1777. gents in fome of these provinces againft their governors, of endeavouring to bring the favages down to further thofe defigns.

The failure of thefe attempts, was not fufficient to damp the zeal of the British agents among the Indian nations, nor to render them hopelefs of ftill performing fome eflential fervice, by engaging thefe people to make a diverfion, and to attack the fouthern colonies in their back and defencelefs parts. The Indians, ever light in act and faith, greedy of prefents, and eager for fpoil, were not difficultly induced, by a proper application of the one, and the hope of the other, concurring with their own natural difpofition, to forget the treaties which they had lately confirmed or renewed with the coloniits, and to engage in the defign.

It was held out to them, that a British army was to land in Weft Florida, and after penetrating through the Creek, Chickefaw, and Cherokee countries, and being joined by the warriors of those nations, they were jointly to invade the Carolinas and Virginia, whilt another formidable force by fea and land, was to make a powerful impreflion on the coafts. Circular letters to the fame import, were fent by Mr. Stuart, the principal agent for Indian affairs, to the inhabitants of the back fettlements, requiring all the well-affected, as well as all thofe, who were willing to preferve themselves and their families from the inevitable calamities and deftruction of an Indian war, to be in readiness to repair to the royal standard, as foon as it was erected in the Cherokee country, and to bring with them their horfes, cattle, and provifions, for all of which they were promifed payment. They were likewife required, for their prefent fecurity, and future diftinction from the King's enemies, to fubfcribe immediately to a written paper, declaratory of their allegiance.

The

The fcheme was fo plaufible, and carried fuch a 1777. probability of fuccefs, that it feemed to have had a very extenfive operation upon the difpofition of the Indians, and to have prepared them in a great meafure for a general confederacy against the Colonies. Even the fix nations, who had before agreed to the obfervance of a strict neutrality, now committed feveral small acts of hoftility, which were afterwards difowned by their elders and chiefs. The Creek Indians, more violent, began the fouthern war with all their usual barbarity, until finding that the expected fuccours did not arrive, they, with a forefight uncommon among Indians, ftopped fuddenly fhort, and repenting of what they had done, were, in the present state of affairs, eafily excufed; and being afterwards applied to for afliftance by the Cherokees, returned for answer, that they, the latter, had plucked the thorn out of their foot, and were welcome to keep it.

But the Cherokees fell upon the adjoining colonies with determined fury, carrying, for a part of the fummer, ruin and defolation wherever they came, fcalping and flaughtering the people, and totally deftroying their fettlements. They were foon, however checked, and feverely experienced, that things were much altered, fince the time of their former warfare upon the fame ground, and that the martial Spirit now prevalent in the colonies, was extended to their remoteft frontiers. They were not only repulfed or defeated in every action, by the neighbouring militia of Virginia and the Carolinas, but purfued into their own country, where their towns were demolished, their corn deftroyed, and their warriors thinned in repeated engagements, until the nation was nearly exterminated, and the wretched furvivors were obliged to fubmit to any terms pre fcribed by the victors; while the neighbouring nations of Indians were filent and paffive fpectators of their calamities.

Nor was this Indian war more fortunate, with refpect to its effect on the well-affected on thofe quarters; who are not only faid, to a man, to have expreffed the utmoft averfion to the authors, and abhorrence of the cruelty of that measure, but that fome of the chief leaders of the tories, avowed a recantation of their former principles, merely upon that account.

It was in the midst of the bustle and danger of the war, and when the fcale of fortune feemed to hang heavily against them, by the defeat on LongIfland, and the reduction of New-York, at a time when a great and invincible force by fea and land, carried difmay and conqueft wherever it directed its courfe, that all the members of the Congress ventured to fign that remarkable treaty of perpetual compact and union between the thirteen revolted colonies, which lays down an invariable fyftem of rules or laws, for their government in all public cafes with respect to each other in peace or war, and is alfo extended to their commerce with foreign tates. This piece, which may be confidered as a most dangerous fupplement to the Declaration of Independency, was published under the title of Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the thirteen fpecified ftates, and has fince received, as the neceflary forms would permit, the feparate ratifications of each colony. Such was in general the ftate of affairs in America at the clofe of the year 1776. [For thefe Articles at large, fee Appendix.

CHAP

CHAP. XIV.

State of affairs at New-York previous to the opening of the campaign. Loyal provincials embodied, and placed under the command of Governor Tryon. Expedition to Peeks Kill. To Danbury, ander General Tryon. Magazines deftroyed. General Woofter killed. Veffels and provifions deftroyed at Sagg Harbour, by a detachment from Connecticut under Colonel Meigs. Advantages derived by General Washington, from the detention of the army at New-York through the want of tents.. Different fchemes fuggefted for conducting the operations of the campaign, all tending to one object. General Sir William Horve takes the field; fails in his attempt to bring Washington to action; retires to Amboy. Turns fuddenly and advances upon the enemy. Skirmishes. Americans under Lord Sterling defeated. Washington regains his ftrong camp. Royal army pafs over to Staten Island. Alarm excited by the preparations. for the grand expedition. General Prefcot carried off from Rhode Iland. Rate of interest upon the public loan, advanced by the Congress. Monuments decreed for the Generals Warren and Mercer. Fleet and army depart from Sandy Hook, Force embarked on the expedition. Congress and Washington alarmed by the lofs of Ticonderoga. Fleet arrives at the River Elk, after a tedious voyage, and difficult paffage up Chefapeak Bay. Army lands at Elk Ferry. Declaration iffied by the General. Washington returns to the defence of Philadelphia. Advances to the Brandywine, and to Red-Clay Creek. Various movements on both fides. Action at the Brandywine. General Knyphaufen makes an attack at Chad's Ford. Lord Cornwallis marches round to the forks of the Brandywine, where he paffes, in order to attack the enemy's right. Defeats Général Sullivan. Purfues his advantages until flopped by night. General Knyphaufen paffes at Chad's Ford. Enemy every where defeated. Lofs on both fides. Reflections on the action. Victory not decifive. Foreign officers in the American fervice. Motions of the Armies. Engagement prevented by a great fall of rain. Major-General Grey, furprizes and defeats a party of Americans under General Wayne, Royal army paffes the Schuylkill, and advances to German-Town. Lord Cornwallis takes poffeffion of Philadel phia. Some of the principal inhabitants fent prifoners to Virginid, upon the approach of the army. Attack on the new batteries at Philadelphia. Delaware frigate taken. Works confrutted by the Americans to render the paffage of the Delaware impracticable. Successful expedition to Billing's Fort, and a paffage made through the lower barrier. Royal army furprized and attacked by the Americans at German-Town. Americans repulfed with lofs and pursued. Brigailier General Agnew, and

Colonel

1777.

1777.

died, and

of G.

Tryon.

Colonel Bird killed. Army removes to Philadelphia. Unfuccefsful attack upon the enemy's works on the Delaware. Heffians repulfed with great lofs at Red Bank. Colonel Donop killed. Augufta man of war and Merlin floop deftroyed. New and effectual measures taken for forcing the enemy's works. Mud Ifland and Red Bank, abandoned, and taken with their artillery and flores. Americans burn their gallies and other hipping. Paffage of the Delaware opened to Philadelphia. General Sir William Howe, finding all his efforts to bring Washington to a general action fruitless, returns with the army to Philadelphia. Americans Hut their camp at Valley Forge for the winter.

WE

E have already fhewn the state and fituation of the armies in America during the winter and greater part of the fpring. As the season opened, and enlarged the field of enterprize, our commanders did not neglect feizing thofe advantages which nature and their naval fuperiority prelented, in a country deeply interfected by navigable rivers, and continually laid open in other parts by the numberless inlets and channels, which the peculiar conftructions of the iflands and coafts, admit in their junction with the ocean and thofe rivers.

Loyal In the mean time a confiderable body of provin Provinci- cial troops was formed under the auspices of Geals embo- neral Sir William Howe, which by degrees amountplaced ed to feveral thousand men, and which under that under the denomination included, not only American, but command British and Irifh refugees from the different parts of the continent. This corps was entirely officered, either by thofe gentlemen, who for their attachment to the royal cause had been obliged to abandon their respective provinces, or by those who lived under that protection in the New-York islands. The new troops were placed for the temporary time of their fervice, upon the fame footing as to pay, fubfiftence, and clothing, with the established national bodies of the royal army, with the further advantage to the private men and non-commiffioned officers, that they were entitled to confiderable al

lotments