the approach of the British force, the enemy abandoned the island; and the American fquadron under Hopkins retired up the river Providence, where it remained blocked up and inactive. 30th Nov. Proclamation by the Howes. DURING the career of fuccefs, lord Howe and the general iffued a proclamation, recapitulating their former offers, and promifing free pardons to all who fhould, within fixty proper activity, or withheld by the commands of his fuperiors: the chief proof in favour of thefe fuppofitions is, that the pursuing army generally arrived at every place from which the enemy retreat ed, at the moment when they had quitted the spot. It is to be ob served, however, that the Americans had conftantly such perfect intelligence of the preparations of the royal army, as enabled them to guefs with certainty the intentions of the general, and fo change their pofition at the last moment. It appears too from the teftimony of general Washington himself, that the expeditious progress of the British army was, towards the latter end of November, fufpended by bad weather. See Stedman, v. i. p. 219. Washington's Letters, v. i. p. 322, 323. et paffim. days, 1776. days, appear before governors of provinces, or CHAP. military or naval commanders, and enter into XXIX. engagements to remain peaceable and obedient fubjects. The leuity of this meafure, combined with the progrefs of the army, induced great numbers to accept the proffered benefits, and whole diftricts renounced their arms. Washington, during the whole course of his retreat, complained, that notwithstanding his efforts and notices, he was never joined by the militia. The governor, council and affembly, and magiftracy of New York, had deferted the province; repeated attempts to embody the militia of Philadelphia had failed; and a difpofition to meet general Howe with a cheerful welcome became generally apparent. Had the British army been able to proceed immediately to Philadelphia, it was fuppofed the whole continent would have followed the example of that city; but they could not, for want of boats, crofs the Delaware, and were obliged to wait till the ice thould be fufficiently formed to permit a paffage. General THE partizans of congrefs were alfo dif- 13th Dec. heartened by the capture of general Lee, whofe Capture of experience and talents were more relied on by Lee. the Americans, and dreaded by the English, than thofe of the commander in chief. His timely difcernment had already faved the provincial army, and though Washington does not appear to have entertained a fincere friendship for him, ftill, in the difaftrous fituation of the American caufe, he was folicitous for his prefence and affiftance. Lee, while advancing to join Washington, quitted his camp before Morristown on a reconnoitring expedition, and stopped almoft un f See the proclamation and form of pardon, Annual Register for 1777, p. 294. attended 1776. CHAP. attended at the diftance of three miles from the XXIX. main body of his troops for refreshment: in this fituation he was furprized by a detachment of light horfe, under colonel Harcourt, and conveyed with great celerity, through a confiderable extent of country, to New York. This gallant exploit caufed no lefs exultation in the British than regret in the provincial army. No officer of equal rank being in captivity among the Americans, Washington offered fix field officers in exchange, but received for reply, that Lee, being a deferter from the British fervice, could not be confidered as a prifoner of war. It was ineffectually alleged on the other fide, that he had refigned his commiffion before the commencement of hoftilities; no arguments or offers could procure his releafe, he was confined, and vigilantly guarded. Congrefs, exafperated, refcinded an established regulation, in the nature of a cartél, for the exchange of prifoners, deprived of their parole feveral British officers, and declared that the treatment experienced by general Lee thould form the model of their conduct towards prifoners. IN no period of this feries of calamities does it appear that the firmnefs of congrefs ever deferted them, or that they loft fight of the great object of their principal leaders, the establifhment of independence, and total feparation from Great Britain. Some of their measures were rath, fome perhaps impolitic, and others tyrannical; but they feem on the whole to have purfued a mode of conduct more dignified than could have been expected in their circumftances, and fufficiently wife to ferve as the foundation of permanent fuccefs, if they were unexpectedly favoured by fortune. SOON h 4th Oct. SOON after the declaration of independence, CHAP. they voted articles of confederation and union, XXIX. in which they affumed the appellation of "the 1776. United States of America," and limited the ge- Articles of neral dependence of each state upon the deci- confedera fions of the delegates in congrefs, without de- tion. priving any of their full freedom of action in the regulation of their own internal government. They paffed refolutions for raifing by 3d Oa. loan, at four per cent. eighty thousand dollars, Other for which certificates were to be given, and the measures. faith of the United States pledged to the lenders for both principal and interest. As thefe certificates were transferrable, and liable to be depreciated, congrefs, by a fubfequent law, fub- 27th Dec. jected perfons refufing to receive the paper currency for goods or debts, or withholding their property from fale, or raifing the price, fo as to make a difference between cash and paper, to forfeiture of their goods, lofs of their debts, and a penalty proportioned to the amount of their tranfgreffion. Another project for 18th Nov. raifing money was a lottery of four hundred thoufand tickets, divided into claffes, and in which five millions of dollars were diftributed k 1 into prizes. To re-animate the declining fpirit roth Dec. of the people, congrefs published an addrefs, in their accuftomed ftyle, recapitulating the topics of complaint againft Great Britain, and fabricating many new charges arifing out of the mode of conducting the war; vigour and unanimity, they faid, would enfure fuccefs. They boafted of effential fervices already rendered by foreign states, of pofitive affurances of further aid, and See Almon's Remembrancer, vol. iv. p. 240. ▲ Idem, pp. 219. 283. ↑ Idem, vol. v. p. 36. * Idem, p. 33. FF 2 Spoke CHAP. fpoke in contemptuous terms of British valour. XXIX. The army, during the whole campaign, they faid 1776. had been checked in its progrefs, and had not, till within the laft two weeks, ventured above ten miles from the fleet: their prefent advances were not produced by any capital fuccefs, but a fudden diminution of the American force from the expiration of enliftments. No terms could be obtained from Great Britain but unconditional fubmiffion; but cordial union would check the progrefs of the army, and re-animate the declining caufe of America. Even when congrefs was compelled to abandon Philadelphia, and take refuge in Baltimore, " no public act teftified defpair, or a defire to procure immunity by a facrifice of public fpirit. Some individuals joined the British army, and others maintained a conftant correfpondence with the generals for terms of fafety; but the whole body, in all their public acts, maintained an unvaried appearance of dignity and fovereignty. 20th Dec. They retire to Balti more. Miferable army. n THE army, the fole effective bafis of their ftate of the hopes, had been formed in a manner fo unexpected, and on a plan fo radically bad, that it could now only be viewed with fentiments of defpair. The requifite interval for effecting a complete reform could not be expected; totally to difband the exifting force was impoffible, without abandoning every hope of final fuccefs; and yet every difafter produced fuch great defalcations, that it was reduced to a number not exceeding five thoufand, and even those were impatiently awaiting the day which should fet 1 Remembrancer, vol. iv. p. 270. For this purpofe they adjourned from the 12th to the 20th of December; having in the mean time appointed a folemn fast. a From private information. |